You’re looking at a woman calmly closing a lion’s jaws. It’s quiet. There is no blood, no struggle, and definitely no armor. If you’ve ever pulled this card during a rough week, you probably felt a flicker of relief, but the VIII Strength tarot card meaning goes way deeper than just "hanging in there." Most people see the lion and think of physical power or dominance. They're wrong. This card is actually about the hardest thing a human can do: staying soft when the world is being loud and aggressive.
It’s about the roar you don't let out.
The Major Arcana is a journey, and Strength sits at a very specific turning point. In many older decks, like the Tarot de Marseille, Strength was actually numbered XI, while Justice was VIII. A.E. Waite, the co-creator of the ubiquitous Rider-Waite-Smith deck, famously swapped them. He felt that the spiritual fortitude required for Strength was a necessary prerequisite for the rest of the soul's journey. It’s a foundational energy. Without it, you’re just reacting to life instead of leading it.
The Raw Symbolism of VIII Strength
Look closely at the card. The woman isn't choking the lion; she’s petting it. She’s wearing white, which usually signals purity, but in this context, it represents a lack of ego. She has an infinity symbol (lemniscate) floating above her head. That’s the same symbol you see on The Magician. While The Magician uses that infinite energy to manifest things in the physical world, the figure in Strength uses it to master her own internal landscape.
The lion represents our "animal self." It’s our rage, our libido, our hunger, and our desperate need to survive. If you try to kill the lion, you lose your passion. If you let the lion run wild, you destroy your life. The VIII Strength tarot card meaning is the middle path—domestication through love.
What the Lion Is Trying to Tell You
In a reading, that lion is almost always a metaphor for a specific emotion you’re trying to suppress. Maybe it's a grudge you've held since 2019. Or maybe it’s an addiction to being right. When this card shows up, it’s a signal that you can’t "logic" your way out of your feelings. You have to sit with them.
Rachel Pollack, one of the most respected tarot scholars in history, often pointed out that the woman in the card isn't using force because force creates resistance. If you pull on a dog's leash, it pulls back. If you yell at a fire, it stays hot. Strength is the "soft" power of persistence. It’s the water that eventually carves through the canyon rock.
When Strength Shows Up in Love and Relationships
If you’re single and asking about your love life, Strength is a bit of a reality check. It suggests that you might be looking for someone to "save" you or provide a sense of security that you haven't actually built for yourself yet. It’s a call to develop some emotional self-sufficiency.
For those in a relationship, this card can be tricky. Honestly, it often appears when things are tense. It’s not a "breakup" card, but it is a "patience" card. It might mean your partner is going through something heavy and they need you to be the steady one. It requires a lot of "ego death." You might have to be the first one to say "I'm sorry" even if you aren't the one who started the fight.
- Patience over Passion: Sometimes the spark is gone because the "lion" is exhausted. Focus on kindness.
- Boundaries: Strength is also about knowing when to say no without being a jerk about it.
- Compassion: Treating your partner's flaws with the same gentleness the woman shows the lion.
Career, Money, and the VIII Strength Tarot Card Meaning
In a professional context, you might expect this card to mean "work harder." It doesn't. In fact, it often means the opposite. If you’ve been grinding until 2 a.m. and your brain feels like mush, Strength is telling you to stop. You're trying to muscle your way through a problem that requires nuance.
I’ve seen this card come up for people who are dealing with a toxic boss or a nightmare coworker. Your instinct is to fight back or quit in a blaze of glory. Strength suggests a more tactical approach. Keep your cool. Document everything. Be so competent and composed that their chaos can't touch you. That’s real power.
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From a financial standpoint, Strength is about discipline. It’s the boring, unsexy work of not spending money you don't have. It’s the "strength" to say no to the dopamine hit of a new purchase because you’re focused on long-term stability.
Strength Reversed: When the Lion Bites
When the card is upside down, the energy is blocked or distorted. You might be feeling a total lack of confidence. You feel weak. Or, on the flip side, you’re being a bit of a bully.
A reversed Strength card often points to "low-vibration" lion energy. Think of a cornered animal. It’s reactive, snappy, and scared. If this is you right now, give yourself some grace. You’re probably burnt out. When you lose your "inner strength," you start trying to control everyone else around you just to feel safe.
It’s also a massive red flag for physical health. It doesn't mean you're sick, but it definitely means you’re ignoring your body’s signals. Are you sleeping? Are you eating actual food or just caffeine and stress? The VIII Strength tarot card meaning in reverse is a loud plea to return to the basics of self-care. You can't tame the lion if you're fainting from hunger.
Common Misconceptions About the Eighth Card
- It’s about being "tough." Nope. It’s about being resilient. Tough things break. Resilient things bend.
- It means you’ll win the fight. It actually means there shouldn't be a fight in the first place.
- It represents a person. While it can represent a Leo in your life, it usually represents an internal state of being.
Why Strength is Numbered Eight
The number eight is significant in numerology. It’s the number of cycles, karma, and cosmic balance. If you turn an 8 on its side, you get the infinity symbol—the same one on the card. This tells us that the work of "Strength" is never truly finished. You don't just "master" your emotions and move on. It’s a daily practice. Every morning you wake up, the lion is there. Every morning, you have to decide how you’re going to interact with it.
There is a certain dignity to this card. It reminds us that we are more than our impulses. We have the spark of the divine (the woman) and the heat of the earth (the lion). Integrating those two things is the whole point of being alive.
The Spiritual Weight of Inner Fortitude
In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Strength was associated with the Hebrew letter Teth, which refers to a "serpent" or a "hidden path." This connects back to the idea of Kundalini energy—the primal force coiled at the base of the spine. Strength is the process of gently guiding that energy upward.
If you’re into meditation or breathwork, this card is your best friend. It’s the silent observer. When you’re sitting on the mat and your leg starts to itch or your brain starts screaming about your to-do list, and you just stay there? That is the VIII Strength tarot card meaning in action. You are showing your mind who is actually in charge.
Practical Ways to Embody Strength Today
Tarot is useless if it stays in the cards. To actually use this energy, you have to find where the "lion" is roaring in your life.
- Practice the "Pause": Next time someone cuts you off in traffic or sends a snarky email, wait 90 seconds before reacting. The chemical surge of anger usually fades in that time.
- Forgive Yourself: Most of us are our own worst critics. Treat your own mistakes with the same gentleness you’d show a wounded animal.
- Physical Grounding: Because this card is so connected to our animal nature, get outside. Put your feet on the dirt. Remind your body that it is safe.
- Consistency over Intensity: Don't try to change your whole life in a day. Just do one small, disciplined thing. Wash the dishes. Take the walk. Keep the promise you made to yourself.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Reading
If you pull Strength as a "Daily Card," your goal is simple: Non-reactivity. Watch the world go by and don't let it ruffle your feathers. If it's a "Future" card in a spread, know that a challenge is coming, but you already have the tools to handle it. You don't need to go out and buy a sword; you just need to keep your heart open.
Real strength doesn't look like a gym highlight reel. It looks like a person who is tired, stressed, and overwhelmed, yet still chooses to be kind. It's the courage to stay vulnerable when it's easier to be cold.
Next Steps for Deepening Your Practice:
- Journaling Exercise: Write down three times this week you reacted out of fear or anger. How would the "Woman in White" have handled those situations differently?
- Visual Meditation: Spend five minutes looking at the card. Imagine yourself as the woman. Feel the warmth of the lion’s fur. Notice that the lion isn't a threat—it's an ally.
- Physical Alignment: Check your posture. Strength is often held in the solar plexus. If you’re slouching or bracing your core, you’re in "survival mode." Practice a "soft belly" breath to signal to your nervous system that the lion is tamed.