The Star

The Star is the 17th card in the Major Arcana in most traditional Tarot decks.

Depictions of The Star from various Tarot decks

Rider-Waite Depiction

In the Rider-Waite Tarot, artist Pamela Colman Smith depicted The Star as a naked woman kneeling beside a body of water with a great, radiant star shining overhead. This star is likely Sirius, the Goddess Sopdet, the brightest star in the night sky. It shines with eight rays and is surrounded by seven smaller stars, for a total of eight. These eight stars correspond to the eight planets of our solar system.

The nude woman has her left knee on the ground and her right foot is in the water. She pours the water of life from two cups, giving blessings to both sea and land. In the background, perched upon a tree, is an ibis, sacred to the Egyptians as the god Thoth.

Symbolism

The star expresses eternal youth and beauty. That which the figure communicates to the living scene is the substance of the heavens and the elements. No astrologer will hesitate to recognize Venus. The picture on the card shows it quite clearly: a naked girl, demonstrating undoubtedly the beauty of the human body, symbol of beauty in the nature of man. Well, then it is the image of this planet of beauty and eternal youth, which has its place between the Sun and Mercury on one side and our Earth on the other, the third personification of the genius of the Sun. The ibis and the butterfly connect the idea of immortality with this figure, in perfect accord with the mystic teaching which says, that love extends beyond the grave.

Divinatory meaning

In divination, this card usually indicates benefits, love, beauty, and peace. Loss or privation.

In reversed position, it means: Arrogance, haughtiness, or impotence. Laziness and weakness.