19 The Sun

Have you been feeling revitalized? Have you been the center of attention lately? Are you getting an award soon? Are you making a breakthrough in understanding the patterns of a relationship? Has a recent victory given you reason to be confident? Look towards The Sun's appearance in your Tarot reading as an indicator that everything is going in the right direction for you. When you are feeling at your best emotionally, physically and psychologically, The Sun confirms that it is no illusion – things really are going well!

A white horse is at the forefront of this card. Although there is no saddle or riding gear attached, the full-grown animal carries a rider. This passenger is a naked baby, wearing a crown of flowers with feathered plumage and carrying a pennon flowing in the air. We are witnessing the moment of unveiling. Behind the horse is a gray brick wall that serves as a planter. Large blooming sunflowers sprout from within. Behind it all is a cloudless blue sky dominated by the sun. The rays of the sun surround a serene face within the yellow, light-giving disc itself.

There are many things going on during this moment of unveiling. The Sun is a card that indicates the universe is conspiring in your favor. The horse represents being taken along on your journey with less effort. The baby is a rebirth into a new phase of your life. Consider this as more than a simple victory; this is a mastery of much of what is before you. To underscore this, the baby is as naked as the day it was born: welcome to a new you. Perhaps you are starting over. This is a card that indicates that your good choices are adding up to create a great life. The sunflowers represent the affect that you are having on others. Sunflowers always face the sun; people are watching to see what you do in order to emulate you – they consider you to be a paragon of success. Dominating the illustration is the sun itself. The face on the sun is an illustration of your higher mind. This is the concept of blending a built-in knowledge of your purpose in life with your intuition on how to maximize this purpose. The serene face of the sun in this card reflects the peace you are at when you know yourself.

Meaning in Past, Present and Future Positions

Your Tarot reading is divided into sections. Each card is dealt into one of them. The sections are: your past, your present and your future. The meaning of each card can change depending on where it lands in the reading. Sometimes the changes are subtle, but with some cards the change is drastic.

No matter where The Sun card is in your reading, it is a good thing. When it appears in the past position, you can look at the foundation of who you are as an optimistic, take-charge person whose charisma and vitality help you make the most of all situations. The card in this position indicates a fundamentally wonderful childhood. If there are any negatives it is that you may miss those days gone by and focus on what once was rather than what is and what shall be. The Sun is also a card of solitude. You shine greatly and can inspire people as you get ahead in life on your terms, but you are often by yourself. In the past position, you may have started off on your present course inspired but alone.

In the present position you have everything to gain with this card. You can get exactly what you want and are the center of attention in doing so. Little can be lost and consequences are few when you reach out to take what you want. If there are any downsides to The Sun card being in the present position, it is that secrecy is almost impossible. You must operate in a transparent manner. Everyone should be able to see what you are doing in order for your integrity to never be questioned.

In the future position, the outcome to your current situation will see you coming out ahead. This is not just a card indicating a win; you are on a path leading to enlightenment.

Card Combinations

Every Tarot reading consists of a unique combination of cards. The few cards pulled from the deck are parts of the whole; each has an influence that changes the meaning of every other card just a little.

The Sun is closely aligned with The Hermit. Where The Hermit is alone and carries his light (representing enlightenment) in a lantern for his own use, in The Sun card, the light is an inspiration for all to see. The Hermit is numbered #9 and The Sun follows it as Tarot card #19. Consider the old man in The Hermit card to be at the end of one phase, and the baby in The Sun card him reborn into a new phase of his life.

When The Sun is in your reading with The Chariot card, a victory is at hand that will be big news, catapulting you to a higher social standing. If your reading features The Sun and The Lovers card, your current relationship or one that will soon arrive will be the central force of good feelings in your world. When paired with The Moon, your intuition is high and can lead you to the right person for help on a project. If The Sun is in a reading with Temperance, you will be an example to many by what you do without. If The Sun combines with any Ace card in your reading (Ace of Wands, Ace of Swords, Ace of Pentacles or Ace of Cups), look for a big improvement in your mastery over a specific area of your life that has up until now been troubling you. Sunlight is the best astringent in cleaning up an old house and The Sun is the best Tarot card to enlighten you on the direction your life must take.