Animal Tarot Time: STRENGTH

For this series, I am exploring the choices of animals made by various deck creators to correspond to traditional Tarot cards. My initial goal is to get through the Major Arcana using cards from seven different decks:

• Animal Tarot Cards by Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine (Hay House)
• The Animal Totem Tarot by Leeza Robertson; illustrated by Eugene Smith (Llewellyn Publications)
• The Animal Wisdom Tarot by Dawn Brunke; illustrated by Ola Liola (CICO Books)
• The Animal-Wise Tarot by Ted Andrews (Dragonhawk Publishing)
• The Animals Divine Tarot by Lisa Hunt (Llewellyn Worldwide)
• The Animism Tarot by Joanna Cheung (Self-Published)
• Tarot of the Animal Lords with artwork by Angelo Giannini (Lo Scarabeo)

To read my previous posts in this series, enter “Animal Tarot Time” in the search field on the main page of the blog or scroll down and click on Animal Tarot Time under CATEGORIES.

As many of you know, the numbering of the Justice and Strength cards in the Tarot varies, depending on which deck you are using. For this post, I will be viewing Strength as Trump 11. Let’s look at how STRENGTH is portrayed in seven different animal decks.

Animal Tarot Cards by Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine (Hay House)

STRENGTH / MASAI LION AND LAMB

“True strength is displayed through kindness, forgiveness, and compassion. 
You have tremendous personal power and courage.”

Where many traditional Tarot decks depict a girl or woman with a lion on the Strength card, this deck gives us a Masai lion with a lamb. There is a sense that both creatures not only tolerate but respect or value each other. As the creators of the deck note, “The lion represents pure courage and power, while the lamb is symbolic of gentleness, vulnerability, and self-acceptance.” We are called to apply “loving strength” to situations and to the people who are involved.

The Animal Totem Tarot by Leeza Robertson; illustrated by Eugene Smith (Llewellyn Publications)

STRENGTH / OX

What muscles do you currently need to build? 
How can your personal strengths help those around you? 
Are you throwing your weight around instead of supporting someone you love?

This interpretation of Strength does not appear to incorporate one of the traditional interpretations, which has to do with “taming” one’s animal instincts in order to direct gut reactions or raw emotions  constructively. The focus in The Animal Totem Tarot is on the Ox as a symbol of physical strength but also on emotional and mental strength as well as courage. Our will and resolve may be tested. We are being asked to consider what weighs us down or burdens us (for example, the past), and to question whether we feel that is the best use of our strength.

The Animal Wisdom Tarot by Dawn Brunke; illustrated by Ola Liola (CICO Books)

LION / Ruler of the Open Heart
Courage, Compassion, Acceptance, Love

Just to reiterate what I wrote above, even though this card is numbered VIII (Roman Numeral 8) on its face, I am including it here because it obviously represents Strength, which is numbered 11 in some Tarot decks.

In this deck, we see a lion and a young woman sitting together in harmony. The lion here represents “your inner beast” as well as strength, stability, and leadership. The focus is on feline or feminine energies, reminding us that “true strength is not violent or controlling, but emerges through love, appreciation, and acceptance of self and others.”

The Animal-Wise Tarot by Ted Andrews (Dragonhawk Publishing)

STRENGTH / LION
Strength of Will from the Inner Sun

Ted Andrews gives us a male lion on this card without any accompanying feminine figure, yet he makes sure to include in his discussion of Strength the role female lions play in a pride of lions. The females actually do most of the work as hunters and caretakers of the young. The qualities they represent include “patience, gentleness, and the strength of love.” The male lion encourages us to express our power, even as we nurture the more “feminine” qualities within us such as creativity, intuition, and imagination.  Strength of will – rather than brute force – is the key.

The Animals Divine Tarot by Lisa Hunt (Llewellyn Worldwide)

STRENGTH / Lion and Tara: Tibetan

(tapping into inner resources, embracing one’s animal nature, courage)

 

Lisa Hunt takes us to Tibet for her interpretation of Strength, offering us an image of a lion accompanied by Tara, “one of the most popular deities in the Buddhist tradition.” She is viewed as a strong, compassionate deity who is “often called upon during times of distress and endangerment.” The lion, as in other Tarot decks, represents “the spark and libido necessary for continued achievement.” If we try to suppress or neglect this type of energy, it is likely to manifest into something potentially negative. We are encouraged to utilize such internal resources in a productive, creative manner.

The Animism Tarot by Joanna Cheung (Self-Published)

STRENGTH / The Lion and Carmine Bee-Eater 

(ferocity and gentleness, freedom and control, passion and compassion)

I love the way Joanna Cheung expresses the meaning of this card: “There is a balance here, one that requires a delicate touch, one without fear, but with understanding. With balance, comes peace.”

 Cheung views the Lion as representing “power, protection, courage, patience, wisdom, passion,” whereas the Bee-Eater symbolizes “unity, family, tranquility, support, comfort, balance.” This balance is all the more impressive given the relative size and physical strength of these two creatures. Both of these “natures” can be found within us, and it is up to us to combine and balance these different energies in order to demonstrate true strength.

Tarot of the Animal Lords with artwork by Angelo Giannini (Lo Scarabeo)

STRENGTH / Mongoose and Snake

(courage, energy, moral strength; reversed: decisive confrontation, danger)

 

This quirky deck assigns the number XI (11) to Strength, but instead of a lion, the image depicts a mongoose-man and a snake. If you know anything about how a mongoose deals with a snake, you know it is not a gentle or “compassionate” approach. The mongoose darts at the head of the snake and cracks the snake’s skull with a powerful bite. The Tarot of the Animal Lords is giving us a much more combative, adversarial representation of Strength than many other (more traditional) decks, although it does offer “moral strength” as a key meaning. (On a side note, I didn’t know that meerkats are members of the mongoose family, did you?)

To summarize, we have:

Ox – 1

Lion – 5

Mongoose/Snake - 1

It’s obvious that most of the decks in this group associate the Strength card with the Lion. For me, the ones that feature a lion with a milder, gentler creature (woman/girl, lamb, bird) offer a clearer connection to traditional Strength cards, which emphasize the importance of using kindness and compassion to “tame” our baser instincts, allowing both sides of our nature to combine their energies in a positive, constructive direction.

Animal Tarot Time: THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE

For this series, I am exploring the choices of animals made by various deck creators to correspond to traditional Tarot cards. My initial goal is to get through the Major Arcana using cards from seven different decks:

• Animal Tarot Cards by Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine (Hay House)
• The Animal Totem Tarot by Leeza Robertson; illustrated by Eugene Smith (Llewellyn Publications)
• The Animal Wisdom Tarot by Dawn Brunke; illustrated by Ola Liola (CICO Books)
• The Animal-Wise Tarot by Ted Andrews (Dragonhawk Publishing)
• The Animals Divine Tarot by Lisa Hunt (Llewellyn Worldwide)
• The Animism Tarot by Joanna Cheung (Self-Published)
• Tarot of the Animal Lords with artwork by Angelo Giannini (Lo Scarabeo)

To read my previous posts in this series, enter “Animal Tarot Time” in the search field on the main page of the blog or scroll down and click on Animal Tarot Time under CATEGORIES.

Animal Tarot Cards by Doreen Virtue and Radleigh Valentine (Hay House)

REINDEER (CARIBOU)

“Success through taking action. Opportunity and blessings. 

Travel or modes of transportation. Forward movement. New directions.”

The creators of this deck point out that we traditionally associate reindeer with Santa Claus, which reinforces the idea of this creature representing prosperity or change in a positive direction. It also makes sense to have reindeer represent the movement and transportation. As the authors state, the reindeer and caribou are basically the same animal, with the primary difference being domestication.

In tarot, the Wheel of Fortune is in constant motion, around and around, up and down, never standing still.

The Animal Totem Tarot by Leeza Robertson; illustrated by Eugene Smith (Llewellyn Publications)

LADY BUG

“How do you deal with change? Does planning for success 
seem foolish to you? What area of your life needs the most luck?”

The creators of this deck note that “Lady Bugs have long been associated with luck and good fortune.” Interestingly, Lady Bugs can be different colors. Most are red (connected to the first or root chakra and the material world). Some are orange, connecting to the second or sacral chakra, dealing with creative emotional energy. A yellow Lady Bug would be connected to the third or solar plexus chakra, the energy center of action or doing. Finally, a pink Lady Bug is associated with the fourth or heart chakra, urging you to “just allow what is happening to happen.”

The Animal Wisdom Tarot by Dawn Brunke; illustrated by Ola Liola (CICO Books)

SPIDER

Sacred Spinner (Fate, Karma, Luck, Cycles, Change)

I really like the way the creators of this deck placed a spider in a web that extends to the edges of a wheel. Think of how a spider just keeps spinning, and if the web is damaged or destroyed, the spider simply starts again. With this card we are encouraged to maintain “long-range views and an expanded perspective to find stability and truth in the midst of change.” When we sit still and center ourselves, we can watch life’s drama spin around us without being dragged up and down, around and around.

The Animal-Wise Tarot by Ted Andrews (Dragonhawk Publishing)

BEAR

Heeding Inner Voice and Cycles

Ted Andrews offers us the Bear on the Wheel of Fortune card in his Animal Wise Tarot. As Andrews notes, bears “teach us that there is a rhythm and flow to everything, and when we align with it, we are much less frustrated and more successful.” Certainly we see this as we observe the hibernation habits of bears. They adapt to each new cycle as the wheel of the year turns.

The Animals Divine Tarot by Lisa Hunt (Llewellyn Worldwide)

ALL ANIMALS

cycle of change, the opportunity for growth due to change in fortune

Lisa Hunt neatly sidesteps any arguments over “which animal” should represent this card by stating that The Wheel represents “All Animals.” She depicts the animals “rotating together in a confluence of elements,” incorporating symbolism for Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. With the animals as our guides and teachers, be can have a glimpse into the ways nature balances itself and become more active participants in the rhythm of life. From small to large, each creature shown on The Wheel has something valuable to share with us, if we will only pay attention.

The Animism Tarot by Joanna Cheung (Self-Published)

ORB WEAVER SPIDER

fate, wisdom, rebirth, balance, creativity, design

Here we see the “weaver of time and fate.” Every thread has a destination. Every connection has a purpose. Joanna Cheung echoes the comments I wrote above concerning what happens when a spider’s web is damaged or destroyed, writing “threads that fall can rise up again, and though some may come undone, they can be rebuilt once more, better and stronger than ever before.”

Tarot of the Animal Lords with artwork by Angelo Giannini (Lo Scarabeo)

BUTTERFLY

the natural cycle of things, fortune, love

A person with a butterfly’s head and wings flutters in the air next to a tree on which we see leaves, eggs, and caterpillars. In this way, this deck points to the butterfly as a symbol of the “natural cycle of things.” As we know, the butterfly follows a consistent pattern in its development, from egg to larva to pupa to adult. Similarly, we may go through stages of growth in our lives as we mature and gain understanding and wisdom.

TO SUMMARIZE we have:

Reindeer (Caribou) – 1
Lady Bug – 1
Spider – 2
Bear – 1
Butterfly – 1
All Animals – 1

I confess I’m quite partial to the Spider for The Wheel of Fortune card. What do you think?

Family Tree Tarot Spread

I’ve been wanting to try this spread for awhile, but kept putting it off. I found this layout at WikiHow.

The layout is as follows:

1…2…3…4

  5…6…7

     8…9

       10

The Fenestra Tarot by Chatriya volunteered enthusiastically for this reading, and I’m happy to oblige. Here we go!

1. Blessing from my mother’s bloodline: FOUR OF CUPS

My mother’s bloodline has blessed me with deep emotions and creativity, but at the same time, there is a sense of weariness or apathy, detachment or withdrawal. I definitely feel these things in spite of the fact that I do experience deep emotions and enjoy creative activity. I think this could be an indication of depression, which can make it difficult to truly appreciate the blessing I have received.

2. Challenge from my mother’s bloodline: FIVE OF PENTACLES

My mother’s bloodline presents me with a challenge in the area of the material world (possessions, finances, work). This actually makes sense combined with the Four of Cups as a blessing. Feelings of being impoverished or marginalized or abandoned affect my ability to appreciate the blessings.

3. Blessing from my father’s bloodline: PAGE OF PENTACLES

My father’s bloodline offers me the blessings that can be derived from diligence, enthusiasm, and education. I get a youthful optimism that rewards will come in the physical, material realm if I apply myself.

4. Challenge from my father’s bloodline: FIVE OF WANDS

My father’s bloodline presents me with a challenge in terms of how I handle competition or disputes. There is a sense of conflict that is not easily resolved and a reluctance to compromise that might interfere with growth and development.

5. Talent I’ve been gifted with from my mother’s bloodline: 

SIX OF PENTACLES

The talent I’ve been gifted from my mother’s bloodline seems to relate to an ability to share, contribute, and give to others, based in the physical, material realm. My contributions over the years of my life involve sharing musical abilities, talent in writing and communication, and creative inspiration. 

6. Talent I’ve been gifted with from my father’s bloodline: THE WORLD

From my father’s bloodline I have been gifted a talent for discovering the potential for anything and everything, fulfillment and prosperity as an outcome of my life’s journey. 

7. How can I cultivate these talents? SIX OF WANDS

I can cultivate these talents by building on any success or achievement with a goal of continuing to grow and develop.

8. What advice do my ancestors want to give me about my family? 

ACE OF SWORDS

The advice my ancestors want to give me about my family is that I need to recognize opportunities for change, for new directions and alterations in ways of thinking and communicating. 

9. What is my ancestors’ overall perspective about my family? 

THE HIGH PRIESTESS

My ancestors’ overall perspective about my family is based in wisdom, intuition, and enlightenment. The ancestors take a “big picture” view as if “above” the rest of us, looking down and seeing things from a higher level.

10. How well am I aligned with my ancestors? Do I need to work harder to connect with them? 

KING OF PENTACLES

My alignment with my ancestors is solid, basic, and firmly established. This alignment is particularly noticeable in the physical, material realm of my life. Connecting with my ancestors further can help me develop the traits I need in order to continue to improve my state of being.