15: Strength

The Lion King depicts a lion standing firm in a raging river that carves its way through a slot canyon. This image symbolizes the paradox of strength: even forces as soft and flexible as water and wind can overpower the hardest stone. The lion stands as a reminder of the inner strength and courage you possess—the power to endure, adapt, and overcome.

This card challenges you to turn to your strengths, whatever they may be, and use them as tools for progress. Strength isn’t always about force; it’s about resilience, knowing when to hold firm and when to flow like the river. Through your unique strengths, you have the ability to face challenges, stand your ground, and take steps toward your goals.

If You’re Feeling Blocked

When Strength feels inaccessible, it’s often because your focus is misplaced. Are you too fixated on your weaknesses, believing they define you? Are you frustrated by trying to improve at something that doesn’t align with your true nature?

It’s crucial to understand and accept your limitations, not as barriers but as opportunities for collaboration or creative problem-solving. Sometimes the greatest act of strength is acknowledging where you need help and seeking out those whose abilities complement your own. By embracing your strengths and weaknesses alike, you can move forward with clarity and confidence.

Remember: Strength isn’t about being perfect; it’s about using what you have and who you are to navigate life’s challenges effectively.

Creativity Exercises

Write a Love Letter to Your Greatest Strength: What about yourself are you most proud of? Where does that ability or characteristic come from, how has it helped you and why are you so grateful for it?

Design a Crest: Imagine you are a knight or hero and create a family crest or emblem that represents your core strengths. Use symbols, colors, and shapes to visually depict what makes you powerful and someone who should be followed.

Redemption: Think about your greatest weakness. Is there a way that weakness can be turned into an advantage? Create something that depicts the redemption story of an apparent weakness that turned into a saving grace, a silver lining or a strength.

Waterfalls: Create a waterfall in any medium.

Visualize a Strength Totem: Imagine an animal, plant, or object that embodies your personal strength, but imagine it in the style of a protective totem. Create a drawing, sculpture, or collage of this totem as a reminder of your power.