The Sun, Part II: The Major Arcana and The Hero’s Journey

Resh is the Hebrew letter that corresponds to The Sun. It means head, chief, total, and first. These are all things that we associate with The Sun. But resh also means grieved, poor, poverty, afraid, and last. These are not bright, strong sun words, What are they doing here? The quick and easy answer is that the Hebrew letters have many other uses besides tarot correspondence and we shouldn’t expect perfect matches all the time. However, resh is the only Hebrew letter that has such strong dual meanings, and I think this is a clue. The Sun is all about unifying dualities into a functional, integrated whole (see The Sun I). Like, what is between the first thing and the last thing? Everything, that’s what.

Even the symbol of the Sun suggests wholeness and unity. When I was growing up, whenever my expectations were too high my mother would accuse me of “wanting the world with a fence around it.” That image always comes to mind when I see this glyph.  When we have truly achieved the union of opposites within our psyches, having it all and desiring nothing (the world with a fence around it) is a possibility.

In a reading, The Sun is a true blessing. It’s most simple, all purpose meaning is Victory, or the resolution of opposing forces. But it can also mean clarity and wisdom. Things that seemed incomprehensible, mysterious, or hidden are now clear as day. Even if it appears in the past, it means that you now have the confidence and experience to be successful in the present and future.

When The Sun appears with The Lovers in a reading there are at least two possible meanings. If cups appear with these two major arcana keys, especially the ace or two, it clearly indicates success in love, a passionate and joyous relationship. If there are swords present, especially the ace or two it means an excellent choice, decision, or plan that will lead to success.

When The Sun appears with The Chariot, it means complete victory or mastery. Everything is really going your way.

Pentacles and The Sun signify material wealth or radiant health.

When the Sun appears with The High Priestess or The Moon it means understanding of things hidden, an intense psychic and/or emotional breakthrough that will change the querent’s life for the better.

There is nothing ambivalent about this card. It is awesome good. Even when it’s reversed it’s still good. Just not as good. Even when there are negative cards present, The Sun shines its light on them and makes them comprehensible and no longer so difficult.

In the hero’s journey, The Sun is the card of the hero. It is also the point at which the quest is achieved. In The Writer’s Journey, Christopher Vogler refers to this as “seizing the sword.”

In The Wizard of Oz this happens when Dorothy takes the Wicked Witch of the West’s broomstick, her ticket back home.

In the movie Avatar, the Sun moment happens when the planet Pandora defends herself against her extraterrestrial rapists by mobilizing her wildlife to aid the hard pressed Na’vi and defeat Colonel Quaritch’s forces.

The Sun moment can also be a personal achievement. In the movie A Dangerous Method, psychologist Sabina Spielrein is unable to achieve her goal of reconciling Carl Jung, her lover and psychoanalyst, and Sigmund Freud, her mentor, but she is able to accomplish the more important task of reconciliation of the conflict within herself.

Often the Sun moment of the hero’s journey involves not only the hero’s attainment of the object of the quest, but also the awakening within the hero of an essential power or talent. In the movie Star Wars this happens when Luke and his fellow pilots are attacking the Death Star. In the midst of a crushing battle, Obi-wan-kenobi reminds him to “Use the force, Luke,” and our hero at last slips into the Satori-like state necessary to qualify as a Jedi Knight. Using his hard won enlightenment he is able to destroy the Death Star and save the day.

The Sun is the entire raison d’être for the hero’s journey.

It is fulfillment, completion.