What is The Star?

The Star is card number 17 in the Major Arcana. It is the calm after The Tower's storm—a gentle, luminous card of hope, healing, and renewed faith. After destruction clears away the false, The Star shines as a guiding light toward restoration and inspiration.

Card Symbolism

In the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, a naked woman kneels beside a pool of water beneath a starlit sky. She pours water from two pitchers—one onto the earth and one into the pool—nourishing both the conscious and unconscious realms. Above her, a large yellow eight-pointed star is surrounded by seven smaller white stars. In the background, an ibis (a bird of wisdom) perches in a tree, connecting the scene to knowledge and spiritual insight.

Upright Meanings

• Hope and trust in a brighter future
• Healing and recovery of body and spirit
• Inspiration and a flowing creative current
• Spiritual peace and deep inner calm

Reversed Meanings

• Loss of hope or feelings of despair
• Lack of faith in yourself or the universe
• Creative drought and depleted inspiration
• Refusing to heal or avoiding painful truths

Reading Tips

The Star is the rainbow after the storm. When this card appears, it signals a period of healing and renewal following hardship. Trust yourself, trust the process, and allow hope to guide you forward. Keeping faith—even when things are still uncertain—is the most powerful thing you can do right now.