Strength Tarot Card Meaning

Strength shows courage, a fearless spirit, personal growth, and the struggle between the physical and spiritual sides of life. A young woman has brought a fearsome beast under her control through a gentle, feminine strength.

She tames the regal lion with kindness, tenderness, and affection, rather than a whip or aggression. Her white clothes and the infinity symbol above her head show that her power is spiritual. Her crown of flowers represents her wish for peace and love.

The upright Strength card offers encouragement: you can reach your goal, even if the road brings trials. You have the strength, energy, knowledge, and experience to get through them and win!

This card appears when you need to face barriers within yourself, including hidden desires and thoughts. Mastering your own mind and impulses is often harder than dealing with a hundred outside problems or hostile people.

Strength asks you to work on yourself and tame your passions and darker impulses. In a sense, you have a battle to fight with yourself and your own inner lion. It takes bravery, courage, persistence, and willpower. Master yourself, and you can master your fate! Your plans will succeed through compassion, patience, and care for others, rather than aggression and brute force.

Upright keywords

• Inner strength and energy, endurance, courage, protection, a test of resilience.
• Love, restraint, persuasion, tact, bringing opposing sides together.
• A wish to get started, control over the situation and your own actions.
• Healing, recovery, vitality, stamina, drawing on hidden reserves.

The reversed Strength card points to aggression, pressure, or manipulation in your life. You may be playing the tyrant, humiliating people or manipulating them. Or you may be under the influence of someone who abuses their power.

Either way, the balance is off. There is too little strength and firmness, or far too much. That imbalance is keeping your talents and ambitions from flourishing.

To put things right, sort through your thoughts and feelings, resolve the conflicts within you, and tackle the habits that make you a slave to your own desires or someone else's.

You also need a better balance between your physical and spiritual life. If you're working on your muscles at the gym, give your brain a workout too. Take a course or read a book on something that interests you.

Reversed keywords

• Cruelty, tyranny, oppression, submission.
• Instability, inner discord, destructive impulses.
• Weakness, a defeatist attitude, self-doubt, a harmful influence.
• Being unable to cope, losses, disgrace, illness, failure.

Upright, Strength speaks of fiery passion. You attract and interest each other, and your strong feelings grow deeper by the day. Dull routines won't threaten this couple: the relationship is full of passion and vivid emotion. You give yourself wholeheartedly to it and don't hold back with the person you love.

The card can also describe a partner who's expressive, energetic, decisive, and ambitious, winning you over with tenderness and love. They know how to get their way gently, without making a fuss or starting needless arguments.

Reversed, it points to extremes, jealousy, and a tendency to turn everything into a drama.

What are they like in love?

Upright, this person is patient and persistent. They know relationships take work and are ready to face every obstacle with courage.

Reversed, they're a tyrant at home. They're 110 percent sure they're right, so they simply can't understand why their loved one doesn't always rush to agree.

In a career reading, Strength shows enthusiasm, determination, and a powerful desire to get what you want. You're fired up by an idea, creative about putting it into practice, and convinced you'll succeed. Despite the difficulties, you do.

Your keys to victory are courage and resilience. You're ready to take a risk, or even give up something precious, for your goal. Perhaps getting things moving will call for a little physical strength too?

Reversed, the card points to effort aimed in the wrong direction, unchecked emotions, and backing down from difficulties because you don't believe in yourself.

Upright, Strength describes someone remarkably strong in both body and character, with a firm backbone, persistence, patience, and a gift for persuasion.

Reversed, this person is far too easily swayed by others and painfully sensitive to what people think of them.

Upright, the card asks you to look within. You have enormous reserves of energy. Draw on them, and you can handle any task.

Reversed, it advises you to stop putting pressure on people. Forcing things isn't the easiest road, or the happiest one.

Upright, the outlook is very good. Your persistence, patience, and tremendous strength will get you what you want.

Reversed, the outcome is uncertain. A lack of strength, persistence, or self-belief could stand in the way of your plans.

The Sun working with Mars, and Mars in Scorpio: a love of life, spiritual growth, and resolving problems at work and in love.

The Fool — Wild energy, wasting a chance, an athlete or taking up a sport.

The Magician — Starting something new, becoming self-employed, deciding to build a more settled life.

The High Priestess — Holding back important information, the willpower to keep a secret, patience.

The Empress — A strong woman, effort aimed at a specific result, finding a profitable niche.

The Emperor — A strict boss, a charismatic leader, the head of a company or family.

The Hierophant — A spiritual teacher or pastor, an iron will founded on conviction, pressure from religion or public morals.

The Lovers — Needing outside help, a determined decision, sudden and powerful feelings.

The Chariot — An obsession with an idea, chaotic activity, the risk of hurting someone through words or actions.

The Hermit — Recovering your health, a loner, working for yourself or on yourself.

Wheel of Fortune — Financial profit, making sure you don't miss your chance, holding on to good fortune.

Justice — Slowing a matter down, a lawsuit with a favorable outcome, forceful methods.

The Hanged Man — A painful love affair, dependence on someone, waiting for the right moment.

Death — Intensive work on yourself, relentless change, hopes that won't be fulfilled.

Temperance — An amicable divorce, temporary work or an interest that won't last, reaching a ceiling.

The Devil — Intrusive outside influence, a persistent admirer with bad intentions, living by instinct.

The Tower — An eruption of anger, a major argument involving violence, being overwhelmed by emotion.

The Star — A surge of inspiration, becoming a professional or gaining recognition, earning from work you love.

The Moon — Loss of reason, serious danger, a violent temper that won't listen to arguments.

The Sun — Justified pride, basking in fame, enjoying attention.

Judgment — Gradual changes, skill in public speaking, family support.

The World — Being at peace with yourself, joining a large company or group, becoming an unofficial leader.

Ace of Wands — A quick temper, pushing and demanding too much of others, a successful manager or entrepreneur.

Two of Wands — Confusion or a frustrating delay, lost time, no chance to show your strengths.

Three of Wands — Quiet elation, finding a loophole, a career taking off.

Four of Wands — Deciding to start a family or move in together, getting the household settled, support from parents.

Five of Wands — Ignoring criticism, overlooking a path to growth, going your own way or gaining experience.

Six of Wands — Catching the right wave, understanding how things work and doubling your efforts, becoming fortune's favorite.

Seven of Wands — Overcoming difficulties, getting into a fight, acquiring enemies or envious rivals.

Eight of Wands — Organizing work, things moving along naturally, setting up management or taking charge without friction.

Nine of Wands — Losing interest, insisting on your own way, unfounded hopes of good luck.

Ten of Wands — Juggling many tasks, distrusting others, working yourself to exhaustion.

Page of Wands — Enjoying the process, an interesting acquaintance, a promising young person.

Knight of Wands — Shaking off insecurities, overcoming shyness, achieving success.

Queen of Wands — Successful entrepreneurship, good connections, a talent for making contacts.

King of Wands — Excellent leadership, a fine reputation and a stream of clients, using your opportunities and time well.

Ace of Swords — Pressure from above, an unshakable will to succeed, using forbidden methods.

Two of Swords — Domestic squabbles, groundless faultfinding, ignoring criticism.

Three of Swords — Being intoxicated by love, a love spell, a lack of common sense.

Four of Swords — Needing rest, releasing tension, burning out or losing faith in an idea.

Five of Swords — Changing someone's mind, breaking an opponent's resistance, not getting the expected benefit.

Six of Swords — Getting your way with great difficulty, an exhausting struggle finally behind you, valuable life experience.

Seven of Swords — Being forced to leave or move, adding up profits or losses, stumbling on useful information.

Eight of Swords — Being hemmed in, limits on your authority or influence, complaints from a spouse.

Nine of Swords — A bad sign, a well-founded premonition, enthusiasm running out.

Ten of Swords — Defeat at work or in your personal life, emotional burnout, becoming hardened by your job.

Page of Swords — Intrusiveness, an unpleasant relationship, bullying or being an outcast.

Knight of Swords — A fearless friend, defending your partner, someone taking your side.

Queen of Swords — A hurt young woman, seething hatred or envy, fighting injustice.

King of Swords — A prosecutor, judge, or investigator; serious circumstances involving the law.

Ace of Cups — Professional instinct, a nose for profit or important connections, a sound calculation.

Two of Cups — A dominant romantic partner, the head of a family, meeting someone pleasant and trustworthy.

Three of Cups — Being the center of attention, well-earned honors, flattering someone powerful.

Four of Cups — Forgiving a debt, understanding someone's situation, turning down protection.

Five of Cups — A deep understanding, tact, secret knowledge that helps explain what's happening.

Six of Cups — Taking someone under your wing, showing leniency, helping someone's career.

Seven of Cups — Someone else's influence, empty promises, trying to profit from authority.

Eight of Cups — Negotiations falling through, a canceled date, refusing to cooperate.

Nine of Cups — A well-rounded person, great opportunities, someone reliable.

Ten of Cups — Excellent relationships, a shared ideology holding people together, a political party or coordinated team.

Page of Cups — Powerful feelings of love, being consumed by emotion, an all-or-nothing attitude or loud calls to act.

Knight of Cups — Friendship with an energetic ally, high spirits, effective effort, organizing an event.

Queen of Cups — A resourceful, cunning woman, a notorious figure, a striking female rival.

King of Cups — Persuasive powers, a guru or political figure, irresistible appeal.

Ace of Pentacles — Well-earned success, a substantial profit, exemplary money management.

Two of Pentacles — Extortion, bank fraud, illegal levies, or getting rich easily on a small scale.

Three of Pentacles — Rights being infringed, an unfair contract, being cheated out of pay.

Four of Pentacles — A lavish gift, a disguised bribe, a stingy suitor or friend.

Five of Pentacles — A political struggle, a government tender or competition, taxes.

Six of Pentacles — Letting your guard down, criminal negligence, a lack of foresight.

Seven of Pentacles — A share in state assets, a subsidy or benefits, buying into a building project or taking out a mortgage.

Eight of Pentacles — Scaling back your needs or ambitions, developing your skills or qualifications, stagnation.

Nine of Pentacles — Benefit payments, old money, investing in gold or precious stones.

Ten of Pentacles — Trying to obtain money or support, offering your services, securing funding.

Page of Pentacles — A fresh view of a problem, a practical approach, a trainee or young employee with interesting ideas and drive.

Knight of Pentacles — A wish to get rich, a useful acquaintance, setting priorities.

Queen of Pentacles — Conflicting interests, a chance to find your way to prosperity, acquiring the knowledge you need.

King of Pentacles — Someone with deep pockets, available funds, a sponsor or philanthropist.