VIII – Strength

Strength stands as the image of spiritual force mastering animal nature, not through combat but through the gentle alchemy of love and patience. In the Western Mystery Tradition, this card represents the Great Work at the stage where the lower nature is not destroyed but transformed—where the beast becomes the ally rather than the enemy. Assigned the Hebrew letter Teth (ט), meaning "serpent," Strength reveals the secret of the kundalini force, the coiled energy at the base of the spine that, when properly raised and directed, becomes the source of spiritual illumination rather than base instinct.

On the Tree of Life, Strength traverses the nineteenth path connecting Chesed (Mercy) to Geburah (Severity). This is the path of the intelligence of the secret of all spiritual activities, the hidden power that reconciles the expansive benevolence of Jupiter with the contracting discipline of Mars. The path teaches that true strength lies not in severity alone but in the perfect balance of kindness and rigor—the firm gentleness that can calm the wildest forces. The woman's white robe indicates purity of intention, while the garland of flowers connecting her to the lion shows that the bond between higher and lower natures is one of beauty and natural law, not chains.

Under the influence of Leo and the Sun, Strength embodies the qualities of courage, radiance, and the royal dignity that commands respect without demand. The lemniscate (infinity symbol) above her head, echoing The Magician's, indicates that she works with the same eternal forces but through receptive rather than projective power. Her calm expression shows complete confidence—she does not struggle with the lion but has already won its allegiance through the power of her presence. The lion's open mouth represents the raw power of desire and passion now willingly submitting to spiritual guidance. The distant mountain represents the heights that can be achieved when the vital force is integrated rather than suppressed. In readings, Strength signals the need for patient courage, the transformation of base energies into fuel for higher achievement, and the victory that comes through compassion rather than conflict.