Strength
☽ ☾
Strength ☽ ☾
Strength
Key Meanings
Upright: internal strength, inner power, inner calm, patience, bravery, gentleness, courage, compassion
Reversed: reactive, resistant, anger, rage, pride, fear, self-doubt, self-destruction
Strength:
Archetypes
The Chosen One, The Quiet Hero, The Warrior of the Heart, The Gentle Giant
Examples: Frodo Baggins (The Lord of the Rings), Chewbacca (Star Wars), Harry Potter
Strength:
Description
Lions typically symbolize raw, primal strength, capable of great violence and driven by untamed instinct, but the lion in the Strength card has been subdued. The young, almost angelic woman dressed in white, a symbol of innocence, is draped in flowers, suggesting her connection to the natural world, opens the lion's mouth and gazes inside with a peaceful expression. This juxtaposition instead places the strength in the hands of the young woman who, despite the odds, is able to calm the beast within.
As the eighth card in the Major Arcana, the Strength card carries the theme of perseverance and integrity. The young woman stands poised and pure, taming all animal-like impulses within herself.
Strength:
Upright Meaning
The Strength card reminds us that true strength resides in our ability to tame our baser impulses and reactivity. Whether you face an external foe or internal voices, you must meet these disturbances with compassion and gentleness. In this instance, your power will not come from a loud roar, but from a patient, non-reactive approach.
Sometimes, the only way to prevent a challenge or fear from getting the best of you is to face it head-on. This does not mean roaring at someone in hopes of cowing them into submission, but rather clearing space for what needs to be said by grounding your emotions and handling those of others gently. Search for the wisdom of the heart-led warrior within you and continue to bravely walk forward with pure intentions. Your patience and self-control will be rewarded.
Strength:
Reversed Meaning
Your inner lion has perhaps gotten the best of you, trapping you in a cycle of reactivity and fear as you ineffectively grasp for control or power over others. It’s likely you or someone you know has lost control of their emotions. Pride has taken over reason, and instead of meeting challenges with patience or an enemy with compassion, ego has entered the chat and wants to destroy perceived threats with force. If you continue on this destructive path, you will inadvertently hurt yourself and those around you. If you are dealing with someone else, your best course of action is to disengage to avoid blindly reacting.
You or someone you know may also be playing the coward. Instead of facing challenges head-on, you are trying to skirt around challenges and avoid conflict altogether. If you do not take a direct approach, especially when voicing a need or setting a boundary, the problem will worsen. Focus on taming your emotions first, and you can transform a dreaded argument into a productive and compassionate discussion.