The genius and energy of Italians, who stop at nothing, is exploding as never before, and so this feeling of “passive dynamism” that grips us invites us to climb aboard the chariot, which will soon become the chariot of the victors.
In Arcanum No. VII, “The Chariot”, we generally see two horses pulling in opposite directions but both facing the same goal. This card represents glory, and its symbolism tells us that it is motion that overcomes every friction.
The chariot represents action in the world. It is the triumph of the spirit over nature. The chariot also urges us to question the means we use to act upon the world and the way we look at our own life. The chariot is full of strength, it travels together with time without ever stepping outside the present moment, and wishes to live as long as the universe itself.
The charioteer is not frightened by any undertaking; he can go to war or feed every inhabitant of the earth. The chariot is the centre of a growing sphere. When we “climb aboard” the chariot, our failures become new starting points, and the many reasons to give up count for nothing against the one reason to carry on.
Even while knowing fear, it cannot stop; every abyss becomes a source of energy. My personal pairing for Arcanum No. VII is the Carro del SS. Salvatore. In Viterbo, devotion to the SS. Salvatore began to appear in the closing years of the 12th century. The solemn procession set out from the church of S. Maria Nova, where it formed up in the order laid down by the Statute. The procession was opened by the Guild of ploughmen on horseback, an honour granted in memory of those who found the image of the Saviour in 1283, in the field of Chirichera. In 1901, both because of the disappearance of the Guilds and because of the by-then established cult of Saint Rose, the procession ceased for a time, only to resume in 1918.
The Macchina di S. Rosa, too, can be likened to a chariot — not drawn, but lifted by 100 men who, together and in unison, follow the “commands” of a lead “facchino” (porter), who will guide them to their goal. We too are doing exactly the same thing, following orders that will bring us to a destination, to a finish line. And just as the general meaning of the card represents glory, I like to believe it is no coincidence that this latest Macchina is called “Gloria”.
Next 3rd of September, I am certain we will perceive the darkness as a faint backdrop, since we will be dazzled only by its light.
