General
Upright General Meaning
The Star restores hope after difficulty and reconnects you with a clear, authentic future. Healing is underway; keep offering your gifts without forcing the timing.
← All 78 tarot cards
Major Arcana
The Star
XVII
The Star is card XVII of the 22-card Major Arcana and card 18 in this complete 78-card Rider–Waite–Smith library.
- Arcana
- Major Arcana
- Card number
- XVII
- Deck position
- 18 of 78
- Original artwork
- Pamela Colman Smith · 1909
Card meanings
How to Read The Star
Read the card's orientation together with the question, spread position, and surrounding cards. A reversal can describe blocked, internalized, delayed, or excessive energy—not simply the opposite of the upright card.
Upright
The Star Upright Meaning
- hope
- renewal
- inspiration
- authenticity
Love & Relationships
Upright Love Meaning
Love feels honest, spacious, and healing. A new connection may renew faith, while existing partners can rebuild closeness through vulnerability and shared hope.
Career & Purpose
Upright Career Meaning
A long-range vision is worth following. Creative visibility, purpose-led work, and opportunities aligned with your authentic voice receive encouraging support.
Reversed
The Star Reversed Meaning
- discouragement
- disconnection
- lost faith
- dimmed inspiration
General
Reversed General Meaning
Reversed, The Star reflects hope temporarily obscured by exhaustion or disappointment. The light has not disappeared, but restoration must begin closer to home.
Love & Relationships
Reversed Love Meaning
Past hurt may be making affection difficult to trust. Avoid idealizing an unavailable person, and rebuild hope through honest, observable care.
Career & Purpose
Reversed Career Meaning
You may feel invisible, uninspired, or doubtful about the future of your work. Reconnect with the original purpose and choose one attainable step that proves momentum is possible.
Esoteric correspondences
The language behind the image.
Astrology, elements, numbers, and recurring symbols add another interpretive layer. Correspondence systems vary by tradition; Cosmic Oceans uses a consistent Rider–Waite–Smith and Golden Dawn–derived framework.
Astrology
Aquarius
Element
Air
Numerology
17 / 8 · renewal and authentic power
Symbols
- eight-pointed stars
- two vessels
- ibis
Read with this card
Let The Star enter a complete spread.
Place in the deck
Major Arcana
The Major Arcana contains twenty-two numbered cards, beginning with The Fool and completing with The World.
Archive edition
Rider–Waite–Smith
This page displays a self-hosted scan of the original public-domain deck rather than a later recolored or redesigned edition.