Wondering: What is the meaning of my Sun sign in astrology?
If you’ve been struggling to understand the planets and the meaning of your Sun sign in astrology, this post is for you.
Conflicting information on the web often confuses the budding astrologer. So, I’ve done my best to provide you an accurate historical depiction of the Sun based on the world’s foremost astrologers. Read on and learn to strengthen the Sun in your horoscope.
We’ll start with the basics and work up to advanced interpretation methods. By the the end you’ll understand how to interpret the Sun in any chart.
Your Sun Represents Your Inner Life Force
The Sun in astrology represents our inner life force. As the light of the world, it delineates our highest ideal, soul, and self.
The Sun is the Holy Guardian Angel of the Rosicrucian, it is the Tifferet of the Kabbalist, it is the yang of the Taoist. It is raw, idealistic consciousness.
The foregoing implies that the shining Sun is pure Godforce. It is the act of becoming, of realizing one’s sovereignty and individuality. It represents what we strive to be in the highest spiritual form.
But what does this mean for your chart? If you really want to know: What is the meaning of my sun sign in astrology—then keep reading.
The Sun As The Father Figure.
The Sun is the father figure of the solar system. It provides for its community by sharing light with the other planets. Its metal, and color, is Gold, the symbol of wealth and power. It represents the harvest that provides sustenance to all.
At its highest level, the Sun is the eternal juxtaposition between God and Man. It is the mediator between our world and the universe. The Sun represents all that we can strive to be here and now. It is the giver of life, the fecundity of nature, and the moral standard of the law.
Hence the Sun represents leadership, government, life, celebration, bravery, and pride. It is the quintessential father figure.
Have you noticed that people who get more Sun tend to have a better demeanor? Visit a Sun-filled tropical island and celebrate life as the natives do. Spend some time basking in the Sun outside of your home. See if you can spot the change in attitude!
The Suns representation as ruling the heart lends credence to the above. As Jane-Riddick-Patrick notes in “A handbook of medical astrology1: “The heart.. is the core of our being; core, cordial and courage are all derived from the word for heart. When the heart dies, we die.”
The heart, being the center of our body, provides us the energy that keeps us alive. Every cell in the body needs the blood pumped through the heart. Much like every creature on earth needs the light of the sun.
The Sun is the Provider
Your Big “I”
When people strive to remain honorable in the face of hardship, enduring growing pains that help them grow, they reflect the Sun. In other words, as we learn from our mistakes, gain new talents, and let our skills shine as hope to the world, we spread the Sun’s sustenance.
Traditionally, the Sun has been recognized as our highest spiritual ideal. As Agrippa stated in the 3 Books of Occult Philosophy, “The Sun is the Lord of all elementary vertues ..the Sun doth send forth its rayes (sic) on all sides as it were a spirit through all things, distributing life, sense and motion to the very Universe.”
Along these lines, Hellenistic Astrologer Firmicus relates in his Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice2: “Sun…Mind and Moderator of the universe, leader and Princeps of all who kindle forever the fires of the other stars”.
Thus, the Sun represents our spiritual CAPITAL “I” – as opposed to our materialistic, animal, lowercase “i”. It’s the force that guides us to find truth, and to joyfully spread that truth to others.
Similarly, in Norse Mythology, the Sun is represented by the rune Sowillo. The Big Book of Runes and Rune Magic describes it as “The guiding beacon on the roads of becoming”, as well as “the shield of consciousness”.
Consequently, a person that develops their will under the light of the Sun is blessed with self-knowledge and success.
Technical Details of the Sun in Astrology
For the advanced astrologer, the Sun is the leader of the day sect along with its co-rulers Jupiter and Saturn. Its counterpart in the night sect is the Moon along with Venus and Mars. The Sun finds its ‘joy’ in the 9th house of the chart, and its exaltation in the fiery sign of Aries.
The Sun is masculine in Western Astrology, although many ancient cultures had a feminine version of their respective Sun Deity. For this reason the fiery planet (or star) is associated with the masculine fixed sign of Leo (July 23-Aug22), in which the weather is warm and the days are long, as the Sun enjoys its peak at the zenith of its northern ascent.
In the human body, the sun represents the right eye, the ribs, the heart, and the chest.
The influence orb of the Sun is 15 degrees. Within this range is when it’s influence is greatest, but it will also shine its rays by whole-sign.
Negative Sun Aspects
“The Sun is very hot and dry, and can be both useful and harmful, doing good and bad.” – Ibn Ezra, the Beginning of Wisdom.4
We’ve learned the good side of the Sun, but what about the more challenging solar attributes? At it’s worst the sun can make you overly hot and dry. It can challenge your temper, as it makes you more agitated, hoarse, and distraught over life events.
Hence the Sun, depending on it’s relationship to your other planets, can have negative tendencies in certain aspects.
As Aleister Crowley relayed in his “Treatise on Astrology, Liber 536”5, “There is a certain later identification of him (the Sun) with the suffering God of Christianity, Freemasonry and similar cults…The point which we wish to emphasize is this, that if the Sun be afflicted, no amount of benefit from the other planets will make up for that deprivation.”
Difficult placements or aspects to the Sun challenge us in ways we never thought possible. One of the most difficult periods of my life occurred during a Sun and Pluto opposition. There were constant power struggles with authorities, and the desire to express myself was thwarted through unyielding circumstances. It took everything I had to find my inner light and express it. Yet, once this power struggle ended, I came to know my own strength and individuality.
As Crowley noted, entire world religions were founded on the perceived suffering of the Sun. These religions imagine their hypostasized Gods “dying” during the same time the Sun hangs in the air, unmoving during the winter solstice.
Before Christianity, the Romans celebrated Sol Invictus to rejoice in the resurrection of their solar deity, or the ‘unconquered sun’ in late December. The practice may have been an amalgam of various solar deities, or a hymn to a more specific one. The debate is ongoing. Yet it most certainly had its roots in astronomical phenomenon.
Under The Beams of the Sun
In Hellenistic and Medieval astrology, the Sun causes other planets to be ‘burned up’ or combust within 7 degrees, and ‘under the beams’ within 15”. The latter denoted a weakening of the surrounding planets as the sun outshined them, making them invisible to the naked eye. The former intensifies this effect.
An under the beams planet is forced to operate in the Sun’s shadows – secretly, weaker than it would otherwise be, quietly moving behind the scenes.
Yet, when the Sun is within 1 degree of another planet, that planet is said to be ‘In the heart’, or cazimi to the Sun. This grants the adjacent planet stronger attributes.
Think of a cazimi like being in the eye of a storm: The planet appreciates the time away from the storm and in the Suns heart, and uses its time and power more efficiently.
When a planet is finally free from the Sun after traveling 15 degrees ‘on the right’ (A Medieval term for counterclockwise), the planet emerges stronger, taking solar energy with it. In fact if a planet emerges from the Suns rays within 7 days of birth, it is said to be more prominent. When all is said and done, the planet becomes a star reborn—mimicking the process of death and rebirth itself.
Meditation To Strengthen Your Weak Sun
Firmicus and other ancient Hellenistic astrologers recognized the Sun as the deliverer of life, the planet in the sky regulating our existence, extending its power not only to mankind but to the planets.
You can begin empowering your Sun by doing charity, sharing with your community, or by putting down the smartphone and starting a genuine conversation with someone.
Weak Sun Remedy: A Meditation to Strengthen your Sun
The next time you’re feeling weak, tired, or lacking the energy to face the world, try embracing your Sun.
First, I want you to sit somewhere quiet and close your eyes. Now, visualize yourself in a pitch-dark cave. There’s absolutely nothing here, and it’s black. As you sit down in this cave, seeing only blackness, you remember the spark within.
Soon, you see a small candle-like flame within your heart begin to glow. As you sit observing this flame, it slowly becomes brighter—filling your chest with a bright, calming light. You enjoy the feeling. It is like a warm embrace.
Soon this calming light spreads to the rest of your body—filling your arms, legs, torso, and head. With every breath you take, the light grows stronger and stronger. It soon fills every cell of your body. You begin to understand that this light is the raw power of God itself. You bask in it, wanting more, enjoying the pure energy.
As you begin to realize your own power by absorbing the light, chant the word ‘OHM’ in a deep, resonating voice.
With each chant, the light expands outside of your body, filling the entire cave. You now see everything, nothing is hidden. You are in complete control.
With each chant, the cave itself begins to disappear. Soon there is only you and the light.
You begin to sense tiny balls of energy circling around you. As you look closer, you see that these are miniature planets forming. You smile, knowing that you’ve created them.
You begin to share more of your light with these tiny orbs until they too are bustling with life itself. The more you feed them your energy, the more energy they in turn feed back to you. The circle of life is in the palm of your hands.
Bask in this feeling. Know that you are spreading your light to the entire universe. You are the alpha and omega. You have the power to provide and share. Others look to you, and in-turn they give back to you.
Know that you have the ability to give all that you have, and the more you do, the more will come back in return.
Strengthen your Sun sign by doing this ritual every Sunday for a month. As you continue each day with this weak sun remedy, you will feel stronger and more vibrant. Your worries and fears will lessen as you stand strong once more.
The Sun (And Moon) In Electional Astrology
Electional Astrology, or the branch of astrology that deals in timing events to get the desired outcome, uses the Sun and Moon as extremely important factors. Solar and Lunar aspects were used widely in ancient magickal and astrological arts.
It is believed that the Moon draws forth the Suns broad rays and re-distributes them narrowly into our personal sphere of influence. Hence, when the Moon is harmonious with the Sun, and neither are cadent, the results of any operation tend to be more successful.
I offer full consultations on picking elections to make the best astrological timing decisions for real results in your life. Just remember, the Sun emits and the Moon receives. We will cover this subject more in-depth in later lessons.
Learn when to time your project for success.
What is the Meaning of my Sun Sign in Astrology?
If you’ve made it this far in the article, congratulations, you are serious about discovering the true meaning of your Sun sign in astrology. As I explained, challenging solar aspects can require all of our life-force, will, tenacity, and vigor to overcome.
Once we realize our solar strength, however, we’re forever changed into a being that is more confident and powerful. Yet if we fail to live up to challenging solar aspects, we may become lazy, subservient, or despotic—reverting back to our baser human instincts.
On the other side of this coin, positive solar aspects can make life harmonious and wonderful. Have you ever felt like you’re ‘walking on sunshine’? Have you ever felt like you just ‘knew yourself’? Then you probably had a great solar transit at the time.
For instance, the Sun aspecting a benefic like Jupiter or Venus can make life seem absolutely joyous and easy. You’ll know who you are, what you want, and things seem to come to you. Your authenticity is not in question, and you enjoy sharing your wisdom. Perhaps you have an excellent love life, your career is on track, your grades are impeccable, and things just seem to go your way.
Whatever sign and house the Sun falls in will greatly narrow these qualities. When making a determination about your Sun, first look to the sign or house, take a general reading, then form a second statement with a solar attribute that gives more context. Don’t worry, this sounds more complicated than it is.
For instance the 3rd house may give you a predisposition towards your siblings, studies, and short travels. A strong 3rd house means you have a good grasp on education, feel comfortable with taking vacations, and enjoy being around relatives (3rd house attributes).
Now, narrow these 3rd house delineations down by adding Sun attributes.
With your benefic Sun in the 3rd house, you’d pride yourself in family and studies, and you are keen to let others know of your talents. You’ll show leadership among your siblings, likely taking a responsible, fatherly role (Solar attributes) in family circles.
You’re outgoing when you take on educational roles. You may even want to teach politics, law or religion. You love to help people from foreign lands and aren’t afraid to put your neck on the line for what you believe.
Starting to make sense? We’ve taken solar attributes and applied them to the 3rd house.
We can narrow this delineation more-so by sign. If that same Sun were in Pisces, you’d probably be the sensitive one in the family, feeling a spiritual connection with those 3rd house relatives. You may even be a father figure or a counselor to your siblings. You’d have good morals and enjoy your studies, having a tendency towards music and the arts where you can use your vivid imagination. Yet you could be taken advantage of, as others may see you a pushover and secretly work to take credit for your work.
As a more negative 3rd house/Pisces/Sun interpretation, the native may study the occult, but have a predisposition to lower entities attaching themselves to them. This can happen as Pisceans may be more guided by emotion than reason. They could get angry or tyrannical around siblings, not knowing the boundaries of their own authority, and imagining the worst in a given situation. Or, they’ll love to travel, if only for the food and drink, but may overindulge, gain weight and lose vitality. The native could have a hard time expressing themselves to their siblings or teachers. They may tend to lie, have narcissistic tendencies, or be in league with people that do. The above are the more negative 3rd house / Piscean / Sun traits.
Conclusion: The Suns Lesson
The lesson here is balance. The Sun can nurture and lead but it can also overheat, making you weak, burnt out, tense, or despotic. It is up to you to sublimate your hotter animal nature and to bring it in balance with the warmer, comforting solar nature.
At its best the Sun is the ideal provider that we strive to be. At its worst it can lash out or feel repressed. How does your Sun manifest in your chart? Let me know in the comments!
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In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. Psalm 19
- Jane Ridder-Patrick, A Handbook of Medical Astrology Chpt 3. (2nd ed. 2006). https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Handbook_of_Medical_Astrology/mCvvAAAACAAJ
- Maternus, Firmicus. Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice, Brahm Translation. Park Ridge: Noyes Press, 1975.
- Valens, Vettius: Riley Translation, https://www.csus.edu/indiv/r/rileymt/vettius%20valens%20entire.pdf
- Ezra, Abraham Ibn. The Beginning of Wisdom, Epstein Translation. Park Ridge: Arhat, 1998. https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Beginning_of_Wisdom/fIZgPwAACAAJ
- Crowley, The General Significance of the Planets, Signs and Houses.” Accessed October 26, 2021. http://astrolibrary.org/books/crowley-10/
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