The Sun in Astrology: Meaning Explained
The Sun in Astrology: Meaning Explained
Discussing the meaning of the Sun in astrology, and explaining what it signifies in a birth chart, with astrologers Demetra George and Chris Brennan.
During the course of the episode we read through some excerpts from different ancient and modern astrologers in order to see how they conceptualized what the Sun signifies in an astrological chart.
We also talk about some different techniques that are used in astrology that involve the Sun, such as the solar phase cycle, different heliacal phenomena, under the beams, combustion, cazimi, sect, and more.
This is a followup to episode 294 with Israel Ajose where we looked at the meaning of the Moon in astrology, as the second installment in our series on each of the planets:
Demetra is the author of the book Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice: A Manual of Traditional Techniques, Volume I, which has a large section that deals with the Sun and solar phase cycle:
https://amzn.to/3nNkJaH
Volume 2 of her book Ancient Astrology is going to be available for pre-order later this month! Sign up for the mailing list on her publisher’s website to get a notification as soon as it is available:
https://rubedo.press/mailing-list
For more information about Demetra’s work check out her website:
Significations of the Sun Excerpts
Here is a document that contains all of the excerpts from different ancient and modern astrologers on the meaning of the Sun that we talked about in the episode:
https://theastrologypodcast.com/outlines/significations-of-the-sun-excerpts.pdf
The six authors that we read from in the show are Vettius Valens, Abu Ma’shar, William Lilly, Reinhold Ebertin, Richard Tarnas, and Demetra George.
This is episode 302 of The Astrology Podcast:
https://theastrologypodcast.com/2021/05/04/the-sun-in-astrology-meanings-and-techniques/
Please be sure to like and subscribe!
#TheAstrologyPodcast
Timestamps
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:46 Demetra’s new book
00:02:47 Demetra’s historical survey approach
00:07:08 Valens significations of the Sun
00:12:57 Illumination
00:14:45 Thema Mundi and the Sun
00:19:56 Geocentric system and the Sun
00:21:26 Centrality of the Sun
00:22:57 Leo
00:24:08 Sun in Aquarius, Aries, and Libra
00:29:35 Sect
00:34:55 Kingship and the Lion
00:36:24 Mind and Sun vs. Body and Moon
00:43:22 Action/Praxis
00:45:54 Sun and the Heart
00:47:20 Sun and Gold
00:49:45 Sun and Eyes
00:51:20 Abu Ma’shar significations
00:53:51 Sun and Father
00:58:17 Mother and the Moon
01:01:10 Sun and Moon in the 12th house
01:02:24 Sun and Moon and 4th and 10th houses
01:04:31 Demetra’s natal chart
01:06:18 Benefits of psychological astrology
01:11:04 Indicators of length of life
01:14:07 The solar phase cycle
01:29:22 Mars, Jupiter, Saturn opposite Sun always retrograde
01:34:58 Two interpretations of planets under the beams
01:36:37 Mercury and Venus phase relationship to the Sun
01:43:37 William Lilly significations
01:48:43 Reinhold Ebertin significations
01:51:15 Richard Tarnas significations
01:53:43 Demetra George significations
01:58:00 Astrology and time
02:02:58 The Sun and willpower
02:05:12 Solar techniques
02:06:55 The frame for secondary progressions
02:09:08 Solar return charts
02:10:42 Demetra’s books
02:12:05 Demetra’s website and classes
02:13:10 Demetra’s upcoming events
02:14:07 Closing remarks
What puzzles me with astrology, what placement is the one to use for identification? Rising sign or the sun sign? For thousands of years ascendant was "our zodiac sign", then the sun became it, now with the r surfacing of traditional astrology people come back to rising, and Im confused.
Even Demetera in Astrology and the authentic self at times messes up what is the meaning of the rising and the sun…
i have aries rising (14 degree) and aries sun (12 degree), just opened this video, excited to watch
If both Capricorn and Aquarius are considered as the darkest times of the year, then shouldn’t Sagittarius be count as well, perhaps even more so? 1st degree of Capricorn is when the winter solstice (don’t know if the right word; non-native english speaker) happens, and that’s essentially the darkest day of the year, after which it gradually gets lighter. Before the solstice it has gotten darker of course, so light-wise the season of Sagittarius would in fact be darker than the season of Aquarius. Sag comes immediately before solstice, Aquarius about 30 days later. If it is gradual both ways, then Aquarius would correlate with Scorpio season.
Edit: and of course same goes with the opposing signs for those mentioned, except it’s lighter than darker.
This was excellent! Thank you!
The sun is the dominant male figure in everyone lives (must not be only the father). The moon is the most dominat female figure in a woman’s horoscope. For men, the moon is also the most important same sex figure, mostly the father (because moon realates with same sex identity) and also the mother. So it`s more difficult to interpretate the moon in a mal`s chart.
My sun in scorp in 10th house, conjunct vesta. My dad’s mother died when he was 5. He was emotionally absent, not there for me at all is an understatement, and the other half of 2 very dysfunctional parents. She obviously didn’t want kids, but he didn’t notice it, because she always treated him like an infant and waited on him hand and foot, while either ignoring the kids, or venting her anger at me, the youngest, or my brother, the oldest. She and oldest sister f’d with his mind so bad, I think it contributed to his drinking and driving death at 27. The 3 sisters were allowed to pick on mercilessly and the one I had to share a room with for 15 years was a pathological liar, violent, hateful, thief, destroyer of my soul. Even my mother tormented me emotionally herself, and somewhat physically, like not feeding me when she had food when I was like 1 and a half years that I remember, and she scolded me and put me under the sink for communicating to her that I was hungry. At about 12, I learned to hold my own, but then at 15, got raped as virgin, and dreams of being "saved" by marraige, ha ha, of course went to hell in a breadbasket, as I hitchhiked around and got raped by 12 more men, up to around 19 years old. My mom was catholic, religious fear ruled her, but I got most healing from: a course in miracles, learning to communicate with higher self, Jesus and others, even God Itself. And what Jesus teaches in a course is that forgiveness heals, and alot of other stuff probably not pertinent here, like God didn’t create the physical universe, but our soul’s, conglomerate projected it , mis using the energy we were created as, in an attempt to escape from It /God . And the good thing is, we never left God and yet forgot, as we continue to weave this web of illusion, that, because of the nature of us and God will always lead us home, eventually. We are there now, and just need to realize it. Of course, easier said than done. This was a very inspiring and enlightening podcast. I have a friend that’s a triple Leo, I think, and I can relate. Always great to learn more about the human experience. Thank you both, so much! Love, and healing!!!
love treetrunks sharing her deep astrological knowledge, very in character
Thx, guys
Okay, but is no one talking about how WRONG she is about how the Greeks saw the gods???
In greece there was a core principle or tenant of "xenia" which is basically hospitality because they believed ANYONE could be a god in disguise as mortals, and if you were unkind to a god while they walked as a mortal, you would face divine retribution. NOT be burned for it. Nowhere in mythology does it ever state that a mortal was "burned up" by a god or goddess just because they appeared to them. There was that one time with zeus and that one mortal he had an affair with but that was a once-off.
Another thing is that Helios was NEVER conflated with Apollo. Helios is a titan of the sun, literally the sun personified. Apollo is the god of LIGHT, not the sun. He has a role to play in getting the sun across the sky each day but he was never mistaken to be the god of the sun by ancient Greeks. It is only confusing to those in modern times who don’t take more than five seconds to google a wikipedia article about who they really were and why they were worshiped.
ALSO, Apollo was the god who gave prophecies to the Oracle at Delphi. That wasn’t mentioned at all… Light, all seeing, divination, divining and receiving information from the gods. That could have been a good point to touch on early in the episode.
Mythology and Ancient cultural beliefs are super important to astrology and this was not it. Understanding the gods and how they were worshipped and such can give such a deeper connection and meaning to all the planets but you have to have an actual understanding of that ancient culture and religion in a way that is respectful and well-informed. She was not either of those things in my opinion.
I am a Pagan with a heavy focus on the Hellenic pantheon and this all just really rubbed me the wrong way.
talkong so skow ahhh
This video gives me hope I will see my tree❤Thank you
Thank u, i love the way Demetra explained here
Ty
This is a stand out episode, Chris. Wonderful job. Demetra is such a treasure.
I believe Astrology is an actual dimension because it allows us to see reality from another perspective. Also as with the other dimensions ..Astrology incorporates geometric angular observations in a moment in time.
I’m also a 12H Leo/merc with 10H gemini moon and I totally relate when she said" having a hard time exsisting "
Soul, Spirit and MInd beg to be diferenciated.
I cannot believe how thorough and long each podcast is about every topic I could possibly want to learn about in the astrology world. I am so grateful for what you do thank you Chris!
Demetra is amazing at explaining things.
I am Sun in Aquarius with Scorpio Moon & Scorpio Rising. I found Demetra’s discussion of the Sun as Father in the function of the 4th House particularly profound for my own chart. That is, the father as having a central organizing principle in the child’s life. I was adopted, and my birth mother gave me up because my birth father was convinced to not marry her as she wasn’t “worthy”. However, reconsidered after I was born and adopted, and they are still married to this day with two additional children. But his decision had a huge influence on my life then…. And also years later when he rejected me again after we met later in life when he chose his daughter over me, and made the choice to cut me out of all their lives again as his daughter ( my birth sister) had issues and jealousy with me. So again, HIS decision was the one that has held significant influence over my sense of home and connection to birth family. So this has been very challenging and painful, but hearing this explanation of the Sun as representation of the father and his role in the 4th house has allowed me to make sense of my situation and how it seemingly is playing out in real life. He very directly and literally determined my acceptance and legitimacy in my birth family. Very good episode, with many insights for me.
Love your podcast!
absolutely amazing discussion, yet again. Thank you so much for the generosity of sharing with all. I learn so much and appreciate!
What puzzles me about Thema Mundi is that it doesn’t match the southern hemisphere logic of light as that principle is being completely opposite. For instance, Leo season in my side of the world is the peak of winter and sun’s fall in Libra the beginning of spring. It would be really useful to address this particular issue in future episodes @theastrologypodcast
222nd comment 😀
Wonderful insights !!!!
I have Venus Rx conjunct Sun in 7th house in Leo, Venus holds higher degree and about 8° apart from the Sun. After living 10 yrs together my husband and I legally married. I don’t care about weddings and ceremonies so neither one of us invited anyone, the only ones present were our kids, the judge and his two secretaries were the witness. The judge was in shock he said "No wedding bands, no witness, this is the strangest wedding I have officiated". My reply to him was "Everyone that matters to my husband and myself is here, OUR CHILDREN" My mom did not take it so well though when she found out. Venus rules 4th house so you can say it was hidden from her. Saturn is exalted in 9th house maybe that’s why I believe spending money on wedding receptions is a waste of time and money? I just don’t care for those things and getting all the attention, what matters is that we are together and respect each other.
this was an amazing episode. love hearing both of your discourse. Demetra really had some great points on the suns indications that I honestly had never thought of or heard before. Masterpiece. ♉︎☉ ♌︎☽ ♐︎ ⇧ here and going through all these episodes . thank you guys so much!!
What if ones natal Sun does not aspect any natal planets?
FINALLY I UNDERSTAND WHAT YALL ARE SAYING WHEN REFERRING TO VITALITY. THANK YOU.
oh mannn.. I have mercury, venus, and the moon within 15* of my sun. is that why I’m so depressed and can’t seem to progress in life? ughhh
In regards of the secondary progression, that the first 90 days after out birth represents the rest of our life, 1 day = 1 year. But what about the persons that are born prematurely, before 9 months? How do we calculate that?
Sooo insightful!!!
MashaAllah, i am glad i found fountain of atrological knowledge here. thank you. you guys are epic.
So potent. WOW! Genius!
So I have libra rising 5 degrees with a pisces moon, and an Aquarius sun- lost my father at a young age too.