Strength is a card with a deceptive name in a way, since it deals just as directly with weakness and serves to show us the difference between the two. When the Strength card arrives in a reading it represents the importance of prizing one display of strength over another - namely the power of diplomacy and tact over the power of brute force. It forces us to observe how we're dealing with a difficult situation and serves to help us understand how to change our coping mechanisms in order to resolve it quickly. It can signify the point of view of the aggressor in the scenario, struggling to fight their inner desire to deal with things using violence, screaming matches or manipulation. It can also represent a victim or someone who's using their strength in a negative way. The third possibility is that it shows the position of the mediator - the person in the middle of the situation who's using their skill at calmly defusing tensions to help everyone gain clarity and insight.The warning this card offers is that rising to the bait of provocation or bowing down to intimidation is likely to leave the querent in a bad way. Obviously, balance and calm is necessary, but so is assertiveness and knowing one's own mind to the extent that there's no danger of becoming someone's scapegoat. Strength represents the chance to deal with things in a more productive way than perhaps the querent has been able to in the past. Animalistic passions have their place but at times they need to be secondary to the more important position of smooth mastery over troubled circumstances.
Do you believe you're a strong person? Are you honest with yourself about your weaknesses? Can you deal with illness, failures and challenges from others in a way that nurtures the self and doesn't cause you too much aggravation? Do you use your strength to instigate a positive outcome or do you often find yourself using it in ways that upset people around you? Who are some people in your life that you consider to be strong? What can you learn from them? These are all questions the card invites alongside a general sense of encouragement for you to enjoy. Dealing with the difficult times is possible in a way that makes you feel better, not worse. The card is praising your inner capacity for balanced consideration and dealing with other people in an effective way.
