The Sun in the Chalice pack depicts a new-born baby. It has a third eye and Buddha-like curls which hint at a state of spiritual perfection. It appears to be bursting out of the earth itself which is symbolic of the whole theme of re-emergence which accompanies the core meaning of this card: the promise of the rebirth which was first promised in the Death card has finally come, the butterfly has emerged from the pupa. The baby may symbolise the potential of a brave new future which lies in all of us, waiting to be born under the right circumstances; a divine child of unmapped potentialities. Like the newborn shown at the end of the magnificent saga in the visionary science fiction film 2001, the baby in this card symbolises the promise of the Future, all that We Might Be.

This card is the light at the end of the tunnel. After the ordeal of a long journey through what may often be darkness or confusion, after the long periods of soul-searching and apparently fruitless labour, finally comes that moment of illumination which makes it all worthwhile. The mystic may find that the Quest and the destination were, in fact, one and the same all the time - Jungians believe that the Sun is a symbol of the self; certainly this card in a spread may herald the re-emergence of a more inclusive, cohesive identity within the personality structure which has hitherto operated within the world.

In more ordinary circumstances, the Sun may indicate a new period of well-being and strength whenever it occupies a key position within a spread. The Sun may appear once a period of illness or depression is over, meaning that the natural propensities within the body and psyche of each individual have now been fully activated. The Sun is least removed from those feelings of Not OK. Like the sense of well-being which a sunny day may bring, the individual may bask in the light of a new-found optimism and joy.

The Sun may also seem to be about the vital energy of Chi and Prana, which lies in all of nature, and is perhaps ordinarily best glimpsed within moments of great joy, such as within the moment of orgasm. The Sun itself is actually a ball of self-sustaining radiation, suggesting that the process of illumination is like a chain reaction. The whole is then greater than the part, which may well be the key to the principle of synergy.

Negatively, of course, it can be possible to have too much of a good thing with this card. As the ultimate fiery energy, the Sun may mean that the individual may experience burn-out if he or she is not grounded in other ways. John Michell suggests that the solar energy must always be balanced with a lunar or an "earthing" kind of energy, or some kind of a short-circuit may take place. On a physical level, it is certainly true that the Sun has to be respected, especially in warm climates where sunstroke may be fatal. On a psychic level, a negatively-placed Sun in a spread may indicate that over-optimism may lead the querent, like Icarus, to over-reach his or her capacities, and try to fly too close to the Sun. Pride always comes before a fall, and the querent may then experience some kind of a burnout. Also, it still has to be remembered that the card in this pack depicts a baby which, whatever potential it possesses, has a long way to go before it reaches maturity.

In general, however, it must not be forgotten that the Sun, by and large, is a very positive card to receive in a spread. It augurs future success in most ventures about which the querent may be concerned and, more often than not, indicates a significant breakthrough for the querent in many areas of his or her life.