The Sun card—its perspective is nearly always very close-up, or even blinding!

[Chariot]

It just occurred to me today, during a reading, that without exception ALL of The Sun cards in the decks I own are either offshoots of the RWS card—the child and the horse in a very close-up perspective—OR they depict The Sun as blinding and obscuring distance vision.

Unlike a sunny day in the real world, where you can see for miles in all directions under warm light—which is what I would expect the card to depict—The Sun card seems to restrict us to a very close-up view.  OR it emits sunlight that is so dazzling we can't actually see anything much at all.  In fact, the impulse I feel with some of these too-bright cards is to shut my eyes and turn away.

 

I'm wondering if this is significant in terms of meaning.

The Moon usually shows the landscape as not clear when only partially illuminated by the moon. Not knowing what the shapes actually are can be scary. I would expect The Sun to be, essentially, the opposite—everything in the landscape is revealed in strong, comforting sunlight.  Except—in all the decks I've got!—'everything' is not revealed.

The Sun scene is restricted to an extreme close-up—sometimes an even closer perspective than the 9 of Pentacles.  Sometimes it's somebody dancing in the sun (The LIght Seer's Tarot) or a field of sunflowers ...but depicted close-up.  You see the person or a few flowers.  That's basically it.  There is never much of a panorama in The Sun card.  And in some cases, like The Anna K Tarot, or the Tarot Grand Luxe (with its frightening Sun-God thingy)  the effect is of blinding light.  Blindness isn't exactly revealing, is it?  I could perceive more distance with The Moon cards!

 

So ...does it make sense to interpret The Sun as 'everything is warm and bright and happy-clappy—but only in your immediate vicinity?'

Edited October 27, 2024 by Chariot

[Aeon418]

To the extent that we don't realize that we are Sun, we run the risk of being dazzled by its light. In reality the Sun is in perpetual darkness, radiating out its light to fellow stars. Every man and every woman is a star. 

 

Although we may be staring into the blinding sunlight, the Sun is directly behind the head of the Child. I suspect their sight is anything but obscured.  

Edited October 27, 2024 by Aeon418

[DanielJUK]

There was a member posting here about 2 years ago about how The Sun was always a bad card for them! It always burned them and was too hot and they hated when it came up.

Same as us as people, someone who is very sensitive to the sun's rays, cannot sit under it. They need to cover up, stay under shade, use suntan cream and hats.

 

It's The Sun in moderation. It really cheers up my mind and makes me optimistic but also if I stay on a beach in it, after many many hours I am going to burn and not enjoy it!

For me, it's so large as it radiates the optimism and positivity. A sunny day really cheers me up but if it's too hot or I am under it all day, it's too much!

 

The Moon shines a little light, not as much as the sun and we cannot see everything. There are things in the shadows. But the sun shows us everything, gives us clarity, "broad daylight".

(I am sun biased cos it's one of my fave cards and always brings good things to me)

[JoyousGirl]

There would be no life here on Earth without the Sun. 

 

The little boy riding around on the horse is naked, he is experiencing life unencumbered- the warmth of the sun on his skin. We don't get that, or the sensation of riding a horse with the wind in our hair in spirit form.  The boy is exhilarated, fully immersed in the joy of life, he's being carried.

 

does it make sense to interpret The Sun as 'everything is warm and bright and happy-clappy—but only in your immediate vicinity?'

 

Well, yes because the reading is for a specific person, yourself or another, or an outcome of a situation. It indicates that for you or the situation there's good vibes, experiences or illumination of sorts.  On any day in the world there's people much worse off than us, so what you say fits. 

 

In terms of the perspective (which I now want to check my decks to see for myself), perhaps it could be along the lines of "all is well in your world"?

 

 

[Misterei]

On 10/27/2024 at 3:52 AM, Chariot said:

...  Blindness isn't exactly revealing, is it? 

There is a saying in Indian astrology about the Sun. It shows everything but reveals nothing. Sun's light casts shadows and we can't see what's in those shadows. It isn't revealed.

On 10/27/2024 at 3:52 AM, Chariot said:

So ...does it make sense to interpret The Sun as 'everything is warm and bright and happy-clappy—but only in your immediate vicinity?'

Because i read astrologically, I have a different take on the Sun card.

For example in relationship readings, Sun often shows a partner who's selfish or self-centered and wants the whole relationship to revolve around their wants and needs. This is taken from Vedic astrological mythos.

 

In other topics I might read Sun as per classical tarot canon. Sun shows honoring a contract for example.

 

But there's definitely a malefic quality to the Sun. In Vedic astrology its considered malefic but sattvic. This makes it minorly malefic compared with Saturn who is the Great Malefic [malefic and tamasic]

 

As per alchemy, Sun is birth of the Magickal Childe. Realization of our inner sun. But this inner sun is usually realized after we've progressed through experiences like Death, Temperance, Devil, and Tower. And journeyed through the illusory abyss of the Moon. So there's that 😇

Edited October 28, 2024 by Misterei

[Chariot]

31 minutes ago, Misterei said:

There is a saying in Indian astrology about the Sun. It shows everything but reveals nothing. Sun's light casts shadows and we can't see what's in those shadows. It isn't revealed.

Because i read astrologically, I have a different take on the Sun card.

For example in relationship readings, Sun often shows a partner who's selfish or self-centered and wants the whole relationship to revolve around their wants and needs. This is taken from Vedic astrological mythos.

 

In other topics I might read Sun as per classical tarot canon. Sun shows honoring a contract for example.

 

But there's definitely a malefic quality to the Sun. In Vedic astrology its considered malefic but sattvic. This makes it minorly malefic compared with Saturn who is the Great Malefic [malefic and tamasic]

 

As per alchemy, Sun is birth of the Magickal Childe. Realization of our inner sun. But this inner sun is usually realized after we've progressed through experiences like Death, Temperance, Devil, and Tower. And journeyed through the illusory abyss of the Moon. So there's that 😇

"A malefic quality to The Sun."  Thank you for putting my feeling about that card into words.  Yes.  I usually get an uncomfortable clutch at the stomach when that card comes up.  It's not a card I like, although some readers believe it's the best card you can get.  But its influence feels harsh to me, and overpowering.  I want to say, "Back Off!" 

[JoyousGirl]

4 hours ago, Misterei said:

Sun often shows a partner who's selfish or self-centered and wants the whole relationship to revolve around their wants and needs.

I was actually going to comment on this sort of astronomical aspect. How the Earth's cycles vary as it travels.  Also insolation - blistering heat at the equator, and not at the poles.  I've also had skin cancers removed, so I am well aware of the sun's malefic quality, too. Too much of any good thing isn't good.  And I think scale is important in this regard.

 

3 hours ago, Chariot said:

 I want to say, "Back Off!" 

Depending on who you're reading for, I wonder if this rejection is because the sun is illuminating an aspect of the self / your self that you need to inquire into.  Following astrological aspects as Mysterei does, the Sun is the self. There's many meanings and not one will apply everywhere, but who or what is it you're suggesting should "back off" and what is the underlying feeling within your solar plexus chakra that needs investigating? 

[Misterei]

1 hour ago, JoyousGirl said:

... Also insolation - blistering heat at the equator, and not at the poles.  I've also had skin cancers removed, so I am well aware of the sun's malefic quality, too. Too much of any good thing isn't good. 

Yes. In the Vedic mythos Surya is alone. Even his wife got tired of getting burnt every time they had intimacy. So she created a Shadow Wife and ran away from the marriage. There's of course way more to the tale -- but a bit long for a forum post 🙂

[Chariot]

17 hours ago, JoyousGirl said:

 

 

Depending on who you're reading for, I wonder if this rejection is because the sun is illuminating an aspect of the self / your self that you need to inquire into.  Following astrological aspects as Mysterei does, the Sun is the self. There's many meanings and not one will apply everywhere, but who or what is it you're suggesting should "back off" and what is the underlying feeling within your solar plexus chakra that needs investigating? 

That may well be an interpretation I can use from now on, because it's more in keeping with my instinctive aversion to this card.  Mind you, I'm not, and never have been, a sun-worshipper.  I enjoy sunny days while sitting in the shade, looking out at a lovely, warm landscape.  When I'm actually IN full sun, I'm always seeking some kind of shade or shelter from it.

I thought I was being contrary, because I never thought 'oh joy oh joy' when this card came up in readings for me.  It's too bright a light to feel good. It doesn't show me something I need to see; it actually blinds me to seeing anything much at all.  If it just went under a cloud for a minute or two, I might feel differently!  But there's this happy child, or sunflower, or dancing girl, close up, IN MY FACE, with the sun behind it that is so blinding I can't see anything else.  I don't get the feeling I need to inquire about anything.  I just need to escape its rays. The tarot Sun doesn't feel happy or comforting to me; it feels unpleasantly aggressive. "Back off" is exactly the feeling I get when this card comes up.  I'm always relieved if it comes up in reverse!  🙂

 

Edited October 29, 2024 by Chariot

[RunningWild]

The ‘malefic’ aspect of the sun is, indeed, part of its meaning.  Think of Icarus flying too close to the sun.  Too much of anything isn’t usually a good thing.

[Chariot]

If I were designing a Sun card for a tarot deck, I would soften it a lot.  I would go for this kind of vibe:

The landscape is warm, welcoming and illuminates everything all the way into the distance.  That's a picture that feels good, as if everything is fine, and all right with the world. That's my idea of what a The Sun card should be like.  It's like The Moon ...a landscape ...only instead of being dark and mysterious, it's cheerful and clear. 

Or maybe with sunflowers ...but again, the landscape is warm, clear, cheerful and unthreatening:

[gregory]

1 hour ago, RunningWild said:

The ‘malefic’ aspect of the sun is, indeed, part of its meaning.  Think of Icarus flying too close to the sun.  Too much of anything isn’t usually a good thing.

 

I always mention the possibility of sunburn and caution even when ll seems wonderful. Go outside on a lovely summer day, enjoying the warmth on your skin and - melanoma. . I absolutely wouldn't (didn't !)  make it all unthreatening - because it isn't. It can be hugely damaging.

[JoyousGirl]

6 hours ago, Chariot said:

kind of vibe

 

That's for the good aspects, but you've brought up many good points about the malefic - not so benefic aspects of the card. The kid is naked, while the experience is good - it's not necessarily great. I have pale skin, but I live in Australia which is the world's capital for skin cancer. I have a photo of me about 2 years old without a top on [ETA at the beach] (this was before skin cancer was discovered to be an issue here). So all the damage was done when I was the same age as that little happy fellow on the horse, up to about 17. And not from lying in the sun, because I found sunbaking boring - but from just walking around in singlets and without a hat.  Mum started warning me because it was known by the time I was about 12, but too late to instil good habits because teenagers - well, they aren't good at taking advice.

 

Anyway, that's one unhappy experience that can be applied to the sun card.

 

As I said I would, I took a look at some of my Sun cards. This one from Tarot of 1001 nights is sort of like your landscape, maybe? It's not consuming the image, but its effects are felt - you feel the warm balmy air and want to go for a dip.  But it still looks harsh - let's hope it's going down rather than going up because it looks hot already? 

 

 

 

 

Then there's Wild Wood and Tarot of a Moon Garden.

 

Wild Wood shows the life giving aspect, but this androgyne is naked like the child, and as you say, the Sun is HUGE. Power and energy, and lifeforce are indicated here. 

 

As for ToaMG, I haven't really noticed it up until now, glances at it thought it was beautiful, but taking a closer look the way the Sun is looking at us is quite intense. So the Sun as intensity is really shown by these two.

 

 

Then there's Crystal tarot. The different radiations / concentric rays might speak to the scale of the force of the sun we're talking about. But that kid touching it?  Well as you say, telling him to back off might be a good idea, as my experience suggests. Thanks for asking this question, I think the insights are very important to note, and also give us a bit of the Yin/Yang - Nothing is all positive, nothing is all negative.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2024 by JoyousGirl