The Sun, is of course, a star – not a planet. Since the Sun is the center of our galaxy, it does not go around anything that we yet know of. But all the planets, including us, go around the sun. Therefore, the sun signifies the center of us – our core selves – the us that existed before we learned customs, manners and annoying habits. It is strong and forceful so it also represents authority –both authority from without and our ability to have authority over ourselves and others. The Sun makes carbon-based life forms on our particular planet possible – in other words, it gives earth life. So, it is also our ability to make things happen, our ability to manifest our desires into reality. The Sun doesn’t actually go through the zodiacal signs, the earth does, but because we are on earth and all of this is viewed from our perspective it appears that the sun moves through the zodiac at the same rate we do – 365 days. (In astrology it’s all about location, location, location.)

Ye are the light of the World. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

The Sun in the natal chart represents the spirit’s purpose for this incarnation. It represents the individualized divine intent for life. The Sun is the potential for awakening to consciousness of ourselves as individuality, as a separate identity, as an ego, an “I am and I will.” The quality of intentiouality is Solar. It includes self-awareness, self-sufficiency, and adulthood. A Solar identified person accepts his adultness, his identity as an individual. He can be alone. He is never lonely, for he finds joy in solitude, in communion with his creative source and his special separate uniqueness.

There is an implied responsibility in living on the solar level. It is not the heavy duty of Saturn, but rather a noble obligation to be true and faithful to ones own essential nature. What I do and who I am is my responsibility. The Solar psychology does not blame others for any misfortunes, nor does it give much credit to them for good fortune, except for an occasional condescending graciousness. Solar aloneness is not withdrawal. It is the creative state.

The Sun is connected with purpose, and therefore, has an awareness of the future. Awareness allows us to project ourselves backward and forward in time and to come to conclusions about ourselves. We accept ourselves as we are in the present, here and now, with full awareness. The Sun fears nothing including change of outward identity. The serpent shedding its skin is a symbol of growth and the renewal of consciousness on a wider, higher, clearer level.

The process of becoming centered and living life from that center is an expression of Sun consciousness. Such a person becomes transparent. We can see into him and his light shines out to us. An evolved person lives from the solar level. He loves from that level. His love is conscious and intentional. It is stable, strong and totally accepting of the other as he is in his true nature. When Jesus said, “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, all thy mind and all thy strength, and love thy neighbor as thyself,” he was stating the formula for conscious, Solar love.

The Pagan Greek Mythology of Helios the Sun

A conscious person is powerful, very attractive, magnetic and frightening. Many find him difficult to be around, for he will not, cannot, tolerate nor support unconsciousness in others. We either become more conscious by contact with him, or leave because we cannot stand the light.

Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light (as opposed to dark or ignorance; it does not mean heavy in physical weight in this context).” He taught how to link oneself to Pure Consciousness and to accept the burden of responsibility for enlightenment and self-realization.

Solar love is impossible for the unconscious person to accept, for he is terrified it will reveal his own emptiness and show up his shameful shadows and secrets. He, who cannot accept and love himself as he is, cannot accept or recognize solar love, and he may react violently against it.

When we begin to live from our Sun, we risk becoming discontented as we come face to face with ourselves and either make changes or come to a truce with ourselves and our circumstances. For example, we can leave a relationship or choose to go on with it with our eyes open. If the relative is our child, we usually go on with it, but see him as he is, not as we had once wished he were or hoped he might become. And ironically, when we surrender and accept, then, and only then, does change become possible, either in the other or in ourselves.

The Sun in fire signs becomes conscious through expressing will, joy, and creative purposes.

Water signs open to their Solar qualities when they express true compassion, loving kindness toward all life, while learning to understand the deepest, most basic laws of psychology.

The air signs express solar qualities through mental clarity, communication, and education, using and sharing the tools by which others may become conscious.

The earth signs anchor the qualities of consciousness and spirit in the physical world through the practical knowledge that the appearances of matter are founded on the energy of consciousness and can be manipulated and transformed by consciousness. Among these are the experimental physicists whose mathematical formulas describe in scientific terms the identical occult truths set down in poetic form as scripture.

*Picture by Christina Balit

About the author:

Eleanor Buckwalter has studied, practiced and taught astrology in Los Altos, CA for more than twenty-five years, including three years with the late Richard Idemon, a psychological astrologer. Her primary astrological focus of interest is parent-child relationships and family dynamics.

Last updated on January 12, 2018 at 3:03 am. Word Count: 1014