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TL;DR: A. E. Waite in The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911) gives the divinatory meaning of the Strength card as Power, energy, action, courage, magnanimity; also complete success and honours, and the reversed meaning as Despotism, abuse of power, weakness, discord, sometimes even disgrace. In modern Tarot reading, this card is understood as inner courage, patience, compassion when upright and self-doubt, weakness when reversed. Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: try a slower pace before decisions and conflicts during the day, and do not view the card as a prediction of the future.
What does the Tarot card Strength - Sức Mạnh mean?
In the Major Arcana, the Strength (Sức Mạnh) card is often misunderstood as a symbol of physical dominance. In fact, both the divinatory meaning A. E. Waite set out in his 1911 book and the reading common today revolve around inner strength rather than muscle. Below, four layers are separated out: Waite's original text, the modern reading, the Nhật Nguyệt understanding, and suggestions for application.
The original text: what did A. E. Waite write about the Strength card in 1911?
A. E. Waite describes the card in The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1911) as follows: a woman, above whose head is the same symbol of life already seen on the Hierophant card, is closing a lion's jaws. The difference from the usual presentations is that the woman's compassionate patience has tamed the lion, and the animal is being led by a chain of flowers. Waite also notes that for his own reasons he swapped this card with the Justice card, which usually carries the number VIII, and that this change carries no particular meaning for the reader, so no further explanation is needed. He links Fortitude with the divine mystery of union, with innocentia inviolata, and with strength that lies in meditation, while noting that these higher meanings are a matter of inference.
The divinatory meanings Waite lists for the Strength card: Power, energy, action, courage, magnanimity; also complete success and honours. Reversed: Despotism, abuse of power, weakness, discord, sometimes even disgrace. In other words, Waite records both the strong side and the reverse side, including meanings that seem contradictory, such as "power, energy, action, courage, magnanimity, complete success and honours" on the one hand and "despotism, abuse of power, weakness, discord, sometimes even disgrace" on the other.
The modern reading: according to how Tarot is read today, what does Strength mean?
According to how Tarot is read today, the Strength card upright is understood as inner courage, patience and compassion. Reversed, this card is usually understood as self-doubt and weakness. The accompanying set of keywords is courage, patience, compassion. This is also the meaning the site's card-drawing tool uses; this meaning is not the divinatory meaning A. E. Waite set out in his 1911 book.
Two layers of sources need to be distinguished: the Rider-Waite-Smith deck printed in 1909, with art by Pamela Colman Smith; the divinatory meanings Waite set out in the 1911 book are the WAITE 1911 block, which is often different from the modern meanings. The fact that the deck illustrated all 78 cards with scenes was the innovation of this deck, making it easier for readers to grasp the iconography.
Why do Strength (VIII) and Justice (XI) differ in numerical order?
Waite notes in the 1911 book that for his own reasons he swapped the Strength card with the Justice card, which usually carries the number VIII, and that this change carries no particular meaning for the reader, so no further explanation is needed. In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, Strength carries the number VIII and Justice carries the number XI. In some other Tarot traditions, this order is reversed. The difference lies in the convention of each line of cards and does not change the core meaning of the Strength card.
According to the Nhật Nguyệt understanding, what does the Strength card say?
According to the Nhật Nguyệt understanding, Strength is the card of strength that does not need to strain. The image of the woman closing the lion's jaws and leading it by a chain of flowers suggests that true strength lies in calm, in the ability to stay with one's own wild instinctive part without being swept away by it. This card promises no specific outcome; it only describes a quality that can be cultivated.
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion for today
Nhật Nguyệt's suggestion: at work, if you are facing conflict or pressure, try a slower beat instead of reacting instantly; sometimes holding back for one beat opens up a better way of handling things. In love, pay attention to listening to your own discomfort before speaking to the other person, and avoid using pressure to get what you want. With finances, consider carefully before impulsive decisions, and do not treat the card as a forecast of profit or loss. With health, this is an occasion to pay attention to the small habits repeated each day, and if there is a prolonged problem, it is better to ask someone with expertise rather than rely on a card spread.
Quick reference table: Strength upright and reversed
| Aspect | Content |
|---|---|
| Deck | Major Arcana |
| Numerical order | 8 |
| Main keywords | courage, patience, compassion |
| Meaning upright | Inner courage, patience, compassion. |
| Meaning reversed | Self-doubt, weakness. |
Overview article on the topic: Tarot Basics: The 78 Cards and the Meanings of the Major/Minor Arcana
