The Sun in Astrology
Welcome to my first blog in my journey through the planets series! I decided to take it back to the very beginning and start with the foundational building blocks of astrology as I experience it today. I will likely update this over time, as I experience astrology to be a living adventure that never stops unfolding. I will be using this blog not only to educate, but to learn. This is a part of my own journey as well.
The first topic is not actually a planet, it’s a star, but is treated as a planetary body in astrology, the Sun. I should mention I use the Tropical Zodiac, which coincidentally is determined by the Sun because the Tropical Zodiac is based on the solstices and the equinoxes. Humans before astrology had to direct their lives based on the luminaries, the Sun and Moon, using their cycles to track time and the seasons through dark and light periods.
Sun signs are the most familiar elements of astrology to the modern western person whether it be through those who study astrology for hobby or interest, or those familiar with newspaper horoscopes, or just those who’ve ever been asked, “what’s your sign?” We celebrate our birthday when the Sun returns to the sign it was in when we were born. From Earth’s perspective, the Sun moves about one degree every day, which is why we have about 30 days in each sign.
The Sun is the reason for the solar system, for the other planetary bodies and points. It brings light and life to everything we sense and know, and every other planet derives its energy and direction from the Sun. It is the source.
Vettius Valens, a 2nd century Hellenistic astrologer, refers to the sun as “intelligent light.” And if we look across the pantheons of Sun gods, we see similar themes. In Mesopotamia, Shamash, the sun god, rose over the eastern mountains with a flaming head. In India, Surya, also with a flaming head, drives his fiery chariot across the sky much like Greek Apollo who had a halo instead of a fiery head which then we also see on Jesus. These examples reference the all seeing Sun. The correlation between sight and illumination. And some of these cultures took it further into an inward illumination we sometimes hear referred to as enlightenment.
The Sun shines, so wherever the Sun is placed in your natal birth chart, an event chart, or the current transit, is where light is shining the brightest and most prominent. It helps to illuminate your larger purpose in life, the vision of what you’re supposed to do. The sun is a benefic planet, meaning it brings positive influence, generally speaking. It is hot and dry qualities.
Your Sun sign tells you about your general being, how you shine, who you are in this lifetime, who you feel yourself to be generally speaking, where you find your vitality. The outline of the painting. Your sun sign indicates your ego, how you experience your own significance. It is your life-force, your will power, self-esteem, your conscious self-hood. The heart of your life, your mind.
Richard Tarnas says it is the “central entity in your individual psyche.” It informs how your create, how you achieve, how you manifest and radiate. The Sun is associated with the Hero Archetype, the Jungian animus, the yang, and the solar deities of different pantheons. The Sun could also signify male figures, authorities, or the father role. The Sun being the central role and source for the rest of the solar system is where it gets its Kingly characterization, the archetype of a King, head monarch, someone who is honored and praised. The Sun rules the heart, the central organ that sustains all other organs, and it rules gold, the most valued metal to humanity.
When the Sun is positively placed, aspected, or consciously integrated, we may see warmth, creativity, loyalty, a giving nature, energy. When the Sun is negatively placed or aspected or not integrated, we may see pride, arrogance, dominance, self-centeredness, and possibly low energy.
Every planet has a relationship with the Sun whether it forms an aspect or not. Planetary retrograde cycles are all based on their relationship with the Sun. It is through the various ways your Sun can be placed in these parts of your chart that gives your experience of your Sun sign a more unique adventure. If you were born under Sagittarius sun, your vital energy may take on an adventurous and optimistic quality. You may enjoy expanding yourself or your mind or even traveling or in some way having new experiences. If your Sun is in your 7th house, your identity may shine greatest or draw influence from one on one relationships. If your Sun is in an easeful aspect with your Mercury placement, you may express your identity through communicating bountifully, maybe through the spoken word with your partner, or maybe the written word is an important element of your life. If your Sun makes a challenging aspect with your Mercury, perhaps communication is an excess or even lacking in your life. Your Sun sign is a huge component of who you are, but the house it is in and the aspects it makes to other planets and points play a large role in filling in the details of how that shine and source of life is filtered into the human experience.
Every planetary body has a sign that it naturally rules, where it acts with the greatest ease, where it is domicile, at home. The Sun naturally rules the sign of Leo. Shining is easy in Leo, the sign associated with pride, creativity, leadership, and special recognition. When the Sun is in Leo also coincides with the time of year in the Northern Hemisphere with the most light historically speaking.
The Sun is in detriment, or exile, in Aquarius, the sign opposite its domicile. This is where the Sun operates with the least strength. Aquarius season is when we are in the coldest and darkest part of the year and in modern astrology, Aquarius is the sign of humanitarianism, where everyone is equal and no one is more special than the other which isn’t as easeful for the Sun’s ego-centric intention.
The Sun is exalted in Aries. Being exalted means a planet is uplifted, in a higher place of awareness, with potentially more energy. Aries season is also the spring equinox, when the daylight hours begin to increase and light grows. The sign Aries is associated with independent action and initiative, a good place for a King.
The Sun is in fall or depression in Libra, the sign opposite its exaltation, where it experiences more weakness of function and is lowered rather than elevated. Libra season marks the autumn equinox, when the daylight hours begin to shorten, and the year begins to move into the darker months. The sign Libra is the sign of partnership and balance, where making decisions may feel easeful only after incorporating others needs and wishes which may feel challenging for the Sun’s natural nature. So we see the Sun’s domicile and exaltation are in fire signs, independently natured, and the opposite signs being a bit more intellectual and socially bent in air signs.
We can see the Sun’s influence in daily transits just by looking at some of our major western holidays. Transits are where the planetary bodies are currently. New Years Day, the Sun is in Capricorn, a sign that signifies hard work, discipline, and ambition, and what do many people like to do on New Years Day but make a commitment to a new goal to exercise discipline with. Valentine’s Day come in Aquarius season, and if we look at the history of Valentine’s Day we find that St. Valentine married Christian couples in rebellion of the Roman Empire and was martyred for doing so. The sign Aquarius has significations such as humanitarianism, rebellion, social justice, and revolution. Halloween, a night of celebrating darkness, costumes, and the dead, happens during Scorpio season, with Scorpio being the sign of life and death, transformation, power, taboo, and repressed desires. We even see the shift that happens during the Christmas season from Sagittarius season, a time of enthusiasm, boisterousness, joy and energy, to Capricorn season on December 21st. Have you ever noticed the joy and excitement of Christmas time seems to be more powerful before Christmas itself? I notice we tend to be tired and ready to move on by the time Christmas day finally arrives. I appreciate the correlation between that pattern and the shift from Sagittarius to Capricorn.
I hope this has been a good introduction to Sun significations. I also hope to return here and update it as I progress as an astrologer and have newer and deeper experiences. My current education and experience is through my own reading of charts as well as the teachers I currently study under and who influenced my understanding for this blog: Chris Brennan, Demetria George, Dane Rudhyar, Richard Tarnas, and my studies with the American Federation of Astrologers. Remember this is only the beginning. The web of astrology has been continuously spun for thousands of years and continues on still!
Sara Marie