Timely Tarot: Stepping Forward into Cancer Season through The Chariot Card By Lisa De La O Wyman
Timely Tarot: Stepping Forward into Cancer Season through The Chariot Card
By Lisa De La O Wyman
The Chariot Card (Next World Deck)
On June 20th, we not only honored the Summer Solstice, but also welcomed in Cancer season, which will extend through July 22nd. A cardinal water element sign, Cancer embodies emotion, intuition, dreams, home and family, and the maternal. The United States is actually a Cancer baby, “born” on July 4th. As we are seeing now, the call to attend to the emotional needs of its people, to view ourselves as more of a family unit than as a gaggle of warring strangers, and to place greater value on our collective intuitive wisdom is mighty and loud. Strongly associated with ancestral healing, particularly the maternal line, Cancer is actively inviting us to reflect on our past and take expansive action with emotional intelligence. This is where The Chariot card steps in to lead the way.
Ruled by the Moon, Cancerian energy moves like the tides, in rhythms and cycles. A highly sensitive and deeply feeling sign, it calls us to recognize our emotional needs and those of the people around us. The constellation of Cancer is named after the Greek mythological crab Crios, who was both guardian and protector of sea nymphs and involved in the battle between the famous hero Herakles and the deadly Hydra. Crabs use shells to protect their tender bodies; the shells provide safety and comfort and help the crustaceans orient to the world around them. We see this same tendency with Cancer, in that our chosen homes fulfill not just physical but also emotional needs. Nesting, tranquility, and nourishment not only bring reassurance, but help us relax into a state of greater creativity and receptivity. However, we can’t settle into it too fully or complacency can become a resistance to change. Positive growth rarely emerges from extended periods of ease and familiarity. Just as a crab’s body continues to grow and new shell homes must be adopted, so must we step outside our cozy containers and allow ourselves to evolve in new and unexpected ways.
The Chariot is card number 7, and corresponds to the sign Cancer. The number 7 represents the spiritual quest, the drive to seek and learn more, advancing on the path of personal development. The Chariot is most commonly associated with themes of victory, success, discipline, and willpower. Through the lens of Cancer, we see that the focal point of the card is not the driver of the chariot, but the vehicle itself – the container or shell. We evolve by recognizing when we have outgrown the containers that have carried us to a certain point, which might be a job, relationship, residence, illness, and so on. We hold many identities over our lifetimes, and they usually serve a valuable purpose in some way, and even help us to excel . . . until they become a limitation.
The Chariot’s connection to Cancer also reminds us that victory and achievement isn’t always about force of will or ambitious drive, but intuitive confidence. Seeing our emotional awareness and complexity as sources of power, and understanding that vulnerability can support expansion are key messages of this card. Taking chances at a new opportunity and seeing healthy risk as a good thing keep us moving with the speed of life, which stops for no one. Existing on this planet means constant change, growth, death, and rebirth. It’s scary for everyone, but you don’t want to be so frightened that you refuse to move. Sometimes these transitions are unexpected and unwanted, like a layoff or breakup. Other times they are a deliberate pursuit of a goal we’ve been nurturing for a long time. The Chariot helps us understand that the path forward is cyclical, not linear. There will be stops and starts, breakdowns and breakthroughs, and everything in between. Just continue moving ahead, allowing yourself to shift and grow organically and intuitively. Your inner wisdom is your truest compass.
When I’m reading for a client and they pull The Chariot card, it usually indicates a new threshold of some kind showing up in their life. It’s a chance for them to leave behind a familiar situation in favor of something more supportive of their current development. It could also be about an expansive change they have already experienced but haven’t honored. We step through important thresholds all the time – leaving a mind-numbing job to pursue more stimulating work, stepping away from unhealthy relationships to develop greater self-confidence and independence, or fully mourning the loss of a loved one. When you say yes to change and expansion, people around you might react negatively and even feel threatened, trying to discourage you from rocking the boat. But this is your chariot to drive, with the guidance of your intuition, courage, faith, and power. Take the reins and confidently seek your new horizons!
Lisa De La O Wyman is a Tarot reader and writer based in Redondo Beach. At Tarot for Empowerment she works with individual clients, private parties, and special events. Through her work she seeks to connect people with their innate power as well as encounter the mystery in everyday life. She can be reached via Instagram and Facebook at @tarotforempowerment.