What Does the Chariot Card Mean in Tarot?

There’s moving forward and then there’s moving forward with power and grace. Tarot’s Chariot shows up in our path when, thanks to a recent and conscious decision, we’re about to enter a new period in an area of our lives.

The Chariot is here to empower us to take our next steps with awareness, determination, and zest. It is a wonderfully positive card, like a guru lovingly leading us to self-realization – make sure to listen to its guidance!

True Freedom Means Limitations

The Chariot teaches us a simple yet effective formula for long-term success in our new direction in life. According to the Chariot, the two opposing forces, liberation and limitation, are in fact a couple – one doesn’t come without the other.

For example, our souls are limited to a body on Earth, and through that we can touch, move, run, dance, make love, and live. Our finances are limited and through that we budget, plan, and create sustainable goals such as buying a place and a vehicle. Budgets limit us, but having a stable home-base and a vehicle is liberating.

If we want to lose weight and be fit, we need to stick to a diet and a schedule of exercise. Repetition is a child of limitation – the more we repeat an act, the more we’re freeing ourselves through limits. When exercise becomes a habit, we stop viewing it as something we have to suffer through. It becomes a natural part of our existence.

Commitment creates a great “container” for our flowing emotions and changing attitudes. Every day we may wake up feeling differently, but repeating the actions that we are committed to provides us with a solid container. We then have a firm base. We have our two feet on the ground regardless of what the day brings.

The contrasting black and white sphinxes in the Chariot card give their owner tremendous power. Whatever it is we intend to do next in your life, we must work with the opposing but complementary forces of limitations and liberation for a successful outcome.

What does the Chariot Tarot Card mean for love?

Mutual commitment is a limitation, but if you have ever been in a committed, loving relationship, you know that this limitation strengthens your bond, deepens your connection, and frees you from having to worry about sustaining a conscious partnership.

If you are just starting a new relationship, the Chariot reminds you to cherish such limitations, to uphold them, and to feel comfortable discussing them with your partner.

If you are in a relationship and things aren’t going well, examine the balance between limitations and freedoms. Remember, repetition is a limit – how many times a week do you spend time together just the two of you? How often do you call each other? How often do you have real romance? Do you repeat the beautiful aspects enough for them to create lasting love?

Love is a dance. And every dance style has its own steps and moves. Tango and belly dance are completely different yet students of each have to learn a series of movements and rhythm. Once they master these (the limitations), they are free to improvise.

Same is true for your relationship – have you mastered the steps? Can you trust that when you bring your forward your partner will bring his backwards? Or, do you keep stepping on each other’s toes?

What Does the Chariot Reversed Mean?

The Chariot reversed means you’ve been too limited to be free. You may be sacrificing your spontaneity and joy in the name of your endless to-do lists.

This base is like a springboard. It helps us to jump, to be free to do other things – things that speak to our soul and move us deep within.

Chariot reversed may mean you’re doing the bare minimum to make things work, but that you’ve given up on the idea that more can come out of where you are, whether it’s your job or relationship. You aren’t providing yourself with the freedom to create the life you want.

Look around and look within – you might have become one of those people who have a very clean house, nice clothes, home-made food always ready, a steady paycheck, and a very regular schedule. These are amazing achievements – absolutely! – but do you also feel joy inside? What do you do just for yourself? For fun?

Zodiacal Association

The Chariot is associated with the sign of Cancer. Committed to the things that matter. Committed to the people that matter. The Chariot and the Cancer energy both remind us to find a balance between our to-do lists that bring order to our lives and the joys we share with the people we love. Equilibrium between our limitations and freedoms.

The Chariot’s Cancer association also means our rooting into the Earth must include good relationships. We’re reminded to pay attention to plans and repeated activities that strengthen our bonds, so we can master our desired tasks and manifest our dream projects, whatever they may be.