Within Strength’s card, we have a maiden, gently holding the head of a lion.

Who is the lion?

The lion is the self, the ego, the personality. Those parts of us who could run amok if we let them destroy our lives and, in turn, at times, those of others with our actions or reactions. A lion is an animal to fear. They are kings and hunters. They are the fire in our minds, our instincts, which will destroy those things we wish to take gentle care of, those things which can be fragile. We can approach the lion with fear and brute force, yet it will fight a battle if presented. It knows it has already won, especially if it smells that fear.

The maiden, in a reality-based situation, would have stood no chance against a wild lion, yet here she has it submitting with its tail between its legs with two gentle touches.

This is one of the forces in life that we can all gain from - inner strength. An inner calmness that feels no fear towards the monsters of the mind and ego but seeks to understand and temper them. The maiden is our inner ability to bring peace to our desires, wants, and uncertainties. Her hands soothe thoughts and beliefs, subdue wants and ego-based needs, calm reactions, and stop negative forces in their tracks.

It is something that requires conscious effort. The maiden is not bringing peace to her mind by wishing, but by accepting her demons and faults and halting their progress out into the real world. This maiden truly knows herself and her lion, and lovingly, not with force, frustration, or anger at her shortcomings, grounds and centres her inner self, enabling her rational, mindful, and even spiritual self to control the direction things move into.

More: Strength 

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