Have you ever seen the movie Stardust? A star falls to earth, wicked witches chase her to steal her essence, and — improbably — Robert De Niro appears as a pirate captain who does the can-can in drag. It’s a wonderful, magical adult fairy tale.
Oddly enough, it also gives us a few clues about what The Star card in the Tarot is really about.
Origins of the Tarot
No one truly knows where the Tarot came from. Some intriguing hints suggest it may have roots in Egyptian Hermeticism, but there’s no hard evidence for that.
What we do know is that the first recorded Tarot decks appeared in the Italian royal courts around 1450. That makes it very old. And when we interpret the cards, we need to remember that the words and symbols meant something very different to people in the 1400s than they do to us now. The Star is a perfect example.
Modern Astronomy
When I was in the fifth grade, I spent nights in my parents’ backyard with a little Edmund Scientific telescope. Peering up at the moon and stars, I felt pure awe. Even then, though, I knew stars were “distant suns,” cousins of the one that kept me warm every day.
Today, with the Hubble telescope and modern astronomy, we know even more: trillions of stars scattered like glitter across the cosmos, being born and dying every day.
But in the 1400s, that understanding didn’t exist.
Ancient Skies and Ancient Eyes
Back then, knowledge of the stars was still rooted in Greek philosophy and medieval theology. To those eyes, stars were perfect, flawless jewels glowing in the heavens. Perfection, of course, meant divinity.
And to many, they weren’t just divine — they were alive. The “wandering stars” we now call planets were believed to move of their own volition. Movement meant life, and so they were seen as gods. That’s why their names — Mars, Venus, Jupiter — are still with us today.
Angelic Souls
In the 1400s, though, talk of pagan gods could get you burned at the stake. The compromise? Stars weren’t gods — they were “ensouled.” They were divine presences, not quite angels, but spiritual beings with enormous influence.
Astrology was deadly serious business. People genuinely believed their destinies were written in the stars. Contrary to Shakespeare’s later declaration, many in the Middle Ages were convinced their fate was determined above, not within.
Spirit Guides
So what does this mean for The Star card?
Most likely, it was originally meant to depict something very close to what we’d call a “spirit guide” today.
It’s not an angel — Tarot clearly marks angelic figures with wings. Instead, The Star suggests a subtler, quieter presence: a flow of spiritual influence and inspiration. The woman pours water upon the Earth and into the pool, symbolizing a constant infusion of energy, grace, and renewal into our lives.
The Star Today
Seen through modern eyes, The Star becomes both timeless and practical. It’s the card of healing, guidance, and hope. It invites us to trust that the universe has not abandoned us, that unseen currents are still at work.
When The Star appears in a reading, it’s like a deep breath after a storm. It reassures us that life always offers another chance to shine. Whether we call it divine presence, spirit guidance, or simply the return of hope, The Star is a promise that the light will return — and that we, too, are part of that light.
Just the Tarot 