The Strength card meaning: should I speak up or keep quiet?

AmyTay

The Strength card, The Lovers, and the Ten of Cups all came up in my reading, and now I'm really into Gemini. So, here's my question: Is the lion's jaws closed or open by the woman in the Strength card?

What does this mean? Should I be quiet and not say much, or should I speak up more? I'm not sure. It's starting to occur to me that maybe I should be more subdued and not try to force things. Less is more, after all. However, I am quite curious to know how other people see this card. Is everyone in agreement here?

LukeAdams01

AmyTay
Hey there! Interesting spread you've got, especially with The Lovers and Strength popping up together! And I totally see where you're coming from with the Gemini connection.

When it comes to Strength, I like to think of the woman and the lion as a balance of control and gentleness. The lion represents raw power, emotions, or even impulses, and the woman’s calm touch is about finding that inner strength to guide those wild forces without being forceful. The fact that she's gently managing the lion shows it's not about shutting the lion up or letting it roar; it’s more about finding balance.

That being said, I wouldn't say it's about speaking up or not speaking up; it's about knowing when and how to talk from a calm and confident place. Maybe it's not about being quiet or shouting; maybe it's about finding a middle ground where you can say what you want to say with power and grace.

I’d say trust yourself. If less is more, then lead with patience, but don't be afraid to assert yourself when it's needed. Just do it with that same energy of calm the woman has when handling the lion. You’ve got this!

AmyTay

WillyD

Hello there!
When you include the Strength card with The Lovers and the Ten of Cups, you can feel the profound significance of the messages being conveyed. Discovering equilibrium is at the heart of the story involving the woman and the lion. Does she have the lion's mouth slightly agape or closed? In the end, it's up to you to decide what seems right.
The intuitive message to be careful with your words can be to hold back a bit and allow things to flow naturally if you're getting the impression that less is more. Contrarily, it may be a gentle prod to be yourself, but to do it with grace and compassion, like taming a wild animal.
Act in accordance with your gut instinct. Whether you're speaking up or keeping quiet, strive for a balance; strength is all about patience and delicate control. How does your intuition lead you?🏵

Joanna13

It's cool that you pulled The Lovers card when thinking about a Gemini since that's their tarot card! 😊💝

The Strength card, for me, is all about balance. The Lion’s roar shows assertiveness, while the Lady’s gentle touch reminds us that strength doesn’t always have to be loud. It’s about finding that middle ground between being too aggressive and too passive. Verses like modesty and confidence can also be represented by this card. Strength is associated with Leo, which brings an additional level of balanced power.

HarperHere

I think the replies that focus on the inner state of mind are spot on.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned the lemniscate (the infinity symbol). Waite saw it as a representation of the Holy Spirit, which brings a Christianized element to this card.
Strength, or Fortitude, involves overcoming a challenge—whether physical or metaphysical—through perseverance. Waite’s definition includes qualities like power, energy, and courage, all linked to this classical virtue. These traits help us face any threat.
The Roman Catholic Church embraced the four classical virtues (Strength, Justice, Prudence, Temperance) and added three theological virtues (Faith, Hope, Charity), making seven virtues around 500 A.D. Early tarot decks reflected these, and some, like the Florentine Minchiate, included all seven.
Fortitude, a gift of the Holy Spirit, is often linked with Christian martyrs—those who faced lions in the Roman Colosseum. The story of Androcles and the Lion fits here: Androcles saved a lion, and later, the lion spared him in the arena. They walked together, joined by a bond similar to the garland of flowers connecting the woman and lion in the Strength card.
Whether the lion’s mouth is open or closed doesn’t matter—it’s clear that there’s love and trust between them, just like with Androcles’ lion.
Waite’s mystical Christianity had a big influence on how he crafted the Major Arcana, and this card is no exception.

Lex

I don’t think it’s either, honestly. To me, it looks like she’s got one hand resting on the lion’s head and the other scratching its chin. It feels like a comforting gesture, which makes sense because Strength is often about calming the part of yourself that wants to lash out when you're hurt (kind of like the story of the lion with the thorn in its paw).

I can’t say how this fits with the rest of your reading since I don’t know the question you asked or the spread you're using, but that’s how I’d interpret the image on its own.

AmyTay

Thanks for your thoughts!

Lex That actually makes a lot of sense. I’m still pretty new to reading tarot, and when I first looked at the card, my immediate reaction was that she was either trying to close or open the lion’s mouth. So yeah, I’m guessing that wasn’t the best interpretation!