Probably the most benevolent card in the deck, The Star resolves the problems presented in The Tower card. After the usually painful dissolution of obsolete mental constructions in The Tower, new hope, a new star, appears on the horizon to guide us back on our way. The starry night in the background gives this card a peaceful, meditative appearance. No wonder the Hebrew letter for this card, Tsadi, means fish-hook: it is as if we need to cast the hook deep into our inner self, to reveal the unseen and hidden, the place where real knowledge lies. This card is the first of the radiant triad of The Star, The Moon and The Sun. The order of these lights is not random: they are sequenced towards greater light, which brings greater clarity. The Star in this case can represent Venus, the planet once commonly called the Morning Star, a symbol of new beginnings, rejuvenation and rebirth. This card brings the seed of a new birth within you, the birth of your higher consciousness in your daily mind.
On the card
A woman, in her natural, sinless state of nakedness, pours water into a pool and onto the land. The former represents the subconscious and the universal, the latter the material world. Both are replenished by water from the vessels. The woman supports herself on the ground with one knee, while her other foot rests on the water, yet she does not disturb the surface of the pool. Here the pool of the subconscious is able to support the conscious mind; we can see an analogy with walking on water, the miracle of trusting in powers that are far beyond us. Where there is trust, miracles can happen. We can also see that for miracles to really happen, we must combine our material efforts with watery ones, that is, emotional and spiritual efforts. This card recalls Temperance, but while in Temperance the water is mixed between two cups, here water is mixed with universal consciousness in the form of the pool. Of course, the main focus is the star with eight points, the eight points of the compass, symbolizing the omnipresence of God's grace. Around the main star there are seven smaller stars. Seven plus one again gives us eight. Every smaller star also has eight points. These seven stars represent the seven energy centres in the human body called chakras in the East, and through numbers they also connect with the one central star, indicating unity through the seven realms of the Universe. The eight stars may also be read as eight planets in astrology. On the hill behind the woman there is a tree with a bird on it. The bird is an ibis, the ancient Egyptian symbol of the god Thoth. This bird is the sacred bird of the soul; it carries messages from the gods to humans, another motif of divine inspiration in this card. It also represents the element of Air, the pool represents Water, the land Earth and the stars Fire, thus bringing all four elements together in an alchemical wedding, just as in the Temperance card. We again see distant mountains in the background, a common motif in the Major Arcana that reminds us that this is just one step on the path.
Upright
This card represents hope, a bright future, inner guidance, vision and new life. If you are considering any new project or relationship, this card is an excellent omen. It can indicate emotional and spiritual awareness, good health and artistic endeavours. The Star by itself does not indicate the final resolution of a problem, but it does indicate good prospects for success and fulfilment.
Reversed
This card can indicate pessimism, cynicism, self-doubt and rejected opportunities.