Major Arcana - Strength; the parable of St. Fillan of Pittenweem
20 November
Concepting and card in progress – this card is based on the parable surrounding St. Fillan, an early Christian hermit and healer associated with the cave in Pittenweem, Fife, in the 8th century. Strength has to do with taming the beast within and working with, instead of against, our animal nature. I chose St. Fillan to represent this concept. The story is, whilst plowing a field one day in Killin, a wolf attacked and killed his plow-ox. Unable to continue, St. Fillan put a geas ( a taboo or vow ) upon the wolf, to take the place of the Ox so that St. Fillan could continue to till the field.