In the cards this week: Strength

And some rose-colored glasses

This week's Minoan Tarot cards:

Strength: Lean into your determination and your patience. Self-control will be necessary this week. The real battle is inside you; overcome that, and the outer world will be much easier to deal with.

Lady of Rhytons: Put on those rose-tinted glasses when you need to find hope and beauty. There is still good in the world; allow yourself to acknowledge and celebrate it. This is a balance that's necessary for mental and emotional health.

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This week’s cards are an interesting combination of holding tight and dreaming. This is a balance that many of us are working on, one that helps us navigate these interesting times.

The Strength card is one of the first ones I designed in this deck. I knew right away that I wanted it to be based on the famous Bull Leaper fresco from Knossos:

The leaper on the left in this fresco is literally taking the bull by the horns!

That requires not just a great deal of physical strength, but also a large amount of inner resolve and courage. Even if the leaping bulls were trained (cattle are remarkably trainable), this would still be a difficult and dangerous act.

When I was creating this deck, I delved deep into not just the meanings of the individual cards but also the connections between different cards within the deck. There are multiple patterns to be found, which adds to the texture of the Tarot experience.

One pattern that I discovered, and that has stayed with me ever since, is found in a group of Major Arcana cards that are connected with the concept of success:

• The Chariot means succeeding by controlling others

• Strength means succeeding by controlling yourself

• Sacrifice (the Hanged Man) means succeeding by giving up control

Of course, there are other layers of meaning to these cards as well, separately and as a group. But quite often when I’m reading with this deck, I find that these three cards point to those aspects of control, and more specifically, where control needs to come from in order to achieve our goals.

And this week, it looks like we’re going to need a healthy helping of self-control.

Thankfully, the second card offers a bit of a release valve. We’ve been subjected to so much bad news in recent days that it can be hard to feel anything but depressed and hopeless.

The Lady of Rhytons suggests that we don some rose-colored glasses and find some good things around us. While the world stage is filled with greedy oligarchs and their machinations, we can look closer to home for more positive vibes.

Look around you. I bet there are people in your community who are helping each other, taking care of each other. Mister Rogers had some good advice for times like these:

Fred Rogers often told this story about when he was a boy and would see scary things on the news: "My mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother's words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers — so many caring people in this world."

You can also look around you for the little things that generate joy and wonder: a lovely sunrise or sunset; a beloved friend, family member, or pet; a hobby that gives you pleasure; a piece of media that makes you laugh or that touches your heart.

These things exist alongside all the heavy stuff. It’s not an either-or world. So this week, when the Big World gets to be too much, focus instead on the Smaller World right around you. Find the things that make you feel good, the small yet potent antidotes to the rough stuff.

I wish you a week of balance, gentleness, and joy.

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About Laura Perry

I'm the founder and Temple Mom of Ariadne's Tribe, a worldwide inclusive Minoan spiritual tradition. I'm also an author, artist, and creator who works magic with words, paint, ink, music, textiles, and herbs. My spiritual practice includes spirit work and herbalism through the lens of lifelong animism. I write Pagan / polytheist / magical non-fiction and fiction across several different subjects and genres. My Minoan title in the Moon Books Pantheons series is now available for pre-order and will be released on 26 August 2025. While that process percolates along, I’m working on an illustrated book of modern Minoan myths which will be released this summer. I’m also an avid herb and vegetable gardener and living history demonstrator.