The Magician card in the Tarot is the first step in the Major Arcana along a journey of self-discovery and self-empowerment. The mysticism behind it regards the alchemical processes of magic and attributes both the light and dark aspects of a practitioner – the lighter side being the dynamic, soulful alchemy of spiritual enlightenment and personal creative powers; the darker, shadow aspects being the illusory base practice of manipulation of physical elements to achieve results. It’s not that one practice itself is better than another, rather the lesson of The Magician is where the intention comes from and is the process freeing the practitioner from karma and resolving karmic knots, or entangling the practitioner in more karma while not really resolving any knots? What does this have to do with Strength and the “dog days of summer”, know to metaphysicians and astrologers as the Lion’s Gate Portal?
The Lion’s Gate Portal – marked by a period of time when the dog-star Sirius rises in conjunction with the Sun in Leo from late July though the second week of August. Right around August 8th (08/08), this conjunction seems to be at its peak, or nearest degree of conjunction between the Sun & Sirius. Given that in numerology the 8-Vibe is one of achievement and success, often of money or material good fortune, this period of time is attuned to for its opening up the powers of manifestation.
In The Magician card of the Tarot, the practitioner is often depicted with the Infinity-symbol – generally above the head and symbolizing the Crown chakra connecting to the Universe. The Infinity-symbol is likened to the numerical “8” laying on its side. Indeed, both the Numerological frequency and the Infinite Magician are both inherently about turning thoughts into things and grounding the Aether & Universal Life Force into physically manifest/material form. The 8-Vibe also has its shadow-side, much like The Magician – miserliness, hoarding, inability to have faith or courage in the receiving or sharing of abundance, and a lack of skill in managing all resources (material or subtle). These shadow challenges teach us the idea that abundance and manifestation is a never-ending cycle of reciprocity between seen and unseen realms with The Magician as the point of connection, the bridge, the conduit, the conductor, the channel, between heaven and earth.
Enter: The Strength card of the Tarot, Major Arcana Key 8. There’s that infinite 8-Vibe again.
The Strength card is all about inner strength, faith, poise, and self-discipline. This card teaches us to be the calm center and clear channel through which Life Force can move through us and create what we want to see in the world and experience in our lives. The lessons are always about being centered and emotionally poised before taking action, to have the impassioned desires and inspirations under the fine tutelage of one’s own spiritual grace and alignment.
The traditional Strength card from the Rider-Wait deck is pictured with a white-robed effeminate figure (perhaps a woman or perhaps androgenous) and boasts one’s inner feminine wisdom taming one’s masculine, active/reactive, and/or animal nature & “base” desires. I’m personally rethinking this one as we move through this Lion’s Gate Portal with the planet Venus retrograde in Leo. There’s something else about the Divine Feminine and the Lion going on here.
Venus – ancient goddess of love, beauty, comfort, and sensuality – rules romance/intimacy, relationships and partnerships, health, beauty, and all things of a material and sensual nature… the Forms of the manifestations we create, including also every kind of property and financial abundance and resource. However, the nature of Venus is to govern the Life Force coming through to creation, the lessons of which reside in recognizing the transient and illusory nature of the temporal realm and focus on the energy going into the forms we seek to achieve and create in our lives and experiences.
What if the Divine Feminine depicted alongside the Golden Lion in The Strength card is Venus? What if Venus is training the Lion through the alchemical process to evolve from Red Lion to Green Lion to the Golden Lion so often depicted? The Strength card then takes on a whole new level of personal evolution with the Tarot, as well as a major key to unlocking the karmic lessons of creation and destruction, magic and manifestation, and the truly expansive nature of the human experience and potential as a conscious channel of Life Force on the planet.
May these musings inspire you to examine the challenges you may be experiencing and to release them happily with a new understanding of connecting to your heart and spiritual center in order to achieve the dreams that truly matter to you and enjoy the life you’re creating for yourself wholeheartedly!
The Lion’s Gate Portal – marked by a period of time when the dog-star Sirius rises in conjunction with the Sun in Leo from late July though the second week of August. Right around August 8th (08/08), this conjunction seems to be at its peak, or nearest degree of conjunction between the Sun & Sirius. Given that in numerology the 8-Vibe is one of achievement and success, often of money or material good fortune, this period of time is attuned to for its opening up the powers of manifestation.
In The Magician card of the Tarot, the practitioner is often depicted with the Infinity-symbol – generally above the head and symbolizing the Crown chakra connecting to the Universe. The Infinity-symbol is likened to the numerical “8” laying on its side. Indeed, both the Numerological frequency and the Infinite Magician are both inherently about turning thoughts into things and grounding the Aether & Universal Life Force into physically manifest/material form. The 8-Vibe also has its shadow-side, much like The Magician – miserliness, hoarding, inability to have faith or courage in the receiving or sharing of abundance, and a lack of skill in managing all resources (material or subtle). These shadow challenges teach us the idea that abundance and manifestation is a never-ending cycle of reciprocity between seen and unseen realms with The Magician as the point of connection, the bridge, the conduit, the conductor, the channel, between heaven and earth.
Enter: The Strength card of the Tarot, Major Arcana Key 8. There’s that infinite 8-Vibe again.
The Strength card is all about inner strength, faith, poise, and self-discipline. This card teaches us to be the calm center and clear channel through which Life Force can move through us and create what we want to see in the world and experience in our lives. The lessons are always about being centered and emotionally poised before taking action, to have the impassioned desires and inspirations under the fine tutelage of one’s own spiritual grace and alignment.
The traditional Strength card from the Rider-Wait deck is pictured with a white-robed effeminate figure (perhaps a woman or perhaps androgenous) and boasts one’s inner feminine wisdom taming one’s masculine, active/reactive, and/or animal nature & “base” desires. I’m personally rethinking this one as we move through this Lion’s Gate Portal with the planet Venus retrograde in Leo. There’s something else about the Divine Feminine and the Lion going on here.
Venus – ancient goddess of love, beauty, comfort, and sensuality – rules romance/intimacy, relationships and partnerships, health, beauty, and all things of a material and sensual nature… the Forms of the manifestations we create, including also every kind of property and financial abundance and resource. However, the nature of Venus is to govern the Life Force coming through to creation, the lessons of which reside in recognizing the transient and illusory nature of the temporal realm and focus on the energy going into the forms we seek to achieve and create in our lives and experiences.
What if the Divine Feminine depicted alongside the Golden Lion in The Strength card is Venus? What if Venus is training the Lion through the alchemical process to evolve from Red Lion to Green Lion to the Golden Lion so often depicted? The Strength card then takes on a whole new level of personal evolution with the Tarot, as well as a major key to unlocking the karmic lessons of creation and destruction, magic and manifestation, and the truly expansive nature of the human experience and potential as a conscious channel of Life Force on the planet.
May these musings inspire you to examine the challenges you may be experiencing and to release them happily with a new understanding of connecting to your heart and spiritual center in order to achieve the dreams that truly matter to you and enjoy the life you’re creating for yourself wholeheartedly!
Explore these connections a little deeper with these articles:
Dynamic Alchemy with Venus
Venus in Retrograde in This Astrology is Backwards
As Within: A Perspective on Grounding
Golden Lion & Strength card in Seeking the Golden Beast
Dynamic Alchemy with Venus
Venus in Retrograde in This Astrology is Backwards
As Within: A Perspective on Grounding
Golden Lion & Strength card in Seeking the Golden Beast
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