The Strength Tarot
The Strength Tarot energies prompt: Lead with a bold kind heart. Gentle healing builds resilience. Power sweetened is strength unmatched.
The Strength and The Garlic
The success pictured by the Strength Major Arcana Tarot can be embodied by a man, woman or a situation. The overall energy of the Strength card is feminine. Traditionally, a female magician is pictured who can master rebellious energies and stands for moral as well as physical strength. This energies’ attributes include charisma and determination to succeed.
The Strength energies manifest in Garlic.
Garlic
The Strength energy combined with the Garlic energy make for a strong partnership.
Courage dwells in the soft spirit of Garlic to easily meet adversity with inner fire. Garlic strengthens the heart and increases stamina. You have the power to persevere. Cultivate reliable habits that enhance vitality.
Planting garlic around the roots of roses strengthens the leaves, encouraging more flowers to bloom.
Cooking with garlic daily boosts the immune system, protecting against illness. Drinking garlic tea heats up the body, igniting passion.
Step into your power, but remember, a compassionate approach is powerful. Adding honey to garlic tames the medicine, making it more effective and palatable. Embrace both the gentle and the wild within with Garlic
Recipe
Recipe for Garlic Honey
If the raw honey you find is solid at room temperature, warm it in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat to bring it back to a liquid state before using for this recipe. You can drizzle this honey over pepperoni pizza (trust!), serve alongside spicy fried chicken, use in a glaze for grilled pork or fish, and/or add a few spoonfuls to savory cornbread.
Makes about 2 cups
12 garlic cloves (about 1 head), crushed
1½ cups raw honey
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
A heatproof 1-qt. jar
- Step 1 Place garlic in jar. Pour honey over garlic and stir to combine, making sure all the garlic gets coated. Seal jar and let sit at room temperature 3 days. Unscrew and remove lid to let out any gases; give garlic honey a stir. (You’ll most likely see tiny bubbles at this stage, which means the fermentation process has started.) Reseal jar and let sit, stirring once every other day, at least 1 week before using.
- Step 2 Do Ahead: Garlic honey can be made 1 month ahead. Keep room temperature.
Affirmations and Activity for Strength
AFFIRMATIONS
Choose an affirmation and repeat several times daily, or during meditation
- I have more strength than I realize. It is there whenever I need it.
- The stronger I get, the stronger I get. I will keep going.
- I am supported. I am safe. I am strong.
ACTIVITIES
Three Ways I Am Strong
List ways you are strong in your life, or time you have shown strength, either physical, emotional, or mental. For example:
- raising a child on my own
- lifting more weights at the gym
- standing up for myself
Complete This Sentence
- I would like more strength with…..
Crafting With Strength
Craft
Believe in courage, in cartwheeling past our comfort zones and trying something a little bit scary every day.
- Wear a garlic amulet to remind you to be bold. Let it hang just over your heart.
- Cook meals rich with garlic to strengthen your body and prepare for difficult times ahead.
- Sweeten intensity and conflict; make immune-boosting garlic honey. Take it before a challenging encounter.
Mini Meditation
Meditation
Get into a relaxing position and close your eyes, make sure you are a comfortable temperature and not likely to be interrupted.
- Take three deep breaths
- Feel your tension melting away.
Imagine yourself doing one of the crafts mentioned above. Use your imagination. Make it as elaborate or as simple as you like. Have whomever you would like to be there come and share the time with you.
Imagine what it would look and feel like, as if it were really happening. Use your five senses and imagine all the sensory details as though you are really there.
Be creative and indulge in this moment.
Spend as long as you like in this visualization and feel the benefits of crafting with nature. Think about your meditation as often as you like as you go through your day. If possible, create it in reality.
The Herbcrafter
Herbcrafter
An herbcrafter is an afficianada of the botanical realm. She is in love with plants and longs to know them more deeply.
Her approach is driven by a playful, wild spirit.
The herbcrafter embraces the plant world as her teacher and friend through observation and botany, gardening and wildcrafting, medicine and kitchen craft, fiber arts and weaving, art and magic.
She recognizes herself as part of nature. She seeks reciprocity in all things. Through the relationship with the botanical world, she learns how plants and people can be of service to one another.
Lead with a bold kind heart. Gentle healing builds resilience. Power sweetened is strength unmatched.
Herbcrafter’s Tarot