I have always liked this card. It brings to mind the young conquering hero of ancient times, a demi-god or prince who either just won themselves a kingdom or is about to. Victory is the word that first pops into my head. It wasn't until recently that I really paid attention to the fact that the card isn't necessarily about the driver/rider; it isn't called The Charioteer or Hero. It's called The Chariot and maybe I should draw back and focus more on the entire image.
Like the pillars on the High Priestess, the Chariot has the two sphinx representing the principle of Yin-Yang, Feminine-Masculine, Black-White attributions which contain within each other the core of the other by the way they are colored. In the center, below the charioteer himself is a strange little glyph that looks at first glance like a top. It is a yoni-lingam from Hindu mythology, another meeting of the divine masculine (Yang) and feminine (Yin) to create prakriti (Tao). The winged sun right above it emphasizes the power and sacredness of the chariot itself.
So the charioteer's power comes from their spiritual androgyny, from mastering all the Yin-Yang within themselves and their environment. They have the sun, the moon, the stars to command but currently are posed, paused, at rest and on display. The river and city are behind them, suggesting they are about to journey away from home and previous victories but at this moment, what they do next isn't as important as who they are and how they got there in the present.
In a reading, this card can often mean rightful actions lead to rightful results or as long as you apply your true will, you can accomplish the goal you want to achieve. Its a pretty auspicious card and comes up for me a lot when I'm reading for someone who is self-employed, in a management position, or otherwise has a lot of power + responsibility + initiative.
