Tarot Yin & Yang - Strength & the Star, part 7

In the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, strength is tied to the star. The first yin-yang aspect is of day and night. The woman of Strength is bending over to tame the lion during in the day, while Star woman is kneeling at the waters edge at night.

The woman of Strength is fully clothed but the woman of the star is completely nude. The clothed woman is occupied with a Lion. This imagery not only refers a show of stregth towards external issues, but having the inner strength to tame the passionate Lion within.

The woman of the Star conveys a different message. She is pouring water into a pond and upon the earth. Her nakedness shows that she at ease with her naked self exposing her will and emotions. She no longer has to hold in emotions, but rather let them flow in a calm and serene manner.

The background of these cards reflect a Yin and Yang dynamic. There are trees in the background of the Strenth that lie below a blue hill in the distance. But in the Star card the paradigm has shifted, rather a tree is planted on hill that has higher ground than the purple hills in the background.


Besides women, both cards have animals of opposite temperaments. The lion of Strength in the foreground is tied to the bird perched on a tree in the background of the Star. People need not fear our avian cousins but a lion is the most fearsome of our earthly neighbors. The roar of lion and song of a bird are two dialects that stir our hearts in different ways.

Eight eight pointed stars are visible on the star card. The central star above the nude woman is shining the brightest. Above the clothed woman is an infinity symbol. Just as their is an infinite power in our universe - the stars at night seem to sing of this infinite power.

These two cards show women interacting with their environment. One woman demonstrates her power over the world by dominating the King of Beasts, while the other humbly returns the what she taken back to he earth. She dose not dump it carelessly, but with a keen sense, carefully with one leg on land (logically) and another in the water (emotionally).

LINK TO PART 8