ASTROLOGY ARTICLES BY JON

Fun with the Sun: Some Basic Astrology Tricks

I highly recommend going to see a skilled astrologer to have your horoscope read; or better yet, learning astrology for yourself. There are some really simple tricks that will get you excited about astrology without even breaking a sweat. Professional astrologers take a lot of heat for the Sun sign columns seen in the newspaper, so I want people to know there's so much more to astrology than that. Going to see a skilled astrologer is much like going to see any other highly skilled professional.

The Sun sign columnist are right, your Sun sign is an extremely important part of who you are. The Sun in your horoscope is your basic vital and creative energy, your driving force. Your Sun sign tells how your energy is directed. The first thing you want to do is find out for sure what sign your Sun is in, there is a lot of cusp babies out there, people born between the 20th and 23rd of each month. If you are not actually on the cusp, you are definitely in one sign or the other. If you are in doubt look in an ephemeris or you can go to Astrodienst to get your chart calculated for free.

The Elements

No matter how much astrology you know it still comes down to the four basic elements: Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. The element of your Sun sign describes how your creative energy is directed.

Fire (Aries, Leo and Sagittarius) your creative energy is directed towards positive action. You are intuitive and inspired with a quick emotional response, hence a fiery person. Negatively you can be too impulsive and headstrong.

Earth (Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn) your creative energy is directed towards the physical and material aspects of life. You are calculated, steady and reliable, hence a grounded (earthy) person. Negatively you can be too materialistic and lack imagination.

Air (Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius) your creative energy is directed intellectually and socially. You are a thinker and communicator; you live in the world of ideas, hence a mental (airy) person. Negatively you can be too detached and have trouble turning your big ideas into reality.

Water (Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces) your creative energy is directed with sensitivity and emotion. You have an artistic and psychic bent with a deep feeling nature, hence an emotional (watery) person. Negatively you can be overly impressionable and possessive.

Remember your Sun sign is just one of many factors we weigh. Your Sun sign element might be earth, but that might be the only earth you have in your entire chart (so it might be hard at first to identify with the descriptions above). If you concentrate just on what your core basic drive is (your Sun sign) I think you will easily relate to your Sun sign element though.

Keywords for signs

• Aries  (I am) — courageous, pioneering, independent, and impulsive
• Taurus   (I have) — resourceful, determined, dependable, and stubborn
• Gemini   (I think) — curious, informed, responsive, and nervous
• Cancer   (I feel) — nurturing, protective, loyal and clingy
• Leo   (I will) — dramatic, exuberant, kind and arrogant
• Virgo   (I analyze) — perfectionist, humbled, conscientious and critical
• Libra   (I balance) — charming, popular, diplomatic and indecisive
• Scorpio   (I desire) — intense, passionate, strong willed and jealous
• Sagittarius   (I see) — philosophical, optimistic, broad minded, and blunt
• Capricorn   (I use) — authoritative, industrious, steady and miserly
• Aquarius   (I know) — genius, unconventional, social and emotionally detached
• Pisces  (I believe) — compassionate, dreamy, spiritual and addiction prone

Sun Sign Compatibility

The Sun sign columnist will tell you Aries matches well with Leo and Sagittarius, this is because they have a common denominator, these are the fire signs. The Sun sign columnist will also tell an Aries Sun person to stay away from Capricorn and Cancer because fire does not mix well with earth and water. There is a smidgeon of truth to this, but for the most part, it is bunk. The part that is true is yes an Aries person's basic drive for excitement and adventure is quite different from a Cancer person's basic drive to nurture and protect, and they will always be different in that regard, but it all depends upon the level of awareness of the two individuals. These two people might appreciate that variety is the spice of life and appreciate each other's differences and have a very fulfilling relationship together.

And, the Cancer person could have an Aries Moon, Sagittarius rising and three planets in Leo suggesting (all fire signs), and so this individual is not necessarily going to be happy just being a homemaker. And conversely, the Aries person might have a Cancer Moon, Scorpio rising and three planets in Pisces (water signs) suggesting that this person is going to be much more sensitive and inner directed than their Aries Sun sign would indicate. Besides in this case these two people would have their Moon signs in each other's Sun signs, which is perhaps the strongest indicator of compatibility possible, even with the clashing Sun signs This shows that each person is emotionally in tune (the Moon) with the other person's ego (the Sun). Sun conjunct Moon is a wonderful interaspect to share with somebody.

Remember Sun sign compatibility is just one factor, it does help with basic harmony but it does not guarantee a successful relationship nor does having non compatible Sun signs doom a relationship. Here are some basic rules of thumb:

• Fire mixes well with Fire and Air and clashes with Earth and Water.
• Earth mixes well with Earth and Water and clashes with Fire and Air
• Air mixes well with Air and Fire and clashes with Earth and Water
• Water mixes well with Water and Earth and clashes with Fire and Air

Your Sun Degree

The Sun moves basically one degree per day (360 degrees in a horoscope circle and 365 days in a year). There are 30 (0-29) degrees in each sign (12 signs = 360 degrees).

The next thing for you to do is determine the degree of your Sun. For example, if you were born on March 22 you have approximately a 0 degree Aries Sun. I say approximately because it depends on the exact time and place of birth: it may be 29 degrees Pisces or 1 degree Aries, but for the purposes of this exercise we don't have to be exact. Below I'll give a reference point and you should be able to figure out your approximate Sun degree from there. For example, if you were born March 25th your Sun degree would be 4 degrees Aries, 4 days = 4 degrees past March 21, which we see is 0 Aries (it's springtime).

• 0 degree Aries around March 21
• 15 degrees Aries around April 5th


• 0 degrees Taurus around April 20th
• 15 degrees Taurus around May 5th


• 0 degrees Gemini around May 21st
• 15 degrees Gemini around June 6th


• 0 degrees Cancer around June 21st
• 15 degrees Cancer around July 6th


• 0 degrees Leo around July 23
• 15 degrees Leo around August 7th


• 0 degrees Virgo around August 23
• 15 degrees Virgo around September 8th


• 0 degrees Libra around September 23rd
• 15 degrees Libra around October 8th


• 0 degrees Scorpio around October 23rd
• 15 degrees Scorpio around November 7th


• 0 degrees Sagittarius around November 22nd
• 15 degrees Sagittarius around December 7th


• 0 degrees Capricorn around December 22nd
• 15 degrees Capricorn around January 6th


• 0 degrees Aquarius around January 20th
• 15 degrees Aquarius around February 4th


• 0 degrees Pisces around February 19th
• 15 degrees Pisces around March 6th

Aspects

Now that you know your Sun degree, we can get a little more personal. An aspect is the angle that occurs from one point to another. In this exercise, we're going to measure the angle between your Sun degree and another persons Sun degree. The major aspects are as follows:

• The Conjunction — 0 degrees (share the same birthday and sign) this is the most powerful aspect.
• The Sextile — 60 degrees (60 days or two signs apart), this is a supportive aspect, the two elements mix well.
• The Square — 90 degrees (90 days or 3 signs apart), this is the most challenging aspect, the two elements clash with each other.
• The Trine — 120 degrees (120 days or 4 signs apart), this is the most supportive aspect; the two elements are the same.
• The Opposition — 180 degrees (180 days or 6 signs apart) this is a challenging aspect, suggesting tension but also strong attraction, the two elements mix well together

Let's say you were born on August 7th and your Sun is 15 degrees Leo...

First count 120 degrees (or days) both backwards and forwards from August 7th. Everything else being equal you should get along really well with people who are born with their Sun around 15 degrees Aries (April 7th) and Sagittarius (December 7th). We can even extend this out a few degrees to include between 10 and 20 degrees Aries and Sagittarius. Their Sun trines your Sun so your solar energy harmonizes well together.

The same applies to the sextile (60 degrees or 60 days) although not quite as strongly as the trine. People born around June 7th and October 7th will harmonize well with your Suns energy. You also should relate very well to someone who shares your birthday but you might be very competitive with each other as well.

Now count 90 days (degrees) and 180 days from August 7th. You will definitely sit up and take notice of people who were born with their Sun around 15 degrees Aquarius (around February 7th), 15 degrees Scorpio (November 7th) and 15 degrees Taurus (around May 7th). There is a clash between the two natures with these aspects but a definite attraction for better or worse.

Don't worry if a significant person in your life's Sun doesn't make a tight major aspect with your own Sun it doesn't mean the two of you don't have a strong bond. It would be wise to determine the degrees of your Moon and other planets to get the complete picture.

You may notice in life that you seem to attract a number of people born around the same date; if we were to look at your astrology chart we would be sure to see a connection between those degrees and an important point (s) in your chart.

Annual Turning Points (the Sun Cycle)

We can also quickly determine important times of the year using this simple Sun degree system. Every year on your birthday you start a new cycle, outside events and inner issues that happen the week surrounding your birthday are sure be important to you the entire year. The major turning points would be 3 months (90 degrees) after your birthday. The next turning point and perhaps a culmination of events started on your birthday would be 6 months (180 degrees) after your birthday. Then the final major turning point would be 3 months before (270 degrees after) your birthday.

Let's use the August 7th birthday again, 15 Leo:

• The first major turning point would be around November 7th, the Sun is at 15 Scorpio (this is the point where the Sun is forming a waxing square to your natal Sun).
• The second turning point, or culmination, would be around February 7th the Sun is at 15 Aquarius (this the opposition point to your Sun).
• The final turning point of the year would be around May 7th, the Sun is at 15 Taurus (this is the waning square).

Now try this out with your own birthday, every year at the same times you should notice a critical turning point at 3-month, 6-month and 9 -month intervals.

Monthly Turning Points (Moon Phases)

Something that we are all aware of, but usually take for granted, is the lunar cycle. Every month there is a New Moon, First Quarter Moon, Full Moon, and a Last Quarter Moon. Everything is a cycle and it's certainly to your benefit to try to work with the various cycles as best you can.

You can test it out for yourself, I recommend you try starting a new project at the New Moon and see what happens. You will be amazed, a lot of times like clockwork, it will come to a climax at the Full Moon or sometimes it will continue over to the next New Moon.

I am available for custom readings with a natal Sun focus. Just send me an email, or take a look at my astrology services for more information on other types of readings I am currently offering.