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Category: Major Arcana
As the 19thcard in the Major Arcana, The Sun tarot card symbolizes positivity and enlightenment, inviting seekers to explore the joyful aspects of existence. In contrast to The Moon Tarot card‘s introspection, The Sun beckons with illuminating optimism, urging individuals to embrace the radiant depths within.
The Sun: Description
The Sun card shines as a beacon of radiant positivity and vibrant energy in the world of tarot. Here we’ll focus on the widely renowned Rider-Waite Tarot version. This deck holds a prominent place in tarot card reading, as suggested in our article about the best tarot decks to have. If you don’t own it yet, you can acquire the Rider-Waite Tarot deck here.
The Sun bathes the scene in a golden glow, symbolizing the pinnacle of enlightenment and joy. The illustration portrays a serene and anthropomorphized Sun in the center of a clear sky, casting a warm embrace upon the joyous landscape below.
At the forefront of this picturesque setting stands a nude child, symbolizing innocence and the purity of spirit – he has nothing to hide! The child not only represents innocence but also holds a red flag, symbolizing the blood of renewal. And the white horse, a symbol of purity, strength, and nobility, stands by his side.
With arms outstretched, the child basks in the Sun’s rays, surrounded by sunflowers – an emblem of life’s flourishing abundance. The four sunflowers represent the four elements – water, earth, air, fire – and the four suits of the Minor Arcana.
However, numerous hidden details within The Sun card will be explored further in the dedicated paragraph on key symbols.
The Sun: Keywords
UPRIGHT: Joy – Success – Positivity – Enlightenment – Vitality – Confidence – Clarity – Abundance – Celebration – Radiance
REVERSED: Confusion – Overconfidence – Arrogance – Ego – Delusion – Burnout – Unfulfillment – Hesitation – Lack of Clarity – Inner Child Issues
The Sun: Meaning
What does The Sun tarot card signify? Here, we will unravel its meanings in both the upright and reversed positions.
Upright Meaning
In the upright position, The Sun tarot card radiates an array of positive meanings, symbolizing joy, success, abundance, and enlightenment. It invites individuals to bask in the warmth of positivity, signifying a period of clarity, confidence, and celebration where abundance and vitality abound. The Sun illuminates the path, bringing forth a sense of accomplishment and inner radiance.
The Sun emits a positive and enduring energy. This warm and captivating force guides individuals through challenging moments, leading to success. Beyond that, the Sun’s radiant qualities attract people, drawing them in with joyful energies. The beauty, joy, and warm spirit exuded by the Sun naturally captivate.
Much like the Sun in nature, this card is connected to physical vitality and rejuvenation. It often appears in moments when a person is awaiting a natural recharge, acting as a beacon for attracting success, joy, and abundance.
Radiate joy, attract success, and embrace abundance with enduring positivity.
Reversed Meaning
When The Sun card appears in a reversed position, it signifies a shift in positive energy. This orientation may suggest confusion, overconfidence, or a temporary lack of clarity.
While the desire for joy persists, it might be challenging to find brightness in confusing moments. However, this phase is transient; the clouds will soon dissipate, and the Sun will illuminate once more. Recognizing its temporariness is the crucial first step towards a brighter sky.
The reversed Sun may also indicate inner child issues or unfulfillment. The child, usually a symbol of purity and energy, takes on an imbalanced aspect in this reversed card. It urges individuals to navigate challenges with caution and introspection. In essence, the reversed card encourages rediscovering the joy of play within your inner child. Amidst the daily rush, it’s easy to forget to play and have fun.
Rediscover your inner child’s joy and let the Sun’s brightness illuminate you again.
The Sun: Love meaning
In matters of love, The Sun tarot card brings a radiant and positive influence, promising joy, warmth, and a deep connection filled with positivity.
For those in relationships, The Sun signifies not only happiness but also the clarity and confidence to navigate challenges together. It symbolizes a time of celebration, where love flourishes, and the union is bathed in the light of genuine affection.
Single individuals, too, can benefit from The Sun’s energy, as it illuminates the path to self-love and attracts potential partners with its vibrant and inviting aura. Embrace the radiant energy of The Sun in matters of the heart, paving the way for shared happiness and harmonious connections.
When The Sun card appears reversed in matters of love, it signals a temporary shadow over the radiant energy. There may be moments of confusion or a lack of clarity, leading to potential misunderstandings. It advises a careful examination of feelings and communication to navigate through temporary clouds. Despite this, the reversed Sun reminds individuals to rediscover the playful and joyful aspects of love, injecting brightness back into the relationship.
The Sun in the Marseille tarot card: fun facts and its connection with the Devil Tarot card
Every Friday, right here on Born Under Saturn we release a new article on Tarot card meanings, much like this one about The Sun tarot card. Typically, our explanations revolve around the Rider-Waite Tarot cards, which are the most widespread and widely used. However, certain cards beg a comparison with the Marseille Tarot deck, given their intriguing similarities or distinctions. This is precisely the case we delve into with the Sun tarot card.
In this discussion on the Marseille tarot card, we’ll delve into what Jodorosky reveals in his bestseller, “The Way of Tarot”. Jodorowsky, a “self-proclaimed purist”, exclusively considers the Marseille deck, a preference we highlighted in our previous article, “Alejandro Jodorowsky: A Pioneer in the Contemporary Use of Tarot“. His contributions hold immense significance in tarot history.
According to Jodorowsky, the Sun gazes into our eyes like Justice and the Angel of Judgement. Yet, he also notes the striking similarities with The Devil (XV) tarot card. This connection begins with the Sun’s subtle squint, suggesting the Devil may have kindled his torch from the primal fire of the Sun – the divine’s primary light and warmth. The Sun, initially interpreted as a symbol of life, love, and the Cosmic Father archetype, is the master of the skies, the source of warmth and light that gives life to all creatures.
Jodorowsky highlights the figure on the left, resembling the Devil card with a tail. Additionally, the figure on the right, marked with three dots like the Devil’s female figure, emphasizes the intricate connection between the two cards. The energy shrouded in darkness in the Devil card emerges into full light with the Sun card, depicting the same figures now in a relationship of mutual aid and pure human love. In the Devil card, the figures had chains around their necks; now, only two bright red collars remain of those chains.
The Sun: Key symbols in the the Rider-Waite tarot card
Here, we will explore four main key symbols of The Sun tarot card in the Rider-Waite tarot card – the Sun itself, the brick wall and the child.
The Sun itself
At the center of the card is a radiant Sun with a face, symbolizing enlightenment, positivity, and life force. It’s a brilliant Sun in the sky, representing the source of life on Earth and symbolizing solar energy. The Sun holds significance as a symbol of divinity, God, and the great universal source of divine power. Without the Sun’s light, the earth would be a dark place.
The Sun is anthropomorphized, showcasing a human face. Anthropomorphism is when human traits, emotions, or intentions are attributed to non-human entities.
This radiant symbol boasts 21 rays, representing the Major Arcana in tarot. It’s essential to remember that the Major Arcana consists of 22 cards physically. However, The Fool is numbered as zero, and the last card, The World, is numbered as 21. That’s why we say there are 21 Major Arcana in tarot.
Notably, at the top, there is a thin black wavy Sun ray signifying the occult, the hidden, and the mysteries. Even within the positivity and brightness of the Sun, there is a reminder that the dark is within us, emphasizing that all energies coexist.
Brick Wall
Until this moment in the article, we haven’t delved into the significance of the brick wall, but that doesn’t diminish its importance.
Positioned behind the child, a brick wall is a notable element in both the Rider-Waite and Marseille Tarot decks. It serves as a symbol representing the sturdy foundation of reality and delineates the limits of conscious awareness.
The inclusion of the brick wall adds depth to The Sun card. It reinforces the idea that while the card symbolizes positivity and enlightenment, there are still tangible boundaries and structures that ground us in the realms of reality and awareness.
The juxtaposition of the child against this wall hints at the coexistence of boundless optimism with the structured realities we face in our journey toward enlightenment.
The Naked Child and the Red Flag
The child, along with the red flag, is another crucial key symbol in the card. We discussed it in the description, emphasizing its purity and innocence.
The Sun: Does it mean Yes or No in a tarot reading?
While some interpretations may suggest that the Sun tarot card – signifying joy, success, and abundance – implies a clear and enthusiastic “YES” in yes or no tarot readings, the reality is more complex.
As explored in detail in our article titled “Is Yes and No Tarot Reading Accurate? Unveiling the Truth“, tarot readings inherently defy simplistic answers. For a comprehensive exploration of this intriguing subject, delve into the complete article.
