Images from the classic Rider Waite Tarot represent The Chariot and The Tower birth cards.

Tarot Birth Card Meanings: The Chariot and The Tower

Your path is all about deep change

Your Tarot birth cards are special guides meant to help you find your way. Based on your birth date, these cards carry messages of encouragement and reminders to help you stay on track.

The Chariot and The Tower are united by themes of deep change, both the kind you choose for yourself and the kind that happens without your permission. If you have this pair in your Tarot birth card lineup, you have a special opportunity to explore these themes and make them your own.

MEET THE CHARIOT + THE TOWER
Change, Energy, Fresh starts
Gifts: Drive, Self-mastery, Rebuilding
Challenges: Single-mindedness, Fear of commitment, Catastrophizing
Advice: Find balance around goal-setting. Be careful about romanticizing the past. Welcome change as a creative force.

Interpreting The Chariot (#7) and The Tower (#16) Birth Cards

The Chariot is a card of focused movement! It represents the power of the will and the desire to forge a new, self-directed path. You can think of this card as an expression of classic coming-of-age stories where the hero is inspired to take risks, leave the safety of home, and become their own person.

The Tower represents changes, even significant changes, that take you by surprise. Many iconic versions of The Tower card show some kind of structure being struck by lightning, reminding us that despite our best efforts, some things are simply out of our control. We only have a choice about how we’ll prepare and how we’ll respond. For better and for worse, The Tower heralds foundational change.

Together, The Chariot and The Tower Tarot birth cards bring opportunities to both create your own change and respond to external change with grace.

The gifts of The Chariot and The Tower

Each set of Tarot birth cards suggests certain talents and natural abilities. Here are a few associated with The Chariot and The Tower:

1. Drive

Having The Chariot as one of your Tarot birth cards indicates your strong determination. When you have a vision, you’re eager to go after it and make it real. Rather than waffling over whether what you want is realistic or not, your tendency is to give it a shot and see what happens. You’re excited to make your dreams come true, and that’s a beautiful thing!

2. Self-mastery

You have a knack for noticing your own shortcomings and taking steps to correct them. You understand that your habits are subject to change and, more importantly, that you have the power to take charge and move in a better direction. As long as you’re not too hard on yourself, you can use this ability to great effect.

3. Rebuilding

When The Tower gets knocked down, it creates space to start over! Your capacity for evaluating what went wrong and making something better from the wreckage is legendary. Every unsuccessful experiment and thwarted plan is an opportunity to learn and try something else.

The challenges of The Chariot and The Tower

Alongside the gifts, your Tarot birth cards can indicate some particular obstacles. Here’s what to look out for as you get to know The Chariot and The Tower:

1. Single-mindedness

You may become so focused on accomplishing your goals that you fail to notice anything else. If every other relationship, responsibility, and possibility is written off as a potential distraction, it’s easy to lose your sense of balance in life. It might help to enlist the support of friends and loved ones who can bring you back to reality when needed.

2. Fear of commitment

If there’s anything The Chariot represents, it’s an easy means of escape. You may have a tendency to think something better or easier is always available, making you reluctant to devote yourself fully to what’s right in front of you. Perhaps you suspect The Tower’s destruction could be waiting around any corner and this is simply a means of protecting yourself. Be gentle with yourself as you weigh your feelings, instincts, and values.

3. Catastrophizing

Of all the cards in the Tarot, The Tower may be the most infamous. Many people tense up or feel uneasy at the sight of this card, worried it may mean their life is about to be blown to bits. While that’s not quite how Tarot works, that fear is very real! Your relationship to The Tower as one of your birth cards could cause you to worry that every situation is a potential disaster, even if it’s a relatively minor inconvenience. Grounding exercises could help you establish the difference between what’s factual and what’s imagined.

How to work with The Chariot and The Tower

1. Find balance around goal-setting.

You don’t need to push yourself to the absolute limit all the time! Let The Chariot’s energy motivate you to make ambitious plans and work towards them steadily. You may want to check in with yourself before setting a new goal in any area of your life. What other goals are you already pursuing? What can you prioritize? Does this additional venture make sense at this time? You’re allowed to reevaluate and shift gears when needed. Letting go of a certain goal doesn’t necessarily equal failure.

2. Be careful about romanticizing the past.

The Tower’s influence might cause you to look back with rose-tinted glasses at the way things were before everything changed. It’s tempting to only remember the good and to ignore or minimize the bad. This thinking is understandable, but it can also keep you stuck. It might help to start a regular journaling practice or some other way of documenting your life in the moment. That way, when you’re remembering the past, you’ll have a resource that’s more-or-less accurate.

3. Welcome change as a creative force.

Life always comes from change. The blossoms and leaves in Spring are a result of a cycle in which flowers wilted and leaves fell and the seeds and trees rested in a dormant state for months. Humans often experience change as difficult and threatening, and for good reason! We’re more comfortable with what’s known. However, if you notice the ways in which change -- even unwanted change -- can generate exciting possibilities, you might feel less intimidated and more eager to dig in.

Birth cards are only the beginning! Reveal your ENTIRE Cosmic Profile now for FREE!Birth cards are only the beginning! Understand unfolding issues and optimize your outcome with a Timeline Tarot Reading.

Curious about other birth cards and what wisdom they hold? Use our Tarot birth card calculator to explore the possibilities!