Consciousness, Life, and Purpose
The Sun, giver of life and the force that binds together the various aspects of existence. In astrology, the Sun symbolizes the life force and consciousness of an individual, determining the overall direction of our lives. While other planets in the chart may contribute various preferences, tendencies, and nuances to a person’s life, the Sun is the one that corresponds to our life purpose or other central themes in life. One might think of the other planets in astrology as tools of the Sun, even though they, too, possess a certain degree of “free will” in a sense.
The Sun’s house placement and zodiac sign represent the themes toward which a person must journey to feel a sense of meaning in their life. The journey spans the entire length of one’s life, and it is possible to deviate from the path several times, or perhaps finding it only later in life.
Certainly, individuals often have other crucial aspects in their lives besides the themes indicated by the Sun. For instance, the Moon reveals the area that needs to be fulfilled for us to feel secure. Mars indicates how we naturally express our desires and aggression. All of these are important aspects without which life would be difficult or unpleasant.
It may also be the case that an individual needs to address challenges indicated by other planets BEFORE they can begin fulfilling the actual task indicated by the Sun. For example, if a person struggles with foundational security and self-confidence (such as Saturn square Moon), they may not be able to reach more ambitious goals until they have developed a strong self-confidence.
Self-image and Creativity
In astrology, the Sun’s natural sign is Leo, and it rules the 5th house. Therefore, it also describes a person’s self-expression, creativity, willpower, life force, authority, and leadership. If the Sun is afflicted in some way, it may manifest in aspects of a person’s self-awareness and authentic self-expression. For example, in a Sun conjunct Chiron aspect, a person’s self-perception might be somewhat negative. They may think they are not good enough, lack value (Chiron-Sun in Taurus), or feel they have no right to exist. Others may seem better, and so on. Something likely happened when they were very young, causing them to hide their true selves, willpower, and creativity.
The power of the Sun can also be exaggerated. For instance, disharmonious aspects like Sun-Jupiter can unhealthily magnify a person’s perception of themselves as grand and magnificent without basis. If balancing configurations are not present in the chart, an unhealthy self-perception could possibly lead to narcissism. However, it is important to remember that the natal chart alone cannot determine the kind of person someone will always be; there is always the opportunity to influence oneself through free will (the Sun).
Authority
In astrology, Saturn also symbolizes authority and leadership, but perhaps from a slightly different perspective. While Saturn’s leadership is more practical, in the sense of “someone has to take responsibility,” the Sun’s leadership is a natural shining and being at the forefront. The leader moves ahead of others, showing the right path and illuminating the darkness around so that others can progress. They know the correct direction and, with their self-confidence and charisma, inspire others to follow.
The authority of the Sun is also evident in the leaders of organizations, such as depicting corporate leadership, government administrations, and royalty.
The Path of the Sun
As mentioned earlier, the Sun symbolizes the lifelong journey of our lives, and the path is rocky. For this reason, it is crucial for us to specifically evolve and strive towards the themes indicated by the Sun (sign/house/aspects). If we progress far enough, at some point, these themes begin to feel like our “authentic selves”. However, in the initial stages, we often do not recognize the qualities of our Sun sign within ourselves, especially if the Sun is afflicted in some way.
The developmental trajectory of the Sun bears some resemblance to the growth curve of the Moon’s Nodes. In the case of the Moon’s Nodes, there is a progression where one gradually understands that familiar and automatic ways of operating are not helpful, and success in our goals may elude us unless we change our approach to something different.