Death of the Lion Queen

A couple of days ago, I finished writing up a Year of Strength reading for a client. (One of the first lessons I learned in the new year was that I took on too many of these readings to get them done in a timely fashion). I used Strength as a querent card for these readings, and one of the cards I drew for this client was Death. This is someone I’ve been working with for a long time. She already knows much of what I have to say about Death. One of the challenges of reading Tarot for someone for a long time is finding new things to say about cards they’ve seen before. (I’m not complaining. This is what keeps it interesting for me.) The only way I could see to bring something fresh into my analysis was to focus on the relationship between Death and Strength.

I’ll admit that, at first, I was having some trouble eavesdropping on whatever conversation this pair might be having. All I can say is that my sense of these two cards is very different. So, I sat, and I listened, and I waited to see if these two would let me in on their tête-à-tête.

I found myself thinking about Angela Carter’s “The Tiger’s Bride,” one of my favorite stories by one of my very favorite authors, and that was my way in.

In A Postmodern Witch’s Guide to Strength, I talk a lot about Rhea and Cybele, two Classical goddesses who represent—among other things—wilderness and wildness. Both share a kinship with animals, particularly lions. Sometimes they are depicted riding a lion. Sometimes they are depicted riding in a chariot drawn by lions. This connection is the reason why what I know about these deities informs my understanding of Strength.