2023 - The Year of The Chariot

2022 was the Year of The Lovers in Tarot—a year of exploring relationships and their complexities. The Lovers card shows us that we are meant to work together, even when we seem to be starkly opposed. One thing that we all had in common over the past few years has been the impact of the global pandemic. For many, 2020-2022 was incredibly divisive. The way the pandemic shattered some relationships and strengthened others has been a force unparalleled in my lifetime. What became abundantly clear is that we all have different ways of interacting with the others around us, different ways of showing love and affection, and different ways of handling conflict, especially when under extreme and sustained stress.

The pandemic tested my relationships like nothing ever had before. I was riddled with anxiety and withdrew from anyone who didn’t share the same worldview as me, a lens that was coated with anger and judgement. Thankfully, circumstances, therapy, and brave friends helped remind me that the only way forward is through. I pushed through fear and learned that conflict is a doorway, not a wall. I learned to practice radical candor and see what came of it. I learned that no matter what I say or how I say it, I do not control the outcome of any given interpersonal interaction. I learned a lot about being real and letting people see me. What I discovered is that true friends still remain and a new layer of friendship emerges.

What does a Chariot Year look like?

THE CHARIOT is a card that is dear to my heart. When I was just getting sober in 2017 and dabbling with Tarot for the first time again since my youth, I popped into a local New Age shop, went to their Tarot section, and picked a random card out of a Rider-Waite Smith deck. That card? It was THE CHARIOT. Back then, THE CHARIOT symbolized victory over my addiction. It represented taking back the reins of my own life. It felt like a sign that I could and would use the power of my demons to carry me through the waist deep water to better and brighter days.

THE CHARIOT is a card of embodied victory. Not only are we The Charioteer, we are THE CHARIOT, and the beasts that pull it forward. (Take a look at THE CHARIOT in your deck and see what sort of creature pulls THE CHARIOT). We are both the reins and the holders of the reins. We are both in control, and able to surrender to the unforeseen. We have licked our wounds and let the taste spark a hunger for something more. 2023 is bound to be dynamic and unpredictable. There will undoubtedly be hills and valleys but THE CHARIOT reminds us that we are equipped to charge up the steep inclines and skillfully maneuver the winding switchbacks of the mountain range. Though THE CHARIOT appears driven by speed and hubris, it is everything but. THE CHARIOT is deliberate and intentional. It is not rash nor reckless. Above all, it asks us to trust ourselves. We are ready, even though it may not feel like it. It’s time to take all we’ve learned and put it into practice.

This will look different for everyone, but a few ways this may play out are: setting better boundaries, communicating your needs early and often, speaking up when you’re uncomfortable or hurt, taking brave steps towards something you desire, more self-love and self-forgiveness, personal power and strength, sharing your ideas with others, giving in-put because your opinion is equal and valuable, expressing yourself with more authenticity, shedding your mask, and, of course, realizing that you’ve been enough this whole time.

Working with The Chariot

The Major Arcana Archetypes can be used to work with the lessons of the Minor Arcana. For example, the Lovers is the 6th card in the Major Arcana, which relates to the 6’s in the Minor Arcana. The Minor Arcana 6’s are often a period of relief after the strife and hardship of the 5’s, bringing charity, freedom, movement away from things that no longer serve you, and a resurgence of play and happy nostalgia. I like to think that these are the outcomes we most desire when facing conflict and difficulty in our interpersonal relationships, and something to aim for when working to mend or strengthen a relationship. THE CHARIOT is the 7th Major Arcana card and relates to the 7’s of the Minor Arcana:

7 OF PENTACLES

a message to reject urgency, to trust that the best harvest comes from letting a planted garden fully mature before it is appraised and picked. THE CHARIOT reminds us that we know the path forward might not be the most exciting but it will be the most rewarding. Notice if you’re leaning towards instant-gratification, old patterns that only feel good momentarily, or if you’re sabotaging your own progress. THE CHARIOT reinforces the message to stay the course, especially when we feel like ripping out the whole garden in a fit of impatient frustration.

7 OF CUPS

a warning that some things really are too good to be true and to be discerning when something shiny and wonderful is presented to you. THE CHARIOT asks us to trust our gut and intuition. Analyze the situation as logically as you can—is someone playing on your emotions to manipulate you into doing something? Is this new business venture a get rich quick scheme? Are you more interested in the idea of something more than the commitment to it? THE CHARIOT asks you to weigh your decisions carefully to see if they will bring you closer to or further away from your own feelings of VICTORY.

7 OF SWORDS

a hint that something isn’t right, that something is being withheld either by yourself or another. Is there a truth that needs facing? A question that needs asking? One of the biggest barriers to VICTORY is denial. How can we fully accept ourselves and others if we ignore reality? THE CHARIOT asks us to be honest with ourselves and others so that we may fully own who we are. How can we befriend the demons within if we never allow ourselves to meet them? How can we honour our inherent self worth if we notice someone’s deception and say nothing? Take your rightful place as Charioteer and drive yourself toward clarity and justice.

7 OF WANDS

a chance to trust yourself and stand courageously without external validation or opinion. Perhaps the most Chariotesque of all the 7’s, the 7 of Wands says to release your crutches and stand tall. You don’t need permission, you already have it. You don’t need training wheels anymore. You get to choose the destination, you get to choose the playlist, you get to choose the speed and how many times you stop along the way. You are THE CHARIOT!

Blessings to you for 2023!

Looking out now over the horizon of 2023, the concept of THE CHARIOT is equal parts terrifying and exhilarating. Whatever victory means to you, I wish it to find you. Whatever it is that is facing you down, I wish for brilliant Chariot moments to arise for you. Our voices will be a tool to bring to life the power of The Chariot, even when they shake. It's time to take the reins in our hands again, take a deep breath, and be victorious.