19. The Sun Tarot Card A smiling naked child with opens arms wearing a garland of flowers crowned by a red feather, carries a red banner, while riding a white horse. Behind is a wall separating him from a field of tall sunflowers. Overlooking the scene is a large sun, lending warmth and light.
The sun

It’s always sunny above the clouds. Always. Every day on earth – every day I have ever had – was secretly sunny, after all.

Caitlin Moran

Overview and common meanings of The Sun Tarot Card

One of the most positive cards in the Major Arcana, The Sun Tarot card indicates success, and improvement in all areas of life – love, health, money, recognition. Just as the sun brings new life springing forth from the soil in spring, the sun card heralds new optimism and life after a time of dormancy or darkness.  Alternate names in varying decks are The Phoenix, The Children, Vitality, Joy.

Common Meanings

The sun indicates balance and harmony between subconscious and conscious. With this energy, we are complete – the perfect marriage of the mystic subconscious to the practical material world.  All is in balance and harmony.  For Home – happiness and contentment, could indicate a child arriving in the home.  Relationships flourish and thrive.  Career recognition and acknowledgement; could indicate an exciting new opportunity or offer if you have been looking to make a change. If you have been struggling, the sun brings a message that things are about to get better in a big way.  It is time to finally exhale and know that everything is going to be alright.  The sun also reconnects us to our own inner power – that authentic higher self-power that we sometimes lose sight of when we are in the weeds, but which is always there waiting for us to reconnect and re-affirm who we are in our deepest self. 

The Many Faces of The Sun 

The shadow side, or reversal can indicate delays, negative mind set, self-doubt, need to tune out negativity and seek inspiration.  The shadow sun may also indicate that you are not in touch with what you can actually achieve and maybe have been over promising.  This leads to overwhelm in all areas, so it is a call to set aside the burdens of your responsibility if only for a little while and recapture that childlike unfettered joy.

The Journey of The Sun

We are still working in the third septenary of the fool’s journey through the Major Arcana, which as you will recall is about the spiritual world and attainment of enlightenment.  It is about transcendence and religious, spiritual, and mystical understanding. After we shattered ego with The Tower, began to see faith, hope, and inspiration with The Star, turned inwards in the uncomfortable lessons about trusting our intuition in a purer way with absence of ego; now we can finally bring all of those lessons out in the warm sunshine as the pieces are starting to fit together and we can harness some of the suns hopeful positivity. 

Description of the sun tarot card

A smiling naked child with opens arms wearing a garland of flowers crowned by a red feather, carries a red banner, while riding a white horse.  Behind is a wall separating him from a field of tall sunflowers. Overlooking the scene is a large sun, lending warmth and light.

Themes of The Sun

  • Abundance
  • Balance between subconscious and conscious
  • Confirmation
  • Fun
  • Inner peace and beauty
  • Inspiration
  • Joy
  • Love
  • Manifestation of hopes and dreams
  • Sanctuary
  • Success
  • Vitality
  • YES

The Number 19

Number 19 signifies the service of humankind, spiritual illumination, insight, self-awareness, uniqueness, endings, and new beginnings.  This number also indicates drive, autonomy, self-sufficiency, discovery, empathy, acceptance, passion, and a potent initiative.

Elements of the Card and Associated Symbolism

  • Child – inner child, virtue, and purity.  Nakedness indicates openness; nothing to hide
  • The Sun – Awareness and Joy, self-expression, light after the darkness
  • Sunflowers – evolution, beauty, power, turning always towards the light symbolizes always seeking higher growth and enlightenment in life. 
  • Red banner – momentum and vitality
  • Red feather – Freedom, life force, good fortune
  • Wall/Walled Garden – limitations and safety, protection
  • White horse – vehicle for spirit/physical form

Herbs for The Sun 

  • Basil – success, prosperity and peace, career and business luck.
  • Calendula – uplifting moods, restoring well-being, promotes relaxation
  • Oregano – wealth and money luck
  • Patchouli – calming, attracts lots of luck.
  • Spearmint, love, healing, and insight

Questions that the Sun asks us

  • Have you recently emerged into the sunlight after a “dark night of the soul,” and what insights is the sun shedding on your experience?
  • How can you harness the positivity of the sun in your day-to-day life?

So that is the sun!  Wishing you a week of warmth, insight, and positive revelations.  As always, please leave comments, ask questions, or reach out for a reading.

Thank you for reading and be sure to join me next week for Judgement!