Today's card — Fortitude — refers to the inner reserves of strength, courage and discipline that are called for in moments of fear or uncertainty.
You may be feeling hesitant about something that threatens to disrupt your daily routine. Or you may be trying to put on a brave face and tackle something that scares you or takes you outside of your comfort zone.
Interviewing for a job. Making a presentation. Confronting an adversary. Expressing emotions. In other words, anything that's been known to trigger fear or anxiety for you in the past.
This card is called "Strength" in most decks. It refers to the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of strength, such as willpower and self-restraint.
It's about taking charge of your life and taking back your power — over your fears and compulsions and ultimately your destiny.
Look at the images in this card. Notice how gently the woman strokes the lion's back and how he reciprocates by lapping at her hand.
This is the essence of the Strength card. It's about taming the beast within while at the same time lauding its virtues.
You don't ever want to douse the flames that fuel your inner "lion." But you can learn to harness that energy and channel it into something both powerful and magical.
If you're met with challenges today that threaten to disrupt your stride, reach deep within and tap into those inner resources. You may not have any control over the events that happen in your life, but you do have complete control over how you choose to react to them.
This card is part of the Medieval Enchantment Tarot series by Nigel Jackson (who also gave us the Rumi Tarot and other esoteric works), published by Llewellyn. This is a rare deck that is currently out of print. Here's an interesting interview with him by the American Tarot Association.