Strength and The Star: A Case of “Brute Finesse?”
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Since I’m working with the Waite-Smith deck and not my preferred Thoth in these “numerological counterpart” exercises, I’m treating Strength as the eighth trump and pairing it with the Star (17=1+7=8) because I’ve already written about Justice as “11” (or 1+1=2) and equated it with the High Priestess. My customary approach is to envision Strength (aka Force or Fortitude) as the eleventh trump and Justice as the eighth one.
As one of the two “solar” trump cards (corresponding esoterically to the astrological sign Leo) Strength depicts “applied force” as a concentrated form of the impartial, unlimited vitality of the Sun that bestows its largess equally upon all things. I go along with Paul Foster Case in assuming that the Woman intends to open the mouth of the Lion (as shown in the older Tarot de Marseille decks) rather than forcing it closed as Waite has it, thereby assisting unimpeded release of its natural (“animal”) instinct instead of puritanically repressing it. (While it could be argued that restricting the flow of something increases its velocity and sharpens its aim, boundless freedom of expression is often sacrificed in the bargain.) Leo is a hearty, optimistic, self-confident, creative sign and Waite’s moralistic viewpoint cramps its style. Regardless of Aleister Crowley’s overwrought terminology, his recasting of Strength as “Lust” is much more astute in this regard as long as we accept his premise that it conveys the spontaneous and irrepressible “joy of strength exercised,” or the difference between actively “doing” and passively “being.”
Strength makes an interesting partner for the refined and ephemeral Star, a symbol of “scientific” Aquarius, Leo’s opposite number in the zodiac. Where Strength is viscerally potent and urgent, the Star is coolly abstract and attenuated in its action. I think the key to their cooperation lies in the fact that, in giving voice to the primal urge to create, Strength injects a jolt of raw enthusiasm into the Star’s more mannered and nuanced outlook, lending its characteristic tranquility a little motivating “juice.” Astrologically, Leo and Aquarius are worlds apart; one is about wielding personal power while the other reflects a more universal empowering principle. If the job of Strength is to inspire the Star to “liven up,” the role of the latter is to make the most of the input by expanding its reach to embrace more dynamic stimuli. It should ideally be a case of the “lion-tamer” greeting the “ivory-tower scholar” on a first-name basis. Another useful analogy would be “an iron fist in a velvet glove,” which allays brute force with a genteel finesse; ignoring class disparity, it suggests an impregnating zeal dressed up in a dignified facade. We could even say that, for best results, the randy Lion and the virginal Star must get it on (although the Star’s dishabille implies that this has already happened)! Aleister Crowley would certainly agree.
To bring this exalted paradigm down to earth in a practical example, suppose that an individual wants to “raise the bar” in a stalled initiative by seeking a more visionary perspective, with the goal of revitalizing the effort through “what-iffing” the options and creatively “thinking outside the box.” The first card in the two-card series between Strength and the Star could show the deadlocked “situation as it stands” — in the RWS universe, a “no-win” confrontation between a controlling Woman and an uncontrollable Lion — while the second card would convey the invigorating enhancements that might open it up and turn it around. The “quintessence” card would then reflect the broader implications of taking the suggested action.
The scenario shown here is a tough nut to crack. The Devil is entrenched, wants to do things his own way, and gleefully takes every opportunity to enforce his will. He could be a crusty old executive or senior manager in an enterprise who perversely resists branching out in new directions and stymies any subordinate who proposes it (this intransigent stubbornness shows Capricorn at its worst).
Although the 3 of Pentacles is an expression of Mars in Capricorn and should be able to state its case and make it stick, here it is only able to nibble around the edges of the Devil’s bullheadedness. Looks to me like the Devil has its number and its agenda is going nowhere any time soon; the best it can do is chip away impotently at the monolith and bide its time.
The Moon invites an insidious influx of subversive ideas that will most likely come from outside the organization (the Moon in astrology can be an indicator of the “public mood”). It could suggest a “moving target” of ambiguous opinions and tastes that will challenge obsolete business practices more surely than any internal revolt, especially if the marketing forecast is gloomy. Unfortunately, the Devil may choose to go down with the ship rather than accept a lifeline that violates his cherished principles.
The advice for a querent in this predicament would probably be to find a less-hidebound employment environment, assuming the Devil shows no signs of retiring in the near future. However, if the “old goat” has strongly stamped the culture with his indomitable presence (maybe the image shows a son and daughter as heirs to his legacy), it might not be worth sticking around. The Moon could also show the situation getting even stranger if the Devil loses his grip.
Originally published at http://parsifalswheeldivination.wordpress.com on April 15, 2023.
