Quantum Tarot: The Chariot

nisaba

the Chariot typically shows us forward momentum, shows us force and energy and motivation. And here we have space shuttles blasting off instead of horses (or sphynxes) pulling chariots along. They are not pulling in different directions, as the horses often do on other chariots, so the card lacks that energy of a moment of choice, of needing to choose which path (or horse) you are going to follow and devote that energy to.

In, among, and above the swirl of smoke and flame, peering sadly out of darkness, Einstein looks over our shoulder wondering (probably) what the hell we are doing now. A gentle, humorous man, he deserved a gentle death, and got a tortured one instead, amongst strangers. Gone is any humour or cheek: here, he watches a peoples who have despoiled one planet, taking baby-steps towards finding another.

The Chariot often cautions us against letting the power of our technology (from muscular horses to space shuttles) drive us and make our directional decisions for us: these forces are immensely powerful, but it is up to the Charioteer to rein in them firmly and keep control. Otherwise, he is likely to go tumbling through the flexible and flexing gravity-wells that Einstein described.
 

Leo62

And here's the image. :)

There's a lot in this card for me about perception. The theme for the card in this deck is Einstein's theory of special relativity, which is (very roughly!) how time is relative to space and movement, rather than an absolute.

So you've got the two space shuttles, not pulling in different directions, but appearing different relative to how they are perceived.

For me, this focuses the meaning of the Chariot inward, reminding us that our perceptions of the world are often shaped and coloured by the nature of our inner space.
 

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nisaba

Nice one! And the thing with Special is that it's all about distortion and flux in the actual matrix that we're all embedded in.
 

KarlThomas

Nothing says whoosh like a rocket, and that touches on my very primitive, gut definition of this card. For me, Chariot is your ride, and the more whooshcapable, the more exciting!

For over a decade, I've enjoyed the race car in Rohrig's chariot for its unapologetic modernity, years ahead of the curve. Now, in this chariot, it has been thoroughly eclipsed.

I didn't really feel a sadness from Einstein's image, more the look of that curiosity which was in a sense his own chariot.

The two separate vehicles do provide, for me, the tension of choice. (Unlike Rohrig, come to think of it.)

I saw the card more as an exhortation, there is more a "well, where to from here?" feeling for me than the wistful view. That combined with the insane amount of power and energy these particular rides exhibit lends a feeling of vitality and urgency. Love it!
 

nisaba

KarlThomas said:
I didn't really feel a sadness from Einstein's image, more the look of that curiosity which was in a sense his own chariot.

The two separate vehicles do provide, for me, the tension of choice. (Unlike Rohrig, come to think of it.)

I saw the card more as an exhortation, there is more a "well, where to from here?" feeling for me than the wistful view. That combined with the insane amount of power and energy these particular rides exhibit lends a feeling of vitality and urgency. Love it!

by all means, all the thrust and force you'd want is in those two shuttles and their controlled explosions as they leave the launch pad.

And the "tension of choice" is one of hte reasons why I don't like the Waite (and clones) Chariot(s): instead of horses pulling enthusiastically, we have two stone statues, still, incapable of movement, and even lined up perfectly parallel. Such a shame, when they could have shown rockets launching themselves up through a fireball of hteir own making!