Tarot Card Meanings:
The Sun
What is "The Sun" in Tarot?
The Sun is card number nineteen in the Major Arcana. It represents joy, success, and enlightenment. This card signifies positivity, vitality, and the clarity that comes with achieving one’s goals and embracing life fully.
What are the key symbols in "The Sun" tarot card?
- Radiant sun: Symbolizes clarity, enlightenment, and vitality.
- Joyous child: Represents innocence, joy, and a fresh perspective on life.
- White horse: Indicates purity, strength, and forward movement.
- Sunflowers in the background: Reflect growth, positivity, and the nurturing power of the sun.
- Red banner: Signifies celebration, victory, and enthusiasm.
These symbols are based on the Rider-Waite Smith tarot. Symbols may differ in other decks!
The Sun Tarot Card Meaning
The Sun Keywords: Joy, success, enlightenment, vitality, positivity, clarity, achievement, celebration.
The Sun in the tarot signifies joy, success, and enlightenment, bringing a sense of positivity and vitality into your life. This card represents the achievement of goals and the clarity that comes with it, illuminating your path and dispelling any darkness or confusion. It highlights a time of celebration and exuberance, where your inner child can thrive and embrace life with enthusiasm and optimism. The Sun encourages you to bask in the warmth of your accomplishments, to recognize the growth and progress you have made, and to continue moving forward with confidence and clarity.
The Sun Reversed Tarot Card Meaning
The Sun Reversed Keywords: Temporary setbacks, lack of clarity, blocked happiness, delayed success, pessimism, clouded outlook, diminished enthusiasm.
When the Sun appears reversed in a tarot reading, it signifies temporary setbacks and a lack of clarity that may be blocking your happiness and success. This card suggests that the joy and positivity you seek are currently delayed, leading to feelings of pessimism and a clouded outlook. It reflects a time when enthusiasm and vitality are diminished, and the path forward may seem uncertain. The reversed Sun encourages you to remain patient and optimistic, understanding that these obstacles are temporary and that clarity and success will eventually return. Reconnect with your inner light and stay focused on your goals, trusting that brighter days are ahead.
El Tarocchi Insight
The Sun reminds you to make room for joy and playfulness.
In my experience with tarot reading for over 20 years, The Sun is almost always a genuinely good sign; clarity where there was confusion, progress where there was stagnation, or simply a period of life that feels lighter and more joyful than what came before. It also happens to be one of my personal favorites — as a Leo Sun who has always felt a stronger affinity for sun magic than moon magic, this card feels like home. It’s no coincidence that the sun is also my main logo and emoji identifier for El Tarocchi; it’s a symbol I genuinely live by, and a reminder to embrace joy and playfulness, which is something I think a lot of adults forget to do.
When this card appears, I always make a point to distinguish between genuine joy and toxic positivity. The Sun isn’t telling you to plaster on a smile and pretend everything is fine; it’s inviting you to find and lean into what is actually, genuinely good in your life right now. There’s a difference, and it matters.
Gallery: The Sun in Various Tarot Decks
by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law
by Mila Losenko
by Morimura Ako and Takaki