STRENGTH (VIII or XI)

TODAY'S CARD is Strength (VIII or XI). This unique version is by Love Beth Drew and is used by permission.



For comparison, here's the Strength card in the Rider/ Waite/ Smith deck:



THE STRENGTH CARD: There's a difference among decks as to the number assigned to Strength, either VII or IX, though more often it is VIII. (If I recall accurately, there was a re-numbering from VIII to XI to accommodate astrological correspondences, "way back when.") I find either number works fine for me, and usually relate to the number on the Strength card in the deck I'm working with at the moment.

Strength is one of a "Female Trinity" I see in The Tarot, along with The High Priestess and The Empress. These three can be seen as the three aspects of The Great Goddess: The Maiden = The High Priestess (she's often said to be virginal, or "complete unto Herself"); The Mother = The Empress; and The Crone = Strength (it must take a lot of hard-earned wisdom to look a lion in the mouth, :-D). At any rate, I enjoy thinking of these three female cards in this way.

DIFFERENT TAKES ON STRENGTH:

Loss of nerve. But remember that courage isn't a feeling, it's an action (i.e., courage doesn't necessarily feel courageous).

Speak or not speak, do or not do, it doesn't matter. It's a waste of energy and time. This is not where you need to be focusing your energies right now.

A little aphorism I wrote about Strength when meditating on it ages ago:

when looking
a lion in the mouth,
hold still
and listen
very closely

I once used the Strength card as my entry visualization into light trance work. In this light trance I was "told" that this card is essentially a glyph of a reader in communication with the Tarot's collective voice. That all the cards offer a way, but Strength -- more than any other -- represents where/how the individual may hear The Tarot's voice.

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Resource:James Ricklef's site; he's a Certified Tarot Master and freelance writer; the author of several Tarot books; his website has articles about Tarot, some Tarot book and deck reviews, a daily Tarot affirmation, and more, like Tarot games and humor; it also includes some of his fiction and poetry. (I had one of his excellent articles up on my now defunct website.)

Please see the top of the sidebar for my background with the Tarot and a recommendation to beginners.

‘til next time, keep listening to and enjoying The Tarot,

Roswila
[aka: Patricia Kelly]
****If you wish to copy or use any of my writing, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”)**** SEE ALSO: Roswila’s Dream & Poetry Realm for some articles about Tarot.****