Strength is a quiet card with a deep message — card eight — usually shown as a gentle figure calmly closing (or opening) the jaws of a lion. It's a striking image because the power here isn't force at all. It's the courage, patience and compassion that tame the wildest parts of us. When Strength appears, it speaks of a softer, steadier kind of power.
The meaning of Strength
Strength represents courage, patience, compassion and inner power. Unlike The Chariot, which conquers through will and control, Strength prevails through gentleness and self-mastery. The lion is our raw instinct — anger, fear, desire — and the figure doesn't fight it but befriends it. That's the whole teaching: real strength is the calm, loving control of your own inner nature. It's the resilience to stay soft under pressure and the quiet confidence that doesn't need to prove itself.
Strength upright
Upright, Strength is a reassuring card of courage and composure. It says you have the inner resources to handle whatever you're facing, and that patience and a level head will carry you further than force. It often appears when you need to tame a strong emotion, persist through a challenge, or lead with compassion rather than dominance. The upright card praises the quiet heroism of staying kind and steady when things get hard. You're stronger than the situation — and gentleness is part of that strength.
Strength reversed
Reversed, that inner steadiness wavers. It can point to self-doubt, low confidence, or feeling overwhelmed by emotions you can't seem to manage. It may show raw impulse winning out — a short temper, forcing rather than persuading, or inner turmoil spilling over. Occasionally it means being too self-critical or suppressing your feelings so hard they leak out sideways. The reversed Strength invites you to be gentler with yourself and to rebuild your courage from a place of compassion.
Strength in love
In love, Strength brings patience, warmth and emotional resilience. Upright, it can mean a relationship that endures through gentleness and understanding, or the courage to be vulnerable and open-hearted. It favours compassion over control. Reversed, it may point to insecurity, emotional volatility, or a bond strained by fear and self-doubt. Meeting yourself and your partner with kindness is the way through.
Advice from Strength
Its advice is to lead with gentle courage. You don't need to force or fight; meet your challenges — and your own difficult feelings — with patience and compassion. Quiet strength lasts longest. Trust it.
FAQ
Is Strength about physical power?
No — it's about inner strength: courage, patience, and the gentle mastery of your own emotions and instincts.
Where does Strength sit in the deck?
It's card eight of the Major Arcana, following The Chariot. See the full sequence in our complete beginner's guide to tarot card meanings.