When The Sun lands in a reading, readers lean in.
The Sun upright
Joy, success, vitality, clarity, confidence.
The Sun reversed
Dimmed joy, temporary setbacks, pessimism, burnout, delayed success.
Keywords: joy, success, vitality, clarity, confidence
The classic reading (Waite, 1911)
- Upright: Material happiness, fortunate marriage, contentment.
- Reversed: The same in a lesser sense.
The Pictorial Key to the Tarot is the oldest layer of the card — modern readers soften and expand these meanings.
Golden Dawn correspondences
- title The Lord of the Fire of the World
- Planet Sun
- planet Sun
Fortune telling with The Sun
- Everything's coming up roses (or sunflowers, whatever the case may be)
- Whatever's on your mind, go for it because you can't lose today
The light and the shadow
In its light, The Sun: Seeing things clearly Experiencing intense joy Celebrating your own successes Knowing you're good at what you do Gaining recognition for your personal genius
The reversed trap of The Sun: Being dazzled by your own accomplishments Becoming absorbed in your own self-image Feeling rushed and distracted Exerting yourself to the point of exhaustion Overstating your abilities or misrepresenting your achievements
- Archetype: The Holy Masculine
Questions to ask The Sun
- How can I take best advantage of the attention coming my way?
- What are my highest spiritual goals?
- How can I avoid being bedazzled by the energy swirling around me?
The extended portrait, upright
The Sun card in the upright position represents happiness, success, and optimism. It suggests a high level of confidence and a sense of joy and energy. This card indicates that good things are on the horizon, and that it's a time to embrace your inner light and bask in its warmth.
The extended portrait, reversed
When the Sun card appears in the reversed position, it can indicate feelings of depression and uncertainty. It may also suggest a lack of energy and a negative outlook on life. This card can be a warning against letting negativity cloud your judgment and to work on embracing positivity and optimism.
Card details
- Arcana: Major Arcana
- Yes or no: a soft yes
- Published: August 18, 2026
Read The Sun in context
- The Sun — love meaning
- The Sun — career meaning
- The Sun — money meaning
- The Sun — yes-or-no verdict
- The Sun reversed, in full
The Sun in combinations
- The Sun and The Hermit
- The Sun and Seven of Swords
- The Sun and Queen of Wands
- The Sun and Four of Pentacles