The Chariot symbolizes being totally in tune with a fast-moving process or event; aware of the tolerances and limitations of the situation and understanding instinctively how to act and react in order to direct or affect movement from within.  It can be about immersing yourself in the situation so you can exert control over it and direct its course.  The more immersed you are in the transition or growth process, the more involved you are with the energies and harmonies of the change, the better you’ll be able to see and direct them.

“Positive:  Events are moving quickly but you understand the situation well enough to know, instinctively, how to act or react.  you know how to handle yourself within the situation, so go ahead and immerse yourself in the current transition or growth process.  The more you are involved with the energies and harmonies of the changes, the better you’ll be able to use and direct them.
Upright:  You are in a situation where transition is occurring at an amazing rate.  You are completely involved and attuned to the fast pace of the changes that are happening in your relationship, home, career or worldly situation.  You sensitively shift, balance, and react to participate in keeping things moving.” – Gail Fairfield

When I drew this card today I had to laugh.  All week (heck for the last few weeks) much of my focus has been on how trapped I feel or how restricted my life has become or my own sense of paralysis and inertia.  Even when I am not happy and satisfied with how things are going, I can resists making any changes.  I like things to stay the same; for the status quo to remain unchanged.  Changes shake up my security tree and I just don’t like it.  Having said all that, after my complaints and moaning about how out of control my life feels, today the universe sent me The Chariot as my card of the day, my spiritual message from the Divine.  Who said the Universe doesn’t have a sense of humor; that the gods don’t love a good joke?  Not me!

I think this card is a reminder that I’m the driver here.  I’m the one mapping the course, choosing the road and actually steering the damn chariot.  I’m the one who decides if I become roadkill in my own life.  The reality is that change is always going to occur and right now it’s been happening in my life at a haphazard and exhausting pace.  So I can choose to try to take control over the factors that I can or I can get trampled by these out of control horses known as fate.

I’ve always considered fate or destiny as a sort of roadmap – points that must be hit at some time during the course of my life.  How I choose to reach these points or learn these lessons or achieve these goals is up to me.  I can just let things go willy-nillly and hope I can hold on or I can pick up the damn reins and steer this crazy thing called life.  Despite my recent moaning and gnashing of teeth about things, I am not an especially passive person.  I may enjoy my pity-parties but they do not tend to last very long because I become annoyed and impatient with myself.  I think this card is a sign that it’s time to reach that point.

Okay, so my life didn’t turn out the way I’d planned and some sucky things occurred.  That’s how it goes sometimes.  Crying about it isn’t helping.  Feeling sorry for myself doesn’t change anything.  And ranting like a madwoman isn’t making me feel any better.  So I need to start getting focused, taking charge of this situation and moving that damn chariot in the direction I want it to go.  I can do this – despite my lack of use of this particular skill, I do have a driver’s license.

Starting today I’m going to get back into writing my morning pages, doing my daily meditation and just getting my behind up earlier.  What’s the saying – “life is what happens while you’re busy planning other things”  Well I’m tired of planning and never doing.  I can get so bogged down in the planning that I lose sight of the ultimate goal.  So just for today I’m going to try doing things instead of getting caught up in the planning; actually driving the chariot rather than planning the route.  I can do this – I have the skills, I have the knowledge and I have the personality!