TAROTThe Star
Upright
Hope, growth, healing, mind and body in perfect alignment.
A readiness to embrace the future.
Hope; the universe is on your side. Spiritually attuned to successful paths. Possible burst of creative flair and new ideas. ‘Good things will happen to good people’.
Intuition
The Star is represented by the Goddess Hebe. Although the Aquarian archetype is often linked with Ganymede, Hebe is also a water-carrier and is associated with the Fountain of Youth.
This is shown in the image. The water is energised by the star and makes the dead tree stump sprout back into life.
Reversed
Lack of hope, regression, disbelief. Disconnection between wants and needs.
Self-sabotage or lack of belief in good fortune.
The universe is on your side but you are not tuned to receive it through inability to allow old wounds to heal, to forget the past, or to look to a brighter future.
Astrologia
Innovative, love of humanitarian causes; working towards a dream of equality. Independent and curious with a diverse social network. Can become rebellious or socially detached, or concentrating on logic over emotion.
The Star
After the upheavals of the Tower, the Star represents regrowth. Just like the star sign Aquarius (represented by Air carrying Water), mind and body are now in perfect alignment, aligning you for success.
The core message of the Star is hope and optimism for the future. Humanitarian and creative projects will succeed, making this a time for profound personal and spiritual growth.
Relationships will flourish. The balance of Air and Water means your intellectual and emotional needs will be met, provided you believe in yourself.
The downside, seen in the Reversed card, is that you may still be reeling from the Tower. You cling to old injuries, unable to forget the past, or remain too defensive to see how life has changed for the better. When Air and Water are both strong but pulling in opposite directions, self-delusion and emotional hypersensitivity become real problems.
The Star is strongly associated with the zodiac sign Aquarius. This sign is traditionally linked to the mythical cup-bearer Ganymede, who became the constellation of Aquarius. The Tarot card, however, is definitively feminine, pointing to another mythical cup-bearer: Hebe.
Hebe
Hebe is the personification of youth. Although some myths cite a fountain of youth, in Greek myth, Hebe herself is that fountain. We can see this in the card; the water from Hebe nourishes a dead tree stump back into life. Her water was capable of bringing youth back to mortals. This is perhaps the greatest boon and good fortune available in the universe: it is a key to immortality, representing infinite growth through forever-youthful energy.
Hebe is also associated with brides, frequently appearing in later Western art to celebrate young women upon their engagement. Hebe’s husband is also notable: Heracles (Roman: Hercules).
Finally, Hebe was occasionally worshipped alongside Hera as a mother-daughter dyad, similar to Demeter and Persephone. This implies Hebe (like Persephone) is symbolic of new life in the endless cycle of birth, life, and death.
Description and Symbology
The card shows Hebe at the edge of a lake, with one foot in the water and the other on the ground. This stance, along with the two water pitchers she holds, is reminiscent of the Temperance and High Priestess cards.
One stream of water flows upward, energized by a large eight-pointed star. This water falls onto a seemingly dead tree stump, coaxing it back to life. Note that it is not the water itself that causes life, but its interaction with the air it passes through. This symbolizes the mix of Air (Intellect) and Water (Emotion) creating life. Constantly experiencing new ideas and emotions is the true elixir of youth. Without both, you age before your time.
The star giving the water its life-giving properties tells us that the universe is sometimes on our side. When that happens, we receive the most prized boons of all.
The cycle of water, air, and rain is implied here, signifying constant renewal. It also represents the cycle between the Unconscious and Conscious minds, demonstrating how emotions do not merely stem from experience, but rise up from the deep Unconscious.
Another stream of water flows directly into the lake, feeding the stump at its roots. This represents the concept of multiple flows: to grow, you need to nourish mind and body, Conscious and Unconscious. You need both structure and creativity within your life.
Regarding this need for structure, we see an eagle (the symbol of Zeus, The Emperor) standing beside Hebe, providing a stabilizing presence.
Card Icon
The card icon is the sign of Aquarius.
Hebe as the Fountain of Youth
Hebe represents one of the biggest boons the universe can bestow; eternal youth. When good luck and growth comes our way as a pair, it is nothing short of rejuvenating.
The Star
The Star represents the universe bestowing good fortune
Water flowing through Air
Like the star sign Aquarius (an air sign that symbolizes water but is not itself a water sign), the Star represents air (Swords, ideas) even though there is water (Cups, emotion) present. The growth represented by the Star involves both ideas and emotion; when both are perfectly aligned with the universe, great potential occurs!
Multiple flows
We see two streams of water representing duality and flows. True growth requires attending to multiple areas such as mind and body, the emotional and intellectual and meeting both conscious and subconscious needs. Hebe’s stance, with one foot in the water and the other on solid ground, also points to dualities first seen in the High Priestess and Temperance cards.
The Tree stump
The tree stump represents you after the trials of the Tower. Perhaps lifeless but not beaten. The powers of The Star will rejuvenate, hence the tree shows new growth.
The Eagle
Hebe is often depicted with an eagle accompanying her, which in this deck alludes to the Emperor. Without some kind of low level structure and protection in your life you may not be ready to accept the good luck the universe sends your way.
Tips for Readings
The following table shows the upright and reverse meanings for general questions. The last row ('Yes/No') is useful when you are picking a single card to decide a yes or no decision.
Upright
Reversed
Harmony, growth, and understanding. Have faith in any new relationship.
Emotionally and physically satisfied.
Things should be going well, but you are self-sabotaging or lack belief in yourself or the relationship.
Success and professional growth. Bringing new ideas and getting noticed for it. Maintain focus and trust in yourself, and success will come quickly.
Trust yourself and stay persistent. You will succeed, but the path to career growth and promotion may be longer than expected.
Growth and balance. Stay the course in any current treatment, as it is likely to succeed. Any new health regime will work well as long as you maintain confidence in your abilities.
You are either being impatient for things to get better or self-sabotaging and/or being half-hearted in a new health regime.
Patience and persistence will be needed. Results will come, but slower than you envision.
Trust your inner intuition; you are likely to be correct. For any self-discovery started recently, you are on the right path.
A period of confusion. Reassess your assumptions and goals to check they are sensible and achievable. Self-reflection may be necessary; do you really believe the path you are taking?
Have faith in yourself in any dealings.
You have everything you need as long as you trust your own abilities to do the work and check the details.
Failure will only come if you are not true to yourself and fall towards greed or deceit.
Unexpected setbacks may befall any financial transaction. It will eventually succeed if you are patient and persistent, but it will take longer than expected.
If you cannot afford delays on an upcoming deal, consider holding off or backing out until you feel more confident.
Yes because the universe is on your side!
Probable no (unless you are patient enough to be able to wait for results).
Reading the Card
The Upright Card
The Upright Star represents new hope for the future, bringing a spurt of growth or new energy. It can indicate a period of healing after past obstacles, or the beginning of a new phase of life free from previous constraints.
The Upright Star represents new hope for the future, bringing a spurt of growth or new energy
The Star can also signify new ideas and thoughts, heralding a period of creativity at work or in any artistic endeavor. These ideas may be spiritual in nature, pointing to a new way of thinking or seeing the world (particularly after recent setbacks). Both mind and body will heal, embarking together on a more positive journey.
Finally, it can represent an upcoming positive opportunity. This will be unplanned and unforeseen, making it feel like pure 'good luck'.
The Reversal
The Reversed Star refers to the same sense of luck and growth, but implies something is blocking you from accepting it. Sometimes luck comes our way, but we are too concerned with previous failures or the daily grind to see it. We become too focused on the past to envision a brighter future.
Success, recovery, or growth may still arrive, but the progress will be slower. Feelings of hopelessness and disillusionment may force stagnation. A lack of self-belief or an unconscious drive toward self-sabotage may be at play.
In all these cases, the card asks you to look inward. Consider whether you are missing chances by looking in the wrong direction, lacking motivation, or failing to reach for a helping hand when it is offered.
Card Design Process
The design of the Star card was drawn primarily from the symbology of Aquarius, the zodiac sign it is most closely aligned with.
Final Words
The Star symbolizes hope, growth, and potential. It suggests a period of transformation, often emerging from a time of heavy obstacles. It confirms your ability to heal and move forward into a brighter future.
