(Card Descriptions Based On Original Rider-Waite Colors – Still Under US Games Inc. Copyright)

Keywords

The Sun is where we arrive at after finding our way through the dark with only The Moon to light the path. By facing our fears, calling on our inner-strength and having faith that life would deliver us to a better place we have eventually arrived at The Sun.  After the darkness of The Moon, The Sun has eventually risen (it always does).  With the dazzling glow and warmth of The Sun engulfing us, we now find that those things we feared so much in the pale vapoury light of The Moon are actually quite harmless or not as bad as we thought they were going to be.  Everything looks better in the clear light of day.  When The Sun shines it is quite easy to forget our woes and the world can suddenly look like a good place to be. The Sun generally has a wonderful effect on us.  People are friendlier to each other and come out of their normal seclusion to enjoy the beauty of a sunny day.  The Sun warms the chill out of our bones and out of our minds. The Sun brings happiness. The Sun, also brings success, achievement and celebration.

The Sun shines brightly in Card XIX.  Its rays reach out, touching every living thing. In the foreground a young child rides a white horse.  The child is naked and carries a large banner or flag. Flowers adorn the child’s head as he beams with sheer delight. He appears to have stuck a large red feather among the flowers and it waves merrily as he rides out on his horse.   In the background, a line of sunflowers grow from the top of a stone wall. The child, like the woman in The Star appears naked in this imagery to symbolise that he is free to express himself for who he truly is without facade or pretence.

The child symbolises innocence and this suggests that there has been a rebirth of some sort. The feather in the child’s hair is the same feather The Fool wore at the beginning of his journey in card 0.   The Fool has learned some hard lessons along the way and he may feel like a totally different person from the one who set out to conquer the world many, many moons ago.  He has struggled through some hard times but thankfully he has held firm.  Just as we thought he may concede defeat in The Devil and Tower Card he proved us wrong by facing up to all that was dark and unhealthy in his life.   As a reward for his determination and tenacity, he has been given a second chance, a chance to start over again, but this time with the knowledge gained from direct experience. The Fool’s red feather symbolises his success and all that he has achieved along the way.  The knowledge and wisdom of his success and achievements is all that he needs now to reach his ultimate goal.  He appears to be overjoyed and exuberant about where he now finds himself.  He had thought he walked in the light on many occasions in the past, but this is very different.  The light and intense heat of The Sun releases him from the limitations and restrictions of the dark.  Indeed, The Sun reassures him that the dark days are over and that he is free to bask in the glory of its dazzling light.

If we watch young children playing in the garden on a sunny day we get the impression of the energies The Sun card brings. It is a time for joyous freedom, play, fun, boundless energy and self-expression. The stone wall symbolises the boundaries the child (Fool) has put around himself as protection from negative influences and the dark. It took a lot to shake off the negative aspects both within and without, so there is a very definite determination in The Sun not to let them get a foothold again.  He wants to feel young and vibrant once more and to enjoy his life rather than let it wear him down.

With The Sun card, anything is possible for when it appears in a reading it suggests that your day in The Sun has finally arrived. You have acknowledged your shadow side in The Devil, survived the trauma of The Tower, stabilised and healed in The Star, faced your fears and demons in The Moon and now cleansed, are in the best position to enjoy what The Sun has to offer. The Sun says it is time for living in the moment and enjoying life.

The sunflowers in the background are reminiscent of the Queen of Wands and together with the Strength card, The Sun is another card for the Sun-Sign of Leo. The Sun is a card all about self-expression and being creative. Leos love the limelight so they may express themselves through singing or acting.

Great joy and happiness abound. There is a wonderful sense of inner-peace and personal fulfillment when The Sun appears.  Life is pretty damn good. Self-esteem and self-confidence are bound to be on the rise.

The Sun is a definite card for success in whatever you are doing or planning. It brings passion and enthusiasm to your work. This enthusiasm can be infectious to those around you.  People will find you inspirational and drawn to you like the sunflowers that turn to the sun for their source of energy and growth. The sunflowers in this card are in full bloom suggesting a period of growth and abundance in your life. In fact The Sun card is often connected with gardening.  It is also has associations with animals and very especially horses.  The Sun can also strongly represent itself and can suggest foreign lands and exotic locations so a holiday in The Sun may be just what you need.

Meaning

If you are looking for a definite answer to a question and The Sun card appears then this would suggest a ‘yes’ as The Sun is connected with positivity.  Success, achievement, accomplishment and glory are all to be found in The Sun. Congratulations on a job well done. The Sun can represent that wonderful feeling of release and freedom after a time of trouble and worrY.  You have shed a load and are probably feeling much lighter in yourself.  You may feel re-energised, rejuvenated and ready to get up and going.  It is a time to let your inner child out to play and have some real fun for a change.  Be youthful and stay young at heart.

The Sun brings you happiness and joy.  It suggests a time for feeling carefree and happy in your skin.  The Sun ignites a great period of creativity and activity so get started on that book or painting you have been thinking about for it will be a true expression of yourself. Optimism and positivity abound when The Sun appears. You may become very enthusiastic or passionate about a project or a person. Any hidden talents not discovered in The Star now surface bringing new meaning to your life.  Your day in the sun has arrived. Your enthusiasm and happiness act like magnets to those around you as you bring light and cheer to any occasion.   The happiness and joy found in The Sun is not fleeting or superficial. It is the happiness that comes from being happy within which radiates from the inside out.

The Sun is a positive card for travel and very probably to a warm climate. The Sun can sometimes suggest marriage, so check for supporting cards such as Justice, Two of Cups, Four of Wands or The Lovers etc.  However, it would be more strongly linked to a birth so look for other pregnancy cards such as The Empress, The Nine of Pentacles or Ace of Cups.  The birth of this child will bring much family celebration and excitement. The Sun is a fabulous card for relationships in general as it suggests a time of great happiness and joy in each other’s company. The couple in such a relationship will never run out of ideas for keeping the flame burning.  Great maturity in a relationship is indicated.

As The Moon symbolised Mother and the Subconscious, The Sun symbolises Father and the Conscious.  Therefore relationships with your father, the father of your child or your own abilities as a father may be indicated. Look to the surrounding cards for clarification. The Sun is a card of great personal strength and suggests a time of good health.

The Sun shines brightly on all the shadows and deceit found in The Moon allowing the truth to be unveiled, facts brought to life and any culprits exposed. You may be hearing the truth for the first time or have eventually cleared your name after false allegations were made against you. Great freedom and openness surrounds you.

A career with children, animal or plants may be suggested by the presence of  The Sun.

It is a time to shed the workday clothes, put your shorts and T-Shirt on and get out to the garden for a barbeque with good friends.  All in all there is a sense of great contentment with your lot in life when The Sun appears.

Now Go To The Sun Reversed

Back to Lesson 8

The Fool Upright  The Fool Reversed

The Magician Upright  The Magician Reversed

The High Priestess Upright   The High Priestess Reversed

The Empress Upright   The Empress Reversed

The Emperor Upright    The Emperor Reversed

The Heirophant Upright    The Heirophant Reversed

The Lovers Upright     The Lovers Reversed

The Chariot Upright   The Chariot Reversed

Strength Upright     Strength Reversed

The Hermit Upright   The Hermit Reversed

The Wheel of Fortune Upright   The Wheel of Fortune Reversed

Justice Upright   Justice Reversed

The Hanged Man Upright   The Hanged Man Reversed

Death Upright     Death Reversed

Temperence Upright     Temperence Reversed

The Devil Upright   The Devil Reversed

The Tower Upright     The Tower Reversed

The Star Upright     The Star Reversed

The Moon Upright    The Moon Reversed

The Sun Upright     The Sun Reversed

Judgement Upright      Judgement Reversed

The World Upright     The World Reversed

Lesson 1  Lesson 2   Lesson 3  Lesson 4  Lesson 5  Lesson 6  Lesson 7