What most people know about astrology—all they know about astrology—is their Sun Sign; that is, the sign the Sun was in when they were born. Most people think astrology is what you find in the newspaper columns: a fun and entertaining activity at best and a time-waster at best.
Real Astrology is so much deeper.
But, Sun Signs are what people are familiar with and they are extremely popular, so let me give you my take on them.
I’ve heard that Sun Signs have been studied and psychologists found some interesting data: that people tend to see themselves as their “Sign”–or to put it in psychological language, people only self-attribute the qualities of their Sun Sign. The interesting question that doesn’t get asked is why. Why not self-attribute on something at all if it doesn’t have some kind of resonance? Why not self-attribute something that is more like the “real” you if astrology has no validity?
Astrology puts forward an answer but to understand it, you need to first learn an important astrological principle: planets trump signs. The Sun part of “Sun Signs” is the more important factor. The answer to self-attribution lies in understanding the Sun as a psychological function.
One of the keywords for the Sun is “ego” because it represents the conscious drive to be something or at least, keep surviving. It’s the will to live. More fully, the Sun in a person’s horoscope represents their heroic struggle through life to be more and more of themselves. When that process is acknowledged by someone else, even in negative way sometimes, it feels good. They see a light in us! So when we read descriptions of Sun Signs, we naturally feel some sense of pride, even when it’s stereotypical.
It may seem strange to read an astrologer who writes that your Sun Sign doesn’t “do” anything to you. It doesn’t define you. Despite what is often believed, a sign is not a list of psychological traits; it is a living dynamic that is much more like a process than a fixed state. As individuals grow into themselves, they find a way to make the symbolism of the sign more and more of their own.
The project of being more fully yourself never ends when it comes to your Sun Sign and it begins in the heart. It’s what you most deeply want out of life.
It’s important to realize that the sign the Moon was in and your Rising Sign are at least as important, although in different ways. The Sun Sign makes an important statement about you, but it must contend with many other factors than may seek to thwart or support the expression of a person’s Sun Sign.
Remember, the whole cosmos has something to say about you! To learn what astrology could tell about you personally, visit my Astrological Services page.
But in a general way, you can learn about how to nurture your solar potential: read one (or more) of the 12 letters to the 12 signs I know and love:
Aries Taurus Gemini Cancer Leo Virgo Libra Scorpio Sagittarius Capricorn Aquarius Pisces