Welcome to The Tarot Table, the podcast where we explore the mystical world of tarot, delve into the secrets of the cards, and talk about all things spiritual with a no-nonsense, no-BS lens.
I'm your host, Miriam Rachel, psychic medium and tarot reader, author of Overcoming Echoism with Tarot: Using Tarot for Boundary Setting and Stopping People-Pleasing, and freelance writer.
I am so glad you are here. Here is a question for you. When you pull a card for yourself each morning or evening, or if you have a reading done and you get the Sun, do you always get excited since the Sun is supposedly the brightest card in the deck?
And, of course, you would get excited since the Sun is known for representing success, warmth, fun, positivity, and vitality, especially if it is the outcome card for a reading.
But I will ask this as well. Do you ever look beyond the excitement and ask yourself what message this card could have for you?
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the Sun is not always the best card to get. You already know there are no "good or bad cards."
The Sun has many dark aspects, but no one likes to discuss them. And that is what I am doing right now.
I will reveal so much about the Sun that will make you rethink the excitement you get when you do a daily pull, and that card comes up.
Before delving right into that, here is something else to consider. When the Sun tarot card falls into a position in a spread that represents obstacles or challenges, what are your thoughts then?
Or, what happens if it happens to be your shadow card, which is the card at the bottom of the deck? That is when you will begin to learn about the shadow side of the Sun tarot card.
There are several meanings behind the Sun's shadow side, and let's begin to delve into them.
Toxic Positivity
The Sun can also represent toxic positivity, and it does not always have to be in the reversed position if you read reversals.
For example, if you are doing a reading about someone and the Sun comes up as their negative trait, that can represent that they are likely the type that would toss toxic positivity at you.
Other cards in the spread would have to support that, especially if the Moon and the Seven of Swords, which both represent dishonesty and hiding things, are in that spread. Toxic positivity is highly invalidating.
Unrealistic Optimism
The Sun can also represent unrealistic optimism or magical thinking. If you are going for a tarot reading about love, and the Sun is in a position where a challenge or an obstacle can come up, that could mean some idealism and magical thinking involved.
That is when you would believe that a prince or princess charming would unexpectedly appear at your door.
But let's be honest; there is no such thing, and what are the odds of that happening?
If the Knight of Cups, upright or reversed, is in the same spread, which is the idealistic romantic, then that supports that magical thinking issue.
What happens to you when you look directly at the Sun? It will blind you, as magical thinking does from reality.
The solution to the challenge is a card from the Pentacles suit tied to the earth element, hence highly practical, such as the Two or Queen of Pentacles, which would bring you back to Earth.
Too Much Ego
The Sun could come up in a reading about an individual's negative personality aspect, and aside from tossing toxic positivity, the Sun could represent having too much ego.
But, of course, that would be upright or reversed, depending on the spread. Again, think about the solar system, as the Sun is in the center as the planets orbit around it.
Also, think of the dark side of Leo, which the Sun rules, and that is being egotistical. Hence, it is unsurprising that the Sun would also represent someone with an entitlement complex.
Exhaustion And Burnout
You would not think of the Sun representing burnout and exhaustion, as that is a card represented by the Nine and Ten of Wands.
However, it can, because when you think of how being out in the Sun too much as you exert yourself would burn you out and leave you exhausted.
For example, if you were to have a reading about why you cannot complete a task you want to do and the Sun shows up in a challenging position, it can mean that you are exhausted and burned out — which also depends on the surrounding cards if the Nine of Ten of Wands is in that spread somewhere, that supports that reason.
Getting Burned
Consider what happens when overexposed to the Sun, even if you have applied sunscreen with a 60 SPF. First, you will get sunburn because even the best sunscreen will not prevent it.
Therefore, you could get burned if you are overexposed to something better for you, especially if you put too much trust in something or someone who severely lets you down.
Solar Storm
What happens when there is a solar storm? Once a solar flare reaches the area around Earth, it can heat the ionosphere where the Earth's atmosphere ends — hence the reason for the gorgeous auroras that are usually seen in the polar regions or areas with higher latitudes.
However, if the solar storm is out of control, it can hit the Earth's power grids and cause widespread power outages and communication-device issues. Therefore, in this case, the Sun tarot card can represent anything out of control in your life.
If there is chaos in your life, and you find a tarot spread that includes a position representing the cause for chaos, and the Sun shows up, that is what is happening.
There is a "solar storm" that has gotten out of control happening around you. It is time to firm up some boundaries.
Drought
The Sun without rain causes drought. The specific meaning behind the Sun tarot card is vitality, but it can represent the opposite of that.
For example, suppose you feel unmotivated and stuck, and the Sun tarot card comes up as the position in a reading representing the cause.
In that case, you are facing a drought of your own, which can highlight the area shown by the surrounding cards where you are not getting enough "water" in your life to nurture it.
Therefore, you must add something to your life to help you thrive.
Now you see how the Sun tarot card is only sometimes the most positive in the deck.
But remember, even the "worst" tarot cards have some upsides. There are times when it is exciting to see the Sun tarot card come up in a reading, but there are other times when it reveals that you must address a significant obstacle or challenge.
Now you have it! I will talk to you again next Friday. Remember to subscribe to my Substack! Follow me on Medium at msmir.medium.com, and check out my site at miriamreadstarot.com.
Next week, I want to discuss using tarot cards to stimulate your creativity. This episode may be helpful if you are a writer because tarot can be a fantastic tool for stimulating creativity.
I will also be hosting guests in February, as I have a few lined up already, so stay tuned for that announcement. Until then, see you next time, ciao for now.
Episode006 - Don’t Be Fooled by the Brightest Tarot Card - The Sun