Strength sounds like an obvious one, however this card isn't about how much you can lift at the gym or whether you can win an argument on the internet, this is the card of diplomacy. It's about surmounting obstacles using grace rather than force.
The strength card tells you that you that what you need to overcome this adversity is discipline, compassion and strength of character. It tells you that in this case, force and passion will lead to ruin.
It's pretty apparent that I'm a bird person. my entire belief system revolves around birds hence Arcana Verte - the language of the green which was originally called "the language of the birds by the ancient alchemists and magicians.
So long before I ever met vulture, or the feathered serpent, Rooster walked with me. He was my first beastie and while others have taken over for this new period of my life, he is still very close to me.
At one time I had a companion rooster named Big Boy who was a gorgeous proud pure white silkie x rooster who used to walk to heel with me around Parkhurst - a fashionable area of coffee shops, and boutiques where my first shop was situated.
When he passed I had two roosters tattooed on the nape of my neck in memoriam of my friend and also as a symbol of strength for me to draw upon since this is the most prevelant of the rooster's connotations.
When creating the strength card, I was rather hung up on the fact that it is typically a feminine card so Rooster was not my first choice however I dreamed that I was talking to my rooster who told me that while the answer may not be right in front of me, it certainly was on the back of my neck. I woke up and laughed and said that should the rooster be right, I would like confirmation. That evening, Tom and I went for dinner at a new restaurant who's logo, of course, was a rooster!
Our rooster is a benevolent masculinity, which is not to say that he is a pushover - quite the contrary as anyone who has ever met a rooster knows well, They will fight a much larger animal to the death to save their flock while been affectionate and gentle little men with their families.
He stands, proudly protecting his babies and calling forth the sun, his vibrant feathers glowing in the light. He wears his heart on a chain bedecked with the moon and stars around his neck - a symbol that he is intergrated with his femininity.
Galliformes - the order of birds that chickens belong to are the closest living relative of the Tyranosaurus Rex. Ground dwelling fowl similar to modern partridges survived the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs and tree-dwelling birds of the time. These creatures then evolved into modern galiformes.
Chickens have been a part of the human story for close on 8000 years, having been domesticated from Red Jungle Fowl in Southeast Asia then spreading rapidly throughout the rest of the world. They were originally kept for fighting and ceremonial purposes and were not bred for eating until the 4th C bce. Their impact on humanity is immense and they are celebrated in cultures where they are kept.
In the celtic mythologies and many others they are a symbol of illumination. The rooster calls the sun and wins the victory against darkness. His cry wards off evil spirits, he ferries the dead to the underworld and he is frequently seen as a direct line to the ear of the spirit world.
He reprisents pride, confidence, and community and is a superb spirit ally for victims of bullying and abuse.
I encourage all of you to look beyond the schoolyard accusations and see why been a "chicken" is actually a marvelous compliment!
We could all do with some more Rooster energy in our current world.
You can see my video for this card here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9-alU_DyhI&list=PLTDoLHp8S2kv6JPqo2Bsg3iJdRTotOSPS&index=8&t=5s