Recently, the Chariot came up reversed in a reading I was doing for a client. I explained to them that the Chariot upright is often about self-will, self-direction, taking control of one’s life, etc. This might make someone think that the reversal is a negative experience…being out of control, having no power, or being stuck in a situation.
Well, it can be like that…but it often isn’t. For me, the Chariot upright, while a great card, has a dark side. And that dark side is hubris…arrogance, pride, a belief that one is more powerful than one really is.
And if you’re aware of the Chariot’s dark side, you can see the positive aspect of the reversed form: humility. One of the things we need the most for a fulfilling life. This makes the reversed Chariot a powerful card, and I try to help clients see its usefulness when this interpretation feels right to me.
What’s so great about humility? Many people think of humility, or being humble, in a negative way…being defeated or humiliated. But it’s not that at all. To have humility is to be “right-sized” in our own mind–to be no more, and no less, than we are, and to present ourselves to the world in this way.
Upending the Chariot helps us realize what we can control and what we can’t. It lets us focus our attention on places where we can do some good instead of wearing ourselves out trying to change the unchangeable.
So, as I talked with my client about all this in the context of their life and the other cards in the reading, I reminded myself that I don’t need the beautiful Chariot or its swift, powerful pullers all the time. Sometimes I just need to be a human, walking.
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