Waite-Smith tarot (1909)
Strength
Strength shows a woman closing the mouth of a lion with gentle hands. It is not brute force but the calm that masters instinct without breaking it.
Historical meanings below are quoted from A. E. Waite’s The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911). The language reflects that period; the following sections offer contemporary reflection.
Upright meaning
Power, energy, action, courage, magnanimity; also complete success and honours.
Reversed meaning
Despotism, abuse if power, weakness, discord, sometimes even disgrace.
Psychological themes
She represents inner fortitude — courage joined to patience. She appears when what must be faced is not outside but within. The lesson is to meet the wild part of yourself with steadiness, not a fight.
Traditional and cultural meanings
In the traditional deck this card is called Strength (once Fortitude): power, energy and complete success. It has long been read as courage and magnanimity, and by reversal as abuse of power or discord. The tamed lion is passion made useful.
Ways to reflect on this card
- If you feel afraid: the courage to stay present anyway.
- If you feel angry: strength that soothes rather than strikes.
- If you are tempted to force it: the softer hand wins.
Questions for reflection
- What instinct are you trying to dominate instead of befriend?
- Where is your courage quiet rather than loud?
- What would gentleness do here that force cannot?
Common questions
Why is Strength a woman with a lion?
It images mastery through gentleness — the will that calms the beast instead of crushing it. That is the card's particular idea of strength.
Strength vs the Chariot?
The Chariot drives opposing forces outward; Strength quiets one inner force. Both are mastery, one by aim, one by calm.
Related cards
Explore the imagery in your own dream
Tarot offers one way to think about symbols. A dream interpretation also considers the events, feelings, and personal details you describe.
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Card readings here are a psychological and cultural lens, not a prediction and not medical or financial advice.