VII. Chariot

Willpower, movement, control, focus

“I move forward with focus and determination,

guided by my will.”

 

The Chariot is a card of movement, a purposeful direction. When The Chariot appears, it doesn’t just say, “Go.” It asks you: “Where are you going and why?”

A straight railway track is cutting through hills and valleys, fields and forests. It does not bend around things, it holds its line. A mountain rises ahead, massive and unmoving. But the track does not stop. It disappears into a tunnel. This is the essence of the Chariot: not going around the obstacle, but going through it.

This does not stand for brute force. It is about discipline, focus. The ability to direct your will with precision. Because that railway didn't lay itself. Someone had to plan the route, lay the tracks, and make sure every bolt and beam was in place.

In the traditional Rider Waite Smith image, the Chariot rider holds the reins. They don’t wait for all conditions to be favorable. They don’t need the road to be smooth. They trust the track beneath them and the passion that drives them. The mountain will not move, and that’s okay, they will move through it.

So this Chariot is a card of effort. It honors the part of you that knows how to commit, stay focused, and keep going. Even when the way is long. Even when the mountain seems endless. Especially then.

And yet, it also cautions against obsession. The rails are fixed, but riding them still requires awareness and presence. Remember, willpower needs to be guided by wisdom. Moving fast is great, but by doing so we tend to lose track of what really matters.

Sometimes, the tunnel is not an obstacle, but a threshold. A passage through which we become more of who we are. The darkness may surround us briefly, but if we keep moving forward and stay on course, we’ll come out stronger. 

The mountain wasn’t in the way. It was just part of the journey.

Reflections

  • How do I deal with obstacles and what mindset helps me push through them?

 

  • What distractions are pulling me off my course? What can get me back on track?

 

  • When have I felt most powerful and in control of my own journey and what supported that feeling?