The Leo Tarot Card: Roar Like a Lion with Strength (VIII)

Main image courtesy of 366.

Is your sun sign Leo? Or perhaps your rising sign, moon sign, or other significant planet falls under Leo in the zodiac. Leos are born between July 23-August 22, and are known for their outgoing, confident, and generous nature. This is the high time of the summer months in the Northern Hemisphere, when nature is in full bloom and the sun is at its strongest. It’s also the time where lots of folks want to spend time outdoors, soaking up the sun and enjoying the beautiful bounty of growth that’s all around them.

Leo is a fire sign, and it’s ruled by the sun, which is one of the major reasons the positive characteristics of Leos is that they are very energetic and full of life, bringing a smiling attitude and charisma wherever they go. The Leo tarot card is Strength, which is the 8th card in the Major Arcana. Want to know more about how it relates to Leo? Keep reading because we’ll be getting into:

• The characteristics of Leos 
• The symbolism behind the Leo tarot card Strength
• Other tarot cards that channel Leo energy

What are Leo signs like?

These fixed fire signs are outgoing and loving 

The Leo sign in the Zodiac is represented by the lion, who is typically characterized as brave and courageous. Lions have a regal sense about them, which is why Leos tend to be so charismatic and make natural-born leaders. Folks want to be around them, and they’re drawn to their fun, easy going energy. Leos are generally very loyal and faithful friends, which is why they’re the person who seems to have all kinds of different friend groups. They like to surround themselves with people with diverse perspectives and different walks of life, and they get along with everyone just fine (for the most part).

Although at times they can appear arrogant or even a little dramatic, Leos appreciate the honesty of their friends and family who will let them know when they’re getting a little too egotistical. The sun is Leo’s ruling planet, which is why Leos generally have a sunny disposition, and can help others see the brighter sides of difficult situations. 

The tarot card that relates to Leo is the Strength card, the 8th card in the Major Arcana. Beyond having a lion on this card, Leo relates to Strength because they are working towards balancing more aggressive qualities with compassionate, quiet strength. 

The symbolism of the Leo tarot card

There is a lot of meaning behind the Strength card

The Strength card in the Major Arcana has a lot to tell us if we’re willing to listen. Image courtesy of Nirvana Threads. 

The Strength card is associated with Leo season, and it features a woman figure with a lion. Lions are traditionally associated with strength, and in nature are known as the king of the jungle. The colors of the card also allude to the sun, making it the obvious choice for a fire sign that’s ruled by solar energy. There are a lot of symbols present on this card that relate to the Leo sign, including:

• The lion. Strength is the only card in the major arcana that depicts a lion, which is one of the major reasons this is the Leo tarot card. The lion in this instance represents raw passion, emotions, and desires that all humans have. However we don’t need to be ruled by these feelings, and although they are a part of us, we can express them in positive ways. The jaws of the lion are also open, indicating the ferocity by which some of us experience our passions and emotions.

• The woman in white. The woman standing beside the lion is not afraid, and she is even depicted closing his mouth, petting, and soothing him. She represents the more aligned ways we can express our initial gut instincts (or animal instincts) such as anger, sadness, and guilt. By approaching these feelings with compassion and understanding, you don’t seek to dominate them by controlling them or bottling them up—but instead learn from them and express them more constructively.

She seeks to show us that having these feelings is human, but how we accept them, and respond to them is how we can achieve better balance and alignment. She wears white to signify her purity of spirit, and how we all benefit from learning to conduit our passions and instincts better. Her flower sash and crown are representative of royalty, and that she does not wish to leash and control the lion, but instead meet him with trust and openness.

• The lemniscate. The infinity symbol over the woman’s head indicates our infinite potential to align with our better and higher selves. It may take a lifetime to learn how to express and use our passions and emotions in a positive way (even negative feelings), and we can always continue to try and be better.

• Colors. The yellow hue of the sky is one of the warm toned colors associated with Leo and fire signs. 

• Mountains. There are all kinds of new paths we can venture on throughout our life, and learn how to operate in better balance to find enlightenment. It’s always good to have goals and aspirations, and the mountains represent all the different paths we can take to reach them. 

How Leo fits with the Strength card

The Strength tarot card represents a lot of what we consider Leo energy—looking for the positive, being loyal, and having a generous nature.

• Understanding of balance. The lemniscate says it all about Leos and the Strength card—they’re always working to balance their fire-like passions with calming, comforting guidance. They realize that we as humans are all multi-faceted, and having strong desires and feelings doesn’t make you bad, and the real work is learning how to channel those fierce feelings. 

• Generosity and sharing. Leos are gregarious by nature, and they want others to learn how to better recognize how to respond to life’s challenging situations that are more aligned with their higher sense of self. The woman in white in the tarot card is trying to do just that with her gentle love of the lion. 

• Using their strengths to help others. Leos are known for their strength of character and conviction, and can call on this inner strength to help achieve their own goals as well as assist others. Not everyone has the same drive or confidence that Leos might have, and they can help others see it in themselves.

What other tarot cards align with Leo energy?

Besides Strength, there are other tarot cards that have Leo characteristics

Although the tarot card most aligned with the Leo sign of the zodiac is Strength, you can also call on the advice of a few other cards in the deck that give off Leo vibes.

The King of Wands

As the ultimate peak of the suit of wands (which corresponds to fire) the King of Wands makes a great companion to the Strength card if you’re looking to delve deeper into cards associated with Leo. This king is robed in red, and on his throne has on it the traditional symbol for fire, the salamander. He is also looking out into the horizon, trying to find his next challenge or adventure. His kingly status is fitting of the lion of Leo, and he represents ideal forms of leadership, ambition, and a confident approach to life. 

Knight of Wands

The impulsive energy of the Knight of Wands aligns with Leo traits. Image courtesy of The Daily Tarot Draw.

Another member of the fire-oriented wands suit is the Knight of Wands, who seems to be ready to adventure anywhere and everywhere. This knight is passionate and often acts before they think, which is very true for a lot of Leos. They’re enthusiastic and often only see the good side of a situation, which can cause issues if they’re not properly prepared for all potential outcomes. The knight is ready to get up and go see first hand all life has to offer.

The Sun

The Sun card is another card in the Major Arcana that relates to the Leo sign. After all, Leos are ruled by the sun, and this joyful card shows their sunny nature and tendency to look for the positive in situations. The sunflowers and happy child make you want to smile just looking at them, which is how a lot of people feel about Leos they know in their life.

How will you gain more insight into the Leo tarot card?

If you’re a Leo, you should definitely try working with the Strength card to see what insights you can glean. Working with each card individually gives you the opportunity to really explore the images and messages, and see how you can take some of those characteristics and incorporate them into your own life. How will you work with the Leo card?

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