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The Strength Card-Key 8, is the Path of Teth, the 19th Path on the Tree of Life and the Female aspect of the Lovers (Lover) Key 6. The Hebrew letter, Teth, means snake, which is often referred to as Serpent Force. The Rider-Waite-Smith shows the Lion's Tail tucked between its legs, as if phallic, of which the Serpent Force is associated with. The zodiacal sign assigned to this card is the Sun Powered sign of Leo; Leo is symbolized as a Lion, while Teth is a Snake, the combination of these two, is the Lion-Serpent, the idea of which fostered the Dragon and dragonish chimera images of the ancients and the archangel Asmodeus. The interchangeability of the Lion and the Serpent symbols represents an important key in understanding the great embedded profundities of this card as it pertains to the mysterious power of the Kundalini that lies coiled at the base of the spine; a force that is both Feminine-Moon and Solar-Male. Hence, the Lemniscate, the horizonal 8 as symbol of the 0=2, a symbol often associated with infinity, is also a symbol of the unbroken line between the male and female forces of this universe. and is shown above the head of the human figure on both cards.

The actual image of the Serpent is missing in the Rider-Waite-Smith Deck, as the red roses represent love; Hence, the Animal Nature of the body is under the control of the Will of the "Higher Self", seen as an angelic woman figure. Also, the Red Lion is the Alchemical symbol of Sulfur (solar power) combined with Mercury-Will (the Magus) which is the Philosophical Mercury underlying the formula of Creation.

The Symbol of infinity (the sign of the Magician) is above the head of the Waite-and Connolly goddess figure, both of whom are also wearing a wreath of victory, reinforcing the Magus/Magician connection, and symbolizes the directing willpower of the 12th PATH; called the Philosophic Mercury.

The Path of Teth, connects Chesed (Mercy) and Geburah (Severity) and channels a great outpouring of Energy from the Masculine Chesed, to the Feminine Geburah. This Great Outpouring is the Path on which Fire becomes Light, which is used in manifestation as the woven frequencies of manifestation.

As symbols interchange, such as the Lion and Serpent, one understands that the realities these symbols represent, can also be interchanged. In truth, the 1st law of Thermodynamics, "One Energy that cannot be created nor destroyed, only transformed", is the One Spirit-Energy of Qabalah, and can take any form it wills and in great diversity; as the Universe has shown. Wisdom is represented by the snake holding its tail in its mouth (also a horizontal 8 symbol). Many of us of western cultures know that the Serpent was also considered the Tempter, in the garden of Eden myth. However, since it is Fiery, the Serpent is vital Life Force, and/or the Redeemer. This is easily seen in the Sun itself as both Tempter, which uses the warmth of burning the tempted sunbather to near death on the beach and Redeemer, by providing Vital Life Force. Moderation is the key here. Also, the pathway up the Tree of Life is called the "serpents" path", as it is serpentine in flow.

Transformation can be confusing, but it should be known that without the flow of vital life force between opposites, there would be no "Limited Light", or Solar power, that all manifestation is constructed of. Thus, we have the Greater Countenance, the Macrosopus, of Limitless Light, which can only be known as Darkness or Dark Fire (Dark Energy), designing 2 opposite concepts of Self (Male- Female); Self concepts out of one infinite circle of Pi, forming a horizonal 8 (0=2), so that the interchange of Forces and Form could produce limits of measurement. The Dark Light is the invisible/unseen subjective infinity of the One, (Macrosopus) and the Limited light of manifestation is the Objective, and knowable finite side of the One (Microsopus). The whole of which is often called by Gnostics as "The Mirror"---one side infinitely dark, the Abyss, and the other side reflective of the image of all who investigate it. That mirror could also be called the Unconscious and the reflective self- consciousness.

To put this simply, The Lust of the One to become "being", by inventing "self-reflection" created 2 who must always join in impassioned flow or mutual attraction, (electric and magnetic). This "vital attraction" is the stuff of Vital Life Force. I think you can now see why Vital Life force, is also called "sex energy".

The Lion symbol, in both the Rider-Waite-Smith and Connolly Tarot cards in the context of the Qabalah, has to do with Strength and is not a representation of intellect, as it refers to the greatest strength of all, the Light of the Sun, the ruler of Leo. The Solar Power represented in the Strength Card, can open the Higher levels of Consciousness beyond the Sun (Tiphareth) itself. The graphic representation of the ancient god Mithras, whose body was that of a man and whose head was that of a lion, depicts this concept anthropomorphically.

The Brute force (symbolized by the Lion) of Kundalini (Serpent Force--Vital Life Force) can be used destructively or constructively, and on the very Path of Teth, flows the Vital Life force from Chesed (Mercy) to Geburah (Severity) which forges the Sword of Geburah, indicating the possibility of the initiate being overwhelmed by the power which one evokes. We are reminded (Re-Minded) here, that as the Sun is a vital life force to manifestation, the Dark Sun, is vital to the flow of Higher Thought, but knowing your limits, will keep you from becoming Sunburned in the flesh, and the severity of a Mind Burn (Emotional trauma) in the consciousness. Lust, in a Godly sense of Eheieh or "I Will Be", can "burn out your lights"! So, the initiate must become adept at Self Knowledge, channeling their own solar/celestial self, so that they don't damage their "I sight" when joining intelligence with the Higher frequencies of Intellectual Forces.

The Connolly Tarot-Strength depicts a young woman leaning against a male lion. This is a medieval reference to the sign of Leo, which the 19th century commentators expanded to mean control of sexual currents which are called Kundalini in Sanskrit- a language often used in Tantra Yoga (Tantra means to "expand and liberate" and Yoga means "communion") to explain the "serpent force" coiled at the base of the spine. Primarily, this card states that innocence holding enormous sexual power under control is proper use of Kundalini-Serpent Energy. However, Patriarchy has long since taught us to profane and/or created a mind virus in our sexual connection to the Divine Creative, creating a "false ego", and we have created a monster out of a Divine Restoring and Vital Beauty of male-female intercourse.

Putting aside metaphor, too much Celestial- Sun/Vital Force can be dangerous to the emotionally self-absorbed , so that is why the Tantrics, and Gnostics, go through long, diligent meditations, exercises of intellect, and philological devices so that this flow of Vital Life Force is unblocked, unrestricted, (not profaned nor feared) and can flow through and out into another vital river of energy, forming a Vital Spiral of energy flow, that Revitalizes Life in and all around them and creates the Philosopher's Stone and/or an advanced philosophers body. So, all of you who wish to experience the Rapture of Kundalini, note that the Rapture can become a Raptor to those whose "House/Self-identity is not built on a strong foundation" of Love. Love is a state of Mind and that which holds your molecules together, even under the rapid increase in atomic vibration that your body undergoes when the "Kundalini rises" as The Lust of God to Be----Which I call the Orgasm of Life that never stops flowing. Just as the "Big-Bang" destroys one universe to build another, so does the Risen Kundalini, destroy the man-made persona/false ego, and returns us to the Celestial Self Identity.

The UNIVERSE ATU 21, of the Thoth Tarot, is the completion of the Lust/Strength card and you'll see the Woman figure riding the Lion Serpent on the Thoth Lust card, or petting the Lion in the Traditional Strength card, dancing with the Serpent Force in the Universe card. Both illustrations are veils, concealing of principles, though at different ends of manifestation. Lust/Strength is the beginning of the Microcosm and the Universe /The World/Universe-Key 21 is the completion of it. Both cards are of that which is Womb; at the Highest Level, the womb-man who has tamed the Lion-Serpent and the womb-man who dances in space surrounded by the Cherubim of the four elements are both expressions of that which is the EMPRESS key 3.

Again, this is an immensely powerful path and those of sensitive psyche, will be profoundly affected. One must appreciate the fact that this Path of Teth, Strength, is a statement of methodology; whereby, the Will controls the Vital Life Energy. We must also remember that the word Power means "the ability to do work" and our body, if Loved as a person loves their animal friends, gives us Willed -Power in this dimension of crystallized energy. A power to weave our very own Vital Life Force into masterpieces! This requires a focused willful intelligence, and not some "mad hatter" personality, which can't even control its own thought. Scry this card only after you can hold a one- thought or image focus during an entire meditation! Any Psyche that Touches the Celestial Lust of The Great Father/Mother, will be profoundly charged, changed, and expanded beyond comfortable perspectives, all of which can be dangerous to our delicate egos. In other words, one must be diligently trained in channeling higher and higher vibratory levels of Vital Life Force, before they "Ride the Lion-Serpent". That is why A.Crowley calls the traditional Strength Card-Lust. For even the "little lust" of the manifested (Microcosm) seems to be beyond the cultural false ego's control, as every politician's "secret life" will show. It is hard to imagine, what the Macrocosmic Lust would do to such a weak false ego, but then again, we have examples in Adolf Hitler, Stalin, Po Pot etc.

A. Crowley has shown the Lust card as a naked woman riding the Lion-Serpent and associating her with the "Whore of Babylon". Therefore, the obverse of this card, which is never actually shown in traditional tarot, is sexually unbridled, violent, brutal, and even dangerous-"Big Bang" style of energy burst. Hence, interaction with this "Red Goddess" (Kundalini) archetype may be traumatic for some (She is the Menstrual Blood of the Universal Womb-cleansing the Orphic egg and/or itself for another birth), because it requires a willingness to accept the psychological reality that brutality and barbarity lurk of this parasitic false ego-underneath the most innocent human façade. The Human animal is the Supreme predator on Earth, and that very nature must be controlled by a Loving-Will that comes from the Sun/Son of the Divine Creative (Son is not a gender here, it signifies the "Golden Child" born of the Sun and Moon). One's self-conscious must turn that subconscious animal nature into a favorite pet who is loved and cared for, but with a firm but non-abusive hand. This mind virus of the false ego dissolves under the Divine Light of Understanding, leaving us with a more conscious subconscious and/or a strong contact with earth who is a companion in creation.

Woman, in every case whether approached as Maid, Mother or Crone- of the Trinity Goddess or the 4th worldly aspect of the Red Goddess, relates to the underworld of the ancients. This implication is shown subtlety on the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot by the mountain in the background behind Lady Strength. Mountains are associated with caves. Caves symbolizes the Dark Womb of the Universal Collective Unconscious, a womb of birth, and death, as well as a dark inner place where we must face our demons, and our Angels; thereby, taming our survival mind. Caves are common sacred places for hermits and high priests to meditate in and are associate with the Universal Womb.

When the Strength card is thrown during a reading, it means the querent:

• Is relying on spiritual powers to manage the situation at hand and is receiving the strength to overcome. 
• Following one's own inner light, doing what their "heart of heart". inner self, says is right.
• There can be an experiencing of a "gut level" driving force, instinctual and compelling for protection or survival.
•  Also, possessing the courage of one's convictions.
• The strength of Passion, in Higher Nature, is power, courage, energy, action and magnanimity.
• One is experiencing the Law of Self-Domination, self-rule, and self-control.
• Resort to magic.
• The use of Magical power.
• Showing compassion and tenderness towards one's animal nature, thereby making oneself whole. 

If reversed, it implies:

• Weakness
• Lack of sexual fulfillment.
• Depression.
• Aggression, perversion, and addiction because of repressed instincts.

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