There is so much talk about the Sun: wesay “What Sign are you? Where’s your Sun? There’s nothing new under theSun” and more. The answer to those first questions, a really good answer,would be “everywhere”; after all, the Sun shines throughout theplanetary system and, indeed, throughout our lives. It’s everywhere. It’sthe energy of being, isn’t it? We see only that which is illuminated bylight, that which is given form, dimension, color, and existence by light.
If we stare at the Sun to get a good lookat it, so to speak, we blind ourselves. We can’t take all that energy.During the eclipse excitement earlier this month, we were warned continuouslyto protect our eyes. In short, the Sun is great, all-powerful, all-essential,but we can not manage it safely directly. -We can appreciate the energyof the Sun only through reflections ^Å reflections off the Moon,off every planet in our system.
Why the Moon? Why is it so important? TheMoon is a private Earth-concept; it revolves around us. Fascinatingly,a miracle of distance and mass was dramatized once again during the recenteclipse: because of distance, the nearer, smaller Moon eclipsed the furthergiant Sun perfectly congruently their sizes are the same to ourperception!
We see the light of the Sun by reflectionsupon the Moon; it’s as simple and profound as that!
We can see the Sun as life energy. Everyastrologer can supply a word or phrase that captures perfectly the archetypalessence of the Sun positioned in Pisces, Capricorn, Leo, Gemini, etc. Butsince that light is too great, the energy too colossal -like a furnacein your apartment building^Åinto which you do not stick your headto check it out! -we’ve got to see it bounced off something else -likethe radiators on the 9th floor^Åor, in the horoscope, off the Moon.
When I allied Psychological Need theoryto astrological symbolism some 20 years ago (Holistic Astrology,updated inSynthesis & Counseling in Astrology), I suggestedthat the Moon represented the “reigning need” of the personality. Thisarchetype used the Sun’s energy to focus the needs of individual existence.
So if I say to you that I have the Sunin Capricorn, you feel a kind of energy: administrative strong, gettingthings done, etc. If that energy is focused through the reigning need ofmy personality, through the Moon in Leo (where the Sun’s light is stronglyreflected), you know the Capricorn energy is going to need appreciation,need the center of the stage. Since our needs make things happenin the thrust for fulfillment and growth, you know what kind of behaviorto expect from a strong Capricorn Sun and a beaming Leo Moon.
The aspects to the Sun (in my case conjunctionwith Jupiter, increasing it all, projecting it strongly to the public throughthe 7th House) tell us if there may be a kink in the plumbing, a cloggedpipe near the furnace, etc. The aspects to the Moon suggest whatever modifiersthere might be to the behavioral processes to fulfill the reigning need.
Seeing Sun and Moon together in a blendof energy and need-focus, driving the life on to fulfillment as often aspossible starts to tell the story, doesn’t it? It sure does. And you canfeel it throughout the life, throughout the horoscope.
The Sun in Leo–Moon in Capricorn? Herewe have the reigning need to make things happen (Moon in Capricorn) fueledby enormous energy for ego recognition. Demands are made. Demands are met.There’s no “fooling around” with Norman Schwarzkopf. -His plumbing revealsSaturn opposite the Sun (therefore retrograde^Åand you should knowwhat that suggests!!) and that Moon is opposed by Mars-Pluto!!!!!!!! Doyou want this man leading your army? You sure do!
Sun in Leo and Moon in Aries (the reigningneed to be numero uno) belonged to Jackie Kennedy-Onassis, withoutany doubt whatsoever.
It’s fascinating that there are 144 ofthese blends and, with the tips given in Synthesis & Counselingin Astrology, you can learn them all in about 15 minutes -forever.This blend is the core of the horoscope, upon which work hemisphere emphasis(see Archives below), dominating aspects, etc.
It won’t surprise you that Mercury thensymbolizes the need to think a certain way to fulfill needs; Venus, theneed to relate a certain way; Mars the need to apply a certain kind ofenergy in order to be most efficient; etc.
Planets do not do anything. People do,in the process of fulfilling needs. The Sun sets up the energy a certainway, and the Moon gets to work with the rest of the world, to embrace thepotentials for being. The Moonneeds to do that!