Learn the Tarot: The Star Meaning

Learn the Major Arcana with That Oracle Guy Patrick. Together we’ll dive into the meanings, symbolism, and history behind each card — with affirmations, journaling prompts, and theme songs to help ground the lessons into your daily life. The Wisdom of the Major Arcana is yours to claim.

A nude female figure bending down beside a pool of water, pouring water from jugs. A large star is above her.

#17 The Star, Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot Deck

Meeting The Star:

After fire and ruin, after ego fell and the sky went dark, the Fool wandered — alone, scorched by The Tower’s collapse. There was no path forward, only silence. Until he looked up.

And there it was — a single star, glimmering in the vast dark. Soft, unwavering.

He followed it.

He arrived at a quiet pool beneath the night sky. A woman knelt at the water’s edge, pouring two vessels — one into the pool, one onto the land. She was nude, radiant, and unafraid. Her presence held no urgency, no drama — only calm.

She turned to the Fool with eyes full of knowing.

“You survived,” she whispered. “Now you remember who you truly are.”

The Fool exhaled for the first time in what felt like lifetimes. He knelt beside her. No longer grasping, no longer resisting — just receiving.

Hope returned.

Keywords for The Star:

  • Hope

  • Healing

  • Spiritual guidance

  • Renewal

  • Faith

  • Calm

  • Trust

  • Divine timing

Associations:

  • The Element: Air (inspiration, wisdom, inner voice)

  • The Planet: Uranus (innovation, enlightenment, divine vision)

  • Zodiac: Aquarius

Card Symbolism:

  • The Star Itself: The central eight-pointed star symbolizes guidance, hope, and spiritual illumination. Eight points represent balance and regeneration.

  • Seven Smaller Stars: Represent the seven chakras, showing alignment of energy centers and spiritual healing.

  • The Woman (Naked Figure): Her nudity symbolizes authenticity, vulnerability, and truth—nothing to hide, nothing to prove.

  • The Two Pitchers of Water: One poured into the pool = emotional and subconscious renewal. One onto the land = fertility, grounding, and re-entering life with purpose.

  • One Foot in Water, One on Land: Balance between intuition and action, the spiritual and material worlds.

  • The Green Landscape: Symbol of regeneration and growth—life begins again after devastation.

  • The Ibis Bird on the Tree: Represents Thoth, god of wisdom, and hints at sacred knowledge re-emerging after destruction.

  • The Night Sky: Invites us to trust what we cannot yet see, anchoring us in divine timing and cosmic perspective.

  • Roman Numeral XVII: 1 + 7 = 8, the number of infinity, healing, and balance.

Upright Meaning:

In the upright position, The Star arrives like breath after drowning.

It’s a message that healing is here, or on its way. You may not know how — but you feel the shift. This card is a return to trust, reminding you that the universe still holds you, even after collapse.

Rachel Pollack sees The Star as a deep inner faith, a “calm and happy” card that returns you to your essence after the spiritual death of The Tower. In Jungian psychology, The Star symbolizes soul restoration — the psyche coming back into harmony with itself after surviving deep shadow work.

When you pull The Star upright, ask: Where is grace already shining in my life? What is being rebuilt inside me, slowly and sacredly? The Universe is in support of your growth.

Reversed Meaning:

In reverse, The Star may indicate doubt, hopelessness, or spiritual disconnection. You may be struggling to see light on the horizon — or questioning if you’re worthy of peace. This card reminds you that faith must be nurtured, even in moments of darkness.

It can also signal emotional fatigue, self-doubt, or resisting vulnerability. From a Jungian lens, it may indicate that the conscious mind hasn’t yet integrated the healing wisdom offered by the unconscious — the soul is still trying to speak, but the ego is afraid to listen.

When reversed, The Star asks: What internal light have I stopped believing in? Where am I blocking the peace that’s already here?

Journal Prompts for The Star:

  • What signs of healing are already present in my life, even if subtle?

  • How can I soften into trust instead of forcing control?

  • What part of me is ready to be seen without fear or shame?

  • What gives me hope, and how can I protect that spark?

Affirmations:

  • “I trust in the timing of the universe and know that healing is unfolding.”

  • “I am held by the cosmos and guided by the light within me.”

  • “I breathe into peace, knowing that renewal follows release.”

Theme Song:

Dog Days Are Over by Florence + The Machine, 2008

About The Author

Patrick is an evolutionary tarot reader specializing in deep, transformative tarot sessions that empower clients to gain clarity, break limiting patterns, and navigate life with confidence. As a lifelong believer that there are no coincidences, he knows firsthand the power of tarot and oracle cards as a north star for your personal growth.

Ready to experience a deeper tarot journey? Book a reading today or explore more articles and resources at: ThatOracleGuy.com

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Learn the Tarot: The Tower Meaning