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 |
Pamela Colman Smith · Rider–Waite–Smith (1909)
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.
Drew The Star in a love reading? Tell Mystica about your situation in the free chat and see what it could mean for your relationship.
Ask the love chatThe 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.
What about work? Ask the free chat what The Star could be telling you about your job, an offer or your business.
Ask the career chatCareer 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.
Want to apply it to your own situation? Ask Mystica what The Star says about what you are going through right now. Free, no signup.
Ask in the free chatAdvice 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.
The Star in question readings
What The Star says when it lands in a specific position. These are the interpretations our free readings by question show for this card.
- As their feelings (Does my ex still love me?): Their feelings have softened into hope and tenderness. This person thinks of you with warmth and may quietly wish for healing between you. There is openness here, a sense that something good might still be possible after all that happened.
- As what they are not showing (Does he like me?): They are hiding a vulnerability. This person may be healing from a past hurt and is cautious about showing how hopeful you make them feel. Beneath the calm surface is a real wish that this could become something lasting.
- As the outcome in a reconciliation reading (Will he come back?): This leans toward hope and renewal. Whether through reconciliation or peaceful closure, the path ahead feels lighter. If you reunite, it would be with fresh honesty and a sense of starting clean. Either way, healing is the direction.
- As what is coming in love (Will I find love?): Renewed love and a sense of destiny are on the horizon. The Star is one of the most hopeful signs for finding a partner, pointing to someone who feels like a breath of fresh air. Keep your heart open; this is a good omen.
- As the outcome for work (Will I get the job?): This leans strongly positive. Expect renewal, opportunity, and a result that restores your confidence. Things may not happen overnight, but steady hope and effort point toward a bright, meaningful outcome.
- As advice (What should I do?): Follow what brings you peace and genuine hope. Choose the option that feels most authentic and restorative, not the one driven by fear. Be patient; this is a time for healing and faith in the path ahead.
- Reversed in a love reading (Will we get back together?): Reversed, hope is dimmed. One of you may feel discouraged, disillusioned, or unsure the relationship can recover. Faith needs rebuilding first, starting with yourself; without that, a reunion would carry old doubts along.
Pulled The Star next to another card? See what they mean together with the tarot card combinations tool.
Popular combinations with The Star: The Tower + The Star, Wheel of Fortune + The Star, The Star + Ace of Cups.
The Star as a birth card or year card
In the birth card system of Mary K. Greer, The Star belongs to constellation 8, together with Strength. Find out whether it is one of your cards with the tarot birth card calculator, or whether it rules your year with the tarot year card calculator.
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 daySources and further reading
- Rider–Waite Tarot · Wikipedia
- Major Arcana · Wikipedia
- Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (astrological and elemental correspondences) · Wikipedia
- A. E. Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot (1910), the companion book to the deck illustrated by Pamela Colman Smith
Reviewed by The Mystica Editorial Team under our editorial standards. Last reviewed: September 28, 2026.
Frequently 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.