Strength Tarot Card Meanings by Avia at Tarot Teachings

Strength Tarot Card Meanings

This is another Major Arcana card that doesn’t beat around the bush – it’s meaning is quite clear in both illustration and title. Looking at the card we see a great deal of strength – but what kind of strength? Is the young maiden exerting physical strength to subdue the lion? Her face looks serene, her posture is calm – she doesn’t appear to be struggling.

Yes, the Tarot card meaning here is that of strength – but not purely physical. The young maiden in white (a symbol of purity) subdues the lion through a strength that is internal. Through compassion, love, patience, and cunning, she is able to calm the lion into retreating into a behavior that is more manageable.

As with all allegories, the story of this Strength card is more than what meets the eye. The deeper meaning deals with having the compassion and understanding to soothe the savage beast within us in more effective ways than brute strength.

Key Words for the Strength Tarot Card Meanings

Balance
Strength
Courage
Patience
Compassion
Understanding

Simply put, the lion is our inner beast – that part of ourselves that “needs to feed.” This beast is always needing more money, more recognition, or it needs more food, alcohol or drugs to feel at ease. The pure maiden represents that part of ourselves that has the ability to nurture, calm and exhibit self-love. Only she can allay the ravenous “need beast.”

When we pull the Strength card it is certainly a message that strength is required for some challenges ahead. It’s also a sign that we absolutely have the strength that is required of us. But on a subtle level, this card is a signal that we are already complete and self-love is the key to meeting our needs.

Key Symbols Relative to Strength Tarot Card Meanings:

This section focuses on a few select symbols that can help us further define the Strength Tarot card meanings.

Lion: As mentioned above, the lion is a symbol for the primal urges – the physical needs and cravings we all, as humans want to be met. The lion is also a symbol of fire that burns within us – representing our wants and desires with an 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. Get more about symbolic lion meanings here.

Mountains: Mountains symbolize aspiration, achievement, courage, and accomplishment. In this case, we can liken the mountain to the 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. Get more about symbolic wreath meanings here.