In the Marseille numbering, Strength carries the number XI (not VIII): it and Justice have exchanged places relative to Waite. The first card of the second series — the awakening of unconscious energies.
A young woman calmly opens (or holds) the jaws of an animal-lion — the only creature in the deck capable of feeding on human flesh. Her hat is in the form of an infinity-eight, like the Magician's, but open at the top and seemingly winged. She stands on one visible leg with six toes — to which correspond the six red serrations on her hat and the six black teeth of the beast. The lacing of her bodice forms nine lines. The line on her throat can be read as the trace of a beheading or as a necklace — the throat is the place of true speech.
🦁Lion with open jaws — instinctive, animal power; the only beast that feeds on flesh
♾️Hat in the shape of an eight — the sign of infinity; the dialogue of mind and beast in the form of an eight
🖐️Six toes and six teeth — the mind listens to the voice of the animal, and the animal hears the voice of the mind
🎽Nine lines of the bodice — the ninth degree of the series, a reference to the two twins of the Sun
💬Line on the throat — the place of true speech, where the conscious and unconscious find harmony
Interpretation
Strength is the first card of the second decimal series: it opens the path to unconscious energies, holding in potential everything that Judgement Judgement will later realize. This is the appearance of a new consciousness, which first passes through a relationship with instinctive, animal power.
Upright — the beginning of an activity or a phase of life under the sign of instinct and creativity; the awakening of animal, vital energy. The voice of the depths seeking expression for the first time; the revival of life force after illness or at the end of a cycle.
If the Magician The Magician — its analogue in the first series — works 'from the waist up' (intellect), Strength works 'from the waist down': it allows the voice of the depths to communicate with the spiritual parts of the being. Its ideal is a dynamic in which the mind listens to the beast and the beast hears the mind; their dialogue takes the form of an eight.
With the Wheel of Fortune Wheel of Fortune, Strength follows directly after it and opens a new cycle: its creative sexual energy turns the handle of the wheel. With the Sun The Sun the nine lines of the bodice point to its two twins who complete the new construction in love. With the Fool The Fool both carry the pure energy of a beginning: Strength tames and channels what the Fool radiates without a channel.
Strength teaches that the great stakes are placed on one's relationship with one's own animal nature. Reversed — conflict instead of dialogue: a power struggle, suppressed energy, fear of one's own depths.
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Advice & forecast
✦ The card's advice
Ask yourself: are you letting the beast express itself, or are you trying to bridle it? Seek harmony, not struggle — let the mind listen to instinct and instinct hear the mind. Do not suppress the animal, creative, sexual energy: neglecting it turns into violence against oneself. Beside the Wheel Wheel of Fortune it is precisely your deep force that will turn the handle and open a new cycle.
🔮 What the forecast holds
The return of life force is coming: the voice of the depths seeks expression, instinctive, creative, or sexual power is awakening. Ahead lies a new beginning under the sign of instinct and creativity, the revival of energy after a downturn. If you allow the beast to express itself in harmony with consciousness, this will become a source of great creative force.
↓ Strength reversed
The reversed Strength — conflict instead of dialogue: a power struggle between mind and beast. Suppressed sexual energy, an animal nature wounding the psyche; blood shed instead of speech. A closed heart (the laced bodice), a body perceived as fractured; the victim of violence, trauma, or harsh upbringing. Fear of one's own depths, the taming of the beast at the cost of deadening. Beside Wheel of Fortune this signals that blocked energy cannot turn the wheel.
The card in spreads
The same card reads differently depending on the spread and the question — compare real spreads:
Spread "The Voice of the Depths"
Understand what is awakening within
«What force is waking inside me?»
What is awakening
Strength
The root
The Devil
Outcome
The Sun
Strength — instinctive, creative power is awakening within you, the voice of the depths seeking expression. The root The Devil — the Devil: the source of this energy lies in the depths of the unconscious, in passion and talent. Outcome The Sun — the Sun promises harmony and realization in love. Allow the beast to express itself in accord with the mind — and the depth will become creative force.
Spread "Dialogue with Instinct"
Find harmony between mind and beast
«How do I reconcile reason and instinct?»
The situation
Strength
The mind
The Magician
How to unite them
Temperance
Strength — a dialogue in the form of an eight is possible between mind and beast. The mind The Magician — the Magician works 'from the waist up'; you work 'from the waist down'; both are needed. How to unite them Temperance — Temperance teaches adding, sublimating, walking the middle path. Do not suppress instinct and do not surrender to it blindly: let them listen to each other.
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Spread "A New Cycle"
See how to open a new chapter
«What is beginning a new cycle within me?»
The energy
Strength
The turn
Wheel of Fortune
Realization
Judgement
Strength — your creative, instinctive energy opens a new series. The turn Wheel of Fortune — the Wheel: it is precisely this force that turns the handle and shifts the cycle. Realization Judgement — Judgement promises the awakening of everything Strength holds in potential. Allow the depths to speak: they are the fuel of a new beginning.
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How it differs from Waite
Rider-Waite-SmithStrength
vs
Tarot de Marseille (Conver)Strength
In Waite, Strength carries the number VIII (he swapped it with Justice for the astrological correspondence with Leo), and a woman in a rose garland with a lemniscate gently closes the lion's jaws — gentleness that tames the beast with love. The Marseille Strength is XI, the first card of the second series, and the emphasis is different: not taming but dialogue. The woman opens or holds the jaws, and the ideal is that the mind listens to the beast and the beast hears the mind. Waite speaks of spiritual strength over instinct; Marseille speaks of awakening deep energies and their harmony with consciousness.
WaiteTarot de Marseille (Conver)
NumberVIII — swapped for the sign of Leo.XI — the first card of the second decimal series.
GestureGently closes the jaws — taming with love.Opens or holds the jaws — dialogue with the depths.
The degree of number 11 (first card of the second series) — the awakening of unconscious, instinctive energies. This is active, deep force: the voice of the beast seeking harmony with consciousness. Numerologically — the opening of a new cycle after the first was completed by the Wheel; the beginning of the descent toward the source of primal force.
Element
Fire
♌
Astrology
Leo
✦
Arcana
Major
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