Strength Tarot Card Meanings
Strength’s Upright & Reversed Meanings
Ideas: Declaration, gratification, instinct, preferences
Traits: Complaintive, escapist, impatient, impulsive, intolerant, timid, weak-willed
Emotions: Annoyance, apprehension, desire, insecurity, irritation, nervousness, pleasure, relief, satisfaction
- Actions:
- Accepting help from others
- Asserting your point of view
- Expressing your needs and desires
- Indulging once in a while
- Releasing strong emotions
- Showing your true colors
- Talking about your preferences
- Telling how you really feel
Ideas: Boldness, power, self-discipline, vitality
Traits: Calm, courageous, gentle, gracious, patient, soft, steady, strong, tolerant
Emotions: Compassion, eagerness, optimism, tenderness
- Actions:
- Accepting each other’s flaws
- Bringing your passions under the control of reason
- Controlling your emotions
- Doing the right thing for everyone’s sake
- Enduring hardship without complaint
- Finding beauty in imperfection
- Imposing restrictions on yourself for your own benefit
- Resisting impulses that work against your best interests
Ideas: People-pleaser, pretense, suppression
Traits: Conformist, obedient, passive, shallow, submissive, superficial
Emotions: Guilt, neglect, pride, shame, suffering, sympathy, unhappiness
- Actions:
- Being treated like a doormat
- Experiencing burnout
- Failing to take a stand when necessary
- Ignoring your emotions
- Pretending to be okay
- Struggling in asking for help
- Suppressing your own needs
- Trying to please everyone
Strength’s Advice
Personal Growth
Identify problematic habits and unhealthy tendencies, and weigh their overall impact on your life. Consider, too, the value of leaving these behind for healthier options. A good measure of maturity is the ability to forgo immediate gratification to reap benefits later.
Relationship
You’re in control. You can’t tame others, but you can rein yourself in. Watch for old habits or weaknesses to surface, and use your wits to avoid upcoming pitfalls.
Career
Emotions and distractions can hinder progress. Identify the cause of dissention and take steps to moderate it. Allow people (including yourself) to do what they do best. An objective perspective yields more effective action.
Spirituality
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Your own willpower may not be strong enough to resist the temptations that come your way. (That’s okay; you’re human.) Turn challenges over to a higher power, and allow yourself to be led.
Strength’s Symbols & Insights
The Lemniscate
Again, in the Marseilles decks, many see a lemniscate, or infinity symbol, concealed in the brim of the figure’s hat. Rider–Waite–Smith-inspired decks emphasize the symbol, suggesting infinite self-discipline. What role does self-control play in your situation?
The Lion
Generally, the lion (king of beasts) suggests bestial, untamed instincts. Closing the mouth of the lion graphically illustrates the power the central figure has over instinctual forces. What instinctual responses need to be curbed?
Symbols of Strength
Some illustrators use Hercules on this card; a gentle woman is more frequently seen, though. What course of action would best symbolize your own moral strength?
More About Strength Tarot Card
- Prediction
- Your self-control will be tested.
- A woman will seek to change her partner or lover.
- You are a strong, capable person.
- Timing
- Between July 23 and August 22
- Archetype
- The id
- Hebrew Alphabet
- Theth/Snake/9 or Lamed / Outstretched Arms / 30
- Numerology Number
- 8
(the action: movement, outer work, swiftness) - Classical Element
- Fire
- Astrological Sign
- Leo
- Myth/Spirit
- Samson
- Hercules
- Daniel in the lion’s den
- The sinless Christ
- Story Character
- An event hints at the main character’s hidden strength, which he or she will use (or choose not to use) to resolve the story. Alternatively, a physical or emotional weakness hinders the main character’s progress.
- Questions to Ask
- How can I enhance my self-discipline?
- What behaviors tempt me? How can I resist?
- What instincts do I continue to struggle with today?
