Strength -The Tarot Card for November
November’s tarot card is drawn from Branches of the Celtic Tarot by Kristoffer Hughes. The cards are beautifully illustrated by Chris Down. The card is STRENGTH.
Today is the first time I took time to read the book that accompanies this deck and I am finding the author’s background material worth a read and reread. In the introduction, he tells of being a young boy in Wales who finds and becomes immersed in the mysteries of a traditional tarot deck. He then goes on to create a Celtic deck that is both true to the tradition but also is filled with Celtic spirit and lore. I would highly recommend this deck to anyone interested in further study or use of the Celtic tarot.
Strength is a card of the Major Arcana, it is a foundational card to the achievement of greater wisdom and fulfillment in life. On the traditional card, the woman is portrayed with her hands upon a lion. In this Celtic deck, created by a Welchman, it is no surprise that the power animal is a dragon. Note that I avoided the word tamed because we do not know if the woman tames the power or simply knows how to speak to power and work with it in harmony. The card certainly wants us to realize that strength comes with wisdom and balance, is non-reactive, and carries power without force.
In these times of strife and discord, it is good to be reminded that strength comes from within, that force is not true power, and that self-reliance is key.
May you find strength in the little things in life as well as in the major decisions and actions you take.
May you tap into your inner strength and wisdom as needed.
May you walk peacefully with your dragons.