The Strength Card In The Traditional Rider-Waite

The Strength card seem to be one of the most popular tarot cards in the deck, at least among girls. Whenever I pull this card for my female friends there is a certain level of pride. The Strength card has an allure to everyone, though girls in particular seem drawn to it. The idea of a kind of inner strength built of peace and serenity over raw animal desire is such a unique and intriguing concept. The Strength card isn’t built on some two dimensional concept of being physically strong. Rather is investigates the higher idea of strength of self and character. The Strength card in the traditional Rider-Waite deck features a beautiful maiden calmly closing the jaws of a great lion. The maiden who is dressed in white to signal her innocence, wrapped and crowned with flowers to represent a connection with nature, and an infinity symbol like the Magician is generally considered to represent inner strength and gentleness. She represents the mastery of ones self and the power over animal desires and urges. The lion who jaws she shuts is used to represent those animal desires, raw, untamed, wild energy. The maiden gently shuts the lions jaw gaining control over him. He is the engine providing raw strength and she is the …show more content…
In some interpretation the maiden is said to represent civilization while the lion represents the wild. Civilization in this take must conquer and control the wild, but also see that power of the wild and respects it. The lion has also been interpreted to represent fire. Human beings have an interesting relationship with fire, fear and respect are a big part of that relationship. The lion therefore represents the power of fire while the maiden represents the humans who both respect it and want to control it out of fear. Another take claims that the lion and maidens relationship is said to represent lust and controlling lust for