Tarot de Marseille: The Picturebook of Fate: The Sevens Part 1

This article continues my series examining the trumps of the Tarot de Marseille, adapted from my unpublished manuscript, Tarot de Marseille: The Picturebook of Fate. As throughout this series, the emphasis is placed upon the traditional eikōn of the card, its historical context, and the practical significations I have found useful through divinatory practice. The interpretations presented here reflect my own experience of working with the Tarot de Marseille and should be understood as a working method rather than a definitive authority.

The Sevens: The Charioteer and the House of God

Trump VII, Le Chariot, or the Charioteer, is an intriguing and often misunderstood figure. Does he signify the successful mastery of opposing forces? Why do some associate him with fame and public recognition? Perhaps he is instead a symbol of triumph achieved through persistence, determination, and effort. Whatever interpretation one favours, the Charioteer is fundamentally a card of advancement and success earned through action.

The traditional eikōn depicts a male figure standing within a canopied ceremonial chariot. He carries a large sceptre and wears armour together with an open coronet. Particularly striking are the crescent-faced pauldrons upon his shoulders and the pair of horses that draw the vehicle. Curiously, the horses appear to possess no hind legs, lending the image a dreamlike quality whilst emphasising movement and progress over practical considerations.

The essence of the Charioteer is advancement; his function is to propel. The card concerns forward progress, momentum, and the successful movement of a project, ambition, or undertaking towards its desired conclusion. Unlike the Wheel of Fortune, whose movement is cyclical and uncertain, the Charioteer’s movement is directed and purposeful. He knows where he is going and intends to arrive there.

Even in his fine armour, however, the Charioteer does not appear to be going to war. His equipment is ceremonial rather than practical, and the vehicle itself seems designed for display rather than battle. The image is better understood through the Roman triumphus, a civil and religious ceremony celebrating victory. Victorious generals processed through the city in a ceremonial chariot, receiving public acclaim whilst offering thanks to the gods. In the modern world, graduations, promotions, awards ceremonies, and similar honours fulfil much the same function. The Charioteer therefore represents not the struggle itself, but its successful conclusion.

When the Charioteer appears in a reading, it is usually a sign that matters are moving towards a favourable outcome. A long effort begins to bear fruit. Discipline, perseverance, and determination receive their reward. Frequently, the card follows a setback or disappointment. One passes an examination after a previous failure, secures employment after a lengthy search, or succeeds on a second attempt where the first proved unsuccessful. The victory may not be spectacular, but it is deserved, and therefore all the sweeter.

For this reason, the Charioteer is an encouraging card. It reassures us that persistence, self-reliance, and disciplined effort are capable of producing tangible results. Progress is made, barriers are overcome, and achievements are recognised. The card often carries an element of public acknowledgement, explaining its association with reputation, honours, and occasionally fame. Others take notice of what has been accomplished.

Naturally, the Charioteer is associated with vehicles of all kinds, including cars, bicycles, motorcycles, and horses. It frequently signifies travel and journeys, although these tend to be local or domestic in character. Unlike the World, which broadens horizons and crosses frontiers, the Charioteer usually operates within familiar territory.

An intriguing aspect of the card is its relationship with destiny and Providence. Success seldom arises through effort alone. Ability, determination, and discipline are important, but so too are circumstance and opportunity. The doctrine of Divine Providence teaches that the world is not governed by blind chance, but ordered towards its proper ends according to a wisdom that often exceeds our understanding. The Charioteer reminds us that whilst we must provide the effort, favourable circumstances may also play their part. We steer the chariot and hold the reins, but the road itself is not entirely of our own making.

General: Successful progress through effort, perseverance, and self-reliance. The card signifies advancement, achievement, and tangible results following sustained endeavour. It often indicates the influence of Providence, whereby favourable circumstances assist one’s efforts. Awards, honours, promotions, and public recognition are common manifestations. The Charioteer is also associated with sport, competition, and vehicles.

Love: After a period of difficulties, uncertainty, or important decisions, a relationship is able to move forward once more. The Charioteer frequently appears when one partner has previously prioritised personal ambitions or concerns over the relationship itself. If so, the card suggests that lessons have been learned and that both parties are now prepared to work together towards common goals. Milestones such as engagements, moving in together, or other significant developments often occur under this card. For those who are single, the Charioteer may signify meeting someone whilst travelling or in transit, or a partner whose profession involves driving, transport, emergency services, or the armed forces.

Career: The Charioteer possesses strong connections with the armed forces, military service, and professions requiring discipline and determination. It also governs sport, fitness, and competition, making it relevant to athletes, coaches, and personal trainers. Other associations include mechanics, blacksmiths, metalworkers, engineers, and occupations involving vehicles or transport. In career matters, the card generally promises advancement, promotion, and recognition for hard work.

Finance: Financial circumstances are improving as previous mistakes are left behind and valuable lessons learned. The card indicates a stable income, though one requiring careful management and long-term planning. It commonly appears when the querent is considering a significant purchase, particularly a vehicle. Whilst the purchase may be achievable, the Charioteer advises caution regarding borrowing. Delaying gratification in favour of financial prudence is often the wiser course.

Health: Anatomically, the Charioteer is associated with the head, face, and ears. It may point towards headaches, migraines, vertigo, tinnitus, rosacea, acne, hair loss, and, in women, conditions such as hirsutism. When accompanied by cards such as the Devil or the Tower, it can indicate injuries arising from sport, physical activity, or accidents involving vehicles. More generally, however, the card signifies recovery through perseverance and the determination to overcome adversity.

Essence: Advancement.
Function: Propel.
Polarity: Positive.
Astrological Association: Aries.
Timing: April.

Tarot Cards: Jean Dodal Tarot via Wikipedia Commons. Public Domain.

Featured Image: Ancient Tarot Major Arcana © BP Grimaud/John Waddington Ltd, Leeds & London, Les Tarot de Marseille Jean Noblet, 1650 © Editions «letarot.com» (2001 [hand stencilled trumps]). Les Tarot de Marseille Jean Dodal, 1701 et 1715 © Editions «letarot.com» (2002 [hand stencilled trumps].

13 August, 20269 August, 2026

Tarot de Marseille: The Picturebook of Fate: The Sixes Part 2

The Sixes: The Lover and the Devil

Trump XV, Le Diable, or the Devil, is one of the most confronting cards in the Tarot and one that inevitably divides opinion. Surely belief in the Devil belongs to a less enlightened age? Is this card merely a warning against materialism, excess, and worldly temptation? Or does its disturbing imagery point towards something deeper and more unsettling: the malignant forces that can overwhelm both individuals and communities?

The origins of this trump remain the subject of debate, and the card is absent from some of the earliest surviving examples of the Tarot. The traditional Marseille eikōn depicts a grotesque bat-winged Devil standing upon a pedestal and holding a staff. The figure combines both male and female characteristics. A second face appears upon its abdomen, whilst its knees possess eyes. On either side stand two horned and naked figures loosely bound to the pedestal by ropes. The image is deeply unsettling and deliberately so. Nothing about the card conveys harmony, balance, or order.

The essence of the Devil is blind force; its function is to enslave. Unlike the Pope, who guides through wisdom, or Temperance, which governs through reason and proper measure, the Devil represents power divorced from reason and directed without regard for the good. It is force for its own sake: primal, destructive, and indifferent to consequences.

Pope Francis¹ has spoken of the Devil more frequently than many of his recent predecessors. Significantly, he teaches that the Devil has little need to possess people in the dramatic fashion popularised by films and folklore. Instead, the Devil works through hatred, envy, resentment, vice, desolation, and despair. These become the instruments by which individuals, communities, and even whole societies are poisoned. It is an apt description of the necrotic energy contained within this powerful card. The Devil rarely appears openly. More often, it operates through those forces that gradually distort our judgement, weaken our resolve, and separate us from what is good.

At its most obvious, the Devil appears through addiction and compulsion. Whether the object of dependence is alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, sex, or something less tangible, the pattern is the same. A force that initially appears manageable gradually acquires mastery over the individual. Freedom diminishes, relationships suffer, and life becomes organised around satisfying the appetite. The two figures chained to the Devil’s pedestal illustrate this condition perfectly. Their bonds are slight, yet they remain captive all the same.

The card also manifests through coercion, abuse, and domination. Here the enslaving force is not a substance but another person. Physical abuse, emotional manipulation, coercive control, exploitation, and intimidation all belong to the Devil’s domain. Under such circumstances, the victim’s freedom is gradually eroded until fear, dependency, or despair take its place.

Yet the Devil’s operation extends beyond the individual. Blind force can seize entire groups and societies. Hatred, fanaticism, ideological extremism, prejudice, and collective hysteria all demonstrate what happens when reason is overwhelmed and people surrender themselves to destructive passions. The card therefore warns against those influences which encourage unquestioning conformity, demonisation of others, and the abandonment of conscience in favour of dogma or tribal loyalty.

On a collective level, the Devil may also manifest through ideologies (the far right), movements (imperialism), and systems of thought that subordinate truth to power, loyalty to the group (like the Freemasons), or passion to reason. In the Neoplatonic and Christian traditions, human beings are called towards freedom through participation in the Good, which ultimately finds its source in Divine Love. The Devil represents the opposite tendency: the reduction of the human person to appetite, compulsion, tribal identity, or domination. Whenever individuals become willing to sacrifice conscience, charity, and reason in service of an abstract cause, charismatic leader, or collective identity, the influence of the Devil may be discerned. The card therefore warns against any doctrine or movement that encourages bondage where there should be freedom, division where there should be communion, or power where there should be love.

To some extent, the concept of Hell may be more illuminating than the Devil itself. Traditionally, Hell is understood not merely as punishment but as separation from God, the source of all goodness and truth. The Devil card depicts the misery that arises from such separation. Its grotesque central figure towers over its followers, feeding upon despair, division, and suffering. The further one moves from reason, wisdom, and the good, the stronger its influence becomes.

In practical divination, the Devil frequently heralds periods in which the querent feels trapped or overwhelmed. Temptations are stronger than usual, unhealthy attachments become difficult to break, and circumstances seem to exert an almost oppressive weight. It is not uncommon for the card to foreshadow illness or a deterioration in health. At first glance this may appear unrelated to the image, yet illness itself often reflects a body whose natural defences have been overcome. Severe illness can isolate, restrict, and diminish a person’s independence, mirroring the card’s central theme of bondage.

Finally, the Devil is the card of temptation itself. We are often persuaded that we can indulge without consequence, compromise our principles without cost, or remain in control of forces which are gradually mastering us. The Devil reminds us that such confidence is frequently misplaced. Every temptation carries a price. The question posed by the card is simple: are we truly in control, or have we become one of the figures at the foot of the pedestal, mistaking our chains for freedom?

General: A powerful and overwhelming influence operating within the querent’s life. The Devil signifies domination, compulsion, and circumstances which are difficult to escape. The card often appears where there is manipulation, deceit, coercion, or the abuse of power. Freedom is restricted, whether by external forces or by the querent’s own weaknesses and attachments.

Love: Under the Devil’s influence, relationships frequently develop unhealthy dynamics. One partner may seek to control, manipulate, or dominate the other, leading to emotional, psychological, or even physical abuse. Co-dependency, jealousy, obsession, and self-destructive behaviours can undermine the relationship and erode trust. For those who are single, the Devil often heralds the beginning of a passionate and intense affair. Attraction may be immediate and overwhelming. However, the card carries a warning: there are likely to be strings attached, hidden complications, or consequences that become apparent only later.

Career: The Devil is less concerned with particular professions than with working conditions. It often appears when the querent feels trapped in an unrewarding role, unable to leave a job they dislike, struggling with long-term unemployment, or working under exploitative conditions. Workplace bullying, coercive management practices, unreasonable expectations, and employers who take advantage of staff frequently fall under the Devil’s domain. The card asks whether the price being paid is truly worth it.

Finance: Extreme caution is advised in financial matters. The Devil often signifies debt, financial dependency, losses of income, or obligations that become increasingly difficult to manage. It may also indicate scams, fraud, predatory lending, or exploitation by those seeking to profit at the querent’s expense. Financial problems can quickly become self-perpetuating cycles unless decisive action is taken.

Health: The Devil is fundamentally a card of sickness, particularly conditions in which the body’s natural defences have been compromised or overwhelmed. It is strongly associated with autoimmune disorders, including lupus and Type I diabetes, as well as chronic illnesses that diminish vitality and independence. The card governs addictions and compulsive behaviours of all kinds, though unlike the Lover, it typically indicates that those compulsions have produced tangible physical consequences. Anatomically, the Devil is associated with the elimination system.

Essence: Blind Force.
Function: Enslave.
Polarity: Negative.
Astrological Association: Scorpio.
Timing: November.

Tarot Cards: Jean Dodal Tarot via Wikipedia Commons. Public Domain.

For example, see Gaudete et Exsultate ↩︎

25 February, 201927 June, 2026

Horseshoe

Programme two of my one-to-one tuition course with the Marseille tarots focuses on helping deliver the same precise and succinct answers, delivered with the linear draws, with spreads and positional draws of various sizes. The plan was developed in response to numerous e-mails and comments from readers, and my earliest students. Often students find themselves becoming hesitant or losing focus when reading cards in patterns, especially those with positional contexts. Here we prevent such habits, building proficiency and incisiveness.

Quite often students tell me how surprised they are that a Celtic Cross or the Widdershins’ Star can be read as a snappy sentence, just as one can a line of five or nine cards. But the reality is they can be. It is all just a matter of orientation.

The linear draws flow from the first card to the last card. Leaving aside reflection, cards relate solely through progressive attendance. Thus, there is no question of a positional relationship found in a draw such as Astrological Wheel or Celtic Cross. The challenge for the cartomante, therefore, is to cultivate the same sense of directional ease through knowing where each place falls in the course of the narrative.

The Horseshoe

« Le fer a cheval » or horseshoe spread is cartomantic standard. In addition to providing clear answers to precise questions – including yes or no – it offers useful advice on how to solve problems or situations.

It is the first draw covered in the second programme.

Although we focus on the Marseille tarot, here, it can be employed with the l’oracle de Belline, the Petit Lenormand, l’oracle de la Triade and le tarot persan de Madame Indira, et cetera. It is thus extremely versatile and, therefore, a useful addition to the cartomante’s repertoire.

The Basics

The draw is composed of seven cards, which are to be arranged as shown below. As with numerous spreads, there are variations to be found. The one described, here, has served me well. I also use a second variation which can be seen in a later article.

- Card one determines the consultant in the face of her question giving insight into her attitude and position.

- Card two defines the present situation in relation to the question which can either aid or hinder or shed let on external influences or individuals.

- Card three represents the future and how matters will play out.

- Cards four and five advise on the direction the consultant should take, what to do and how best to act.

- Card six is the main obstacle to be overcome and can provide guidance on where to forbear.

Card seven is the response.

Relating the Cards

Although the reader can advance through the cards in numerical order one can then struggle to formulate the core answer. The core answer is a succinct pronunciation that summarises the cards’ response taking into consideration how the cards relate to and engage with each other.

A sequential stroll through the cards will thus provide a disjointed and pedestrian answer. One also runs the risk of turning the reading into seven one-card readings, rather than a seven-card reading. Unfortunately, the majority of Anglo-Saxon cartomantes fall into this trap and have made the latter a virtue of necessity.

Narration

The first card advises the cartomante on the temperament and position the client occupies in relation to her question. It is thus the point of departure and also can be seen as a significator.

Both card two (the present state of affairs) and card six are connected with the latter describing the main obstacle arising out of the present situation.

Now that the cartomante is appraised of both the situation and difficulties he turns to the fourth and fifth cards. These two cards advise the seeker on how she can best proceed to resolve the challenges she faces. Thus, both cards are key to offsetting card six.

Naturally, card seven and card three are closely connected. The cartomante will need weigh these two cards against each other and see if there are signs of dissonance.

For example, the cartomante finds himself reading for a client who wants to know if she will reconcile with an ex-partner: the seventh card is le soleil and the third card is le diable. The disparity between these cards indicates that although the two will reconcile (le soleil) she will find herself in hellfire (le diable). Transpose the two cards then the answer is negative, but le soleil would, as occupying the future position, foretell warmer times and love in the near future.

Example Reading

At the end of January one of my mother’s friends asked if someone could read for her daughter. After 52-weeks’ maternity leave, the daughter had returned to the employment to discover her role (secretarial) had changed and was somewhat unhappy to find herself working for a different person. Due to the complex laws surrounding maternity leave, the seeker felt that there were grounds for complaint, although was somewhat wary of initiating a grievance.

Her question was: “Will I be able to resolve this to my advantage?”

The cards as they fell:

Answer:

Yes, but with the aid of a steward or mediator; you can then cut through the mess and find yourself in a satisfying condition.

Delineation:

For clarity, we will breakdown the spread and delineation.

The client appears as l’Ermite which shows the client is searching for a solution and guidance, not being in a position where she can act autonomously.

Presently, her employer is undertaking some form of restructuring, that has come at the same time the seeker returns to work (Jugement), which has resulted in considerable confusion (la Lune).

With La Lune in mind, the client will need to solicit advice from one who can weigh the situation appropriately (la Justice) and, therefore, identify the right moment to act and deal the winning card (le Bateleur). It is important that she keeps her feet firmly on the ground (la Lune contrasted with la Justice and le Bateleur).

Thus, with the appropriate aid (le Pape), she will be in a strong position to resolve the situation to her satisfaction (la Force). We notice that both l’Ermite and le Pape are turned from each other – the seeker has not sort appropriate advice and would benefit from either union representation or some mediation (le Pape).

Despite the draw utilising positional contexts, we are able to retain the incisiveness of a linear draw. We just need to know how positions relate to each other in the same way attendance in lines flows. As with all of cartomancy, it comes down to looking.