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Most Tarot decks shows Strength as a young woman "taming" a lion, with the meaning that through love she "tames" and transforms the "lower" , instictive parts of the psyche. Some older decks - notably the Visconti Sforza from fifteenth century Italy - instead shows Heracles killing the Nemean lion. It is a telling picture of our "civilized" way of killing our "animal" insticts. Passion conquered by reason.
The Goddess was always revered for her power over the flame of sexual fire, the unabridled passion. Once the lion was sacred to the Goddess, as an effigy of Her Strength. Durga, the Wise Mother Goddess of Hindu mythology rides a lion (or sometimes a tiger) when she is fighting the demons that are threatening the world. Durga is the fierce female warrior riding the lion into the battle. Also the Sumerian Goddess Inanna, the Babylonian Goddess Ishtar, and many others are spoken of as both sensual and fierce and terrifying.
We can learn from these Goddesses to let our instinctive nature give us the Strength we need, and learn to guide it carefully to the areas where it can help us. It has more to do with accepting and allowing than control and constriction. When we are in harmony with, and listening to our instinctive nature, it will give is the Strength to defend ourselves when needed, and the drive to accomplish something in our lives.
This is a time to observe and to remain calm, to be patient and not to give up the search. A warrior knows that she is waiting, and she knows what she is waiting for. She is waiting for her will. Like a silkworm, she spins fibers around herself and later emerges as something new.
The Wise One is a woman whole within herself. She has a long and ardous road behind her, and she holds the light of the wisdom and knowledge she has gained on her journey high to help others on the same path. She keeps the inner fire burning and tells us that also we can be a light unto the world. The Wise One watches over our dreams and visions, and whispers secrets to our inner ears. She can speak to us through people we meet, books we read, music, film etc. The message can come to us through any channel, if we only but listen.
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Created by Maria Näslund ©1997-2002.