The path of Strength represents the inner strength of your spirit, and the time to face an unpleasant situation: the ferocious lion.
Position – Major Arcana
Card Number – 8. The number 8 refers to the achievement of balance (one circle atop the other); the meeting of heaven & earth; as above, so below. It refers to transformation, evolution, regeneration, resurrection, enlightenment. Its shape represents the life force or the creative force spiraling towards the Divine or Enlightenment.
Timing is 1 – 30 days.
Astrologically, Leo, the zodiac sign of independence, courage, dominance, spontaneity, leadership and self-confidence, rules the Strength card.
The Major Arcana Represents Major Life Lessons:
If Strength comes out on the first card of your reading, you might be in a hurry because you are ready to face an unpleasant situation. You might challenge someone that you feel is wrong, but you might end up making a mistake if you do not think things through.
If Strength comes out on the outcome card, in the positive position, you are respected as a leader because you show the courage and determination to succeed. You view obstacles as new opportunities because fear does not hold you hostage.
The Story Of The Strength Tarot Card
The Strength card is enumerated eight in the Tarot and represents victory over inner temptations and fears through self-control, self-discipline, inner strength, and control over environment. The Strength card shows a woman who has calmly tamed the lion. Fear cannot touch her because her inner strength exceeds her physical strength. She controls both the situation and the beast that roars at her.
She stands in a green valley with trees and seedlings that symbolize growth. A small blue nearby mountain peak represents her thoughts (blue) and indicates that her goal will soon be within her grasp (size and proximity). The mountain symbolizes achievement, courage, accomplishment and her immense challenge in taming the lion. The cloudless yellow sky represents her strength, creativity, enlightenment and optimism.
The lemniscate symbol of infinity above her head represents her thoughts and never-ending power. Her wreath symbolizes infinity and completion, and her crown indicates victory to be claimed in the battle against her primal urges.
A vine of red roses with thorns crowns her head, and a belt-like sash covers her white gown. The roses symbolize passion since red indicates the element of fire. The thorns of the rose suggest a few stinging events along the way. Her white gown is symbolic of innocence, thought, religiosity, and purity of spirit.
She is calmly petting the lion with one hand on top of his head, the other below his mouth. His tail dangles between his legs, indicating his non-aggression. Her dominance meets with his submissiveness, and she has infinite, innate courage to face her fears and control the situation.
The lion symbolizes the beastly fear inside of her and the inner fire that represents the intense blaze of her desires. The lion further represents the level of her courage and her faith to overcome her most stubborn obstacle of fear and to protect herself by controlling her environment.
Key Words for the Strength Tarot Card Meanings
Balance
Strength
Courage
Patience
Compassion
Understanding
Interpretation Of The Strength Tarot Card
Positive Position:
Your inner strength is stronger than your outer strength. You are in control of fear and your surrounding environment. Fear does not control you because you found the courage to face your fears head on. You are brave, self-disciplined, and able to face something unpleasant. You are confident and in control of your personal impulses.
Negative Position:
Your fears and worries control you. Your inner strength is weaker than your outer strength, and you are not in control of your environment because it controls you.
The lion is dominating the woman, who does not know how to control him. He tears her to pieces because she is too timid and unwilling to fight. Her surrender to fear allows the beast to be victorious.
Key Symbols Relative to Strength Tarot Card Meanings:
A woman, over whose head there broods the same symbol of life which we have seen in the card of the Magician, is closing the jaws of a lion. The only point in which this design differs from the conventional presentations is that her beneficent fortitude has already subdued the lion, which is being led by a chain of flowers.
Lion: As mentioned above, the lion is a symbol for the primal urges – the physical needs and cravings we all, as humans want met. The lion is also a symbol of fire which burns within us – representing our wants and desires with a intense blaze. This is not to say that the lion all it represents is negative. On the contrary, many of us use our needs as motivators for achieving great things in our lives and reaching our goals. The key is to know thyself and temper our primal (ego) urges with our more divine, spiritual nature.
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Mountains: Mountains symbolize aspiration, achievement, courage and accomplishment. In this case we can liken the mountain to challenges we face in our lives. As we look upon the Strength card and see the mountains in the distance we are aware that we will always be met with challenges in our lives. However, what makes climbing the mountain difficult or easy is the way we approach it.
Wreath: Wreaths symbolize completion and infinity (circle). A wreath or crown around the maiden’s head is a symbol of victory. In this case, the wreath indicates victory can be claimed in the battle against banal or primal urges that do not serve us. There is hope and understanding when we realize we can achieve harmony in our hearts, and balance can be won.
lemniscate (Infinity Symbol): In Tarot it is often referred to as a lemniscate. Strength speaks of the character & the wisdom needed to perfect or accomplish something. Possibly knowing when to press forward, when to fall back.
