Meaning: courage, resilience, standing your ground, patience, strength, control, compassion, pushing through hard-ships, weathering through storms, weakness, self-doubt, running away from problems, lack of discipline

Strength (VIII) is about standing your ground during the storms of life — whether it be physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual storms. When the Strength card comes up in a reading, it calls for resilience and patience or sheds light on the ways we are not exhibiting these characteristics which can be a detriment to our overall well-being. If we don’t push through when things get tough, we will be thrown off balance and continue on a path of hopelessness and impotence.

“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” – Christopher Reeves

“Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.” – Abraham Lincoln 

To have strength is to accept and acknowledge current circumstances and what we are capable of and not capable of and choose to move forward with our best foot forward anyway. We may not be the best at whatever is required of us, but if we use what we do have in the best way, we are sure to come out stronger and wiser. So, keep going. Keep toughing it out. There is light at the end of the tunnel, after a rainstorm is a rainbow.

The deck’s Strength card is unique because it is a modern depiction of the Ryder Waite Strength card. It shows, which you will be able to see once the deck comes out, a modern individual with a lot on his plate facing responsibilities that at times may seem too much to handle especially with all the things vying for his/her attention.

If you are wondering how to read this card in reverse, check out my post on Light vs. Shadow here.