Major Forces 15: Strength

The Strength card depicts a lion standing firm in a raging river carving its way through a narrow slot canyon. The imagery is rich with paradox: where water, soft and formless, shapes even the hardest rock over time. The lion, poised and unwavering, despite the rushing river, represents the kind of strength that isn’t about brute force, but inner resilience, quiet courage, and steady endurance. In creativity, this type of strength is vital. It’s the part of you that keeps showing up despite uncertainty, that believes in your vision when no one else sees it, and that holds your ground in the face of rejection, resistance, or self-doubt.

This card reminds you that true strength lives in your ability to stay open even when it hurts, to bend without breaking, and to allow yourself to be seen—even when you feel vulnerable. Creative expression is inherently risky: to create is to reveal something of yourself. Strength allows you to show up with authenticity and integrity in a world that often rewards conformity. It encourages you to persist with your unique voice, even when it's misunderstood or overlooked. It also helps you take criticism constructively, separate your worth from external validation, and protect the sacred space where your creative energy lives.

Yet strength also means knowing when to rest. Sometimes we confuse strength with constant productivity or stoicism, but the river in the card teaches a deeper truth: flowing with life’s current can be just as powerful as standing firm. Strength is both a sword and a shield, but also a pause, a breath, a redirection. When aligned with creative flow, strength becomes your foundation—supporting experimentation, boldness, and self-trust.

If You’re Feeling Blocked:

When strength feels out of reach, you may be too focused on what you lack. Are you measuring yourself against unrealistic ideals or pushing yourself to work in ways that deplete your spirit? Maybe you're clinging to a definition of strength that’s rooted in perfectionism or overwork, rather than self-compassion and sustainability.

Creative block under this card may show up as burnout, fear of being seen, or reluctance to ask for help. Strength doesn’t mean doing it all alone. It means recognizing where you shine, accepting support where needed, and trusting that your natural abilities are enough to carry you forward. You don’t need to be strong in every direction; you only need to trust the strengths you do have and build your creative practice around them.

Ultimately, this card asks: What does strength look like for you—today, in this moment? Maybe it’s trying again. Maybe it’s letting go. Maybe it’s stepping away, or maybe it’s putting your full heart into something no one else believes in yet. Whatever it is, know that your creative flow is waiting on the other side of that choice.