Major Arcana · XVII
The Star Tarot Card Meaning
- hope
- inspiration
- renewal
- serenity
- faith
Traditional correspondence: Aquarius
In the order of the deck, The Star comes right after The Tower, and that placement says a great deal. A woman kneels at the edge of a still pool and pours water from a jug. An ibis watches from a bare tree, and a great eight-pointed star shines above her with smaller stars around it. She has nothing on and nothing to hide.
The Star upright meaning
Hope after a hard stretch is the meaning, and it is a modest kind of hope, the sort that returns one morning when you notice you have slept well or laughed at something. The worst may be behind you, and you can start to picture a future again. You do not have to have it all worked out. Believing that things can improve is enough for now.
The Star also asks for openness. The classic picture gives her two jugs, one poured on land and one into the pool, as a sign that what fills you can also flow out to others. Readers often take this card as a prompt to return to what feeds you: making things, being outdoors, time with people who let you be yourself. Its sign is Aquarius, the water bearer, and the likeness is easy to see.
The Star reversed meaning
The star has not gone anywhere, and you are struggling to look up. Everything may feel gray. You have been disappointed enough times that hoping seems foolish, or you have lost touch with what used to comfort you. Go small: look for one good thing in a day and let that be sufficient. If the gloom has lasted a long time, mention it to a doctor or someone trained to help.
The Star in love
After a breakup or a lonely spell, this card often marks the day you find you can open up again, perhaps to someone new or simply to the idea of it. Couples may rediscover tenderness after a hard period. Sincerity is what it asks for, showing yourself as you are. Old hurt can make you expect the worst, and idealizing someone can hide who they really are, so look out for both.
The Star in work and money
A new vision for your work fits this card, whether that is a creative project, a change of direction or a small idea you feel strongly about. Recognition tends to find sincere effort over time, and finances may recover in small amounts after a tough period. A loss of confidence can hide real prospects, so ask someone you trust what they see in you.
The Star: yes or no
Upright
Yes
The Star shines after the storm, bringing renewal, calm and a hopeful answer to your question.
Reversed
No
Reversed, discouragement is hiding the Star's light for now, even though hope has not left you.
Yes, and a hopeful one. Reversed, the No reflects discouragement more than a locked door: hope has not left you, even if now is not the time.