STRENGTH
2008 TPAB: Articles & Spreads, published by TWM Publishing
May 2008

The most familiar image of the Strength card is the one of a woman taming a lion, with a lemnescate or infinity symbol above her head. It is a card of power, emotion, bravery, and will. When it appears in a reading or makes its way into your consciousness through some other means, such as a dream or personal symbol, a certain area of your life requires courageous action on your part. The Strength card demands that you bring yourself fully into present time to make the most of the situation and opportunity. Your success depends on your ability to focus your will and unleash the right amount of power. If your instinctual inner lion is undisciplined, then he will squander away your resources, time, and ultimately your life through his insatiable corporeal hunger. If you have imprisoned your lion to the point that your physical body withers and your life is devoid of all pleasure, you won't have the energy required to succeed. The question becomes; how do we coax our lion-selves to accompany us in pursuit of our dreams?

The Strength card's astrological correspondence is to the sign Leo, and Leo the lion is about love and an open heart. Self-love, self-confidence, and self-esteem all come from the affection we hold for ourselves on the inside. Leo's nature is to send forth, without shame, a fiery love that can either warm or burn its surroundings. The ability to love ourselves and carry that love into the world in places of hostility and rejection takes valor. The people that have enthusiasm for life and are not threatened, but excited, by your successes are exuding their Strength energies. They light up a room.

I especially like Mary K. Greer's interpretation of the Strength card in her book Tarot Constellations. She describes the woman depicted in the card as a female magician, witch or enchantress and goes on to say, "we can accomplish anything we set our minds to by acknowledging our linkage with the world and working in harmony with its principles." As a witch or a female magician, she already embodies and utilizes the power of nature giving her an innate empathetic connection with the lion. When imagining the woman taming the lion, it is easy to think of the danger and cunning involved in mastery. In reality, lions spend most of their day resting, around twenty hours. They spend a couple hours walking and one hour eating. If we look at that aspect of the lion's nature and apply it to the meaning of the Strength card, then the task of engaging the lion's will has more to do with enticing the animal into activity than averting an attack. Perhaps the lion with an open mouth in the card's image is just yawning as the enchantress works her magic to awaken him from his slumber!

Most of us have experienced times in our lives when we were sleep deprived, and the lion's need for rest is valid. On the other hand, there are also times when we lack the energy to create the lives we are capable of and remain asleep to our true potential. How many times have you heard the words, "I don't have the energy for that?" Reclaiming and redirecting our energy is a formidable feat. It is not so much about taming our animal instincts in this case but about using our will to revitalize our mind, body, and spirit. We do this by releasing the lion from his inappropriate captivity; we allow him time to connect with nature everyday through walking, and we feed him a diet that fortifies his body instead of providing substances that drain his life force. As our energy returns, then, we reconnect with what "feeds" our spirit and soul and begin taking steps to free our true nature into the world. None of this is easy. The messages around us are so often at odds with who we are and who we wish to become. Women and men starve, surgically alter, and medicate their bodies in an effort to belong. Endless responsibilities and worries pull us away from our inner knowing. Outside voices replace our own. Using our will is a moment-by-moment choice. Will we choose options that enliven us or will we continue behaviors that defeat us?

My own experience with the Strength card is like trying to pill a cat. You know it's the right thing to do but a furry face with jaws locked tight thinks otherwise. Nevertheless, skillfully opening and closing the big cat's mouth takes courage and love. Sometimes it is easier to herd cats than to get Leo energy to surrender or change course. The times when the lady and her lion work together are times when passion and purpose come together. A powerful allegiance of self-control and fearlessness, Strength is a vital primal force that seeks human expression. We have to take care of our physical needs or we perish. Once we meet those needs, we move on to the desires of the heart. If we deny or hide our emotions giving them no means of expression, they turn inward and poison the lion.

©2007 Lisa Finander

Other examples of Lisa Finander's writing:

• The Empress
• Strength
• Moon As Mapmaker: Exploring Your Inner Landscape Without Fear
• Entering The Castle: An Inner Path To God And Your Soul (Review)
• For Love and Money: Creating the Work You Enjoy (Interview)

back to the top