Tuesday 31st March 2020: (8) Strength Reversed

It was twenty days ago that we first encountered (8) Strength Reversed and nine days ago when we last saw the arcana of (8) Strength in her upright form. The last time (8) Strength Reversed appeared, I referenced one of Dr. Elliot Adam’s videos in which he suggests that (8) Strength Reversed is challenging you to remember those times in your life when you have overcome difficulties:

Saturn and Mars: 我慢強い

What is notable about today’s manifestation of this arcana is that the solar element of Leo is abated by the reversal, while the martian element is struggling to gain the upper hand – quite literally, the reversal of the card puts the lion on top, though not entirely in control because it is on its back. Today Mars passes in front of Saturn and such a conjunction suggests that the assertiveness of Mars is held in check by the restrictiveness of Saturn, which we also saw in the Four of Pentacles on Monday.

To undersdand what (8) Strength Reversed may entail when Saturn is influencing Mars, I liken it to the Japanese term 我慢強い – “gamantsuyoi” where “tsuyoi” = “strong” like Mars, and “gaman” = the Saturnine qualities of “enduring” or “persevering” through time.