The Chariot
The Child of the Powers of the Waters; the Lord of the Triumph of Light
Triumph held in armour: the Grail carried forward under discipline.
| Trump | VII of the 22 (Atu) |
|---|---|
| Letter | ח Cheth, “fence”, value 8, Simple letter |
| Path | Path 18, Binah to Geburah |
| Astrology | ♋︎ Cancer, cardinal Water, Jun 21 – Jul 21 |
| Old title | The Child of the Powers of the Waters; the Lord of the Triumph of Light |
| Rider-Waite | The Chariot |
| Colour | Amber (King scale) |
In a reading
Triumph, forward movement, victory won by holding opposing forces together; the vehicle of the will; obedience to a purpose. Badly placed: violence, a rush that loses the goal, the shell mistaken for the traveller.
Working with the card
| Do | Move, but keep the reins; protect what you carry. |
|---|---|
| Bring | Direction, self-command, a clear destination. |
| Beware | Winning for its own sake; armour that never comes off. |
| Ask | What am I carrying, and is the vehicle still serving it? |
Correspondences
On the card
A charioteer in amber armour sits motionless within a canopy of stars, holding the Holy Grail, a disk of radiant blood. Four sphinxes, each combining the kerubic beasts, draw the chariot; a crab, the sign of Cancer, is his crest; ten stars stud the canopy.
Kabbalah
Cheth, the fence or enclosure, on path 18 from Binah to Geburah: the wall that protects the Grail as it is carried from Understanding into Severity. The charioteer is the enclosure of the sacred charge; the card hides its light within armour.
Astrology
Cancer, cardinal Water, ruled by the Moon with Jupiter exalted: the shell, the home, the first flood of summer. The decans of Cancer are the Two, Three and Four of Cups.
Number
Seven, the Naples number of bliss and of Netzach, and Cheth's value 8. Seven is also the number of the planets and the days: the chariot carries the whole cosmos under its canopy.
Depth psychology
The Hero at the height of ego-strength: opposites yoked rather than reconciled, victory by containment. The shadow is inflation; the amber armour is a persona as much as a protection.
Thoth and Rider-Waite
Waite's charioteer stands under a starry canopy with two sphinxes; Crowley seats him, doubles the sphinxes to four and puts the Grail in his hands, shifting the card from conquest to the carrying of a sacred charge.
The sign in depth
| Dates | Jun 21 – Jul 21 |
|---|---|
| Type | Cardinal Water |
| Ruler | The Moon |
| Exalts | Jupiter |
| Weakens | Saturn (detriment), Mars (fall) |
| Motto | “I feel” |
| Body | Breasts, stomach |
| Opposite | Capricorn, The Devil |
| Gifts | Nurturing, loyalty, emotional depth, intuition, memory, protectiveness |
| Shadow | Moodiness, clinginess, defensiveness, manipulation through guilt, living in the past |
More in the astrology chapters: Cancer.
Related cards
Pairs with
The decans of Cancer
- ♀︎Two of Cups LoveVenus, Jun 21–Jul 1
- ☿︎Three of Cups AbundanceMercury, Jul 2–11
- ☽︎Four of Cups LuxuryThe Moon, Jul 12–21
Courts ruling Cancer
Other paths touching Binah
Other paths touching Geburah
Correspondences follow the Golden Dawn system as used in Crowley's Book of Thoth and Liber 777. Paintings by Lady Frieda Harris, © Ordo Templi Orientis. Where sources differ.