The Tarot of Eli 2: The Connolly Tarot- Key 7-The Chariot & The Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot- Key 7-The Chariot.

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In his Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck, Waite mostly followed the design of Eliphas Levi straight out of Levi's book, The Ritual of Transcendental Magic where Levi wrote:

A Cubic Chariot with four pillars and a azure and starry drapery. In his chariot a victor crowned with a circle adorned with three radiant pentagrams. Upon his breast are three superimposed squares, on his shoulders the URIN and the THUMMIN of the sovereign sacrificer, represented by the two crescents of the moon in Gedulah [Chesed] and Geburah; in his hand is a sceptre surrounded by a globe, square and triangle, his attitude is proud and tranquil. A double sphinx or two sphinxes, joined at the haunches, are harnessed to the Chariot; they are pulling in opposite directions, but are looking the same way. They are respectively black and white. On the square which forms the fore part of the chariot is the Indian lingum surrounded by the flying sphere of the Egyptians.

Other than the Egyptian winged Monadic sphere and Indian lingam, Geburah, is also symbolized with a Pentagram, or five-pointed star, which has the Four Elements crowned by the Spirit. Thus, making 5 the number of Geburah on the Tree of Life, Geburah is a Red Force, and is symbolized on the Rider-Waite card as the red glyph of lingam and yoni, meaning that the force of Geburah (Severity) is the motive force of the Chariot. The Dark and Light sphinx are also represented on the Rider-Waite-Smith card. The Dark Sphinx represents the "secret shadow side of the soul" (subconscious) and the Light sphinx represents the awake Conscious side of the Soul.

In Qabalistic Tarot-The Hierophant is the demiurge, i.e., The Ruler over illusory condition. The principals involved require an explanation that only a tale can reveal; this is true for most of what goes on in the Universal Collective Unconscious. As previously stated in the Hierophant blog, He creates a world view where he has absolute authority. None are sure that if his hiding from those living in that world is intentional or unintentional; However, there is the fact that there is a "Greater Father", to which he is subject and the world that he "rules" is a deception and into this deception and/or imperfect world the son/sun is born. All would seem lost in the illusions of deception except that the Supreme Creator supplies the son/sun with a link to its Divine Hermaphrodite- Self by which the son/sun can transcend the debased authority. The Tarot claims this transcended one as the Chariot and/or as the Archetype that is the "Spirit Below" (As above so below). In Western Magic, the Charioteer is known as the "Holy Guardian Angel". The Son/Sun is a non-gender Psyche and/or Solar Self.

The Charioteer is the only figure in the Tarot Deck that can move between planes/dimensions and/or states of consciousness, effortlessly. This is the reason that horses, or sphinx are not pulling the Chariot. Rather, it is drawn by the Will of the Crown (Kether-"I Will Be",) shown on the head of the Charioteer. The Crown represents the "All Father" whom alone the Charioteer is answerable to. In Western Hermetic Qabalah, the Charioteer is identified as the "Holy Guardian Angel" of the Soul/Son. The Soul/Son is the emerging Psyche/Self-consciousness and/or Solar self-consciousness. Because of this Guardian of Psyche, we are never alone while also giving us inner protection and guidance which may lead us out of the illusions of our own sensual perceptions. The Golden Light of this one also dispels the mind virus that is the "false ego".

The Connolly Tarot-Key 7- The Chariot, is also known as a Traditional Tarot Card. Here the hero is riding home after his triumphant conquest. Although victorious, his eyes show the pain of war. The twin sphinx--one black and one white are shown as decoration on the chariot rather than manifesting in front of it. He is flying the banner of the heavens rather than the RWS canopy of the stars. On the front of the Chariot there is represented the *golden winged globe of the Monad. The Charioteer is still holding the reigns and is in full control. Hence, the primary meaning of this card is Control.

*The Theosophical Forum – May 1945

THE SYMBOL OF THE WINGED GLOBE — G. de Purucker

The symbol of the winged globe, the globe carried through time and space on the wings of spiritual force or of the spirit, is one of the most beautiful of ancient Egyptian symbols, because it combines both religion and philosophy. The globe is just one form of representing the golden germ, Hiranyagarbha in Sanskrit, which in its movements through time and space is carried by the wings of the spirit on its evolutionary journey. This is the keynote of one of the thoughts of the winged globe.

Another thought about it, or aspect of it, is that the winged globe is the monad, which is in a sense practically the same as the cosmic germ or hiranyagarbha, and the wings there signify the same thing, conscious mind moving through space and time in the form of the monad and expressing its power in the movement of the wings, consciousness moving in the evolutionary journey upwards and upwards forever.

Meditation upon this card will get us in contact with the Divine Creative and safe travel through the "Astral Planes" of the Universal Collective Unconsciousness. In this mode of enclosure, as shown by the Chariot's enclosing walls, is called the "Merkabah"-meaning "Throne of God". This can be called a relationship between the emergence Self (Son/Sun) united with the Divine Creative, which protects the Psyche from the many illusions stored in the subconscious.

When the Chariot card is thrown during a reading, the querent is reminded:

• To devote themselves to the combination of activity and quietude so that they may have the drive to attain goals.
• It is a time of clearing out the past, moving beyond and beginning with new energy while taking responsibility for one's present condition.
• There is a need for victory here, by combining the images or content of the unconscious with the consciousness for the purpose of achievement.
• The Chariot also signifies that the querent has begun controlling a situation by the force of their personality.... a focus of Will. 
• The goal will need fighting for, but you have been granted the energy to win it!

If reversed, it implies:

• Lust for destruction.
• Ruthlessness.
• Violence in maintaining traditional ideas. 

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