Personal Reflections
What does it mean to be truly strong? If you're picturing someone bench-pressing a small car, you might want to adjust your lens a bit.
In our deck, the Strength card portrays an elegant woman walking a lion on a leash, wearing a necklace with an infinity symbol. It's like the ultimate "bring your pet to work" day, except the pet could eat you. Now that's what I call confidence.
This image captures the essence of inner strength beautifully. It's not about muscling through life like a bulldozer in a china shop. It's about the power of gentle control, infinite patience, and the ability to take your inner beast for a walkie without ending up as its chew toy.
Take Emma, for instance. Emma's life was a three-ring circus of chaos, minus the fun of cotton candy and clowns (though some days, she felt like the clown). Her job was demanding, her kids were... well, kids, and her patience was wearing thinner than a cat's whisker after a run-in with sandpaper.
She'd been trying to muscle through it all, gritting her teeth so hard her dentist was considering early retirement on her copays alone. But you know what? That's like trying to out-roar a lion - exhausting and probably not going to end well, unless your goal is to become the world's hoarsest opera singer.
We talked about the Strength card, and how true power often comes wrapped in a velvet glove rather than an iron fist. Emma started practicing what I like to call the "lion whisperer" approach. Instead of yelling when her kids turned the living room into a Lego minefield (because nothing says "fun" like a floor full of plastic caltrops), she'd take a deep breath and calmly guide them through cleanup time. Rather than stressing over work deadlines to the point where her eye started twitching in Morse code, she learned to approach challenges with steady determination.
The result? Emma found she could navigate her daily jungle with more grace and less growling. Her kids started calling her the "Calm Commander" instead of "Mom-zilla," and her coworkers no longer ducked for cover when she approached a deadline.
Now, let's flip the card and peek at its reversed meaning. Raj is a talented artist who had always dreamed of showcasing his work. But whenever opportunities arose, Raj's courage pulled a vanishing act worthy of Houdini. His inner critic roared so loudly it could probably be heard in the next galaxy, leaving him feeling about as powerful as a wet tissue in a windstorm.
Raj's situation is a classic case of reversed Strength. It's not that the strength isn't there - it's just playing an overly enthusiastic game of hide-and-seek. The key for Raj was to realize that courage isn't about the absence of fear, but about moving forward despite it. It's like walking the lion while wearing squeaky shoes - terrifying, but oddly empowering.
Through small, consistent steps - starting with sharing his art online, then participating in local art fairs - Raj gradually coaxed his inner lion out of hiding. He learned to see his vulnerability not as a weakness, but as the secret sauce that made his art uniquely his. This journey allowed Raj to eventually hold his first solo exhibition, facing his fears with newfound resilience and only minimal hyperventilating.
These stories highlight several key aspects of the Strength card:
- Gentle Power: True strength is often as subtle as a lion in ballet slippers - graceful, controlled, and surprisingly effective.
- Emotional Intelligence: It's about understanding and managing our emotions, not letting them turn us into a one-person soap opera.
- Courage and Vulnerability: Strength isn't about being fearless; it's about being scared but saddling up anyway, even if the saddle is on a lion.
- Patience and Persistence: Building inner strength is like taming a wild beast - it takes time, and you might lose a few pairs of pants along the way.
- Balance: The infinity symbol reminds us of the continuous balance between our primal instincts and higher consciousness. It's like being part lion, part philosopher, and hoping the two parts get along.
- Self-Control: Walking the lion represents our ability to guide our impulses rather than suppress them. It's not about caging your inner beast, but teaching it to fetch the morning paper without eating the neighbor's cat.
So, the next time life throws you a curveball (or a whole bucket of them), channel your inner lion tamer. Take a deep breath, straighten your imaginary top hat, and approach the challenge with composed courage. Remember, true strength isn't about dominating your emotions or other people - it's about finding harmony between your fierce power and your compassionate heart.
And if all else fails, just imagine your problems as a bunch of kittens instead of lions. It might not solve anything, but at least you'll have a good chuckle. Sometimes, laughter is the best form of strength we have - it's like catnip for the soul.
Symbolism
- Lion: Primal instincts, courage, raw power
- Woman: Human consciousness, compassion, gentle control
- Infinity symbol: Endless potential, balance of physical and spiritual
- White dress: Purity of intention, spiritual strength
- Flowers: Growth, beauty emerging from challenge
- Blue background: Calmness, serenity in the face of difficulty
Historical Background
The Strength card has evolved over time, originally depicting a person wrestling with a lion in early tarot decks. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, it was reinterpreted as a woman gently closing a lion's mouth, emphasizing the power of compassion and inner strength over physical force.
Pairings
- Strength + The Hermit: Inner work leading to personal empowerment
- Strength + The Chariot: Determination and willpower overcoming obstacles
- Strength + The Moon: Confronting and taming inner fears
- Strength + Ten of Wands: Endurance in the face of heavy burdens
- Strength + Queen of Cups: Emotional resilience and intuitive power
Be Aware of...
- The balance between gentleness and firmness
- Areas where the querent might be underestimating their own strength
- Potential for personal growth through challenges
- The role of compassion in resolving conflicts
- Opportunities to practice patience and self-control
- The importance of courage in facing fears
- Signs of inner turmoil that need addressing
Exercises and Meditations
- Recall a time when you displayed unexpected strength. How did it make you feel?
- What personal "lion" are you currently trying to tame in your life?
- How can you balance assertiveness with compassion in a challenging situation?
- Write about a fear you'd like to overcome. What small step can you take towards facing it?
- Describe a moment when patience proved more powerful than force.
- How can you nurture your inner strength during times of doubt?
- Reflect on the role of vulnerability in building true strength.
