What does it mean to be strong? Is it how much weight you can lift at the gym? How far you can run without losing your breath? The way you face challenges and conflicts in your life? Or is it lending compassion, when times are hard? The strength tarot card dives deep into the meaning of strong, especially inner strength and personal power.
Below you will find all the tarot card meanings of the Strength card. Including upright, reversed, in love tarot readings, career readings, yes or no questions, and powerful tarot card combinations.
Strength Tarot Card: Key Meanings
Upright Position : Courage, Bravery, Confidence, Compassion, Persuasion, Influence, Personal Power
Reversed Position : Self doubt, Low Self Esteem, Cowardice, Raw Emotions, Brute Force, Inner Strength
Strength Tarot Card Description
At the centre of the strength tarot card appears a woman, stroking a lion. She holds the jaw of the powerful beast, symbolizing that she’s tamed her animal instincts of passion and desire. She maintains a graceful control of this ferocious animal, taming it with love and compassion.
The woman wears a white robe, white being the colour of purity, and a belt and crown of flowers. The flowers represent beauty, showing the stunning nature of true inner strength. Over the woman’s head is the symbol of infinity, (like the magician), representing infinite potential and wisdom.
She is connected to the Leo star sign in the zodiac, and the number 8, signifying power in numerology. To read about astrology and tarot visit this page, & to read about numbers in tarot, go here.
Upright Strength tarot card meaning
The upright meaning of the strength tarot card is all about bravery, perseverance and inner strength. You have what it takes to overcome the obstacles in front of you, tap into your personal power and move forward with courage. When the strength card is involved, it’s not the time to give up, your resilience and determination will reap incredible rewards.
What do you need to gain confidence now? A strong sense of self-assurance will make the road ahead easier.
This tarot card also suggests there is a need for you to tame your animal instinct. Raw emotion like anger, rage, guilt, and shame can be channelled towards your goals. Let your emotions give you the drive you need to find more direction, positive changes are coming.
Often the strength tarot card appears when you’re in a tough time, it’s a message of hope. Your perseverance is leading you to stability and what you desperately desire. Remain calm and act with courage and compassion to create the best outcomes.
Strength Reversed Tarot Meaning
Vulnerability is the main feeling associated with strength reversed. Your disconnection from your inner power is wreaking havoc on your self-confidence. Unresolved self-esteem issues and self-doubt are holding you back.
What can you do to reconnect to your inner fortitude? The core part of you remains strong even when you’re feeling weak. You will get through these challenges.
You may of recently faced an obstacle in your life that you felt you couldn’t overcome. It’s left you defeated, and worn out. The reversed strength card suggests low energy has taken over. This is your sign to rest, recuperate, and feel good about taking some time out for your own well-being.
The darker side of strength reversed is explosive behavior. Your emotions may be getting the best of you, and if so, causing you to act forcefully with the people around you. More self-control is needed. You can’t make people choose in favour of your own interests when you’re acting out. This pushes the ones who love you away and makes it harder for them to support you. Anger management, Working with a therapist, learning emotional regulation techniques are all indicated by the reversed strength tarot card.
Strength in a Yes or No Reading
In yes or no tarot readings, the strength card represents a powerful yes. The reversed strength card also indicates a yes, however a bit weaker than when drawn upright.
Strength Card: One card Pull
In a one card tarot reading, strength signifies a need to connect to your inner power and embrace courage! Move forward boldy, with powerful self belief and you will surely be successful.
In A Love Tarot Reading (Upright)
In a love tarot reading, the strength tarot card represents a strong relationship that has the ability to withstand the test of time. There is a high level of compassion in this partnership, coupled with the raw emotion of passion.
If you’re single, then your love life must be approached with courage and self-confidence. This is your sign that you have the right qualities to create and sustain a good relationship. Put yourself out there more. In the name of love, do the thing that scares you!
The strength tarot card can also indicate a person entering your life who is strong, maybe even externally muscular and fit. They are passionate, kind and bold, they’ll likely be happy to lead the relationship. They could be a Leo.
Love and Relationship (Reversed)
Strength in the reverse suggests one partner’s needs are overtaking the others in a relationship. Codependency and people pleasing is occurring for one or both of you. It’s important that you both work on improving the quality of your own lives to improve the relationship. Jealousy and anger are running high right now, if you find yourself experiencing more conflict than usual, it’s because you’re neglecting your (and your partner’s) unique needs. The relationship should not be your whole life.
Alternatively, if you’re single, bad relationships, and past rejection are causing you to approach love with self-doubt. If you constantly second guess yourself and potential partners, you hold yourself back from experiencing deep love.
Take some time out of the dating game and address your emotional hurts. They could be caused by your own life, or self belief that have come from watching other dysfunctional relationships around you (including in media). When your inner strength has returned, you’ll return to the dating world with renewed confidence.
Money and Career Meaning
Career Meaning – Upright Strength
In a career tarot reading, the strength card is your sign to make big, powerful moves at work. Go for the promotion you want, take on a project that’s out of your comfort zone, take the leap and start your own business. Your passion and drive can be channelled into an incredible force with the ability to change your entire career for the better.
This is the time to be bold!
Career Meaning – Reversed Strength
When the strength reversed shows up in a career reading, it suggests one of two things.
The first is that your doubt in your own capabilities is the main factor holding you back from achieving more success at work. You may feel too vulnerable to put yourself out there in your job. Rather than making power moves, you’re keeping your head down and trying to go unnoticed. Spend some time working on your confidence. Make a list of the things you are good at, honour and name your capabilities.
The second is depletion. Your career may have sucked the absolute life out of you. Leaving you low energy and burnt out. If this is the case, it’s imperative that you take some time for self-care. You’re at risk for explosive behaviour. Unleashing your burnout in the form of anger, rage, or intense emotions at work, or on to the ones you love. This will not benefit you. Look after yourself now, before you do damage.
Finances Meaning – Upright Strength
When the strength tarot card shows up in a money reading, your financial situation and mindset is strong. You have a solid foundation to work with, and can trust yourself to be in a comfortable position for years to come.
If your gut instincts are telling you to make a bold financial move, like making your money work for you through investing, or purchasing property. Go for it, this card is your confirmation.
Finances Meaning – Reversed Strength
You need to exercise more self-control with your spending. You likely feel financial insecurity and shame around your finances. This can cause you to compulsively spend, or hold on to every last penny, regardless of how much you actually have.
Balancing inner self-control, with spending on what will actually benefit you, is the key. You either need to learn to keep money, or learn to let a little go.
Health and Spirituality Meaning
Health (Upright)
In a health context, this major arcana card shows improving health. Strength is returning to your body, and you may feel your energy becoming more vibrant.
If you want to increase your good health, movement is highly indicated with the strength tarot card. Especially activities that make your body physically strong.
For any health concerns, you can trust in your body’s resiliency, you’re in a good position to overcome injury, illness or disease.
Health (Reversed)
When reversed in a health tarot reading, this major arcana card shows that unhealthy habits are catching up to you. You may feel your energy is drained, or zapped from your body. You’re more vulnerable to catching colds, experiecing injury, or disease when you’re worn out.
Stop bad habits in their tracks. It’s imperative to get your body moving (even if it’s gentle exercise). Find ways to channel your emotions constructively as pent up emotion can cause physical harm to the body.
Spirituality Upright – Inner Strength
In the spirituality context, the strength card is all about inner strength. This card asks you to develop your consciousness. As the Bhagavad-gītā states, “Weapons cannot shred the soul, nor can fire burn it. Water cannot wet it, nor can the wind dry it.” Whatever happens to you in this life your soul remains, that is true strength.
Connecting to your heart chakra is also indicated as the heart chakra is known as “Unhurt, Unstuck & Unbeaten” In yoga it’s thought to be the home of your spiritual strength. You can listen to Heart chakra frequency music, meditate with your heart, or connect to the colour green to amplify its energies.
Finally, the strength tarot card is tied to the feminine soul force. The power of compassion that can be applied even in the face of danger, such as the woman holding the lion’s jaws on the card.
Spirituality (Reversed)
When the strength card is reversed, inner strength has been lost. You may be feeling especially weak, and spiritually broken. A healthy dose of rest and self-care is needed.
You may have a blocked heart chakra, which is contributing to your feelings of vulnerability, or causing you to put walls up to the world. Working with the heart through meditation, yoga, mantra, and frequency music will help you to get the relief you need.
Powerful Strength Tarot Card Combinations
Strength and the Eight of Cups
When these two tarot cards come out of your tarot deck, you’re likely facing an incredibly difficult decision. This is your sign that you must gather the courage and inner fortitude required to walk away. It’s time to leave something behind. It could be the ending of a relationship, leaving school, quitting a job, or activity, your gut reactions will tell you exactly what this tarot card combination is referring to.
Strength and the Six of Swords
The tarot card meanings of these two cards suggest that it’s time to move on to a brighter future. Be brave and stay calm in the face of challenges. A journey may be required, a physical trip, move or an inner journey to regain your personal power. Let courage lead you forward.
The Empress Tarot 