The Sun

The Sun

Basic Meaning of The Sun (Rider-Waite)

The Sun is the nineteenth card in the Tarot’s Major Arcana and symbolizes joy, success and vitality. The card’s image shows a shining sun above a landscape with a smiling child on a horse. It represents that when we are in touch with our inner strength and joy, we can overcome obstacles and achieve great success and happiness.

Upright Meaning

When The Sun appears upright in a Tarot reading it means that there is a time of joy, success and positive energy in your life. The card urges you to embrace this energy and use it to create positive changes and opportunities. It is a time to celebrate your accomplishments, to share your joy with others and to feel secure and content in your life.

Reversed Meaning

If The Sun is reversed in a reading it can indicate that you are having difficulty feeling joy and positivity, or that you have lost touch with your inner strength and vitality. It may also mean that you are ignoring the positive aspects of your life and focusing too much on the negative. The card urges you to regain your joy of life, to focus on the positive and to be grateful for what you have in your life.

Example Interpretation

If The Sun appears in a reading alongside the Nine of Pentacles and King of Wands it can be interpreted as focusing on joy, success and positive energy (The Sun) will lead you to a sense of independence, prosperity and personal satisfaction (Nine of Pentacles). This success will be further enhanced by expressing your leadership, creativity and courage (King of Wands), which will help you create a strong and inspiring presence in your life and relationships.

Psychological Interpretation

Archetypal Meanings

The Sun is a powerful and positive archetype that represents vitality, joy, and success. It is associated with the masculine principle and often symbolizes the father figure or authority. The Sun is also linked to the Greek god Apollo, who represents creativity, music, and intellectual pursuits. As an archetype, The Sun embodies the concept of life-giving energy, growth, and enlightenment.

Behavioral Patterns

When The Sun appears in a tarot reading, it can indicate a period of happiness and fulfillment. The person may experience a surge of energy, enthusiasm, and confidence. They may be outgoing, extroverted, and enjoy being in the spotlight. The Sun can also represent success and recognition in both personal and professional endeavors. However, The Sun can also represent the shadow side of these qualities, such as arrogance, overconfidence, and selfishness. In some cases, The Sun can also indicate a struggle to maintain happiness and optimism, which may result in feelings of guilt or shame.

Integration and Shadow Work

Psychologically, The Sun encourages us to embrace our inner light and radiate it outwards. It reminds us to tap into our true potential and use our creativity and talents to bring joy and fulfillment into our lives. To work with The Sun’s energies, one can focus on self-care, self-expression, and pursuing passions and hobbies. The Sun also encourages us to let go of any negative beliefs or behaviors that may be blocking our happiness and success. Shadow work with The Sun involves acknowledging and addressing any tendencies towards arrogance or selfishness and finding healthy ways to express confidence and assertiveness.


More Tarot Cards In "Major Arcana"

Strength

Strength is a tarot card that symbolizes self-control, strength and courage. It also represents the ability to overcome obstacles and to handle adversity. It is a sign that the person has the necessary strength and power to achieve their goals.

Strength

Temperance

The Tarot card Temperance symbolizes balance and harmony. It depicts an angel holding two vessels, one vessel of water and one vessel of wine, and mixing the two to create a perfect balance between the two. The card also symbolizes that one must find a good balance between different aspects of their life in order to achieve happiness and satisfaction.

Temperance

The Chariot

The Chariot tarot card symbolizes a journey or a quest that is facing a person. It stands for power, victory and success that can be achieved by balancing opposing forces and finding a way to unite them to create unity. It also represents the will to take control of one's own life and to realize one's dreams.

The Chariot

The Devil

The Devil tarot card symbolizes feelings of being trapped in a destructive pattern or situation. The card also symbolizes a call to take responsibility for one's actions and overcome limiting behaviors. It can also indicate that one should avoid allowing oneself to get caught in traps created by others.

The Devil

The Emperor

The Emperor is a tarot card that symbolizes authority and leadership. It stands for control, structure, and regulation. It also represents a fatherly figure who has the necessary experience and knowledge to lead others. It can also mean that one should be responsible, enterprising, and have a will to take control of their actions.

The Emperor

The Empress

The Tarot card The Empress symbolizes creation, possibilities, and refinement. It also represents female strength and courage, parenting and creativity. It stands for an abundance of energy, kindness and goodwill. It also strengthens the ability to create new situations and to fulfill dreams.

The Empress

The Fool

The Fool is a tarot card that symbolizes a new beginning, an adventure and unknown potential. It also represents a person who is willing to take risks and trust their intuition. It is a card that advocates for change, growth and new opportunities.

The Fool

The Hanged Man

The Hanged Man tarot card symbolizes a moment of stillness and surrender. It depicts a person hanging upside down from a tree branch, indicating that one must let go of control and allow things to happen. It can also mean that one must take a step back and look at the situation from a different perspective.

The Hanged Man

The Hermit

The Hermit tarot card symbolizes a person seeking self-reflection, after going within and searching for the answers that lie within. It stands for solitude and inner journey, and represents a person who is about to step out of their comfort zone and bravely take a step into unknown territory.

The Hermit

The Hierophant

The Hierophant tarot card symbolizes traditional teaching and religious instruction. It also represents a mentor who helps guide us to a better life. It can also represent a role model that we can look up to and learn from. The card stands for the transfer of knowledge, guidance, power, and authority.

The Hierophant

The High Priestess

The High Priestess tarot card symbolizes intuition, mystery and spirituality. It also represents the ability to seek out deeper meaning and knowledge. It symbolizes knowledge, secrets and the possibility of finding answers within oneself. It is a sign to trust one's intuition and follow it to find the right path.

The High Priestess

The Lovers

The Tarot card The Lovers symbolizes love, determination, and choice. It represents a powerful moment of infatuation and emotional closeness between two people who are facing an important decision. It reminds us that we all have the power to choose our own happiness.

The Lovers

The Magician

The Magician tarot card symbolizes the ability to transform and create something new. It stands for creativity, intuition and power. It also represents a person who has the ability to handle different elements to create something new. The card stands for the rebirth of ideas, solutions and changes.

The Magician

The Moon

The Moon tarot card symbolizes mystery, intuition, and dreams. It depicts a moon illuminating a forest-like landscape, with two dogs standing along the path and a turtle shell floating in the water. It represents uncertainty and that we may not always be able to see the whole picture. It can also warn of dangers that may be lurking in the darkness. It can mean it is time to listen to your intuition and follow your dreams.

The Moon

The Star

The Tarot card The Star symbolizes hope, optimism and renewal. It represents comfort and support after a difficult period, and encourages us to follow our dreams and never give up. It is a sign that we are protected on our journey and that we can trust that the way forward is bright.

The Star

The Tower

The Tarot card The Tower often symbolizes a feeling of chaos and change which can be very frightening. It is a sign that there are big changes coming that will shake up our lives and make us look at things from a different perspective. It can also be a sign that we must leave behind what is familiar and comfortable to make room for new possibilities.

The Tower

The World

The Tarot card The World symbolizes the end of a cycle and is a sign of perfection, balance and realization. It represents feelings of joy, fulfillment and an emotional goal that has been achieved. It also symbolizes a new beginning and is a sign that one has overcome all obstacles and is ready to start anew.

The World

Wheel of Fortune

The Tarot card Wheel of Fortune often symbolizes a fate that follows a cycle of fortune and chance. It typically depicts a wheel-shaped circle with a number of symbols representing different aspects of life. The card can represent the constant change that occurs in life, that everything is ephemeral and that nothing is permanent. Wheel of Fortune can also symbolize the power to create one's own luck and to take responsibility for one's actions.

Wheel of Fortune

Death

The Tarot card Death symbolizes a change or a new beginning. It stands for transformation and renewal, and is a sign that it is time to let go of the old and welcome the new. It can also mean that it is time to leave old habits and patterns behind and create new ones.

Death

Judgment

The Tarot card of Judgment symbolizes a moment of awakening and renewal. It represents a moment of insight and understanding that leads to new levels of liberation and transformation. It is a sign that it is time to let go of the past and take the steps needed to move forward towards a new beginning.

Judgment

Justice

The Tarot card Justice symbolizes justice, balance and order. It represents the distribution of justice and the consequences of our actions. It can also symbolize that one must take responsibility for one's own life and stand by their actions and face the consequences.

Justice