The Sun
XIXMajor Arcana
- Astrology
- Sun
- Numerology
- Nineteen: vitality, illumination and the fulfilment of a full cycle
- Yes or no
- Yes
Upright
- joy
- success
- vitality
- clarity
- celebration
Reversed
- muted joy
- pessimism
- overconfidence
- delayed success
- temporary sadness
Warmth without shadow. The Sun brings success, vitality and the simple happiness of being fully seen.
On the card
A naked child rides a white horse with arms flung wide, a red feather in the hair and a great red banner streaming behind. A radiant sun with a human face fills the sky, its rays alternating straight and wavy. Behind the child, tall sunflowers lean over a grey wall. There is nothing to hide and nothing to guard against; this is life in the open, warmed all the way through.
Upright
General
Things are going well and you are allowed to enjoy it. The Sun signals success, health, clarity and a lightness of spirit that spreads to everyone around you. Whatever you have been building is coming into the light, and it looks good.
Love & relationships
Happiness, warmth and open affection. A relationship is thriving, a family may be growing, and single people are radiant and noticed. Children and marriage are often indicated.
Career & money
Achievement, recognition and prosperity. Confidence is high and justified; take the stage and let the work speak. Money flows more easily.
Reversed
General
The sun is behind a cloud. Reversed, this card describes happiness that is delayed or muted, pessimism that will not let you enjoy what is going well, or, on the other side, an ego that has outgrown its achievements. The good news remains: the sun is still there, and the cloud will pass.
Love & relationships
A temporary dip in warmth, or unrealistic expectations souring something genuinely good. Small problems are being magnified.
Career & money
A success that feels hollow, over-optimism that leads to careless mistakes, or recognition that arrives late. Reset expectations and keep going.
Advice
Enjoy what is good without apology. If you cannot feel it yet, act as though the sun is out and let the feeling catch up.