Upright: Fierce, Endurance, Courage
Reversed: Apprehensive, Doubtful, Anxious
Element: Fire
Zodiac: Leo
Numerology: 8
Eight symbolizes mastery, progression, and awareness. When you pull a card associated with the number 8, it means that you will have to call on your strength when facing challenges. Numerology 8 draws on your self-confidence, listening to your inner voice to build authority and stamina. It also means that you are in a stage of progression, where if you follow through, you will be able to achieve mastery and uplevel yourself into the next arena of life. Eight says, keep going!
Strength Tarot Card Description
The traditional Rider Waite depiction of the Strength card features a woman wearing a white dress adorned with flowers, calmly holding the jaws of a lion. The woman is gentle, yet has dominance over the lion, having tamed the lion of its animalistic nature. There is an eternity sign over her head. She shows her bravery in holding the open jaws of the lion, showing control in the face of challenges. This can also point to taming one’s inner beast of passion, desire, and animalistic urges that if not checked, can lead to unfavorable outcomes. In the background lies a mountain and more greenery, which looks to be a tranquil setting.
In the Mystic Monday’s Tarot deck, the Strength card is depicted as a black and white tiger with stripes. The tiger is walking towards the viewer with a curled tail. White and black can represent the duality of strength, and the marks of the challenges we face leaving visible or invisible emotional scars and wounds that eventually heal. The setting dips in the center, representing hurdles that have been overcome. Two mountains lie in the background, with a sun ablaze and shining its rays.
This card is written and illustrated by artist and author Grace Duong.
Strength Tarot Card Upright Meanings
General Strength Card Upright Meaning
Strength is not only a card of physical strength, but often points to your inner strength. It shows your growth and maturity in that you have been able to deal with challenging situations with compassion and patience. It is natural for humans to have animalistic instincts, and you have learned to tame the beast to become guided by a higher consciousness. Master your impulses and take responsibility for yourself and your actions. With this power of self-control, you will be able to approach your problems powerfully and gracefully. Courage and patience are both needed in facing your fears. Connecting your inner and outer strength is key to embodying this impenetrable, ferocious energy with finesse and prowess. Know that you have all the tools necessary to not only persevere, but thrive.
Strength Upright Meaning in Career
Drawing the Strength card when it comes to your career can indicate that you will need to draw on your skills of perseverance, courage, and endurance to get through the upcoming challenges ahead of you. Your career can take a challenging turn where you will be tested, showing yourself and your colleagues the inner strength of empathy and compassion, especially if a part of you wants to react out of anger due to survival instinct. Subdue any animalistic instincts that threaten to overrule your inner strength and know that inner strength does not always mean an outward display. Strength could also be a sign to make more courageous moves in the workplace, and don’t be afraid to be seen for all the work that you do. Strength gives you the courage and perseverance needed to take your career to the next level.
Strength Upright Meaning in Finances
In finances, the Strength card asks you to look at the big picture and to have the patience to set the wheels in motion towards your financial dreams. The financial game is one of endurance and knowing when it is the right moment to strike. Bide your time wisely, like a predator waiting for its prey. There is no rush right now to make any major financial decisions. Wait until the right moment to pounce on opportunities, and you will be rewarded for your patience and self-control.
Strength Upright Meaning in Love
In love, the Strength card can lead you to a romance that feels safe, romantic, and passionate. There is a solid foundation present in the relationship, which allows you both to be vulnerable with each other, a true strength that builds strong bonds. Drawing the Strength card in a love tarot reading means that you and your partner have what it takes to get through tough challenges together, and that a situation like this will come to test your relationship. It will take endurance and strength to overcome this challenge and can be a turning point in your relationship. The Strength tarot card is about inner strength and having empathy, especially towards each other in trying moments. Draw on your perseverance and empathy when you’re faced with these challenges with your partner.
If single, the Strength card asks that you don’t give up on your love life. You will have to draw on your skills of endurance that the right person will come at the right time. Have empathy for yourself if you’re being challenged of how things should be versus what they actually are. Strength draws on your courage to be confident in yourself, no matter what.
Strength Upright Meaning in Health and Self-Care
The Strength tarot card usually points to your inner strength, building your compassion and resilience. Involve yourself in a meditation practice that lets you focus on your inner world, bringing strength to the mind so that you can build emotional resilience and physical stamina. If you are resistant in your meditation practice, see if you can embody more compassion for yourself and the feelings that are coming up for you. Be kind to yourself - that is true strength.
Strength Tarot Card Reversed Meanings
General Strength Reversed Meaning
Recently, you have lost confidence after experiencing a setback. This bump in the road fills you with doubt as you take a timid step forward, questioning if you are on the right path. You are giving in to your animal instincts and acting out in reactionary ways. Take a deep breath and realize that this is a minor delay and that you have enough resilience to make it through. No need to be anxious—your moment of weakness will pass in time. To expel this period of doubt, reflect upon positive things that are going well for you right now. Think about all the supportive people who have helped you along the way. There is always something to be grateful for, and that gratitude will help you get through this challenging time. Always remember that you are enough, no matter what is happening in your life.
Strength Reversed Meaning in Career
Like the cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz, the Strength card reversed in career can indicate that you are letting your fears get in the way of your career ambitions. This will be a good time to take note of what anxieties and blocks are standing in your way and if these challenges are real or imagined. Sometimes, we let our fears become bigger than they actually need to be to keep ourselves safe from perceived danger. Ask yourself what is stopping you from shining as big and bright as you want to be? Identifying what this is can help you move past them. Once you conquer this challenge, you’ll restore confidence in yourself that you can face anything standing in your way.
Strength Reversed Meaning in Finances
In finances, Strength tarot card reversed can indicate compulsivity when it comes to managing your money. It would be wise to take a more conservative approach and to manage your finances with looking at your long term financial goals in mind. This can point to an inner feeling of lack and could be a good time to review what money stories are running in the background and taking control over your financial decisions. It’s time to flip the narrative into a more empowering story, where you do have a good handle over your finances and trust yourself to make the best financial decisions for yourself and loved ones.
Strength Reversed Meaning in Love
Strength tarot card reversed in love can indicate a lack of a strong foundation that can help the relationship stand the trials and tribulations that stand in the way of a lasting relationship. This can also point to a codependency that is present in the relationship where one partner tends to be more dominant than the other, with the other partner being more passive. This can create a toxic relationship with an imbalance of power and individual needs. You may need to take a break from your relationship to recoup and prioritize your needs. If you’re both willing to look at the issues from a place of empathy rather than blame, this could be a test to see if you’ll be able to survive this challenge to reach the next level in your relationship.
Strength Reversed Meaning in Health and Self-Care
The opposite of Strength is usually weakness. What aspects of yourself have you been hard on yourself for? Are you speaking to yourself in a negative way? It’s time to come face to face with your fears, which takes real strength to do. Strength reversed could be saying that you have indulged yourself in negative thoughts, which have become self-perpetuating prophecies. It’s time to come back to your truth - that you are a soul having a human experience. Practice being kind to yourself and come back to center. Do a strength building exercise like a workout so that when you feel physically strong, it can trickle back to feeling strong in mind, body, and spirit.
Strength - Tarot Card Meaning Cheat Sheet
