Katy Perry and th Un-Cowardly Lion.

VIII Strength.  Legacy of the Divine Tarot by Ciro Marchetti

For some strange reason the Strength card always make me imagine the Katy Perry song 'Roar'.  The chorus sums up this card beautifully:

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter

Dancing through the fire

'Cause I'm a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar

Louder, louder than the lion

'Cause I'm a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar

Songwriters

MCKEE, BONNIE LEIGH / MARTIN, MAX / GOTTWALD, LUKASZ / PERRY, KATY / WALTER, HENRY

.Published by

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., DOWNTOWN MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC

When we look at what Strength symbolises in tarot, we realise that we have an animalistic side to us, that needs to be brought into balance.  It is also about remembering that the greatest acts of our strength are not created through physical strength, but the strength of calm, reassurance and trust.  

The song lyrics remind us though, that it is sometimes necessary for us to un-leash the beast inside of us.  When we are in a situation where our personal power has been removed, through fear, manipulation or control, we owe it to ourselves to allow that inner tiger, lion, beast, to emerge.  A temporary surfacing is not a bad thing, as long as we know when to bring it back under control.  That is true strength.

Whether it be in a personal relationship, a work situation or even something on a global scale, letting that beast loose can sometimes be the thing we need to do to make a positive change.  To be able to stand in our own power, we need to know when patience and trust are no longer working for us, and we need to be our own 'champion'.

It is not uncommon to hear of people doing amazingly heroic acts, exercising an inner strength to protect others or even to survive themselves.  And these are people who, in everyday life, are thought of by others to be quiet, placid even, and unremarkable in every other way.  These people have full control of that animal that lurks beneath.

Strength is not about just sitting back and never getting angry.  If that was the case, the world would be a horrific place to be.  Strength is about knowing when you need to allow situations to run to their natural conclusion and when to stand up and roar.