The Lion in Strength

[sacredashes]

Ones where the lion is obviously being subjugated, forced against its will, are cards that bug me. That seems the dark side of strength. The shadow.

Yeah.. me too.

The shadow meaning of this card became acutely uncomfortable for me recently when I went for a vacation and saw the most glorious bag made entirely out of a white wolf's fur. Its head ended up as the cover. The bag was ridiculously affordable and it took a big (HUGE) stick to beat back the "I WANT! I WANT! I WANT IT!"

There is a commerical over here that says... "when the buying stops, the killing will too". I knew of I walked away from it, someone else was going to buy that bag; it was just too gorgeous! Its like when I was a kid and I wanted a bird for a pet because they had wings and they can soar across the sky when I couldn't.

So the voice of reason whispered in my head that it was just a wolf.. ONE wolf and it was probably dead when they found it. Or maybe, it was a BIG, BAD wolf and they had to kill it.

Yeah... sure....

Something that seems at first to show that our individual power is lesser than that of the external thing we're facing now. Especially if we wanted to try to 'kill' whatever it is and just make it go away. If we went that route we would absolutely lose because it is either impossible, or it would kill us first and way, way more easily. lol

I read somewhere that it does take more strength to walk away from a fight because we know we're going to lose but it takes tremendous effort to walk away from a fight because we know we will win and the damage that comes with it. Maybe that's where the real strength lies; in exercising mercy.

Thanks for this, Mellifluous.


Ash

 

[Mellifluous]

You're welcome.

This became a little gem of a thread very quickly! Lots of great insight here.

 

[Syrah]

This card to me speaks more of toleration; the strength it takes for us not to impose our will on others simply because we think we know better or because we think we are better.

Ash, I thought this was an incredible post. Well written, and the philosophy behind it so thoughtful. And like Gryffinsong, I dislike decks where it looks as though the lion is being forced against its will.

This is a card I've been thinking about for a couple of days now, and your post gave me some additional insight. I see this card as being about respect. Humans fear lions, and lions fear humans. But in this card, the two come together. Each masters their own fear and distrust of the other, quietly accepting their own role and the role of the other in the big picture called life.

A couple of years ago I had the opportunity to go to a cheetah sanctuary and pet one of those great beasts. I was the one who came away humbled, not the cheetah.

 

[GreenMoonBeam]

Likely that is the true meaning of strength, when the human can deal with that
which is not usual or natural.
A great thread,indeed.

 

[clarity]

In my opinion, there is never only ONE meaning to an image. For ME, lion represents raw power. Lion happens to be my power animal, and he is there for me when I need strength of any kind. Perseverance, patience, the strength to stand up to someone else's anger, as a few examples. For ME, he isn't about sexual passion, but is sometimes involved in creative passion. For ME, he's about recognizing that we are as important as anyone else, and that when we give up our own power to someone else, we give up an essential part of ourselves. For ME, he's often a quiet presence in the background, reminding me that I matter.

This is really interesting, to see the lion as creative passion!
I've been seeing the strength card reversed a lot recently regarding someone. And as a clarifier, the devil would show up. Or vice versa, the devil shows up and strength RX is the clarifier. The importance of recognizing our own power instead of giving it up really resonates with that.

But I can't help associating the lion to sexual passion or more primal needs as well! The thoth Lust really hones in on that. Taming the primal/carnal beast if you will. Just what Balenciaga mentions:

Getting a grip on your own inner beast; your primal urges, whatever they are. Self-control.

One of the best descriptions of this card I ever read talked about the Maiden as humility. The Lion is a beast of power, creativity, drama, majesty. He is the symbol of kings, and there is nothing symbolically humble about him. He is proud, regal, commanding.

I love this interpreation of the Lion!

Obviously there's an element of Christian idealism in this interpetation, that of the peaceful Christ against the violent Roman Empire. But in modern terms it really does ring an important note. It makes us think of the peace marches of Ghandi in India, and of the Civil Rights Movement in the U.S. It's Joan of Arc, a 17-year-old peasant girl leading troops against the might of the English Army. Dorothy defeating the Wicked Witch of the West come to that. If I were to do a modern card of Strength, it might well be that famous image of the man standing alone and unarmed before a tank in Tiananmen square.

Those are great examples of Strength! Have you thought of creating tarot decks?

 

[clarity]

One take is mind over brawns. Gentle idea's over brute power.

Courage.

Controlling base instincts.

This is a card of intelligence.

Yes! Strength as not just brawn, but strength of mind!

 

[clarity]

what if the beast we look upon as our base self is in fact the girl and not the lion? What if the girl is trying to tame a beast she looks upon as wild; when the lion was meant to be wild. What if the lion was made the way it was by nature because it was intended to be that way; powerful, predatory, fierce, untamed.

I had never thought of that! Thats an entirely different way of looking at it!

What if the girl dressed in her lofty ideals of purity is imposing them on a beast that is meant to roam unchained? Would flowers lessen the burden of captivity because they are prettier than metal? I cannot imagine how an animal used to such freedom would submit willingly to a life of captivity "for its own good". Would an animal such as the lion go mad behind gilded cages despite our good intentions? Lions like other cats are highly territorial creatures. Do we change its nature because it does not suit our own ideals?

This card to me speaks more of toleration; the strength it takes for us not to impose our will on others simply because we think we know better or because we think we are better.

Yes acceptance and toleration which ties in with the patience represented by this card.

It tells me that if I was the beast and not the girl; I don't want to be tamed and humanized because then, how would I fit into the mold of "who" and "what" I am amongst my own kind? I would not wish to be a little girl's pet because I wasn't created to be one. I would want to be the best at what I was meant to be.. hunter, guardian, predator; fierce and proud of it.

Being human, would I look upon something so magestic and not want to own it? Would I wish to bind it to myself and control it? Not all of us feel this way of course, but too many do. Lions have been used in the past as symbols of power and wealth. What better way to flaunt it than the real deal?

Sorry if this offends anyone but really, I think its "us" that need the chain around us.. not the lion. Look at what we have been doing; its not the animals that's been skulking around with guns and traps; killing humans for our pretty fur or our body parts just so they can have it decorating their nice homes. To them we're just food; to us.. well they're more than "just food".

So in a way it's us humans who are needing to be "tamed" and the lion is a representation of the ideal we should aspire to? To learn, accept and tolerate that others are different, free and majestic in their own right?

 

[clarity]

I think the lion represents something big, scary, and external that shows up as an obstacle in our path.

Something that threatens our survival in some way (perhaps only in how we perceive ourselves).

Something that can't be dealt with all that quickly or easily.

I'm glad I started this thread!! This is very interesting because I usually associate the lion to something more internal...trying to deal with more internal struggles/obstacles. But this really shifts the emphasis to the external reason why strength shows up in the first place!

Something that seems at first to show that our individual power is lesser than that of the external thing we're facing now. Especially if we wanted to try to 'kill' whatever it is and just make it go away. If we went that route we would absolutely lose because it is either impossible, or it would kill us first and way, way more easily. lol

Yes so brain/mind over brawn, as physical force will not work!

 

[clarity]

I see this card as being about respect. Humans fear lions, and lions fear humans. But in this card, the two come together. Each masters their own fear and distrust of the other, quietly accepting their own role and the role of the other in the big picture called life.

I love this! thanks!
Points out the peaceful co-existence of both sides/representations in the individual. Not one dominates or takes over the other. Its an acceptance that we are both.

 

[clarity]

Likely that is the true meaning of strength, when the human can deal with that
which is not usual or natural.
A great thread,indeed.

Yes, some things just appear bigger than us, and strength tells us we can have strength