Strength and the Minors

[GoddessArtemis]

What's the connection between Strength (VIII) and the number 8 Minor Arcana cards?

8 of Cups - The strength to leave a situation/place/person behind, even though you have strong feelings

8 of Swords - Not so sure about this. Look to inner strength to get yourself out of a self-imposed mental attitude?

8 of Pentacles - Steadily and patiently put in effort to perfect a plan.

8 of Wands - Use strength to bring all the wands (actions) in alignment with one another, so they reach a point together?

Any thoughts?

GA

 

[GoddessArtemis]

Does no one have any input with regards to the 8 cards?

 

[Mellifluous]

Hmm...

Wands - The strength or force of communications. The pen is mightier than the sword, for example. Communication is a better problem solver than brute force, etc.

Pentacles - I think it has to do with the serenity of being engrossed in satisfying work. Strength is a calm, serene figure. Also, it takes some strength to pursue a skill until you master it. Also, work can be one non-violent means to conquer various aspects of life.

Cups - I agree

Swords - I agree, but I don't believe that the situations represented by the eight are always self-created or in your head. They may be, but they don't have to be. In fact, I think they're pretty much always real world situations, rather than purely mental ones.

To me the seven is more the 'negative mental attitude' card. (Relating it to the chariot, it would be discipline your mind, or there are opposing and negative attitudes coming your way from other people.)

Eight is you are in fact stuck in bad situation and don't know what to do, kind of panicky and/or hopeless, but you can (or sometimes must) find the way out yourself... or at least remain strong until it ends and you are free.

That's how I usually think of them anyway. Hope that helps a bit.

 

[Umbrae]

Remember – before WCS/GD, Strength was XI.

And if you consider the numbering of the majors as ordinal as opposed to cardinal (like the minors are), then – no connection.

 

[GoddessArtemis]

Umbrae, I did think of the fact that Strength and Justice have been switched in other decks, so I see the merit in not making the connection to the minor 8's. But I do believe strength does play into these cards...at least in my readings.

Mellifluous--thank you. Yes, they helped. I had thought the 8 of Swords was self-imposed. I'll have to read more about that particular suit and the #8.

GA

 

[jmd]

I'll attempt a reply in terms of the heading of the thread - ie, between Strength and the Minors in general.

Strength is depicted as what appears to be a Woman and a Lion (and once suggested that perhaps there is a symbolic connection here with the adjacent asterisms of Virgo and Leo - cf the thread 'Strength as Virgo & Leo').

In terms of the minors, this can reflect an aspect of the Royalty Courts - with the Queens mirroring the figure of Virgo, and the Kings mirroring the figure of the Lion. It also provides for quite a different view as to the normally perceived or projected relation that exists between these court cards.

With the pips, there is perhaps as aspect that is reflected in especially the Aces of Sword and or Bastons. Apart from the numbering (XI - or One following X) that seems to possibly suggest a relation (one, at a 'higher' level, and aces), there are, especially with those two cards, a similar kind of 'wielding' between holding hand and 'instrument' of power.

There are also further allusions that can be made via those two Aces and the Strength card (as numbered eleven) by one of the meanings of the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet that is often correlated to Strength: Kaf, referring to the (palm, or that which holds, of the) hand.

As the eleventh card, it also just takes us out of the ten pips, and hence, in terms of the minors in general, can be considered to head towards the courts, the first of which are the Pages. Interestingly, in each case, the general 'stance' of the pages are the most similar in general design to that of Strength: a person stands, and holds in prominance the implement of the suit.

 

[willowfox]

8 wands you have the strength to make the action happen, to conclude an issue and move on.

8 cups you have the strength to pack up and move on, to let go of the past.

8 pents you have the strength of mind to hone your skills and learn your lessons.

8 swords you have the strength to break free of your self imposed problems if you want to.

But then again Strength as 2 also fits in there quite nicely as well

2 cups strength to form a lasting friendship or relationship

2 wands strength to be in a authority or be bold in some enterprise.

2 swords strength to create a barrier between to people, and not drop the swords.

2 pents strength to juggle a situation or issue and come out laughing.

 

[Sulis]

I see no connection between Strength and the number 8 at all, to the extent that I really don't read with decks where Strength is labelled number 8.

Eights relate to Justice, cosmic order and balance.