Astrology of the Personal Sun: Facts, Traits, and Interpretations

Apr 25

Shine bright, give light, and showcase creative might! The Sun is one of the most important bodies in astrology, and is a huge part of our personality and what makes us uniquely us. It’s deeply personal and where who we are starts to take shape and form.

The Meaning of the Personal Sun:

The Sun is who you truly are, your inner self and inner you. It’s the you that comes out when you’re with people you know well and in situations where you feel comfortable enough to show your true face.

Most of us come across differently from how we really are, and this is explained via the Sun and Rising. The Rising, or Ascendant, or 1st house, rules the outer self, and is how we come across, while the Sun is our true selves. The majority of us don’t have them in the same signs, so we end up coming across differently from how we really are.

The Sun is deeply personal. It’s our inner light, but we don’t show this to just anyone. The Sun requires comfort, and to feel cherished for what it is.

The Sun naturally rules Zodiac sign Leo, and connects with the 5th house, both of which govern who and what we love. They’re enthusiastic and fun and connect to the heart.

The Sun is only one of two planets that don’t retrograde (so it doesn’t appear to move backward at any point). The Moon is the other planet - and yes, technically the Sun and Moon aren’t actually planets at all! We just call them that.

The Sun and Moon are the luminaries in astrology, and they cast light on the day (Sun) and night (Moon), as well as control our lunar cycle.

The Sun has steady movement, and tours each Zodiac sign for about one month at a time at roughly the same time each year. The Zodiac sign the Sun is in is the Zodiac Season (Aries Season, Taurus Season, etc.) and brings attention to whatever the sign rules (shining a light).

The Sun in Your Natal Chart

Most everyone is familiar with their Sun sign since this is easy to determine. The sign your Sun is in shows HOW you express your true self, and this is a basic part of your personality.

Your Sun will also fall in one of the 12 houses. Each house governs a different part of your life, and the areas of life ruled by the house your natal Sun is located can be a super important part of your life and your personality. This is WHERE your true self comes out best.

The combination of sign and house are the main ingredients for you as a person. This is seen via your personality, but since the Sun is one of the rulers of the physical body, it can even be present in your physical characteristics as well.

Your Sun will also make aspects to the other planets and bodies in your natal chart. An aspect occurs when the two bodies are at certain distances from one another in the Zodiac. There are major and minor aspects, and some are considered beneficial while others are considered challenging.

The aspect between your Sun and Moon is one of the single most important aspects in your natal chart since the Moon rules your emotions. If they form a challenging aspect, this can put your ego (Sun) and emotions (Moon) at odds, and it’s something you have to work through. If they form a beneficial aspect, your ego and emotions work together harmoniously.

Pay close attention to your Sun conjunct - aligned with - any of the other planets. This is going to have the biggest impact on your personality, and since the Sun is somewhat neutral, the other planet can overtake the Sun, and you may feel that you identify more strongly with the planet that is conjunct rather than your Sun sign.

This can be the case when someone doesn’t feel like their Sun sign at all; look to the Zodiac sign the planet conjunct naturally rules, and that might feel more like who you really are instead.

If the planet conjunct is the natural ruler of your Sun sign, then it can amplify the impact times a million! You’re super representative of that sign and resonate with it strongly.

In case you need it, the signs that the planets rule are:

Mercury: Gemini & Virgo
Venus: Taurus & Libra
Mars: Aries
Jupiter: Sagittarius
Saturn: Capricorn
Uranus: Aquarius
Neptune: Pisces
Pluto: Scorpio

So, the keywords for the natal Sun are:

Personal
Inner light
Comfortable and creative
The true self

The Natal Sun in the Houses:

1st House: You can come across as your true self, and have an easier time presenting who you really are. This can read as wearing your heart on your shoulder, and it makes you care a lot about what other people think of you. Believing in who you are, having confidence in yourself, and leading the charge can help you be secure enough to not worry as much about other people’s opinions of you.

2nd House: The 2nd house rules stability, security, and resources, so it’s important for you to be grounded and feel safe and secure in life. What you own - material possessions and money - can mean too much to you without confidence and stability, and you may try to use them to fill a hole inside. Work to ground yourself and have confidence outside of anything physical to avoid that.

3rd House: The 3rd house is an active house, so you likely need to have a lot going on at all times. You can excel at multitasking, but struggle mightily with boredom. You’re likely quite adaptable and always thinking, and can be an idea person but may have difficulty with turning it into something real. You can be a student of life, highly engaging with others, and openly express yourself.

4th House: The 4th house rules the home and family, so this is extra important for you. You can give a lot of attention to those you think of as family and to your home life, and if they’re shaky, you can feel shaky. You need a solid support system, especially if you had a rough upbringing. Make sure to work on a strong internal foundation, and this can set you up to build a great life for yourself.

5th House: The 5th house naturally connects with the Sun, so it’s important for you to express yourself openly, and you can crave attention and praise. Without that, you may feel like your light is dimmed. You can be super creative, which can be a good outlet for you to express yourself, and you may get attention for your talents at some point. You can be friendly, funny, and romantic.

6th House: The 6th house rules work, daily life, and health, so it’s important for you to get things done, to have work that you do on a daily basis that you really connect with (even if it’s not your actual job), and to feel you’re being productive and making a contribution. You can keep busy and hate being idle. You may demand too much of yourself, being a perfectionist, and need to go easy on yourself.

7th House: The 7th house rules relationships and the people in your life, so you can crave being around others, especially one-on-one and with partners of various kinds. You may not do being alone very well, and can be a great cheerleader and give a lot of attention to those you care about. This might mean diverting attention away from yourself though, and you may lose yourself to relationships if you’re not careful.

8th House: The 8th house is an intense, passionate house, and this means you want to live life passionately, and can go all out. You want everything to have meaning and depth. You can be a great researcher as you instinctively know when there’s more to the story, and transforming might be a theme in your life. You may need to work on bringing more levity to your outlook and not be so pessimistic.

9th House: The 9th house is the house of expansion, so you can be someone who always wants to explore, to experience life for yourself, to travel and learn, and to get out in the big wide world. You can be up for adventure, can be bold and a risk taker, and can share wild stories of what you’ve been through with others, which can make you a good teacher and mentor. But you may struggle with roots at times, and need to learn discipline.

10th House: The 10th house rules goals and direction, so achieving something can be important to you. You can be a goal-oriented person, and can be willing to put in the hours to make it happen. You can be disciplined, responsible, and practical, and you can reach what you set out to do in time. You may feel you hit your stride in life when you’re older. You may get attention for what you achieve as well, even fame.

11th House: The 11th house is the house of the unconventional, so you’re someone who embraces that in yourself and in others. You want to be free to be your unique self, and to be independent, nonconforming, and a bit of an icon. You can value friendships strongly and have a wide social circle, and can be comfortable with groups. You may struggle with letting your guard down though, and need to dive more into emotions.

12th House: The 12th house is the house of the hidden, so having your natal Sun in this house can make it difficult for you to showcase your true self to anyone you don’t know super well. You might seem very shy, quiet, and can hold back your opinions and thoughts. On your own, you can thrive, and should use that time to figure out who you really are, and recharge. Avoid letting others completely overtake you.

The Transit Sun

Then there is the transit, or moving, Sun, who travels through the entire Zodiac every year. As mentioned, the Sun has steady movement, spending about one month per sign, and is at about the same spot on the same day each year.

The transit Sun shines a light, so it brings our attention to whatever is ruled by the Zodiac sign the Sun is touring. During the Zodiac Seasons, we’re more focused on those areas and we can see the energy of the sign play out broadly.

The transit Sun forms aspects to the other transit planets and bodies, and to our natal planets and bodies. Aspects to the other transit bodies can impact all of us at once, often in a subtle way but sometimes in a very strong way. Aspects to your natal bodies are felt for you personally, and the Sun is shining a light on whatever the natal body rules.

The transit Sun also travels through your natal houses, going through all 12 each year, and this can bring the Sun’s light to the areas of life ruled by each house as the Sun tours. The Sun makes it more obvious (or at least tries to!).

So, the keywords for the transit Sun are:

Shines a light
Focused
Obvious

The Transit Sun in the Houses:

1st House: This is a time to focus on yourself with the 1st house ruling you. That can mean physically (and you make some changes to your look), or in your way of expressing yourself. You may get more attention, and can be more comfortable with it. This can also be a great time to start something new, embark on a project or plan or journey, and this can be a focus for the next 10-12 months.

2nd House: The transit Sun in the 2nd house can be a helpful time for focusing on your resources and finances. You can also work to improve stability and security in your life, and grounding yourself can help with that. This can be a steady period where you don’t want to do anything too rash, and can take your time with anything new while steadily progressing with what you’ve already begun.

3rd House: Activity and communication can be the focus during this time, and you can fill up your schedule and keep yourself busy, and feel more sociable and engaging. You can focus on ideas, gather information, get advice, and talk things through. You may want to improve your communication style and learn. This is a great time for short-term projects, plans, and goals, as you may struggle with anything long-term.

4th House: This can be a period to focus on home and family matters, and you can work on making improvements or changes. You may want to spend more time with those you think of as family, or in the places that are most familiar or feel like home. You can be more emotionally understanding, and want a stronger support system. This can be a good time to start something from the ground up.

5th House: This can be a fun period, and you can make more time to do what you love most, to engage in your hobbies or pick up new ones, and to spend time with the people you enjoy being with most. You can be enthusiastic about life, friendlier than usual, and want to laugh and have a good time. This is a great time for creative endeavors, and you may want to give yourself more time to get anything mundane done.

6th House: There can be plenty of work for you to get done, and you can drill down, be practical, and make the most of productive energy. It’s a time for work, whether it’s at a job that pays, or it’s the tasks, chores, and projects at home and personally. You can make improvements to your regimen, schedule, or routine, and this can help with your health and stress management. Just try not to ask too much of yourself.

7th House: The people in your life can get more of your attention during this period, and you can spend time being helpful and doing more for others. You can play mediator, diplomat, or negotiator, and can be good at it. You can also be more comfortable committing to something or someone, and can work well with a partner. You may want to work on improving balance and peace.

8th House: The transit Sun in the 8th house can signal a period where you’re working to transform something for the better. You can do research and investigate what you need to, and can make the change from the core to make sure it lasts. You can take it seriously, and use your passion and intensity to make it happen. This can also be a positive period for business and financial partnerships and arrangements.

9th House: Your eye can be focused on the big, wide world, and you can crave more freedom and space to roam. You may want to have new experiences you can learn from, and you can share knowledge you’ve already gained from experiences you’ve already had. This can be a great time for teaching, writing, or traveling, as well as marketing and publicity. You can be passionate about your beliefs, and can speak up about them.

10th House: When the transit Sun tours the 10th house, this brings attention to your goals and life path. If you’ve already been working on a goal, and you’ve gone about it the right way and for the right reasons, you may hit your stride or get some recognition during this period. Otherwise, you might be setting new goals, and you can be more disciplined and responsible with your approach.

11th House: Doing things differently can be important to you during this time, and you can work on making changes in your life. You can break out in some way and get yourself out of a rut, and this can be inspiring for your future. You can connect with your dreams, and embrace what makes you different. You can also be more open to new, different people, and expand your social circle while also being very independent.

12th House: Since the 12th house is the house of the hidden, you may want to stay in the background and shadows and out of the spotlight while the transit Sun tours this house. It can be a quieter period for you to spend time reflecting and being introspective, and to get things finished and clear things out to make room for the new to come with the 1st house. You may need more rest, and to be gentle with yourself.

Transits to the Natal Sun

The other transit (moving) planets and bodies can form aspects to your natal Sun, and these aspects are felt super personally. They can take over your life, depending on the planet and aspect involved.

Beneficial aspects (sextiles and trines) can be beneficial for you, and you can infuse some of the transit planet into your personality and life in a way that helps you. Challenging aspects (squares and oppositions) can be challenging for you, and whatever the transit planet rules can bring difficulties into your personality and life that you have to work on.

Transit Aspects to the Natal Sun:

Transit Sun to Natal Sun: When sextile or trine, this can help you express yourself, put yourself out there, and get more attention. You can also feel more secure and better able to use your energy. When square or opposite, this can make it difficult for you to feel seen, and there can be a block or issue that has to be overcome. When conjunct, this is your Solar Return, which occurs around your birthday, and is a time to focus on yourself, your own wants and needs, and you may wish to start something new and exciting.

Transit Moon to Natal Sun: When sextile or trine, this gives a few hours where you feel good, at ease, and focused. You can trust your instincts and make yourself comfortable. When square or opposite, this can be a few hours where you take everything personally, are more sensitive, and may lash out. You likely need to take care of yourself and get to the core of something bothering you. When conjunct, this can help you understand yourself better, and you can feel more in tune with yourself. This can also be a good time to start something new you can focus on for the next few weeks.

Transit Mercury to Natal Sun: When sextile or trine, you can use your ideas and plans easily, and can be adaptable. You may express yourself and have an easier time with communication. When square or opposite, communication and focus can be a challenge, and you have to make sure you think before you speak. You may feel anxious and need to get to the root of that. When conjunct, you can come up with exciting new ideas, enjoy conversing, and share what’s on your mind.

Transit Venus to Natal Sun: When sextile or trine, you can feel good, at ease, and may want to relax. It’s not the best time for any work, but can be great for dealing with other people. When square or opposite, you can be extra lazy, and may feel stubborn about something. You can be indulgent, and may have difficulty with someone in your life. When conjunct, you can be charming, sensual, and can be attractive in every way. You may want company, and to enjoy yourself.

Transit Mars to Natal Sun: When sextile or trine, energy can be high but manageable, and you can be excited and enthusiastic about something new. You can act quickly and instinctively. When square or opposite, energy can be too high or too low, and you can be prone to fights. You can be frustrated and stressed out, and need healthy outlets. When conjunct, there can be plenty of energy available to you, and you can channel this into a new beginning, and this can be something you focus on for the next 2 years.

Transit Jupiter to Natal Sun: When sextile or trine, this is an excellent time to pursue opportunities and big ideas. You can be optimistic, enthusiastic, and open to expansion in some way. When square or opposite, you might be lazy and prone to excess, and don’t want to do much of anything. You need to work on better self-control. When conjunct, this is a fantastic period where you have lots of opportunities, are super optimistic, and can start something new that puts you on a whole new path in life.

Transit Saturn to Natal Sun: When sextile or trine, this can be stabilizing and helps improve security in your life. You can be comfortable with commitment and exercise discipline and restraint easily. When square or opposite, this can make you feel blocked or overwhelmed by all of your responsibilities. You likely need to focus on the areas you’ve either ignored or have been too reckless. When conjunct, progress can be made, but this may only come if you’ve done things the right way and for the right reasons, otherwise you may feel extra restricted.

Transit Uranus to Natal Sun: When sextile or trine, you can be open to making changes in your life and can take control of them. This can open up more doors for you, and you can step outside of your comfort zone. When square or opposite, you can experience changes you don’t want, or lack the ability to make the changes you do want. You have to be smarter with change, and if you’re focused and smart, you can get yourself unstuck. When conjunct, change is everywhere, and you might even make changes to your physical self. You can push yourself to break out. Control impulsive risks, and you can create bold change.

Transit Neptune to Natal Sun: When sextile or trine, your intuition can be strong, you can connect to your spiritual self, and you can be more creative. You can be compassionate and gentle. When square or opposite, you may struggle with seeing something clearly, and experience more projection. Ground yourself as best as you can, sharpen your intuition, and maintain boundaries to avoid being taken advantage of. When conjunct, you can tap into subtle energies, heightening your intuition, and can be inspired and dreamy. This is also a time to make sure you’re maintaining boundaries.

Transit Pluto to Natal Sun: When sextile or trine, this can be a great time to empower yourself and to work on transformations for the better, but on your own terms. You can channel your passion productively. When square or opposite, this can be a super challenging time where you’re being forced to face something you’d rather run away from. You have to dig deep and may need to face an old trauma. A major transformation can be required of you, and this can be upsetting, but it can lead to major growth. When conjunct, this is time to be who you really are, and this can empower you. Connect to your inner power, and you can grow strong and willful. Any part of you that you’ve tried to avoid, can come out now and demand you deal with it.

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