Position on the Tree of Life

Strength occupies the fifth position on the Tree of Life, directly below Chokmah (Wisdom) and across from Chesed (Mercy). It is the pillar of Severity, the active, masculine force of restriction and discipline that balances the expansive love of Chesed. In the human soul, it corresponds to the power of moral courage and the ability to overcome obstacles through sheer will.

Astrological and planetary correspondence

Strength is directly associated with the planet Mars, the red planet of war, energy, and aggression. Its astrological symbol (♂) represents the shield and spear of the god of war. This correspondence imbues Strength with the qualities of courage, passion, and the drive to conquer—both external enemies and internal weaknesses.

Historical context

The concept of Strength as a divine attribute originates in the Hebrew Bible, where Geburah is one of the seven primary attributes (middot) of God. In the Kabbalistic tradition, it is the force that imposes limits on the infinite light of Chesed, allowing creation to exist as distinct forms. The Zohar describes it as the "left arm" of the divine body, the power that judges and purifies.

In the Western esoteric tradition, particularly in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Strength is the name given to the fifth Sephirah. It is also the name of the eleventh trump in the Tarot, where it is depicted as a woman closing the jaws of a lion—a symbol of the soul's mastery over the animal passions. This card is attributed to the zodiacal sign Leo, which further connects Strength to the solar, kingly aspect of power.

Aleister Crowley, in his Liber 777, places Strength at the center of a complex web of correspondences: it is linked to the number five, the pentagram, the color red, the scent of dragon's blood, and the magical weapon of the sword. The archangel of this sphere is Khamael, the "Burning One," and the angelic order is the Seraphim, the "Flaming Serpents."

Closing

In the table of Liber 777, Strength appears as the English translation of Geburah in Column II, at the fifth step of the scale. It is the name that bridges the Hebrew divine name Elohim Gibor (the Mighty God) with the planetary sphere of Mars, the Tarot trump of the same name, and the human virtue of fortitude—the power to endure and to act with decisive force.