The Sun
Rules: Leo (fixed fire) // masculine energy
The Sun is the core of our personality. Simply put, the Sun encourages us to learn how to become who we already are.
When we’re talking about the Sun sign, it’s really more accurate to say “the Earth’s relation to the Sun” since the Earth is the one who’s moving. A more appropriate name would be Earth Sign.
The Sun represents our conscious mind, vitality and the constant evolution of the ego. He is the Giver of Life, the fire that burns in the seat of the soul. The Sun is not only our will to survive, but our zest for life itself. If the Moon is our inspiration, the Sun is the driving force that brings our creations to life.
Just as the Sun is the center of our solar system, we find the essence and purpose of our highest Self in the Sun sign. I like to say that we are a whole soup of planets. It is a gross oversimplification to identify only with your Sun sign. After all, we are human, and that means we are incredibly complex. We all embody contradictions and paradoxes. When looking at a birth chart, you quickly see how the planets are all there reflecting our many layers and dispositions.
The Sun sign indicates basic identity, but not necessarily the first impression you give to strangers (this is the rising sign). Instead, think of the Sun as your most natural self, the person you are at home, with your family or closest friends. He is the axis on which the points of the soul compass rest, constantly directing and shaping the course of your life. The Sun represents the awakening of your purpose. Your sign reveals the nature of this awakening and the legacy you will leave on earth after this life is over.
If the Moon is the inner child, the Sun is the adult. Lunar energy can be very irrational, but that’s where the Sun comes in. His role is to reason, to make decisions and direct our attention toward now. The Moon is reactive; the Sun is active. The Sun is not concerned with thoughts, dreams, fantasies or hopes – he simply exists and grows, forever blossoming again and again into the present moment.
Balanced solar energy is purposeful, direct, creative, dignified and confident. As with the sign he rules, fixed fire Leo, excess solar energy manifests as egotism, judgment, force, violence and recklessness. The fixed modality manifests quite clearly in the nature of the Sun, the core of our being: we can’t change much! We can change our habits, perspectives and circumstances, but the underlying themes of the soul remain. Fixed energy is also apparent in the sheer strength and power of the Sun/our personality – if you know a true Leo, then you have seen this in full force!