Sun Sign Astrology – My Place in the Sun
Sun (rules Leo), 5th House, Element (Fire), Color (Yellow), Solar Plexus, Naval (Third Chakra) Personal Power, Gemstones (Citrine, Topaz, Amber) Herbs, Oils (Rosemary, Bergamot, Lemon, Lemon Balm), Numerology (5).
We are all familiar with the Sun, our Sun sign placement, Sun Sign Astrology. The Sun is the life giving force. It points us to our identity, ego, center where we easily proclaim our “place in the sun” and move toward our purpose. Traditionally this is where Astrology, or Western Astrology defines our relationship with the sky. Sun Sign Astrology has us read our daily horoscopes and weekly predictions in the daily news, finding its worth and solace somehow in a generic portrayal and description of our daily and weekly events. Given this, the Sun is the center of our own personal universe but not to be mistaken as solely responsible for our destiny, having its essence impacted by the myriad of many connections in the constellation with all the other planetary bodies.
The massive effect of the Sun and its influence logically stems from it being the largest body in our known universe thus the term Solar System. We move around, circle and gravitate around this immense center of energy. We need it for life and survival. We crave the happiness and joy equated with the Sun’s warmth and brilliance. We can’t deny the mood altering affects of a rainy season turning to Sun glazed days and SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) where we are energy depleted and mood disordered by the lessening of the Sun and its magnifying energy enhancing properties. We also can’t deny the overindulgence, the overheating, the burning and the inflated, inflamed after affects of too much of a Sun good thing.
The Sun is all about how you shine as a unique individual. The ego, the will, power center and the drive to be you. Your true essence is your Sun (solar) sign. Sun energy is about the self, the identity, will power, courage and the ego. The Sun rules Leo, the 5th house, the heart, creativity, children, pleasure, fun, performance, drama, expressiveness, being the center of attention, pride, dignity and self confidence. This solar energy is associated with heat, connected to the element of fire compelling one “to be”. It is the place of inspiration and expression as individual beings. It is our consciousness and need to create. It is associated with positive, focused clarity. Solar energy is our power center, the third chakra. The naval area, our gut reactions, this area of strong will equates with a sturdy constitution. It drives our instincts. Fed by a healthy heart chakra which is at the center of all that is love and balance, we can venture out to conquer with our spirit.
The sun rises, the sun sets, often taken for granted for its presence, despite its glowing resonance. It radiates, it shines, it spurs us on. Without its influence, we lose strength, we are deadened, weak and without drive and initiative. How one is pulled by its effects, is captured in the chart. Not only is someone an Aries or a Pisces but also a combination of how all the other planets interact with and are aspected with the Sun The angles, the other planetary bodies all play a part in how one evolves through their wheel of fortune through a lifetime. Whether in a masculine, yang sign such as Aries, Gemini or Leo or in a feminine,yin sign such as Taurus or Scorpio, the Sun exerts its effects. Passive and inert, a gentler Sun is driven by lesser means, preferring a softer, subdued approach to shine its light where a masculine Sun in Leo and Aries will be driven by assertion and power, will take the road of courage and risk where angels fear to tread.
You can tell much about someone’s ego state and sense of self through the nature of their Sun sign placement and the aspects to it although you can’t define someone or generalize by an aspect alone made to their Sun. A fire sign Sun would be naturally expressive and confident however if that fire Sun isn’t getting supportive aspects, or has mostly challenging aspects, they would tend to have to fight for the attention or spotlight. I have found gender study particularly compelling in reading charts, where the Sun is placed for the distinguishing of sexes. Tradition has women owning their feminine, nurturing side and role and men respectively their masculine, protector role. While we can’t change our biological drives, we are no longer ruled or socialized by a biological map of our roles, new vistas are opened to look at our yin yang energy. Women having a masculine Sun or men with a feminine Sun gives an extra view of our approach. How this fits in one’s place in the world, based on the core Sun strength is going to determine where one can be most effective.
It is especially noteworthy to view the placement of the Sun in a female chart as it portrays her masculine role or tendency which in our current society gives a woman much more leeway to express her independence, albeit the over extension of mother, wife and supportive partner or domestic engineer. Typically the Sun in a woman’s chart is projected to men in her life due to the masculine role however the Sun does give women the ability to find their power, empowerment as women are finding their place of strength and recognition in the “boys club”. Femininity is owned and recognized with acceptance and ownership of the Moon and Venus and womanhood which is inherent. One can move forward with exerted strength toward empowerment by integrating the Sun and Solar masculine traits as well. This is an enriching stage where gender roles become more balanced and we learn to appreciate both the yin and yang apart from whether we are female or male in a biological sense.
The general polarity of the Sun and the Moon and the energies at play with the analogy of yin and yang gives us the understanding of the dance. In reviewing my own chart, I have a fairly strong and supportive 5th house Gemini Sun with many aspects and angles. The Sun is naturally at home in the 5th house, thus my strong need and desire to create anything whether to cook, write, draw, take photos etc. Gemini’s are the communicators and messengers of the zodiac. I have spent most of my life comfortable in masculine roles and interesting how I am continuously pushed into roles or relationships who want me to cut my hair short and be androgynous like a Gemini is portrayed. The Moon in my chart is in Virgo and not as strong yet, it is interesting how I tend to attract those who have a strong Moon energy and why I would have a website focusing on lunar cycles and the Moon.
The essential relationship of the Sun and Moon in the chart and in a relationship chart will give us lessons and insights into our own relationship with oneself and patterns. True, Sun sign astrology looks at relationships and compatibility based on Sun signs, however it is essentially only a beginning point of attraction and just scratching the surface as well as superficial. It may draw us to others easier in compatible signs (birds of a feather) however doesn’t give enough grounding to keep it working. The complexity of the connections in a chart comparison go much deeper than sun sign contacts.
The Sun shows where identity crisis and changes in relationship with the world can unravel and peel the layers of self throughout a lifetime. As one continues to learn more about their essential self through growth and maturity, one becomes more acquainted with different facets of the chart. It is said that one doesn’t really come to a true appreciation of their Sun sign self until the beginning maturing years, for most this would be the late 20’s, early 30’s and onward around the time of the first Saturn Return. The Ascendant and Moon color early beginnings and stages of growth as one becomes more in tune with inner strength and potential as the early developing years are spent working with and wrestling with emotional demons, typically hiding behind the masks and protection of the Ascendant, projecting out most of the energy of the chart. Through this journey, the Sun identity as well as other chart factors are recognized and owned as our own soul purpose. Through the signs, the houses and the aspects the Sun makes, one can see their purpose and learn why they are here as they stroll along that path all take to search for oneself.