The Star Tarot Card Meaning: Upright, Reversed, Love & Yes/No
After a hard stretch, hope is returning. Be gentle with yourself and trust that things are slowly healing.
| Arcana | Major Arcana |
|---|---|
| Number | 17 (XVII) |
| Element | Air |
| Astrology | Aquarius |
| Hebrew letter | Tzaddi (Golden Dawn attribution) |
| Yes or no | Yes |
| Upright | hope, healing, renewal, inspiration |
| Reversed | discouragement, lost faith, disconnection |
The Star symbolism
A naked woman kneels by a pool beneath a night sky. She pours water from one jug into the pool and from another onto the land, where it forms five streams. Above her shines a large eight-pointed star surrounded by seven smaller ones, and an ibis perches in a tree behind her. After the destruction of The Tower, this is the calm that follows.
The descriptions on this site refer to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909), illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith and designed with Arthur Edward Waite, which is the reference for most modern tarot. Other decks may show different imagery with a similar meaning.
Upright meaning
- hope
- healing
- renewal
- inspiration
The Star is the card of hope, healing and renewal. It appears after a difficult period to remind you that recovery is possible and that brighter days are ahead. The energy is gentle, calm and quietly optimistic.
In a reading, The Star favours faith in the future, creativity, spiritual connection and emotional healing. It asks you to trust that you are on the right path even if progress feels slow. Its number is seventeen, which reduces to eight, a number of renewal.
Reversed meaning
- discouragement
- lost faith
- disconnection
Reversed, The Star shows discouragement and lost faith. You may feel disconnected from your sense of purpose or unsure whether things will improve.
The reversed card asks you to look for small sources of hope and to reconnect with what inspires you. The star is still there; clouds are simply covering it.
New to reversals? Our guide to reading reversed tarot cards explains the different ways readers interpret an upside-down card.
The Star in love and relationships
Upright in love
In love, The Star brings healing and hope. It can show a new relationship after a painful one, or a renewed sense of trust between partners. For singles, it suggests being open to love again.
Reversed in love
Reversed in love, the card can indicate pessimism, disappointment or not believing that love is possible for you right now.
The Star as feelings
As feelings, The Star means someone feels hopeful, inspired and at peace around you. They see you as a positive presence in their life.
Career and work
At work, The Star favours creative projects, new directions and recognition after a period of struggle. Follow what genuinely inspires you.
Money and finances
With money, the card brings gradual improvement and renewed confidence. Plan with optimism, but realistically.
Is The Star a yes or no card?
Yes
The Star is a yes. Things are moving in a positive direction, even if gradually.
Want to ask your own question? Try our yes or no tarot, which uses the same yes, no and maybe values shown on this page.
Number, element and astrology
The Star is card 17 (XVII) of the Major Arcana, the 22 trump cards that describe life's big lessons and turning points. In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn's system, which shaped the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, it is attributed to the Hebrew letter Tzaddi and to Aquarius, giving it the element of air. In numerology, 17 reduces to 8, linking it with Strength.
Advice from The Star
Keep hope alive and take one small step toward what inspires you. Healing happens gradually, then all at once.
Example reading
Illustrative example
Someone recovering from a difficult year of unemployment draws The Star for their outlook. The card suggests healing and gradual improvement, and encourages them to keep applying for roles that inspire them rather than settling out of fear.
This example is written by our editors to show how the card is read in context. It is not a real client's reading. See our tarot spreads for how positions change a card's meaning.
Related cards
Dream symbols linked to this card
Being naked in public, Bird, Flying, Sun, Water. Our dream dictionary explains how the same symbolism appears in dreams.
Ask the cards about your situation
Draw three cards for your own question. Every card in your result links back to its meaning here.
Free tarot readingCard of the dayFrequently asked questions
What does The Star mean in tarot?
Upright, The Star means hope, healing, renewal, inspiration. The Star is the card of hope, healing and renewal.
What does The Star reversed mean?
Reversed, The Star shows discouragement and lost faith. You may feel disconnected from your sense of purpose or unsure whether things will improve.
What does The Star mean in love?
In love, The Star brings healing and hope. It can show a new relationship after a painful one, or a renewed sense of trust between partners. For singles, it suggests being open to love again. Reversed in love, the card can indicate pessimism, disappointment or not believing that love is possible for you right now.
Is The Star a yes or no card?
The Star is a yes. Things are moving in a positive direction, even if gradually.
What does The Star mean after The Tower?
The two cards form a natural sequence: upheaval followed by healing. Together, they suggest that a difficult change will lead to renewal and hope.