This chariot is drawn by two mythological creatures, but it is the charioteer that is most interesting. He seems to be missing both arms (though his left hand holds a staff). What is most prominent is his head and torso - the seats of the mind and heart. The movement and success associated with this card is not likely to come from actual "doing," but from a disciplined mindset and emotional strength and equilibrium. The verse for stick 69 reads:
A plum tree grows alone on the top of a hill.
Its leaves fall and its branches are heavy with frost.
When spring returns to warm the earth
it will regain its beauty and its kingdom.
The poem indicates a time of loneliness and heaviness of heart. But this does not mean I should give up; instead it means I should have the patience and perseverance to hang on. I need to dig my roots in deep, because things will eventually change for the better. As the charioteer implies, this will be a test of my strength of will and heart.
