often confused about the strength card

tarot_quest

Hi all,

The strength card is the one of the card that puzzles me the most. I understand the idea of the card: a lady using nice manners and persuasion to hold a lion.

The lion: he can represent our ego, our sexual desire and basic needs

the lady: she seems diplomatic, persuasive, calm, intelligent and she knows what to do or what to say to hold the lion and to maintain him in a submissive position

Most of the time when I pick up this card, I feel like, woaaaa.... I don't know... I don't have an instinctual response and I am too cerebral

Let me know what you see for this card and some contexts where this card was relevant to you! Thank you
 

Mystica7

What the Strength card means depends on your question, and the context a lot...

If you are asking whether a reconciliation will take place for example, the Strength in the outcome position pertains to a "No". Since it's pretty much a solitary/self-sufficient card representing well, strength, and unconditional, all-surpassing love rather than the Eros kind which you are after. This brings me to the conclusion that the case here is not (or won't be) the union of the two; but rather you are alone in this and you need to be strong. The positive side to it is that you'll overcome it...

However, if you are curious about a love interest's level of LUST for you and you get the Strength (I assume that you see each other), consider yourself lucky then.

For feelings, please refer to other topics since that's a bit complicated for me to recite here.
 

LeFou

Strength is Fortitude which in English might be called "courage," and it's one of the "cardinal virtues (along with Temperance, Justice, Prudence, although this list can vary a little).

These abstract virtues are personified as (minor, specific) goddesses. So when you see Strength, think of "courage, determination" or something like that.

In another vein, Taoists might see "Yin mastering Yang," or some variation on that, while others might see something like, "True strength is inner strength."

Strength in a reversed sense can imply "struggle."
 

Laurelle

I said this in another thread, but it can also represent someone taming their partners temper.

One a general level it represents diplomacy
 

Thirteen

The Lion has something to offer, too...

One thing I think readers often forget about the Strength card is that the Lion has something to offer, too. We often assume that the lady had no option by to try and tame the lion (i.e. that it attacked), but in the Thoth deck she's riding that lion--they are united. And so we have to consider that maybe she is as attracted to it, as it is as attracted to her.

As LeFou says, this card represents courage. And the lion is emblematic of courage. So the Lady interacting with the lion represents not only her courage, but her attraction to courage. It's kind of a feedback loop. You can almost write the story about it: timid lady sees a beautiful lion, and despite the fact that she is usually fearful, this magnificent beast doesn't scare her. In fact, it induces her to go out and meet it. The lion sees people as threatening, and responds with roars, teeth and claw to get them to back off. But this lady doesn't respond to such, and she doesn't threaten. And so he takes a chance and trusts her.

The Lion's courage gives her courage, and her courage gives him courage. Which is why I see this card as more than just taming your inner temper or passions. It's also about respecting them, and realizing what you can gain from them. The lady, after all, doesn't cage or chain the lion, nor does she try to make it other than a lion, she merely brings it under her control. So, for example, you don't want to let your temper get out of control--because then everyone just backs away. But there are times when righteous anger is needed. Roar in the right way, not to scare but to be heard, and you can make powerful changes.

That, to me, is the Strength card. Learning how to "tame" those passions so that you can use them to great effect.
 

ravenest

Yes ... ' riding ' an animal is a big step beyond learning to tame or control it !

A bit like learning to control the emotions or 'surf' them.

Thoth Atu XI brings Durga to mind.
 

Thirteen

A bit like learning to control the emotions or 'surf' them.
Ah, now there's a wonderful metaphor. :D I live near the ocean and I know a little something about surfing (very little, but a little). You certainly can't control the waves, but you can understand how they work and how to catch them, and so use that energy to achieve your goal.

Especially if you have the fortitude to face those big waves and not give up if you get wiped out.
 

AnemoneRosie

This card has been stalking me for months, possibly years (I lost track). As a result it means a lot of different things to me.
Firstly, my main deck has a tiger instead of a lion. She's sitting with it on a hill - it's already tamed. I take that to mean having the inner fortitude to do the impossible, sort of like the little engine that could saying "I think I can" against impossible odds.

Because this card has been stalking me for so long I've grown to have very personal meanings to it. Amongst them: ability to keep going despite impossible odds, and having an inner battle so strong that it nearly paralyses you. Despite that paralysis you somehow get through on the right path.

Ziev read for me in an exchange and had another meaning for this card entirely, if you want to comment-stalk me. I find it funny that it came up at all.
 

Zephyros

I very much like Thirteen's explanation of this card. I agree, the attraction is mutual. It isn't merely that the lady tames the Lion, but the Lion tames the Lady as well. Only together can their fiery love affair be quenched. Both are changed by the exchange. The woman "goes out" to the male while the male "lets her in," as it were.

I'm studying the Tower right now, and these cards have a special connection, as two of the three horizontal paths on the Tree. In a way, this card shows the meeting of the Tower and the Empress. The quintessential female influence meets the most powerful male card, but they both do yearn for each other, and each finds ultimate fulfillment in the others' embrace. In rather outdated terms, the female desires the fire of the male in order to turn it into life, while the male can find solace only in the enclosure of his beloved. The reason this works is because each side can see something in the other that exists inside themselves. Someone mentioned the Yin Yang, and this is apt, since although each side is a polar opposite, the two small circles indicate that each side shares some attributes with its opposite.

Crowley writes in the Book of Thoth that this card is similar to the Lovers but shows the scene depicted there in a more natural form, how it "actually" is, and this is true. Every force inherently desires its own annihilation; a stone "wants" to get to wherever it is throw, energy "wants" to expend itself, it is its nature and natural tendency. Even the force of the female desires this, although its energies are directed inward.

And of course, many of the best passions are not only directed and tamed, but harnessed. The artist is a good example of this as he not only tames and subdues his passions in service of his art, but rather is in the special position of doing both at the same time. If you don't have discipline, you won't put brush to paper but too much of that and you have no art.

So ultimately, yes, Strength is about using your inner Lion and directing it where you will. He is your "magic power," your Will, your spark. You should never deny him, but neither is he disciplined enough to be allowed to do as he pleases. Of course, in simple esoteric terms, this card shows how it feels when you enact your Will, when your passions and discipline perfectly align.

There's a Barbara Streisand song that conveys the basic idea of this card pretty well, called "You Don't Bring me Flowers." Check it out.
 

tarot_quest

Wow....! I am so impressed with everybody's reply...really

I like the idea of a collaboration rather than restraining a lion (i.e. restraining basic needs). Some of your replies are even poetic!

- Mystica7, I like your idea about asking for a relationship and that getting this card means ''you are alone in this and you need to be strong''. You turn it into something positive like a valuable experience

- Lefou, yes thinking about the vertue of courage is a nice one. And that ''True strength is inner strength'' sounds really true!

- Laurelle, this card representing diplomacy and that it can also represent someone taming their partners temper is a really original idea that might be eventually useful for some readings!

- Thirteen, I like the idea of working in team and I find it really beautiful when you said ''The Lion's courage gives her courage, and her courage gives him courage''. Yes, they are different but they have so much to gain from each others and they are good complements!

-Ravenest, your metaphor with surfing on the waves of emotions is quite cool :)

- AnemoneRosie, your message is SO inspiring : ''having the inner fortitude to do the impossible, sort of like the little engine that could saying "I think I can" against impossible odds.'' Now this card will often tell me that I can achieve what I need to do even if it is difficult

-Closrapexa, your description was very elegant! I like the idea of polarity (everybody take what they need in each others) and the idea of mastering the energy of your passions : ''Strength is about using your inner Lion and directing it where you will''



Now I feel more that this card is about motivation, passions and directing your will where you need while working on it as a whole (passion+discipline). May I ask how you interpret this card for feelings? Would this card refers more to what you should do (i.e. having faith, being courageous) rather than being explicit about what you feel?

If I would have to say what I see for feelings (emotions) in this card, it would be : being proud, feeling courageous, feeling motivated or feeling sexual desire (which is not an emotion but a need)

I think that is why I have difficulty with this card! I am an emotional person and it is difficult for me to attribute emotions to this card