Pulling This Tarot Card Is Basically A Green Light From The Universe

Reading tarot cards may have hazy associations with fortunetelling, but this centuries-old practice isn't nearly as mystical as it seems. At its best, reading tarot cards can be a direct line to your own intuition and wisdom. The practice helps one hone skills like mindfulness and meditation, and tapping into those abilities can illuminate a positive path forward in every area of your life. 

For starters, in a traditional Rider-Waite deck, the Star card is visually striking. It features a naked, kneeling woman pouring two containers of water, one in each hand.

Her left hand represents the subconscious, with the water nourishing the earth and continuing the cycle of fertility in the lush landscape around her. In her right hand—the conscious—she pours the water onto dry land marked by five rivulets, symbolic of the five senses. 

The woman has one foot on land and one in the water. "As she kneels at the small pond, she engages in a purification ritual, letting go of that which no longer serves her and instead embracing the flow of life," says Brigit Esselmont, founder and CEO of Biddy Tarot. The woman is at once practical and intuitive, and her nudity represents both her purity and vulnerability. The Star card is also marked by a single large star—symbolizing her core essences—and seven smaller stars, which represent the chakras.

"It's a beautiful card with a deep and powerful message, especially for those going through a rebirth of some kind," says Esselmont. "The Star card invites the reader to shed her skin—all the layers that have built up over the years—and be 'naked' under the beauty of the starry night sky. This is about being vulnerable, authentic, and raw—being who you really are."

This is a wonderfully uplifting card, bringing fresh hope and faith in a peaceful chapter of your life. "I love that the Star card comes after the Tower card [in a deck]," says Esselmont. "The Tower is a card of massive destruction and disruption, one where your world is crumbling in around you. But the Star card follows, bringing a sense of renewed hope and faith that all is well, and through this destruction, there is a cleansing process that frees up the soul to be even more aligned with the universal energies."

Reversed, the Star card is a sign that you're feeling hopeless or adrift and uninspired in the universe. Life's challenges may feel overwhelming, and you're struggling to understand why these obstacles have been put in your path. Spend some time reflecting on your current struggles and challenges, and ask yourself what life lesson they could be carrying. How can you see this difficult journey not as a punishment but as a blessing?

Like every card in a tarot deck, the Star card can be applied to all aspects of life. "In love, it may be an invitation to be more authentic with your partner, to let go of the ego and to be more open and vulnerable as you establish new relationships," says Esselmont. "It may also come as a source of hope, especially if there has been a deep wounding in the past or a difficult event like a breakup. Despite the hardship, there is always hope and opportunity for something new to emerge."

The Star card is also particularly relevant in career readings. "I see it as an invitation to bring your whole self to work," says Esselmont. "Show yourself, and express your truth." 

In finances, the Star card can bring hope and faith that your financial situation will stabilize. "You may need to first audit your bank balances, savings, and spending—the cleansing ritual represented in the card—and then start afresh with how you manage your money," says Esselmont. "I also see the flow of money as being important—allowing the space for money to flow in and to flow out in constant movement."

Upright or upside down, there is much to be learned from the powerful Star card. It's a symbol of renewed hope and a feeling of immense blessings from the universe, a time of growth and development. Reversed, the Star car is an opportunity to see, and grow from, the lessons in your current struggles so that you emerge more connected, more grounded, and more in tune with what you really want in your own life.