Strength is the first card in the 2nd septenary. This septenary emphasizes the forces placed upon man (The Fool) by his environment. The Strength archetype teaches us that we have the strength to tame the beasts within ourselves.
The color associated with this card is yellow, the masculine color we saw as the background of the last card, the Chariot. The fact that Strength is a woman indicates that we are not talking about physical strength here, in spite of the color. Strength is all about the circumstances in our lives that enable us to grow and be strong.
She has the infinity symbol above her head, the same symbol of the adept we saw in the Magician. Like the Magician, Strength has the ability to manifest her desires, but she does so from a position of experience and strength.
Her white robe is that of the innocent Fool, indicating a purity of spirit. Her experiences have not discourageed her in their process of strengthening her. She still has the purity of the Fool.
The blue mountain in the background is the same phallic symbol seen in the Lovers, yet another reminder that a balance needs to be maintained.
The lion is a symbol of our animal passions & desires. Notice the lion has his tongue sticking out. Animals that are preparing to bite do not stick their tongues out. This lion is happy to submit to the woman. Her left arm represents mental effort, while the right arm represents physical effort. Notice the right arm is merely holding, while the left arm is exerting all the pressure. Her strength is mental, not physical. Our base natures can be controlled by our minds, and we all have the inherent strength within us to do so.
I can't decide whether the belt around her waist is a garland of roses, representing desire or pomegeanates representing fertility. Either way works.
The crown on her head represents the fullest, most beautiful expression of nature & transient life.
From Carissa:
ASSIGNMENT:
What is true strength? Where does your strength come from? When you feel weak, where can you draw strength from?
Meditate on these questions and e-mail us with your insights!
From Lynell:
In working on this exercise, I looked at Prairie's description and the Thoth Lust (Strength) card.
What is Strength?
An inner fortitude, a wholeness, integration of different aspects of our personality-Self. A deep sense of Integrity. Strength presents a face of equanimity while still embodying passion and zeal for life. The peace that comes from strength is not passive, but confident and vibrant - energy swirling around a center, ready to move out when called upon. A reserve.
Strength is our life force.
Where does Strength come from?
Self-knowledge, purpose, a central focus to one's life, a uniting point that a life directs itself from. An Attunement to the inner Self and an acceptance and understanding of its myriad personality faces. To the extent that we know who we are and have acted out of that knowledge, we carry ourselves in Strength. Strength comes from the courage to express what is real and true.
Where do we draw Strength from?
We gain strength when we are feeling weak by looking past the illusions of that weakness and connecting back to what "burns" inside of us - our passion, bliss, our love. We need to remind ourselves of what makes living meaningful, purposeful. What is it that makes us feel alive? We can draw on Strength by ignoring the dictates of others or society in general, by living out of our own truth of experience - success or failure. Strength topples the pillars of society's limited knowledge and once again brings us back to our own authenticity.
We draw on Strength when we realize that the Universe has bestowed Life within us and supports all our efforts to express that Life as it was meant to be. We draw on Strength through Trust.
Lynell
