Temperance & the Chariot

The polarity that exists between the Chariot and Temperance sets these two paths apart as uniquely consequential in the overall schema of the Tarot. Temperance distills the fuel, and the Chariot provides the engine of advancement. It is possible to attain to very high speeds - to achieve very significant and far reaching results by a proper combination of a well-structured Chariot (with consistency of pattern being a key), and high grade fuel (often distress, trauma, or another "prima materia" that has been alchemized by contemplative work and then redirected towards spiritual practice and attainment). All in all these two paths emphasize that the work cannot be done for us - we are each responsible for our own Work.

Another aspect of the Chariot comes to light when we consider how it is affected Qabalistically, by the principle of Proximity. We first encountered this principle in the week of the World, and again in the weeks of the Devil and Temperance. What this principle - which until recently has not attracted a lot of attention in mainstream occultism - states is that the paths on the tree should be numbered so as to connect each sphere in order to the other spheres that are closest to it in number. This results in a need to transpose three pairs of paths in terms of which spheres of the Tree of Life that they connect: Temperance/Devil, Chariot/Lovers, and Emperor/Hierophant.

Each of these transpositions can be said to shift the emphasis of these paths a little, and showcase a different philosophy. In this case, the Chariot, which normally runs from Binah (understanding) to Geburah (Severity) is moved to between Binah and Tipareth (Beauty). What this does is change the status of the "Vehicle" from a machine of War to a machine of knowledge and harmony. This has to do with the status of Technology - which the Chariot emblemizes. Since Binah is the seat of Understanding, (ie scientific understanding), and Tipareth is the seat of awareness and self, I will suggest that the Chariot represents, amongst other things - the scientific method itself - experiment.

Experiment is a vehicle for understanding systems that transcend us in the magnitude of their reality. The chariot either succeeds of fails based on its design - and either way, we learn something. We keep redesigning our experiment to learn more and more and more, thus accelerating the speed by which we understand the natural world which we encounter mechanically.

In the Meta-Magick system, then, the Chariot is the experimental technology that is designed and redesigned according to the scientific method, with the principle purpose of learning and knowing.