Magical Forest - Strength

karen0205

from lwb:

VIII - Strength
Fleecy Sheep is stronger than the lion because she has learned to rule over her instincts and conquer her fears; so theirs is not a duel, but a match of energies. "What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than the lion?"


The colors are very warm and sunny, it looks like the lion is kissing the lamb. It's a very sweet card even though it's showing one force over another. The flowers and green grass show spring or summer, which is always warm. The lamb is reaching to hold the lion so it appears the kindness is mutual. There's no abuse of the lion. He seems to be willingly tamed.
 

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r0sered1ster

Magical Forest- Strength

This is another one of my favorite cards...ooo, there's so many! This card for some reason always comes up for me when I ask my deck to identify itself, but that's another thread. Anyhow, to me it says you can develop a much better relationship or bond ( a friendship, a boss, or significant other) by using the qualities of patience, understanding and calm resolve than you can with the qualities seen on the Chario which uses an "in your face" approach.. A soft voice and gentle hand can tame even the most ferocious beast.
 

mando

The sheep has faced its fears and gone right up to the lion, full of confidence. The lion to is not bound by its instincts -which would surely be to devour the sheep. The type of strength shown in this card is very much an inner strength working in harmony with outer strength.The infinity symbol floating like a halo above the sheep's head, is the same as on the magician. Does it show mastery over the forces of nature? Infinite potential? I cant figure out if this card is showing how to overcome acquired conditioning, or how to learn new responses. (At this early stage of my journey with the tarot I seem to find that there is always a seed of the opposite meaning in each card!)
 

mando

ok i have found the symbol is a lemniscate... which conveys endlessness, infinity, a continuos cycle, "the unity of all things, material and spiritual, which never disappear but perpetually change form in an eternal cycle of destruction and re-creation." - which implies quite alot about the sheep.
 

teomat

In the RWS and TdM, this card shows a maiden subduing a lion, suggesting the feminine subduing the masculine.

The use of a sheep in this card is far more powerful, as it would normally be considered the lion's prey. It is the weak (or meek) overcoming the strong. And yet there is no force used on the lion - it is a mutual understanding. A reconciliation between opposites. A sense of innocence and the feeling of 'love finding a way through all obstacles'.

Both animals have overcome their natural instincts. The sheep would normally be afraid of the lion, the lion would normally kill the sheep. Yet both have controlled their natural urges and have sought another way. Interestingly you could say the lion has the same 'strength' quality as the sheep, by it not following it's natural (or base) instinct of killing the sheep.

It is having self-control and not letting your wild thoughts and feelings get the better of you.