The Sun Tarot Card Meaning: Joy, Love and Reversed
Nov 7, 2026 · The Editors
The Sun tarot card meaning: joy, success and warmth, what the card shows, upright and reversed meanings, the Sun in love and relationships, career, and yes or no.
The Sun is card XIX of the Major Arcana, and one of the happiest cards in the deck. After the uncertain night of the Moon, the Sun is daylight: clarity, success, warmth and simple joy.
What the card shows
- A great sun with a face blazes over everything.
- Beneath it, a small rider on a white horse carries a red banner, arms open, utterly carefree.
- Behind them, sunflowers grow over a garden wall, turning to the light.
Nothing in the card is hidden. Everything is out in the open and well.
Upright meaning
- Joy and optimism.
- Success — things going right.
- Vitality — energy and good health.
- Clarity — the truth, plainly seen.
- Warmth — in friendships, family and love.
Reversed meaning
The Sun has no truly bad side. Reversed, it suggests:
- Joy dimmed for a while — a cloudy day, not night.
- Over-optimism — expecting too much too soon.
- Difficulty seeing the good in what you have.
In love and relationships
Upright: a happy, open, loving relationship; a joyful time together; a new relationship that feels easy and bright. Reversed: a passing rough patch, or unrealistic expectations.
In career
Upright: success and recognition, a project going well, confidence that is noticed. Reversed: success delayed, or arrogance getting in the way.
Yes or no
The Sun is the strongest yes in the deck.
The Sun as the reward
Many readers see the last cards of the Major Arcana as a journey through the dark: the Tower falls, the Star brings hope, the Moon tests nerves, and the Sun is the reward. Then come Judgement and the World — and the journey of the Fool is complete.
Astrology
In the Golden Dawn system that shaped the 1909 deck, this card belongs to the Sun itself: the source of light, warmth, vitality and clarity. Readers who combine tarot with astrology look at where that sign or planet falls in their own chart.
Questions to ask when you draw it
- What is going right that I have not stopped to enjoy?
- Where can I be more open and less guarded?
- Who would I like to share this good time with?
Write the answers down. Tarot works best as a prompt for honest thinking — the card asks the question; you answer it.
For all 78 cards, see tarot card meanings · Tarot spreads for beginners.
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