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The Chariot: Hero, Warrior, and the Crossing of the First Threshold
The Eighth edition of the Archetypal Tarot Podcast explores the movement and meaning encompassed by the Chariot, card number 7 of the Major Arcana. For the first time, we see our hero of the deck breaking beyond the boundary of the Emperor’s domain. In the last stage, the Lovers, he was faced with a choice and is now thrust down a particular path, reminiscent of the “crossing of the first threshold” of Joseph Campbell‘s stages of the hero’s journey. Will all the wisdom of the figureheads from the previous stages help our hero in the real world? Julienne Givot connects in the ancient story of Arjuna as he faces the fears of battle under the guidance of Krishna. Cyndera Quackenbush illustrates the shadowy consequences of the heroic impulse by recounting the myth of Phaeton. The Chariot card allows us to find our own courage in the face of bold undertakings while keeping an eye on the dangers of hubris.Listen in on a conversation with Cyndera Quakenbush and Julienne Givot, as they discuss the symbolic and real world qualities of these archetypal characters.
Recommended reading:
Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Superheroes: Harnessing Our Power to Change the World by Deepak and Gotham Chopra
King, Warrior, Magician, Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine by Robert Moore and Douglas Gillette
Examples of the Hero in Film/TV:
Empowered/Light Aspect
- Keanu Reeves as Neo in The Matrix (1999)
- Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in Star Wars (1977)
- Emma Thompson as Vivian Bearing in Wit (2001, TV)
- Judy Garland as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939)
- Ed Asner as Carl Fredrickson in UP (2009)
Shadow aspect:
- Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker (Hero/Warrior both shadow and light) (2010)
- James Franco as The 2nd Green Goblin in Spiderman 3 (2007)
Examples of the Warrior in Film/TV:
Empowered/Light Aspect
- Harrison Ford in Star Wars (1977)
- Jake Gylenhall as Anthony Swofford in Jarhead (2005)
- Sarah Michelle Geller in Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997, TV)
- Shirley MacLaine in Terms of Endearment (battling cancer) (1983)
- Zoe Saldana as Nyteri in Avatar (2009)
- Katee Sackoff as Starbuck in Battlestar Gallactica (both shadow and light aspects, 2004, TV)
Shadow Aspect:
- Vin Diesel in the The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
- Stephan Lang as Colonel Quaritch in Avatar (2009)