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FEBRUARY 2010

Strength, KEY VIII, Major Arcana

Above: The Rider Waite Major Arcana Strength, Key 8 has a yellow sky and the virgin, in a white robe, has a halo.


by Peggy Firth, Certified Tarot Master

Older decks and even some contemporary European decks place the strength card at Key 11 and Justice, Key 11 as the eighth Major Arcana. When RW came along he placed the Strength card as Key 8 since the Hebrew letters and their zodiacal equivalents are more in line with imagery on the card. Strength (Teth) and Leo vs. Justice, (Lamed) and Libra.

We see the life force symbolized by the lion and the maiden, who combines the High Priestess and young Empress in a natural setting under a brilliant yellow sky. The background of lush fields of grass, trees, and bushes tells us that life is abundant and expanding. The steep mountain in the background symbolizes intellectual achievement.
The young woman wears a white undergarment which signifies virginal qualities.

Lion – represents divine energy throughout mythology. It’s sovereignty as king of beasts, it represents male energy at its highest level. Antiquity has figures or gods riding or harnessing lions.

A lemniscate above her head links her with the magician and holds all of those powers as the feminine aspect with gentleness and loving kindness as the driving force. Some decks depict her riding a tamed lion, as a woman who attempts the new and difficult with passion and a new approach to achieving power.

The crown of flowers and flowers that cascade from her waist symbolize power passing into action or the gentle strength and control of life. In the RW deck the young woman pets the lion and place her right hand in a vulnerable spot above the lion’s mouth. This scene depicts love and trust and inner strength. There is no competition or the repression of one against the other. This also means moral(learned) and spiritual strength (subjectively known).

Key 8 represents the balancing of opposing forces, the caduceus with its two serpents interlacing serpents. Eight represents the in and out forces or breaths in which the soul receives and achieves balance. It also represents the passage of time. The double of four which is the culmination of building or achieving something of value. It also speaks of imbalance and the need to create a new order or to evaluate everything that has been created.

Above: The Robin Wood version of Key 8 shows a blue sky and more friendly demeanor with smiles and flowers galore.

UPRIGHT MEANINGS
Moderation in the face of danger, facing whatever is devouring you, establishing bonds using love and compassion, gentle guidance, coping calmly and confidently, tame raw energy and transform it into what is necessary to succeed.

REVERSAL
If you were to reverse the meaning of Key 8 it would warn of daring, fear of the passions of the flesh, inner discord of the mind versus instinct. It could also mean that your querent may be dominating, harassing, or unable to control a situation. It may also call for more use of the innate personal powers rather than be submissive or wimplike.
The traditional meanings – tyranny, weakness, cruelty, impatience or succumbing to temptation.

TAROT SPREADS and HOW YOU MAY DESIGN YOUR OWN SPREADS

The tarot layout is like a puzzle or can read like a comic book full of cartoon boxes. Every card has a basic meaning but that meaning should relate to its placement in a spread and present a message to the main question. As a Tarot reader you will want to decide what key points are important to address in a reading.

You may ask your querent to assist you in forming these questions. For example, what are the stumbling blocks or who might be resisting your querent in attaining their success? What are the conflicts or weakness felt by the querent?

The trend in Tarot reading is to allow the cards to provide new perspectives in problem solving, not to to foretell the future. The cards can provoke insight that often can lead to a more positive form of action and understanding. In “The Heart of the Tarot” the author states that Marcel Proust, a famous philosopher, directs us by having new eyes rather than seeking new landscapes. This concept suggests that we should assist our querent in forming ways to exercise good judgement.

You can begin with simple spreads, such as a two or three card layout. The trend is for short insightful readings that offer what needs to be considered in order to focus on the most appropriate action or attitude.