Lesson 6: The Sun and Moon

However we choose to interpet a chart, the Sun and Moon as the luminaries are the focal point. The rest of the chart revolves around them.

Recapping a bit from earlier posts, the Sun represents our consciousness and the Moon our subconscious.

The Sun

The Sun, as the centre of the solar system around which all the planets revolve, is also the centre and core of the chart. While it doesn't fully represent the Soul's purpose, it does represent how the Soul intends to work on it's overarching purpose in this life time. It is our essence and our light which we show the world.

So when interpreting a chart it is natural to start with the Sun, looking at it's sign, aspects and house position. All of these will give the picture of the nature of the Sun in a chart. For Millenium baby the Sun is in Capricorn, so we can start with Capricorn traits of the desire to achieve, to be prepared to work hard and to have a pragmatic and responsible approach.

Then we can look at which planets are in aspect to the Sun, as these will affect how the Sun is experienced and expressed.

We have Mercury conjunct the Sun, the Moon sextile the Sun from Scorpio and Saturn trine the Sun from Taurus. These are easy aspects so should enhance the expression of the Sun, without much conflict or challenge.

• Mercury conjunct the Sun in Capricorn - thinking and communication are in line with Sun's expression and purpose.

• Saturn trine the Sun, both are in earth signs so the focus is on stability and grounding. Saturn is the natural ruler of Capricorn so will naturally support a Capricorn Sun, and in Taurus there will be a need for material stability as well, and a preparedness to work hard.

• The Moon sextile the Sun requires a bit more work, but the work brings rewards. Scorpio brings passion and energy to the Sun, while the pragmatism of the Capricorn Sun can cool the intensity of a Scorpio Moon.

Once we have the essence of the Sun, we can start to look at where in the chart this all plays out. For this we need to look at not only which house the Sun is in, but also the house that it rules. Both are important. The house that the Sun is in highlights the area of life that is important for the Soul's growth in this lifetime. The house that it rules is the area of life where this is expressed.

In Millenium baby's chart the Sun is in the fourth house which is the house of home and family. So achieving stability in this area is important. Millenium baby may have been blessed with a family that provided a safe base and encouraged them to achieve, or it could have been a harsh authoritarian environment and the Sun here could be showing Millenium baby's desire for stability in this area.

To show where the Sun is expressed we need to look for the house that has Leo on the cusp, as the Sun rules Leo. In Millenium baby's chart this is the eleventh house, which is the house of community and peers. This is the area of life where Millenium baby will seek to shine and be creative. But they will do this as a Capricorn, pragmatic and hardworking, and home life will have an impact on how Millenium baby expresses themselves in the community.

Over to you now. Have a look at your own chart. I know you will know your Sun sign, but what apsects does your Sun make to any other planets? If your Sun makes no apsects, that is signficant in that your solar energy is unaffected by other parts of you.

Once you have this you know how your Sun is affected by other planets in your chart. Now look at the house position of your Sun and which house has Leo on the cusp to see where in your life this is all expressed.

If, like me, you find that no house has Leo on the cusp, then expressing yourself is more difficult and may take longer for you to learn how to. There isn't a natural outlet for you in your environment so you have to dig deep and find your own expression on your own terms. Look at the house the Sun is in, as this house is important to you even though life hasn't given it an easy area of expression.

There are different schools of thought as to how to approach this.

One is to focus on the house the Sun is in, and seek to develop that house accepting that you may not have the support that you would like from those around you.

Another is to look for which house Leo is engulfed in. It is very likely to have Cancer on cusp. We can approach as astrological house like a normal house. The cusp is the front door and the engulfed sign a room within the house. By going through the front door, which will be Cancer, you can reach Leo. As Cancer is all about safety and security, finding safety and security in the house that has Cancer on the cusp could lead to feelings of sufficient safety to begin to express your Sun. As Cancer is ruled by the Moon, looking at the Moon's position will give more information about how this can be achieved.

If you have Leo on the cusp of two consecutive houses, then those two houses are working together is some way, and that is where you express yourself and shine your light.

The Moon

The Moon represents our subconscious and more instinctual behaviours. It is also said to represent the past. As the mother it is also where we seek safety and security.

For Millenium baby the Moon is in Scorpio. As we have seen in earlier posts this can present as emotional intensity, fierce loyalty to loved ones and jealousy when insecure.

The next step is to recap the Moon's aspects. We have already covered the sextile with the Sun. There is also an opposition to Saturn in Taurus and squares to Neptune and Uranus in Aquarius. There are some trickier aspects to navigate here.

• Oppositions are where balance must be found, so Scorpio from a instinctual level versus Taurus from a pragmatic and hard working level as Saturn is here. At times Millenium baby might struggle with intense emotions and at others be so focussed on hard work that they lose sight of their emotions. The challenge is to get the balance right. To do the hard work that the situation demands to be grounded and have stability while still being connected to deeper feelings and desires.

• Neptune represents our spiritual side and is part of the collective unconscious. Normally Neptune and the Moon would work well together, but this is a square and it is between Scorpio and Aquarius. The emotional intensity of Scorpio does not sit well with the emotional detachment of Aquarius. Neptune in Aquarius is about serving a greater good and sacrifices for the many, whereas the Moon in Scorpio is more focussed on one's own passions and loyalities. It will take time to bring thise conflicting energies together, and for the passion of the Scorpio Moon to be harnessed to serve a greater good.

• The Moon and Uranus tend to struggle as one wants to be feel safe and secure (the Moon) and the other wants to rile things up (Uranus). So the forward thinking and innovative Uranus in Aquarius is a struggle for a Scorpio Moon that could feel insecure and jealous.

Once we have looked at aspects we can look at where the Moon is and where it rules. We came accross this in the last post where we saw that the Moon was in the second house and ruled the tenth. So material stability and security are important to Millenium baby. The second house also represents our values so we could also say that loyalty to loved ones, the capacity to keep a secret (Scorpio can be private) and feeling pasionate about things are values for Millenium baby.

The tenth house is where Millenium baby seeks out security and safety. Being recognised gives a sense of safety and having resources are important for Millenium baby's social standing. This includes emotional resources, as the Moon is in Scorpio, and loyal friends. It is also important to Millenium baby to feel passionate about the work that they do and for it to be in line with their values.

This is altogether more difficult than Millenium baby's Sun so I can't help wondering that while Millenium baby could be quite pragmatic and hardworking in the community, they might struggle with presenting an emotionally stable public face at times.

Back over to you. Have a look at the Moon in your own chart.

Another aspect of the Sun and the Moon that can be interesting to consider is where the Moon was in it's cycle at the time of your birth. This can give an indication of the theme of this incarnation. If your Sun and Moon are in aspect, as was the case for Millenium baby, the energies will be having a direct effect on one another.

Sun/Moon conjunction- if this is in your chart, you were born at or around the new Moon, and this is a time for new beginnings. This incarnation will be about learning new things, but it will be very fresh so there may not be much in the way of experience for what is being learnt. The sign the Sun and Moon are in will give an indication of what is being learnt. As the Moon represents the past, lessons from the past are being put the new use.

Sun/Moon sextile - this is the waxing cresecent. The Moon is pulling ahead of the Sun so we are starting to need to work at it, but there are rewards for the work. For Millenium baby to have this sextile the Moon would need to be in Pisces, bringing intuition to the pragmatic Capricorn Sun.

Sun/Moon square - this is the first quarter and the challenges are appearing. This lifetime is about overcoming new challenges to forge ahead. For Millenium baby to have this the Moon would need to be in Aries. The urge to press ahead and leap in might give the Capricorn Sun the heeby jeebies.

Sun/Moon trine - we are now between the first quarter and full Moon. The challenges of the first quarter are past and experience being assimilated. Sun and Moon are in the same element now. The subconscious is working well with the conscious and we are easily building. For Millenium baby to have this the Moon would need to be in Taurus.

Sun/Moon opposition - this is the pinnacle of the cycle (and full Moon) and we now have tension as the conscious and subconscious are as far apart as they can be. If this aspect is in a chart there is need to balance the past and instintual urges with the conscious and present life. For Millenium baby to have this the Moon would need to be in Cancer. The instinctual desire to feel emotionally safe and nurtured would have to be balanced with the need to work hard to build stability and structure for oneself.

Sun/Moon trine - as we move away from the full Moon and the tension of the opposition we start to release and let go. This brings some ease. For Millenium baby to have this aspect the Moon would need to be in Virgo. Getting things in order can make it clear what to release.

Sun/Moon square - third quarter - more challenges appear, but unlike the first quarter these are old challenges and need to be released and let go of. For Millenium baby to have this the Moon would need to be in Libra. This is what I have in my own chart and letting go of the need to be in unsuitable relationships has been essential to get in touch with the wisdom of my twelfth house Capricorn Sun.

Sun/Moon sextile - waning crescent - this is what Millenium baby has got. As the challenges of the last quarter pass, things get easier again and with some work there can be rewards. This phase is also about letting go and preparing to heal. So for Millenium baby this could be about letting go of past jealousies and hurts or the need for revenge (a Scorpio trait) in order to fully utilise the stability and pragmatism of the Capricorn Sun.

That's all for now. The next one will look at Mercury which represents how we think, communicate and organise information.

As before if you would like any help with your chart I am offering astro-tutorials via Zoom. These are charged at £30 for 40 minutes. A shorter tutorial will be charged proportionately less with a minimum price for £15. To arrange a tutorial please e-mail me at sacredspaceastrology@outlook.com