The Sun Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed & Love

The card flips over and you can almost feel the warmth. A radiant sun blazes in a brilliant blue sky. A joyful child rides a white horse with arms wide open, sunflowers blooming behind them. Everything is golden, everything is bright, everything feels possible. The Sun has arrived—and it is the best card in the tarot deck.

The Sun is card number 19 in the Major Arcana, representing joy, success, vitality, confidence, and the pure, uncomplicated happiness of a child playing in the light. This card says yes to everything you're hoping for.

Quick Reference

Upright Meaning

The Sun upright is the tarot's standing ovation. Whatever you've been working toward, worrying about, or hoping for—this card says it's working out. Success. Happiness. Vitality. Clarity. The Sun illuminates everything it touches, burning away confusion, doubt, and fear. In its light, there are no shadows.

This card brings the energy of a perfect summer day—when you're fully present, fully alive, and fully enjoying the moment. The child on the horse represents your inner child: innocent, fearless, and radiating joy. The Sun asks you to reconnect with that part of yourself. When did you last feel pure, uncomplicated happiness? This card says that feeling is available to you right now.

The Sun also represents truth and clarity. Under its light, everything is visible—there's nothing hidden, no deception, no confusion. If you've been struggling with uncertainty, The Sun burns it away. You can see clearly now. Trust what you see.

Reversed Meaning

Even reversed, The Sun is a positive card—it's just temporarily dimmed. The joy and success are still there, but something is blocking you from fully experiencing them. Perhaps you're struggling to feel grateful, or your inner critic is louder than your inner child. The good things are happening—you're just having trouble letting them in.

The Sun reversed can also indicate a delay in expected success. The outcome you're hoping for is coming, but not as quickly as you'd like. Don't lose faith. The clouds will part. Sometimes the sun is there all along—you just need to wait for the overcast to clear.

The Sun in Love & Relationships

If you're single: The Sun in a love reading is gloriously positive. It suggests that a joyful, warm, uncomplicated love is on the horizon—or already entering your life. This isn't a complicated, dramatic romance. It's the kind that makes you laugh out loud, feel safe, and believe in happy endings again. Open your heart wide. The warmth coming your way is real.

If you're in a relationship: Your partnership is entering (or already in) a golden phase. This card represents the happiest energy a relationship can hold—playfulness, mutual adoration, shared laughter, and genuine contentment. If you've been through a rough patch, The Sun says the clouds have parted. Celebrate each other. This is what love is supposed to feel like.

The Sun in Career & Finances

The Sun in career readings means success, recognition, and fulfillment. Your hard work is paying off. A promotion, a successful project, public recognition, or simply the deep satisfaction of doing work you love—The Sun confirms that your professional life is thriving. If you've been doubting your path, stop. You're exactly where you should be.

Financially, The Sun is one of the most positive cards. Prosperity, financial security, and abundance are all indicated. Investments pay off, income increases, and financial stress lifts. This is an excellent time for financial decisions—clarity and good fortune are on your side.

The Sun as Advice

Let yourself be happy. It sounds simple, but so many of us resist joy—we wait for the other shoe to drop, we feel guilty for feeling good, we overthink our blessings instead of enjoying them. The Sun says: stop that. You deserve this. Whatever good is happening in your life right now, lean into it fully. Dance in the light. Be the child on the horse with arms thrown wide. This is your moment.

Card Combinations

• The Sun + The Moon = Clarity after confusion. The truth becomes visible and uncertainty dissolves into joy.
• The Sun + The World = The ultimate success combination. You've achieved something significant and the celebration is well-deserved.
• The Sun + The Fool = Pure, joyful new beginnings. You step into your next chapter with boundless optimism and confidence.

Explore more:

• Major Arcana Deep Dive
• Complete Tarot Card Meanings List