VII · The Chariot
Key points of this lesson
Roman numeral VII
The number VII stands for victory, action, resolve and self-command. It is the number that closes a cycle: success is in sight, but challenges have to be cleared first.
The charioteer
Armoured and set-faced, he stands for willpower, control and confidence. He holds no reins — he drives by force of mind rather than physical restraint.
The chariot itself
The chariot is a cube, standing for stability and the footing of the material world. Four pillars hold the starry canopy above the driver, who stands between heaven and earth, moving forward alert on a solid base.
Black sphinx
The black sphinx stands for the subconscious, intuition, the shadow side and untamed impulse. Set against the white one, it marks the inner conflict that has to be integrated.
White sphinx
The white sphinx stands for consciousness, reason, the light side and force already tamed. Together with the black sphinx it embodies the challenge of steering opposing forces toward one goal.
Starry canopy
The stars on the canopy mark the driver's link to cosmic force, and stand for far-reaching ambition and divine guidance. The blue key suggests a pursuit of spirit and wisdom.
Blue = spirit, wisdom, protection
The same symbol also appears in
- XVII The Star · sky · Echoing the cosmic guidance and hope of the Star.
Laurel crown and eight-pointed star
The laurel stands for victory and achievement — some success is already won. The eight-pointed star above his head stands for divine guidance and balance: he is protected on both the spiritual and material level.
The same symbol also appears in
- XVII The Star · star · The eight-pointed star resembles the star of hope, and likewise guides.
Moons on the pauldrons
The waxing and waning moons on his shoulders stand for the two poles, the pull of the tides and command over feeling. These shifting inner forces are what he must drive.
The same symbol also appears in
- II The High Priestess · crown · Tied to the moons on her crown, for intuition and the subconscious.
- XVIII The Moon · the moon · A direct echo of the Moon's themes of the subconscious and illusion.
Square on the breastplate
The square stands for his steadiness in the material world and the solidity of his will. It also implies he must face and integrate the demands of reality while holding his inner balance.
Emblem on the chariot front
The winged sun above stands for divine energy and victory; the red sign on the shield below (usually read as the union of lingam and yoni) stands for creative power, life force and the balance of the two polarities.
The wand
The wand in his hand stands for willpower, drive and command of direction. He steers by spiritual force rather than coercion, and so reaches his goal.
The same symbol also appears in
- I The Magician · wand · Like the Magician's wand, it stands for will and creative power putting an idea into action.
Yellow background
The bright yellow ground stands for vitality, optimism, wisdom and success. It sets a forward-leaning key for the whole image and promises a bright road ahead.
Yellow = vitality, optimism, wisdom
Grey chariot
The body of the chariot is grey, for neutrality, balance and objectivity. The driver has to get past personal feeling and steer with a cool, reasoning head.
Grey = neutrality, balance, objectivity
Element: water
The Chariot answers to Cancer, a water sign. Water stands for emotion, intuition and the subconscious: he must drive these inner currents into balance with reason.
The same symbol also appears in
- II The High Priestess · water · The stream at her feet stands for the deep flow of the subconscious and feeling.
- XVIII The Moon · water · The pool in the Moon stands directly for the depths of the subconscious and of dream.