Studies in Astrology
by
Elman Bacher
Volume VIII
Chapter VII
The Sun Sign
This discourse is presented as an attempt to give
answer to often-propounded questions by astrological students such as: Why, in
astrology, is the Sun considered and treated as a planet? What is really meant
by "afflictions" to the Sun? Of what significance is the Sun in the
astrological consideration of psychological problems? How can the Sun--the
Creative Source of our system--be taken as a symbol of "bad karma?"
Looking at a diagram of the astrological wheel without
its cusp lines, we are impressed with its exact resemblance to the symbol we
use for the Sun--a central dot circumscribed by a perfect circle. As the
power-radius of the Sun enfolds the entirety of the solar system so the total
symbol of the astrological mandala parallels the Sun symbol. Adding the cusps'
lines by drawing them as radiations from the center, we recognize that the Law
of Correspondences is being pictured in action: the Sun or the human is seen
to vitalize every factor which is the reflection of the consciousness of each.
In other words, the solar system of the Sun and the body of the human are
objectifications of the potentials inherent in the attributes of each. Before
there was vitalization as "energy" there was vitalization as "Light." LIGHT is
the archetypal creative fiat throughout the Cosmos on all creative octaves.
Creativity expresses Light; Light is that which is revealed by Epigenesis; in
Light all manifestation is; by Light it lives. God is Light, and in astrology,
the Sun symbolizes man's consciousness of his divine source. The
unity that is depicted in the symbol for the Sun--it is the most
undiffused of astrological symbols--pictures the focused consciousness
which exists to express. The unity of a Master's consciousness is the
result of his having transcended darknesses, congestions, and ignorances
through epigenetic action in many incarnations in such a way that he has
conditioned himself to become relatively perceptive of the One Light. The
diffusion of an unevolved person's consciousness is "un-Mastership;" the
darknessess of congestion serve to scatter and diffuse the expression of
potentials, and the resultant "clouds and storms" obscure his perception of
Light. He is at the mercy of his tendency to react to the clouds and
darknesses of others--out-picturings of his own darknesses; the Master abides
serenely in his perception of the Unity of Life that is Light and Love.
For your consideration--an example of manifestive
symbolism originated by the author, which pertains to the subject at hand: an
upward semicircle, the end of which rests on a horizontal which extends a
little beyond on either side. As a picture, this figure represents a half-
circle of the rising Sun above the horizon; as a symbol it is one-half (the
upper part) of the circle of both the Sun symbol and the horoscopical wheel.
The placement of the traditional circular Sun symbol at the center of the
human horoscope, and the use of this new symbol in the horoscope as the ruler,
Leo, could clarify to students the differences between the Sun as the creative
source of our planetary system and the consciousness of evolving humanity
regarding the principle inherent in the sign Leo. In other words, we think of
the Sun as the focalizer of the sign Leo, the Love attribute of Father-Mother
God, but the new symbol ("half the Sun") could much more easily convey the
relative realization of the Central Principle that is held by the individual
evolving human. It is placed in the human chart not (horary) just as you would
place the traditional symbol of the Sun, aspected by other planets just as
though it were a planet.
Actually, the planets, as focalizers of the sign
principles, symbolize in their positions and groupings the consciousness of
life principles held by the evolving human, but the Central Sun abides as the
emanative Source of everything pictured inside the wheel. The houses and signs
of the upper semi-circle of the astrological mandala represent the "daylight
part" of the Sun's seeming travel around the Earth each day; occultly, these
signs and houses refer to the soul-consciousness of humanity; the lower six
houses and signs refer to the "night-time part" of consciousness--that of the
individual seemingly separated from his fellows.
It is through the vibratory powers of the upper six
signs (begun by Venus's Libra) that we enter into the consciousness of unity
through the life of relationship; when the "tour" through the zodiac has been
completed at Pisces the result is a completed circle--the microcosm of that
which is represented by the circle of the Central Sun. The essence of
your horoscope, in toto, is your perception of unity in diversity; to the
degree that you become focused in consciousness of the one light, will your
horoscope dissolve its "separate bits" and emerge--closer and closer--to its
essential representation--the one perfect undifferentiated circle: one love,
one wisdom as the expressions of the power which is Light. The new Sun Symbol
(the picture of Light-radiation of each sunrise) conveys in a practical way
the truth that each regenerative expression of a human is a "sunrise in his
consciousness" and one revelation of the Light to all who contact him. The
radiance, beauty, and truth of our identity as children of Father-Mother-God
becomes evident with each evolutionary step.
Since humans, being humans, are not creative but
epigenetic, this new Sun symbol could represent the essence of perfect
epigenesis--the octave of Creative Power which, in our archetype, corresponds
to (not "is parallel to") the power of the Solar Logos. The new symbol is, in
the individual horoscope, the Spark of Solar Light; the traditional symbol,
placed in the center of the horoscope, is the Divine Source of all Light
Sparks, or Power focalizers, of the human archetype of this planet. Every time
you look at this new symbol in your horoscope you will impress your
subconscious mind with the truth that you are an evolving being, you are
revealing your inner light, you are rising to a higher octave of perception of
your divine source and your divine identity.
The disorganized, incoherent, stumbling, congested,
fearful, hateful, ignorant human is so because he is focused on the diffusion
of his planetary patterns; he sees himself separate from all other humans, he
sees no common denominator in his experience-patterns, the manifestations of
life are, in his reactions and feelings, outside of (and against) him;
therefore, living in his inner microcosms he expresses the lesser of his
potentials and all of their possible congestions.
The Sun is Master of this system. A human Master is so
because he is focused, co-ordinated, harmonized, simplified, refined, and
centered in his perception of identity as "begotten of Father-Mother-God."
(Herein is seen the explanation for the exaltation of the Sun in the first
zodiacal sign, Aries, ninth house-sign of Leo and fifth house-sign of
Sagittarius. For reference consult your Great Mandala.) He is clearly aware
that he is a focalizer of solar power and he knows that his purpose in
existing on this plane is to express that power according to the highest of
his epigenetic capacities. His consciousness is fused, his actions are
harmonious and efficient, his Love transcends all of the self-created barriers
in the natures of less evolved persons. The secret of all mastery is
(correspondent to the essence of the Solar Source) UNIFICATION.
In this respect, study the Sun in your chart and
recognize that (even if you have to decrystallize a mental habit of many
years) the Sun cannot be afflicted. There it abides in the center of your
chart, macrocosm of every factor in the chart; it radiates its divine
blessings throughout the contents of the wheel. But, your "personal Sun" (like
any planet) can be "squared" or "opposed" and it means that, in such cases.
your consciousness of Light-Power as Love and Wisdom tends, to a degree, to be
limited, dull and ineffectual. The cusp of your chart carrying the sign Leo
(as "matrix" of Light in your consciousness) will tell the story of persons,
who serve to alert you to the existence of your Light; the placement of the
"personal Sun" by sign-position points to the microcosmic planetary vibration
(unless the Sun is in Leo) from which you tend to distill your Light
consciousness; the house-placement of your personal Sun is the command from
the Most High (within yourself) to express light in that particular
experience-chapter or relationship-chapter during this incarnation.
In this part of your life, if your personal Sun has
squares or oppositions, you will be challenged (depend on this!) by the
vibratory powers of other people in order to stimulate your attention to focus
on the existence of your Divine Attributes. Some of these people may be
tyrannical by nature. You must learn to keep your Light alive and radiant in
spite of everything they--seemingly--try to do to you. Others may be inclined
to take advantage of your weaknesses in order to use you for their own
purposes. You must study yourself and learn how to transmute your energies
from disorganization and weakness to strength. (Persons you may know who have
no squares or oppositions to their personal Suns will prove to be the best
objects for study and the best teachers to help you learn how to unify and
focus your potentials.) If you deflect from what you know to be your life-
purpose, then you default on Divine Command. If your personal Sun has no
squares or oppositions, then the congestions of the planet which disposits it
are the focalizations for "Sun-exercise." Through increasing unification and
focusing of positive powers, discipline of expression, purification of desire-
urges and clarification of your awareness of Spiritual Identity, you are to
deal with the problems represented by these "planetary afflictions."
Frictional aspects involving planets in the sign Leo are to be redeemed by
transmutations of egotistical congestion through expressions of radiative
Love--through our Leo-points we must become contributors of the Good, the
True, and the Beautiful for the ongoing of Life. Transcendence of diffused
separativeness is the action of Mastership; radiation of focused Power as Love
and Wisdom is the service of Mastership.
The "first grade" of expression of Power is "power
over things and people." The lust to dominate other people, to circumscribe
their actions and thoughts is an exercise of power but it is based on
ignorance of what power really is. We have the attribute--because we are
causers--to influence people if they respond to us, but we cannot influence
anyone who is either indifferent to us or who is more perfectly focused and
organized than we are. To say "I have power" is to congest the consciousness
of the personal-Sun with the urgings of the desire nature. This is an illusion
which has made possible innumerable perpetrations of injustice and cruelty, by
man toward man. "I have power" implies "I have the right to exercise my power
in any way that I want (desire) to." The truth of the matter is "I AM Power"
or "I AM a focalizer of Solar Power;" the responsibility attendant on this
identity is to BE the best focalizer of Solar Power that is possible. Power is
NOT a possession--it is a Divine Attribute and its expressions (radiations) as
Love and Wisdom through individualized human consciousness testify to the
omnipresence of the Divine on this plane. Release "I have" from your
astrological approach to the personal Sun; substitute "I AM." Remember that
the "I have power" approach is Leo as the fire-sign initiator of the fixed
cross--the four signs that symbolize the utmost compression and congestion of
the desire-potentials. "I AM POWER" is Leo as the fixed (centered, focalized,
organized resource) sign of the fire trine of Divine Attributes; as such it is
the creative Love aspect of Father-Mother God and the resource of every
aspirational effort of humanity to realize the ideal of Love as the truth of
all relationships. We cannot HAVE something that is not, by its nature, a
possession; we can only aspire to BE that which our Divine Source ordains that
we are. Perfected radiation (epigenetic action) is the livingness of this True
Identity in human terms.
The Leo Mandala: a twelve-housed wheel, Leo as
Ascendant and the signs in sequence; the traditional circular Sun symbol at
the center, the new "personal Sun" symbol in the first house. This is the
abstract astrological portrait of humanity as epigenitors--radiators of
focalized Solar Power and expressors of this Power as Love. The desire-
diameter of Taurus-Scorpio appears as the parentage-diameter in this mandala--
the sexuality of male and female parents provides reincarnation for a human
focalization of Solar Power. The polarity of this focalization (the Uranian
air sign Aquarius) is liberation. All regenerate epigenetic action is
liberation from the no-longer-needed. The caterpillar needs his cocoon but
only when he emerges from its confines does he establish his identity as
"butterfly." The mother human nurtures and then liberates the body of her
child; both parents fulfill their experience in relationship to their children
and then, with respect for the individuality of the children as fellow-human,
they liberate them to their own experiences. Does this mandala not show us
that parentage-default is rooted in possessiveness? Leo is "married to"
Aquarius (Love that does not liberate for greater growth of development, and
expression is not love--it is desire to express power on others by holding
them static with constraint) physically, mentally, and emotionally; it should
be the aspiration to express Love-power for others.
The individualized Leo-Love of each parent for the
other expressed through intense fusion by Taurus-Scorpio made possible a
liberation from the inner planes of another Ego so that that Ego might
progress in his evolution by reincarnation. He, in his turn, is further
liberated when his epigenetic radiation is fused with that of another. So we
see in this mandala that the "possessiveness aspect" of Taurus-Scorpio is the
congestion of human progress; its regeneration is the impersonalized aspect of
stewardship. Spiritualized (self determined) parentage is intelligent, loving
stewardship of the individual growth of the begotten and respect for the
begotten's right to realize the best of his individuality.
The house-sign patterns of the personal Sun as
indicated in this Leo mandala are: Leo, 1; Virgo, 2; Libra, 3; Scorpio, 4;
Sagittarius, 5; Capricorn, 6; Aquarius, 7; Pisces, 8; Aries, 9; Taurus, 10;
Gemini,11; Cancer, 12. (Correlate for clarification with a copy of the Great
Mandala (Aries Ascendant) to perceive how the archetype sign-principles are
expressed when Leo is Ascendant of the horoscope. For example, the personal
Sun in Virgo is practical, not just because Mercury is ruler of Virgo, but
because in Virgo the personal Sun is in its own second house-sign, stewardship
principle, correspondent to the Taurus-Aries relationship of the Great
Mandala. And so forth.
Exoterically, the personal Sun involved in square and
opposition patterns pictures karma resultant from ignorance of the true
meaning of Power. "Planets are people"--and the squared or opposed personal
Sun represents the challenges to your integrity from people who outpicture
your past ignorance of this principle. By the very meaning of the personal Sun
as an astrological symbol you are to decrystallize all "enmity-reactions" to
such persons by (1) learning from their negative example what not to do, and
(2) transmute your negatively-colored relationship to them by a strengthening
of your inner purposes, your personal integrity and your love-consciousness
and radiate that higher octave of consciousness to them. This is astrology's
way of saving: "Love your enemies." The converse of a previous statement about
Leo is appropriate here: WE DO NOT HAVE ENEMIES; we (by congestion of
potentials) ARE enemies to our own best and highest good. The Light that is
symbolized by the Central Sun is microcosmically reflected in the personal Sun
of the individual human; it and its polarity, Aquarius-Uranus, is the arch-
decrystallizer of all "enmities."
In the above statement is seen an answer to inquiries
by students concerning the psychological value of the Sun symbol in astrology:
To the degree that you remain unfocused will your weaknesses be challenged by
the desire-power-authority urges of others; to the degree that you unfold
awareness of your true identity as a focalizer of solar power and express that
awareness through love in which no shadows can exist will you epigenetically
improve the quality of your entire psychological base. The therapy of the Sun
is JOY--the house-position of your personal Sun in this incarnation is where
you have chosen to banish shadows by the radiance of your purified love
nature. You created the shadows in the first place--the squares and
oppositions to your personal Sun; only you, as a focalizer of solar power, can
redeem those congested energies and transform their expression by constructive
epigenesis. With reverence and joy identify yourself with your source--know
that Its Power transcends that of any seeming outer negative. This is the
therapy that has been given to us by every teaching-Master and in your
horoscope (sooner or later) if you knock, the secret of your solar identity
will be "opened unto you." Your purpose is not to "be submerged;" it is to
love, to express, to radiate, to be a living testimonial to the divine in the
human archetype.