General
Upright General Meaning
The Sun illuminates the path with confidence, warmth, and life force. Celebrate what is working, share yourself openly, and let clear truth simplify the next step.
← All 78 tarot cards
Major Arcana
The Sun
XIX
The Sun is card XIX of the 22-card Major Arcana and card 20 in this complete 78-card Rider–Waite–Smith library.
- Arcana
- Major Arcana
- Card number
- XIX
- Deck position
- 20 of 78
- Original artwork
- Pamela Colman Smith · 1909
Card meanings
How to Read The Sun
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 Sun Upright Meaning
- joy
- success
- vitality
- clarity
Love & Relationships
Upright Love Meaning
Affection is joyful, visible, and mutually encouraging. This can signify happiness, reunion, family growth, or a connection in which both people feel fully seen.
Career & Purpose
Upright Career Meaning
Recognition, success, and confident leadership are favored. Present the work, accept deserved attention, and use positive momentum to advance an important goal.
Reversed
The Sun Reversed Meaning
- temporary cloud
- delayed success
- forced positivity
- burnout
General
Reversed General Meaning
Reversed, The Sun remains favorable but its warmth is muted by delay, exhaustion, or unrealistic expectations. Joy returns when you stop demanding perfection from a good outcome.
Love & Relationships
Reversed Love Meaning
Happiness is possible, though ego, unmet expectations, or lack of quality time may be dimming it. Speak plainly and restore warmth through genuine presence.
Career & Purpose
Reversed Career Meaning
Success may arrive later or feel less satisfying than expected. Check burnout and overconfidence, then refine the work without overlooking how far you have already come.
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
The Sun
Element
Fire
Numerology
19 / 10 / 1 · vitality and rebirth
Symbols
- sunflowers
- white horse
- red banner
Read with this card
Let The Sun 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.