The Sun Tarot Card Meaning: Joy, Success and Clarity

The Sun is card XIX of the Major Arcana, and it is about as close to an uncomplicated good card as tarot gets. A child rides a white horse under a huge smiling sun, with sunflowers behind and a red banner in hand. There is no hidden catch in the image. The Sun means warmth, success and plain joy, and it asks you to let yourself enjoy them.

This guide covers the card's imagery, its upright and reversed meanings, The Sun in love, work and money, how to read it as a yes or no, and a few ways to work with its energy.

Draw your free tarot reading and see which card turns up for you today.

What is on The Sun card

In the 1909 Rider-Waite-Smith deck, drawn by Pamela Colman Smith, a large sun with a human face fills the top of the card, its rays alternating between straight and wavy. Below it, a naked child with a wreath of flowers and a red feather in the hair rides a white horse bareback, arms open, holding a long red banner. Behind them, sunflowers lean over a grey stone wall.

• The child is joy without self-consciousness: nothing to hide, nothing to prove.
• The white horse, ridden without a saddle or reins, shows strength that is trusted rather than forced.
• The red banner is energy and life, carried openly.
• The sunflowers and wall show growth in a safe, sheltered place. The wall is behind the child, not in front.

The Sun is ruled by the sun itself, and is linked to the element of fire. For the wider history of solar symbols, see our guide to the sun symbol in paganism.

The Sun upright meaning

Upright, The Sun means warmth, success and pure joy. Things are working. Plans come together, health and energy improve, and you can see your situation clearly. It is one of the brightest cards in the deck, and the advice is simple: let yourself enjoy it fully instead of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

The Sun is also a card of clarity. After The Moon, with its confusion and half-light, The Sun shows things as they are. If you have been unsure about something, this card says the answer will become obvious.

The child on the card matters here. The Sun is not the satisfaction of a hard job finished, which belongs more to The World. It is closer to the feeling of being a kid on the first warm day of summer: energy, curiosity and the sense that the day is long. When this card appears, it often helps to do something simply because it is fun. Play is part of the message, not a distraction from it.

Keywords: joy, success, vitality, clarity, confidence, warmth, play.

The Sun reversed meaning

Reversed, The Sun is still a good card. The light is there, just behind a cloud. You may be too tired or too busy to notice what is going well, or you may feel that happiness is something other people get to have. Look for small joys and they will grow.

It can also point to a success that is delayed rather than denied, or to confidence that has tipped into overconfidence. If a plan looks perfect on paper, check the details one more time.

Some readers also take the reversed Sun as a sign of burnout. Too much heat dries things out. If you have been running at full speed for months, the card may be asking you to sit in the shade for a while before the next push. Rest is not the opposite of The Sun. It is how the light keeps coming back.

The Sun in love

In a love reading, The Sun is one of the happiest cards you can draw. In a relationship, it shows warmth, openness, shared fun and a bond that feels easy to be in. It can also point to a commitment, a move in together or a family on the way.

If you are single, The Sun suggests you are at your most attractive when you are simply yourself and having a good time. Reversed, it can mean a relationship that is fine but a little flat, or one partner hiding how they really feel to keep the peace.

The Sun for career and money

At work, The Sun points to recognition, a project that succeeds, or a job where you feel energized rather than drained. It favors visible work, teaching and anything creative. If you have been waiting to put yourself forward, this is a good time.

With money, The Sun shows things improving and a sense of security. It is not a license to overspend. Enjoy what is going well, and put part of it aside so the good season lasts. A raise, a bonus or a good month is a chance to build a cushion, not only to spend.

Is The Sun a yes or no card?

The Sun is a clear yes, one of the strongest in the deck. Even reversed, it leans toward yes, with a short delay or some small obstacle to clear first.

How to work with The Sun

The Sun is best worked with in daylight and in the body, not just on paper.

• Start the day outside. A few minutes of morning light is a simple Sun practice. Our guide to morning rituals has more ideas.
• Charge your stones in sunlight. Some stones fade in strong sun and others do well; charging crystals with sun, moon and earth explains which is which. Citrine is the classic Sun stone.
• Light a candle for what is going well. The Sun tarot candle is a small daily reminder to notice it.
• Wear the card. A Sun tarot necklace suits anyone whose birth card is The Sun.

The tarot page on this site pairs The Sun with the glass suncatcher collection, which is about as literal a match as a card can have. For seasonal work, Litha is The Sun's festival; see these Litha celebration ideas.

The Sun next to other cards

• The Sun and The Lovers: a happy, open, uncomplicated union.
• The Sun and The Moon: confusion clearing. What was hidden becomes plain.
• The Sun and Death: an ending that makes room for a brighter chapter.
• The Sun and The Star: hope that turns into real, visible success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Sun the best card in tarot?

Many readers think so. It is the most consistently positive card in the Major Arcana, upright or reversed.

What does The Sun mean in love?

Warmth, happiness and an easy, open relationship. Reversed, a bond that needs a little more honesty or play.

Is The Sun a yes or no?

Yes, clearly. Reversed, it is still a yes, just a slower one.

What planet rules The Sun tarot card?

The Sun card is ruled by the sun and linked to the element of fire.

Related Reads

• Major Arcana Meanings: All 22 Tarot Cards
• Sowilo: The Rune of the Sun and Victory
• Tarot Birth Card Calculator: How to Find Yours

Could today be a Sun day? Draw your free tarot reading. It takes less than a minute, and each card comes with its meaning and a short piece of advice.