The Sun shows a return to the state of innocence and childlike joy. The hero has made it through the illusory lunar night and arrived in the sunlit garden. The child represents the pure light of the inner self, while the white horse represents purified instincts and libido. The hero’s old self is dead and he sees the world with the fresh, innocent eyes of a child, but without the naivety of the Fool. Consciousness has triumphed over the dangers in the unconscious.
However this is not the end of the journey. The sun represents the goal but it is still out of reach, shining down from behind the wall. If the hero were to approach the sun at this point in the quest, he would not be able to withstand its overwhelming power. The wall protects him from the intensity of the sun, but its life-enhancing qualities are shown by the sunflowers blooming above the wall.
The Sun shows the hero as a child. To take the final step into the mystic Centre and align himself with his True Self, the hero must grow up and mature. The sun is a symbol of psychic wholeness, but the hero’s psyche is not yet integrated. To complete the journey, the opposites must be united once more (have you spotted a pattern?!). Only then can the hero transcend duality and attain enlightenment.
Keywords for The Sun:
- Joy
- Blessings
- Celebration
- Fulfilment
- Vitality
- Illumination
First posted: https://jessicadavidson.co.uk/2014/08/14/tarot-heros-journey-the-sun/
