The Power of the Sun
- Working with Your Own So(u)lar energy
An Essay by Jay Aleph
The superior man or woman
Sets the calendar in order
And makes the seasons clear.
In the course of the year a combat takes place between the forces of light and the forces of darkness, eventuating in the revolution of the seasons.
Human beings master these changes in nature by noting their regularity and marking off the passage of time accordingly.
In this way order and clarity appear in the apparently chaotic changes of the seasons, and human beings are able to adjust themselves in advance to the demands of the different times.
(The I Ching)
From earliest times our ancestors went out at night and looked to the stars with awe and wonder. They looked for order and found the patterns of the constellations and the Signs of the Zodiac. They watched as some of the stars moved to a pattern of their own and gave them a name that meant "wanderer" (Planets) and began to notice a correlation between these patterns and the lives and patterns of people and events. Somehow they reached the understanding that they were connected to the greater universe. They discovered that life and living changed with the seasons, and people did too. That path of the Sun was significant to the lives of all was obvious as the seasonal changes dictated growth and harvest and hunting patterns.
But it also came to be seen as significant in the life of the individual as well. Individuals react differently to changes through the year depending on their initial entry into the world. Thus astrology was born and was the original science of human potential. Astrology reveals the design of your life through the unique horoscope calculated for your birth: the moment you begin participating as a human being; a part of society and needing to learn and accept societal rules and mores, but also listening to the inner call of your Soul’s purpose.
The Sun
Just as the Sun is the heart and the centre of our Solar System, in Astrology, the Sun symbolises the heart and the centre of the birth chart – your inner So(u)lar system, if you will. The Sun is the energy that fuels the rest of the chart. The Sun represents your ego, your will, your conscious nature, and your desire, your need to express yourself. The Sun is your power, your will, your strength and your sense of purpose. Where the Sun is in the birth chart is where you want to ‘shine’. The Sun is life-giving and creative; it needs to be recognised and wants to express itself. Even though you may not always appear to embody your Sun sign, your Sun sign does represent your motivation to be who you are. But it is important to realise that, just as the Moon waxes and wanes, so does the Sun’s energy and, correspondingly, your personal solar energy, through its yearly cycle.
"To everything there is a Season,
And a time to every purpose under the Heaven."
(Eccl.3.1)
The symbol or glyph for the Sun
a is like a simplified astrological birth or natal chart – a circle surrounding an inner spot or core; a simplified picture of the Earth’s path round the central Sun. It is also a diagrammatic representation of an atom – the inner nucleus encompassed by the electrons and the atom is the basic building-block of life. As the atom is to life, your astrological Sun sign represents the basic essence of your nature.Finally, the natal chart also depicts a wheel, which implies movement , leading to growth & change. You can use a basic knowledge of astrology, to enable you to work with this movement throughout life to better appreciate the changes in your life.
When interpreting the Sun in a personal natal chart, I view the Sun as symbolising you as an individual spiritual being, your will, purposes, and vitality. The Sun represents the experience you want to have as a soul, your purpose(s), what you can contribute, based on your own being, attributes, virtues, understanding, skills, and mastery.
Physically the Sun represents your vitality, your aliveness, your vital life force. To a great degree, a person's vitality or state of their vital life force is a function of the state of their soul and level of confidence.
Most people when asked their birth or star sign, and respond "I’m a Taurus" or "I’m a Scorpio" - are talking of their Sun and where the Sun is by SIGN. Like all astrological factors, the Sun’s energies through the particular signs can be expressed in a variety of ways, from the least to most positive expression of that sign.
The Signs
The signs do not change what the Sun represents or how it functions. Rather, they act as filters, and help to show the motivation of your Sun’s placement. The twelve signs of the zodiac each have an element associated with them. These four elements, Fire, Earth, Air , & Water, describe the nature of the sign.
The
Fire signs are Aries, Leo & Sagittarius.The element of Fire represents life, will, and spirit. Fire is outgoing, energising and transforming. Fire is the most self-motivated of the elements, and fire signs tend to be the most action-oriented. Fire signs are the most comfortable with emotions such as anger, joy, enthusiasm and humour, and have difficulty with more subtle and receptive emotions. Fire signs are concerned with identity.
The Earth signs are Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn. The element of earth represents substance and physical form. Earth does not move; it stays in one place. Earth is practical, substantial and material, and is concerned with matter and our need to deal with it. Earth is passive and receptive: it must be acted on and formed by external energies. Earth is the most stable of the elements. Earth signs are concerned with the physical, the material and with issues of worth and value.
The Air signs are Gemini, Libra and Aquarius. The element of Air represents the mental and social functions. While Fire rises, air moves horizontally, connecting things that it touches. Air adapts, transforms, reforms and changes, and expresses itself by engaging in social interaction. Air desires perspective rather than intensity, and dislikes strong emotions. Air seeks to cover as much ground as possible and to get an idea or concept of the whole.
The Water signs are Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces. The element of water represents the emotional and soul functions. Water is maternal and feminine, and it sinks and penetrates. Water is non-linear, non-rational and non-discriminating. Water only understands feelings and emotions, and may have difficulty communicating with words. Just as water will continue to flow unless closely contained, water signs tend to have difficulty with boundaries.
Astrology uses the elemental sign of your Sun as one of its interpretative tools. I remember when I first started studying astrology one of the first things I encountered was the element of my Sun sign – Gemini. As an Air type I need to communicate and relate to the world and others by the written and spoken word. I love learning and picking up new snippets of information, and need the stimulation of new learnings and conversations with new people to keep me motivated. I feel physically rejuvenated when there is movement in the air such as a windy day. I feel physically and mentally stifled on still, humid days.
Later, when I had a more thorough understanding of Astrology I wondered why the sign elements were often just mentioned and then set aside. I often wondered if other astrologers felt they were too basic or that they did not consider them to be that important. I soon found out that it wasn't that they thought they were unimportant but that other interpretative principles were considered more significant than mere elemental signs because they were only basic to the whole field of astrology. "Basic" coming from the root word "base", has two main meanings – menial, of inferior quality (base metals) or, the definition I prefer – support, principle, what a thing rests or depends on i.e. the foundation. As you know, if the foundation is not sound or is neglected, there can be serious consequences for the entire structural system.
When astrologers get into the subject ‘in-depth’ they can forget the basics or foundations and I am as guilty as the next since I have studied the subject. But, one of the first things I do explain to those I read for is their Elemental Sign. This may be tempered by other factors but it is still a basic quality that can not be just mentioned and set aside. Once you know your elemental sign you will know your basic nature. The Sun, Moon, Rising Sign, Planet's Positions, Aspects, Transits, etc., temper this very basic nature but do not change this fundamental substructure.
An elemental sign is determined from a person's astrological natal chart. It is the elemental quality of the sign the Sun resides in at the moment of birth. If you are an Aries by birth then your elemental sign is Fire. If you are a Cancer then your elemental sign is Water.
The Energies at Work
Seasonal changes, as we all know follow a yearly pattern
. In astrology the Sun moves around, or transits, your entire chart in 1 year, and transits through each house in your chart - about 30 days per house. As the Sun transits around your natal chart, it "lights up" the houses of your chart in succession, highlighting an opportunity to cultivate so(u)l experience in that area of life. Satisfaction with your life’s journey can be enhanced if you find ways to work with these ‘windows of opportunity’, rather than depending on external circumstances to determine your experience. Most people feel better about life’s consequences if they consider they have some control over their own life.The annual cycles of the Sun’s transits when used with consciousness, can help you to be more successful in the various areas of life. Through its annual journey through your chart the Sun transits, or perceived movement through various life phases over a period of a year, create a stability and order in your life rhythm similar to that of the seasons in nature.
When an Astrologer draws up a natal or birth chart, the Sun, Moon and planets are depicted as being in both signs and ‘houses’. These houses thus created on the chart relate to time of birth and the counting starts from the Ascendant.
However, even if you do not know your time of birth, there is a basic way of getting a feel for your annual Sun cycle; simply notice the changes that are occurring in your life as each month passes from your birthday. This is what Astrologers refer to as using your solar chart and the Sun is always in the 1st house on your birthday. ‘First’ represents ‘new’ and like a new plant or a new baby your life energy is strong but can be vulnerable. Possibilities abound and you feel energised and driven to explore, experiment in this new life. But like a New Moon in our night sky, you are expressing only a sliver of your potential at this time. This is the time we often make new plans – ‘New Year resolutions’ if you will for our own particular "New (solar) Year".
Three months after your birth month is a testing time. This is the first quarter – the Sun is in square aspect to its natal position, the astrologer may tell you. What does this mean? A square aspect creates tension – will your plans succeed or fail? The Sun is in the 4th house of your Solar year at this time and the 4th house in astrology represents home, family, tradition, roots. A pause for a ‘reality check’ is called for. You can find you need to temper your plans, wishes, dreams that you had on your birthday with the needs and necessities of life and the lives of those around you.
The zodiac sign that the Sun is now moving through has an incompatible energy to your personal Sun sign. If you are an Aries which is a dynamic action-oriented fire sign, when the Sun moves to the 4th solar house it will be in the emotional water sign of Cancer. These two elemental energies do not work easily together. So you can expect difficulties as these two energy principles try to work together. When you put fire with water, what can you expect? – Steam! The Sun’s energy is still on the ‘rise’ at this time however, so you while you may have to adjust and modify, you still feel you have the energy and drive achieve your goals. Remember that steam, if controlled and directed efficiently, can turn great turbines to generate power!
Six months after you birthday the Sun is reaches the sign that is opposite its birth placement. The elemental energies at this time are more compatible than at the square– our Aries fire sign sun is now in air sign of Libra, but this placement is known as ‘opposition’ by astrologers for a good reason. You can experience a figurative, if not literal, ‘tug-of-war’ challenge between your desires and opposing ideas, principles and forces that can be trying to say the least. Aries is a driving ‘me first’ type of energy, whereas Libra like to relate with others, look at all points-of-view, to compromise. Forearmed is forewarned as the saying goes. Don’t ‘tug’ too vigorously at this time but similarly don’t ‘let go’ altogether. The lesson for this time of your year is one of balance. You need to find ways of getting the best from both energies rather than opting for one by denying the other. Realise that these processes at each stage take a month. Look back and you can learn from past years when the Sun was in this same position – what was happening? How did you react? What worked for you?
Nine months after your birthday, or (to view it the other way) three months before your next birthday, is another square aspect; another testing time. Perhaps more testing than the first three months part of the annual cycle, as this time your Sun’s energy is on the ‘wane’. The year is coming to a close – have you achieved what you thought you would? Have you enough time (and even the energy) to see it through? The Fire energy of our Aries example, is contending with Capricorn Earth – practical and grounded with an emphasis on self-control and responsibility and a need for caution. How does that contend with Aries fiery enthusiasm? What happens when you throw earth on fire? It can smother it and even put it out altogether. But earth can also be used to fuel fire – peat has been used for this purpose for many years. It is slow burning and does not create great heat, but can get the job done in time.
As there are these testing times for your Sun or Soul’s energy to pass through each year, so too there are months when the energy flow of the Sun’s position is ‘in tune’ with your own so(u)lar energy. There is a rhythm and a complementary pulse that moves through all life and as aspects of life. If you can learn to work in harmony with this universal beat you find life and living has a more positive flow and purpose. These more ‘easy’ times come both before and after each of the testing times. Two, four, eight and ten months after each birth month are months when the energy of the sign the Sun is moving through seems to work with your personal Sun energy. In astrological terms, the moving Sun is making sextile and trine aspects to your natal Sun position and these are easier or more friendly, aspects to live and work with. When you are aware of these times of ease, you can use them to your benefit and to the betterment of your soul’s purpose at that time. For example, if your birthday were in April (Aries) then the Sun would once again be in the Fire sign in August (Leo). This can be a time of added enthusiasm for your fiery soul and the self-assurance that is part of the Leo fire can ‘fuel the flames’ of Arian drive and stimulate you to once more strive for those dreams and goals you had on you birthday.
Viewing these phases in a complete and integrated cyclic process adds immense depth to your interpretations of life’s happenings and circumstances. It enables you, for example, to understand the Sun’s progress through the year as a coherent process of growth, rather than merely as unrelated happenings. You can gauge where you stand within any cyclic life-process -- whether you’re in the cycle's early and formative stages or at a more advanced and outwardly expressive level -- and can thereby adjust your activities accordingly. More importantly, perhaps, this viewpoint enables you to tie together the actual events that take place in your life, because it presents those events to you as an organised, logical, and sequential progression of activities, rather than as simply random acts of "fate". You can see clearly from this perspective how your past activities have formed your current situation, and you can better appreciate how both the past and the present lead logically and inevitably into the future.
The Sun cycle represents a process of individualisation. The zodiac signs associated with each Sun placement in your Solar chart, represent the inner qualities that you must learn to express in order to pass successfully through that cyclic phase and into the next. You express these qualities, of course, in terms of the specific planetary cycle and the zodiac signs involved. The link established at birth between the rest of the signs and your birth sign, indicates a lifelong association between certain zodiacal qualities and certain physical life-areas. The nature of this sign interaction can provide you with important information regarding the way in which every cycle of your life can unfold.
By understanding the passage of the Sun as it creates your own personalised pattern of ‘seasonal’ change and development through your solar year, you can start to determine the nature of any life cycle through which you pass -- from that cycle's highest and most idealistic goals to its most practical and detailed effect on your daily life.
As the Moon affects the tides, the Sun’s progress through your year creates a rhythmic ebb and flow:- times of full and plenty; others of rest and distance. If you can learn to be aware of and experience this natural rhythm of life, you can begin to understand that nothing happens without a reason. Most importantly, you can understand the past, the present, and the future as a sequential process in which each phase arises from the previous one and leads into the next. This knowledge alone can help free you from feeling that your life in determined only by the whim of ‘The Gods’. It can allow you to take control of your own destiny, for when you understand the growth process as a whole, you can devote your energies to their highest and most effective use, bringing yourself to a fuller expression of your potential.
The Sun in your birthchart represents your soul, your spirit in incarnation, the marriage of Heaven and Earth, whose abode is the heart-chakra. Therefore the Sun is the spiritual creative principle, the power of manifestation in your birthchart.
Notice where the Sun is in your birthchart by sign, house and aspect. This will tell you something about your soul's goals for this lifetime -- where you are most powerful, influential, creative, and where you can teach others how to come into their power. The Sun transits around your entire birthchart each year and sequentially lights up the twelve "houses" (areas of your life), highlighting new soul goals for experience at each higher turn of the annual spiral.
©1998