The Chariot is a really straightforward card and its reversed form is equally straightforward. This is likely one of the easiest tarot cards in the deck to interpret, and if you’ve pulled the Chariot reversed, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what it means right off the bat. That still doesn’t make it any easier to take, though, because it deals with something that is dear to your heart: your goals.
The Basic Chariot
Remember that the Chariot is one of the Major Arcana, so it’s a major card in your tarot spread. This card has to do with big influences in your life; it’s not one of the nitty-gritty detail cards of the Minor Arcana. Think of the Major Arcana as dealing with life choices, while the Minor Arcana deals with day-to-day issues, even though the Minor Arcana can certainly describe more.
The Chariot zeroes in on goals, focus, vehicles, travel, moving, and generally going forward. It’s good, steady energy, and if you see the Chariot in your spread in its upright form, that’s a very positive sign regarding a goal you’re trying to accomplish or a move you want to make. This is the card that says you’re on your way, or you will be.
The Reversed Chariot
Like other reversed tarot cards, the Chariot reversed shows a blockage or opposition. What makes the Chariot reversed stand out, though, is that its meaning is pretty stark. You’re being blocked from starting toward or accomplishing your goals, you meet opposition regarding your goals, you can’t focus, you’re going after the wrong goals, your quest for your goal has gone off the rails, your goal is growing out of control… you get the picture. Something has happened that is blocking the situation or opposing it, or creating wild energy around it that has that similar effect.
Because the Chariot can also relate to a move or a change that is like a move, you can apply that reversed energy to any moves you’re about to make. Maybe rent in your area is suddenly too high, or your actual moving day is going to be prone to glitches.
Because the Chariot is also a vehicle and travel card, the Chariot reversed could indicate trouble in those areas. It could be minor, like traffic that makes you late, or it could be major, like travel plans that get quashed. Sometimes you can see interpretations of the Chariot reversed talk about accidents, but other than just being careful, try not to dwell on that too much. Why have that imagery in your head? Just take care and pay attention to gut feelings. Cancel if you need to, but live your life.
Dealing with the Chariot reversed is kind of like having Mercury retrograde decide to take over your life for a day even though the planet itself isn’t on a retrograde path. It’s frustrating, and you will need a lot of patience to get through it.
So What Do You Do?
So now you know what it means in general, but how exactly do you deal with the Chariot reversed? First, look at the position of the card in the spread. Is the card referring to you, someone else, past, present, future? That will give you your direction to go in when figuring out how the card might show up in real life. If it appears to refer to someone else, for example, you may not have support from others for your goal – or someone could be trying to stop you from accomplishing it.
If the card refers to a present time or influence, then something about your goal now is not letting it move forward. Have you been waiting for approval for something, or have you been trying to save up money in order to move? That could be it; just be patient and plug away at your goal.
Is the card in an outcome position? That could mean that your present path, should you continue along it, will scuttle your goal. The question you ask matters, too. For example, if you ask what the effect of something will be, such as a move, the Chariot reversed could indicate that the move would upend your goals and move you farther away from them, rather than closer to them.
The Chariot reversed, its specific meaning for you, and the actions you should take as a result all can change depending on surrounding cards. You need to get the full story to determine the appropriate course of action and you’re going to be able to get much more detail if you have a professional spread and reading done. Get an online tarot card reading from one of Keen’s trusted advisors.
So, if you pull the Chariot reversed, take a good look at your plans, your attitude, and the people around you. Take the time to get everything lined up so that you have an easier time accomplishing what you set out to do.
