LexTalk

Have you ever been so frustrated with someone that you could practically feel the steam coming out of your ears?

You know the feeling.

Your heart starts racing.

Your brain suddenly becomes an attorney preparing its closing argument.

You’ve already thought of approximately 37 different things you’d like to say, complete with supporting evidence, screenshots, dates, timestamps, and possibly witnesses.

And then there’s that one glorious comeback.

The PERFECT one.

The one you’ll probably think of three hours later while you’re in the shower.

We’ve all been there.

But today’s tarot card has me thinking about what happens in the moment between feeling something and reacting to it.

Because when I look at the traditional Strength card, I don’t see someone wrestling a lion to the ground.

I don’t see weapons.

I don’t see someone screaming or trying to prove they’re powerful.

I see a woman calmly interacting with one of the strongest animals on the planet.

And that makes me wonder:

What if one of the greatest forms of strength is simply choosing how we respond?

Welcome back to LexTalk Tarot: One Card at a Time, where I’m slowly making my way through all 78 tarot cards, learning their meanings, studying the symbolism hidden inside the artwork, and hopefully making tarot a little easier to understand for anyone learning alongside me.

Today’s card is Strength — VIII.

And I think this one might challenge the way we normally think about being “strong.”

Meet Strength

Strength is Card VIII — or 8 — in the Rider-Waite-Smith Major Arcana.

It’s traditionally associated with Leo, which honestly feels pretty appropriate considering there’s a giant lion taking center stage.

Common themes associated with Strength include:

Courage • Compassion • Patience • Resilience • Confidence • Self-control • Inner strength

But notice what’s not on that list.

Aggression.

Dominance.

Winning.

Being louder than everyone else.

Strength is a powerful card, but its power feels surprisingly gentle.

And that’s exactly what makes the artwork so interesting.

Why Is There a Lion on the Strength Card?

Let’s start with the most obvious part.

The lion.

In the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith artwork, a woman calmly interacts with a lion.

The lion can symbolize our instincts, desires, passions, fears, anger, and other powerful emotions.

Basically, all the parts of ourselves that occasionally want to go:

RAWWWRRRR.

And here’s what I find fascinating.

The card doesn’t suggest that these emotions are bad.

The woman isn’t trying to destroy the lion.

She isn’t pretending it doesn’t exist.

Instead, she interacts with it calmly.

And I think that’s an incredibly useful way of thinking about emotions.

Being strong doesn’t mean:

I never get angry.

I never get overwhelmed.

Nothing bothers me.

I’m completely fine all the time.

That’s not strength.

That’s probably a human being desperately trying to convince everyone they’re fine.

Strength reminds us that we can acknowledge powerful emotions without automatically allowing those emotions to decide what we do next.

The Woman & the Lion

The woman isn’t wearing armor.

She doesn’t have a sword.

She’s not physically overpowering the lion.

Instead, she appears calm and confident.

That interaction is really the heart of this card.

Gentleness can be powerful.

Patience can be powerful.

Compassion can be powerful.

But I want to make an important distinction here.

Being compassionate does not mean allowing people to mistreat you.

Being patient doesn’t mean tolerating the same disrespect forever.

And being gentle certainly doesn’t mean you can’t establish boundaries.

Sometimes the strongest thing you can say is:

No.

Sometimes it’s:

That’s not okay with me.

And sometimes it’s simply:

I’m not participating in this anymore.

You don’t necessarily need to roar to make your boundaries clear.

The Infinity Symbol

Look above the woman’s head and you’ll notice something we’ve already seen recently.

The infinity symbol.

Remember The Magician?

He has one too.

In Strength, the infinity symbol is often connected with enduring energy, spiritual awareness, and the continuing nature of inner strength.

And I like seeing this symbol appear again because it gives us another little connection between tarot cards.

We’re starting to recognize things!

Look at us.

A few cards ago we were trying to remember why there was a fish in a cup.

Now we’re noticing recurring symbols.

That’s exactly why I wanted to learn tarot this way.

One card at a time.

The Flowers

The woman wears a garland of flowers, and flowers also connect her to the lion.

They add another layer of gentleness to an image featuring an incredibly powerful animal.

The flowers can symbolize harmony, beauty, compassion, and bringing opposing energies into balance.

Again, nothing about this image feels forceful.

And yet the card is literally called:

STRENGTH.

I think that’s the point.

The White Clothing

The woman’s white clothing is commonly associated with purity, sincerity, and clarity of intention.

Her strength isn’t being used to dominate.

She’s not trying to prove anything.

She appears secure in her ability to handle what’s in front of her.

And maybe that’s another form of confidence worth remembering:

You don’t always have to prove you’re strong for your strength to be real.

The Mountain

There’s also a mountain visible in the distance.

We’ve seen mountains appear in other tarot cards too.

Mountains can symbolize challenges, obstacles, growth, and the journey involved in overcoming difficult experiences.

Inner strength isn’t something most of us magically wake up with one morning.

It’s something life teaches us.

Usually through situations we absolutely did not request.

Thanks, life.

Very thoughtful.

Strength Upright Meaning

When Strength appears upright, common interpretations include:

Courage • Patience • Compassion • Confidence • Resilience • Emotional balance • Self-control

And I think one of the easiest ways to remember the upright meaning is:

You can feel the emotion without becoming the emotion.

You can be angry without saying something you’ll regret.

You can be scared and still move forward.

You can feel overwhelmed and ask for help.

You can disagree with someone without turning the disagreement into a war.

And you can establish a boundary without becoming cruel.

That’s not always easy.

Actually, sometimes it’s incredibly difficult.

Imagine someone says something that immediately pushes every single one of your buttons.

Your first instinct might be:

Oh, we’re doing THIS today?!

Strength asks us to notice that first reaction…

and then decide whether acting on it is actually going to help.

Sometimes the strongest response is speaking up.

Sometimes it’s walking away.

Sometimes it’s waiting until you’re calmer before responding.

And sometimes?

It’s deleting the paragraph you typed.

Yes.

Even the really good paragraph.

Strength Reversed Meaning

Here’s our LexTalk Tarot reminder:

A reversed tarot card doesn’t automatically mean something bad is about to happen.

Strength reversed can invite us to explore themes like:

Self-doubt • Insecurity • Emotional overwhelm • Frustration • Burnout • Low confidence • Difficulty managing impulses

Maybe your inner lion is feeling particularly loud.

Maybe you’ve been trying to keep everything together for so long that you’re exhausted.

Maybe you’re questioning whether you’re capable of handling something.

Or maybe you’re trying so hard to control a situation that you’re actually making yourself more anxious.

Strength reversed can ask:

Where am I struggling to trust myself?

But there’s another interpretation here that I think is especially important.

Sometimes we’ve been taught that being strong means handling everything ourselves.

Don’t complain.

Don’t cry.

Don’t ask for help.

Just keep going.

And going.

And going.

Until eventually we’re running on caffeine, frustration, and approximately three remaining brain cells.

Strength reversed can remind us:

Needing support doesn’t make you weak.

Resting doesn’t make you weak.

Asking for help doesn’t make you weak.

Admitting that something is difficult doesn’t erase everything you’ve already survived.

Strength in Love & Relationships

In love and relationship readings, Strength can connect with patience, trust, compassion, emotional security, understanding, and healthy confidence.

And honestly?

Relationships probably give us plenty of opportunities to practice this card.

Two people aren’t going to agree about everything.

Someone is eventually going to leave something somewhere it absolutely does not belong.

Someone is going to misunderstand something.

Someone will have a bad day.

Healthy relationships require patience.

But again:

Patience is not the same thing as tolerating disrespect.

Strength can also represent the courage required to have difficult conversations.

To communicate a boundary.

To apologize.

To forgive when forgiveness is appropriate.

To listen instead of immediately preparing your defense.

And sometimes to recognize:

This isn’t healthy for me anymore.

Reversed Strength might invite us to look at insecurity, jealousy, emotional exhaustion, power struggles, or unequal emotional support.

A helpful reflection might be:

Am I showing compassion in this relationship while still respecting my own needs?

Because you deserve to be included in your own compassion too.

Strength in Career & Money

In career readings, Strength can represent confidence, perseverance, leadership, professionalism, patience, and resilience.

Maybe you’re dealing with a difficult coworker.

A stressful project.

A demanding client.

A job search.

A new responsibility.

Or you’re trying to build something of your own while wondering why progress seems approximately 900 times slower than you’d like.

Strength reminds us that not every obstacle needs to be conquered immediately.

Some things require consistency.

Some require patience.

Some require learning.

And some require knowing when you’ve reached your limit.

Reversed Strength can point toward burnout, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, frustration, or feeling overwhelmed.

When it comes to money, I don’t see Strength as a card promising sudden financial success.

Instead, its themes can connect with discipline, patience, confidence, and making thoughtful decisions rather than emotional ones.

Which is probably good advice regardless of what card you pull.

What If Being Gentle Is Your Superpower?

This is the part of Strength I keep coming back to.

Because we often associate strength with toughness.

The person who never cries.

The person who handles everything.

The person who doesn’t care what anyone thinks.

The person who always has the perfect comeback.

The person who “wins” the argument.

But I’m not convinced those things always equal strength.

Sometimes strength looks like saying:

I’m hurt.

Sometimes it’s apologizing.

Sometimes it’s refusing to participate in unnecessary drama.

Sometimes it’s protecting someone.

Sometimes it’s protecting yourself.

Sometimes it’s remaining kind when someone else isn’t.

And sometimes?

Strength absolutely looks like standing your ground.

Being gentle doesn’t mean becoming a doormat.

The woman in this card isn’t afraid of the lion.

She’s calm in the presence of its power.

That’s very different.

Strength isn’t the absence of power.

It’s having power and choosing how to use it.

And I think that’s what makes this card so beautiful.

Today’s LexTalk Tarot Reflection

Today’s main question is:

Where in my life could I respond with more patience and compassion without compromising my boundaries?

And here’s another one I really love:

When was the last time I demonstrated strength in a way nobody else noticed?

Think about that.

Maybe you didn’t send the text.

Maybe you walked away.

Maybe you finally spoke up.

Maybe you had the difficult conversation.

Maybe you got through a day that felt impossible.

Maybe you asked for help.

Maybe you said no.

Maybe you kept going.

Not every victory gets applause.

Some of our strongest moments happen quietly.

Write one down.

Give yourself credit for it.

The Tarot Deck I’m Learning With

If you’ve been following LexTalk Tarot: One Card at a Time, you’ve probably noticed that I’m now working with a Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck throughout the series.

I specifically wanted the physical cards I’m studying because I’m realizing how much easier tarot becomes when I can actually look at the artwork while learning the symbolism.

Strength is the PERFECT example.

The lion.

The infinity symbol.

The flowers.

The woman’s clothing.

The mountain.

Suddenly, instead of trying to memorize a giant list of keywords, I can remember the story happening inside the card.

If you’d like to study with the same deck I’m using, you can [check out my tarot deck here — paid link].

You absolutely don’t need my exact deck to learn alongside me, but I love being able to show you the actual cards I’m referencing throughout the series.

I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you.

Learning Tarot Through Journaling

I’m also continuing to write things down as we make our way through these cards.

Because we’re only a handful of cards into a 78-card deck and I’m already realizing:

There is A LOT happening in these pictures.

Journaling gives me somewhere to keep the meanings, symbols, little memory tricks, and personal reflection questions that stand out to me.

If you’re learning tarot alongside me, any notebook will work beautifully.

But if you’d like something dedicated specifically to your tarot studies, you can [check out the tarot journal I found here — paid link].

I think it’ll be especially fun months from now to flip back to these early cards and see how much more naturally the meanings start coming to us.

I may earn a small commission if you purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you.

Seven Cards Into LexTalk Tarot

We’re officially seven cards into this little adventure!

And naturally, I have to look at the lessons we’ve collected so far.

The High Priestess

Trust yourself.

Listen to your intuition.

Ace of Pentacles

Plant the seed.

Something meaningful can begin incredibly small.

Page of Cups

Stay curious.

That weird little idea might actually be worth exploring.

The Fool

Begin.

You don’t have to know exactly where the journey will lead before taking the first step.

Eight of Pentacles

Practice.

Skills develop through repetition, patience, and learning.

The Magician

Use what you have.

You may already possess more tools and abilities than you realize.

Strength

Choose how you use your power.

Courage doesn’t always roar.

And put together?

Trust yourself. Plant something. Stay curious. Begin. Practice. Use what you have. And learn when to roar — and when you don’t need to.

Okay.

I’m REALLY loving where this series is going.

Learning Strength One Symbol at a Time

If you’re learning tarot alongside me, I don’t want you to leave this post thinking:

Great. Another 37 things I’m supposed to memorize.

Nope.

Today, remember one thing:

Remember the lion.

The lion is powerful.

The woman isn’t trying to destroy it.

She isn’t running from it.

And she isn’t pretending it isn’t there.

She’s interacting with that power calmly.

So when you see Strength, think:

Courage.

Compassion.

Patience.

Self-control.

Inner strength.

And if Strength appears reversed, think:

Where am I feeling depleted, doubtful, overwhelmed, or disconnected from my own strength?

That’s enough.

One card.

One story.

One more piece of the tarot puzzle.

Because by the time we eventually reach card number 78, I don’t want us to have memorized a textbook.

I want us to look at these cards and recognize their stories.

And today’s story might be one of my favorites so far.

You don’t have to become louder to become stronger.

You don’t have to stop feeling emotions to control how you respond to them.

And you certainly don’t have to prove your strength by carrying everything alone.

Sometimes strength roars.

Sometimes it sets a boundary.

Sometimes it asks for help.

And sometimes?

It quietly deletes the paragraph.

One card. One lesson. One little bit of magic at a time.

— Lex

Tarot interpretations are subjective and are shared here for personal reflection, education, and entertainment. Tarot should not replace professional medical, legal, mental health, or financial advice.