"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails"
Martini Gotjé

Tarot Cards > The Chariot

The Chariot, in its simplest terms, represents a vehicle, and one that you are in charge of steering ­ your life is the vehicle and it is your choices and decisions that steer you in either the right or wrong direction.

When this card appears in a reading, it often represents challenges or difficulties that you must work through or around, but with courage and determination the outcome is often victory.

It often represents an existing struggle, one you have been battling with for a while. For example, the card may represent a destructive or unfulfilling relationship that you have had problems letting go of. It may be that you have been a housewife for many years and you don’t have the confidence to get back into the job market, or perhaps you have hit a glass ceiling in your job or profession and lack the courage to seek success elsewhere.

Whatever the specific challenge or obstacle may be, you can get over it if you find the drive and determination to do so, since The Chariot represents self-reliance and decisive action.

When this card appears in your reading, it is saying don’t quit or give up. As hard as the battle may seem at times, if you persevere, you can and will succeed. It is important to accept and understand that sometimes we need to change course or direction in order to achieve our goals and ambitions. If something isn’t happening, however hard you try, perhaps you simply need to change tactics to get results.

The warning with The Chariot is not to allow your drive, ambition and determination to turn to arrogance and pride. It is not about bullying your way through life. This card simply suggests that you don’t allow your ego to get in the way.

If you feel that your life is not going in the direction you would like it to, and The Chariot appears in your reading, ask yourself ‘What do I need to do to achieve what I want?’, ‘What do I need to let go of in order to gain what I desire?’, ‘Am I on course or way off it?’

Quite often we consult the Tarot cards when we feel lost, without any goals or direction. You would never jump into a car without knowing where you are going would you? Otherwise how would you know when you’d arrived at your destination?

It is the same with life. There are always signposts along the way and the Tarot cards can help you to determine which signs are pointing you in the right direction.