The Sun is the card of the winter solstice; it symbolizes the birth of the sun at midwinter. The Sun is born from the dark womb of the darkest night in the year, and on that very day the hours of sunlight begin to lengthen and the power and strength of the sun grows. The Sun card shows the children of the great Goddess, twins who are born at midwinter and who grow to become kings. They become the consorts of the Goddess and from her they have the power of rulership.

The Sun represents the independence that we receive at the moment of birth with the severance of the direct physical ties we have with our mothers. The male children heighten the theme of separation, for daughters are forever connected to their mothers in the recurring biology of birth. We all feel the separation, however, and come to recognize our individuality. Just as - in astrology - the sun represents the ego, the Sun card in the Tarot represents the recognition of individuality.

The two boys who share the rulership of the year are as different as they can be. In myth you will see their differences highlighted in different ways; often one will be the son of a god, the other mortal (like Castor and Pollux). We recognize that the truth of individuality lies in the differences between us. We use each other as mirrors, against which we define ourselves as different or similar, and we use these as we grow to define our character.

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In the hands of the boys is the symbol of self; the globe or ball. This is a symbol - like the sun itself - of the "ultimate wholeness of man"#. Here the four races are represented, for the balls are the traditional colors of the sun, red and gold, and with the two boys these are the colors of humankind. This is in further recognition of our ultimate individuality. The sphere of the sun - with the colors of the twelve astrological signs around it - is also the representation of the unique qualities that we all have and that we depend on to recognize the differences between us. These astrological variations are also under the feet of the children in an expression of the analogy that what is above is also below. As the earth journeys around the sun, on the path represented by the twisted strand of blue and silver ribbon, we who ride on planet earth make a yearly journey through the twelve signs. The sign of Capricorn at the winter solstice is uppermost in the card symbolized by the black rays of the sun. The darkness of the winter season is reflected in the color representing Capricorn, and as the sun grows stronger it moves into lighter colors, peaking at summer solstice with the white light of the sign Cancer.

The flowers surrounding the boys symbolize the life-giving qualities of the Sun; they are round and golden and they mirror the sun's form with their ray flowers spreading like the light and heat of the sun. They seem to worship the sun in the way they turn to stare at it. They are an earthly representation of the magical axiom stated above (as above, so below) and as such they also symbolize everything that the sun does and perhaps more. Through their stems and roots they are the connection between earth and sky and they serve to remind us that though our individuality is important, we are not independent from our origins in the planet, which is our mother. It is the magical relationship between the sun and the light and heat; it gives us and the moist and fertile earth which brings forth all living things.

When you have drawn this card in your reading it is a time of recognition for you. You have just been able to see the independence of something against the complex background of the world. Perhaps this is something inside of you, but it need not be. Maybe you are recognizing that in your relationship with your mate your expectation that all his needs would be satisfied by you is an illusion. You realize this because you are able now to see that the individuality of all people is the issue and that any relationship is between two separate individuals. We are each traveling our own path and experiencing a brief moment called life. It is a learning journey and the light of the sun is the light within each of us that grows brighter and then dimmer as we travel. The Sun is the symbolic metaphor for the recognition of individuality, both our own and others. It will be a good time to experience your differentness, to reflect on it and to rejoice in it.

As an inception card The Sun also symbolizes a good time to start projects, and to bring something new to birth. Through the things you create you will gain an understanding of yourself because your creations are a reflection of your individuality and the essence of your uniqueness is in your work. When the Sun is part of your reading it is a time of new beginnings, and like the winter solstice it is a time when the warm light within you will grow stronger.