Symbolism & Imagery:
The strength card imagery is one of the most captivating, but that is just a personal observation. It could be because I love the African imagery, or just that the lion holds a special place in my heart, or that I value strength above many things. Either way, I love this card. Maybe you will too after I describe it to you.
A woman, calm and collected, holds a fully grown lion. She doesn’t just hold the lion, as much as cradle the open jaw. The lion always inspires feelings of awe, raw power, and strength. And even though most might find the lion to be a danger or even menacing, she seems to be in communion with it. I have read many descriptions saying how the woman has a certain power or dominion over the lion, but they’ve never sat quite right with me. I don’t feel the woman has dominion, but rather she has mastered her fear of the lion, and in trusting herself and nature, she has earned the trust of one of nature’s most formidable predators.
The lion is the epitome of strength, so it comes as no surprise that it is part of the strength card’s imagery.
But the most captivating element of the card? Grace. The card is exquisite. It depicts true strength- not force or brute strength, but gentle, graceful strength. This shows us the value of mastering ourselves in the face of fear. It encourages having the discipline to know ourselves despite the mental fears that plague us. And all too often, it is our own inner fears that bother us the most.
We should also notice that the woman is holding the jaws of the lion. She is not just cuddling, but holding the most fearsome part. This is an obvious signal of courage and bravery. It highlights her control over her emotions and communion with nature. She is not forcing the lion- there are no whips or chains. Instead, there is love and compassion. There are mountains set over a blue background behind the woman, and it instills feelings of calm, peace, and stability.
As I have already mentioned, the lion is synonymous with courage. But the lion is also a symbol of desire and passion. Both of which are strong elements of the human spirit. Desire and passion are also essential for the survival of the human spirit. But, they are like wildfires. And if not kept in check, can burn you and your life’s landscape to the ground.
Another important feature to notice here is the woman’s calm, loving energy. Her inner strength comes through as well as her resilience as she seems to tame the raw power that is our emotion and passion symbolized by the lion. The lion, throughout many cultures, is a symbol of raw passion- nature at its finest. What does this tell us? Well, the woman can tame the lion because she is graceful and acts from a place of calm, loving energy. This inspires us to remember to find the centre of calm and act from that steadfast and rooted feeling when we are faced with fear.
The woman’s white robe is also symbolic and exudes her pure spirit while her flower crown is symbolic of her connection to nature. One of the most universal and widely recognised symbols, the infinity symbol, hovers above her head- telling us of the infinite wisdom and potential.
We can’t bypass the Strength card without talking more about the lion. If you’ve ever been to Southern Africa then you know that a little bit of that wild African land gets etched in your soul. The poetry conveyed by the lion cannot be spoken about without acknowledging the lion is the epitome of strength, resilience, and nature at its most powerful. But, there’s more to it than that. The lion always shows us that the raw natural instinct is not only ferocious and fiercely protective but can also be a positive expression. We, I’m talking about us humans in general here, are resilient and dare I say stubborn in chasing our dreams, are also mimicking the raw natural instinct expressed by the lion.
Look, it’s human nature to dream big and dare to aim for the stars. That is your god (or goddess whatever it is you believe in) given right to shoot for the stars. But sometimes, we let our fear stand in the way. The strength imagery shows us the power we have when we master our inner critics and act with compassion, courage, and confidence.
So, that’s the imagery. It is beautiful and powerful. Now, how does this apply in a reading?