Tarot · Major Arcana · 8
Strength
- gentle strength
- quiet courage
- patience
- taming
Key facts
- Arcana
- Major Arcana
- Suit
- Major Arcana
- Number
- 8
- Numerology
- 8 (movement, work) or 11 = 1 + 1 = 2 (debate, duality)
- Element
- Libra or Leo
- Keywords
- gentle strength, quiet courage, patience, taming
Strength upright
Strength doesn’t tame the lion through force, but through a calm and confident presence. It reminds you that real power is tender, that we soothe our emotions without crushing them. Faced with what intimidates you, you carry a patience and a courage sturdier than you think. It’s by laying a gentle hand on your fears that you move through them.
Strength reversed
Reversed, Strength speaks of a moment when doubt takes over, when patience frays or anger rumbles with no way out. Maybe you’re judging yourself as weak, when really you’re simply tired. Be gentle with yourself: the kindness you’d offer a loved one is meant for you too. Your inner strength hasn’t vanished; it’s waiting for you to treat it with tenderness.
A question to sit with
Which emotion would you gain from taming gently rather than fighting?
Frequently asked questions about Strength
- What does Strength mean upright?
- Strength doesn’t tame the lion through force, but through a calm and confident presence. It reminds you that real power is tender, that we soothe our emotions without crushing them. Faced with what intimidates you, you carry a patience and a courage sturdier than you think. It’s by laying a gentle hand on your fears that you move through them.
- What does Strength mean reversed?
- Reversed, Strength speaks of a moment when doubt takes over, when patience frays or anger rumbles with no way out. Maybe you’re judging yourself as weak, when really you’re simply tired. Be gentle with yourself: the kindness you’d offer a loved one is meant for you too. Your inner strength hasn’t vanished; it’s waiting for you to treat it with tenderness.