Aspects of Life
Maritha Pottenger
SUN TO SUN ASPECTS
Transiting Sun returns to its natal position every year on or around our birthday. A chart set for this time is the so-called Solar Return. Many astrologers erect a chart for the exact moment the Sun returns to its precise—degree, minute and second—natal position. That Solar Return chart is considered symbolic of the next year.
A Sun/Sun conjunction sees us in the limelight, often with a birthday celebration or at least noticed. Our ego needs are a focus. We may be pleasantly loved and admired. We may be wanting more attention or response than we are getting. Fame, fleeting or lasting, is a possibility. We are likely to be particularly creative—whether through the arts, with children, sales, speculation or other forms of pouring out into the world, investing of ourselves, our time, our energy, and hoping for a response. We need to be noticed; the tendency is to be a bit larger than life during such a period.
Conflict aspects can indicate overweening ambition. We may be wanting more than is possible in terms of emotional response, gambling or other speculative activities. We may be too extravagant, caught up in the fire confidence of “I can always get more.” We may be arrogant and self-centered in the pursuit of emotional gratification. Depending on the rest of the chart, we might have the reverse situation: fear of shining, fear of being noticed, discomfort with our own charisma, shrinking from the center stage. Or, we may simply feel torn between different forms of ego satisfaction. Do we seek a sense of self-esteem and gratification through individuality and uniqueness (Aquarius), through making money or being stable and dependable (Taurus), through self-control and self-mastery, knowing our own depths (Scorpio) or through loving and being loved (Leo)? And lots of other variations exist. The issues revolve around pride, ambition, being important and pouring out from one’s own center to receive a response. We must make peace between our varied desires and discover and express the one or more which will permit us to achieve that sense of self-esteem and self-significance.
Oppositions are most likely to be expressed through the polarity principle. If we project our Sun potential, pride, egotism, risk-taking, charisma, excitement, drama, etc. we may draw in other people who manifest those qualities excessively. With the square, octile, or tri-octile, displacement or repression is more likely (although both can occur with the opposition as well). We may express our need for attention at less than optimal times or in less than appropriate arenas. Our leadership skills or creativity or zest and enthusiasm may be manifested at moments when other behaviors would be more appropriate. If repression is the issue, we are likely to end up with health problems that point to the Sun—especially anything having to do with the heart. In such cases, we need to question whether we have TOO MUCH ambition or TOO LITTLE. Are we pursuing our heart’s desire in a responsible way? Are we refusing to try for something because we feel we do not deserve it or because we feel it should come to us without effort? We need reachable goals. We need to strive but also to appreciate the moments of satisfaction along the way.
Harmony aspects represent potential high energy, confidence, magnetism and charisma. The time is appropriate to HAVE FUN! The Sun includes REcreation as well as PROcreation. So play a little! Adventures may appeal; courage is usually higher with strong fire. (Remember, “adventure” is in the eye of the person doing it.) Harmony aspects show the likelihood of positive appreciation, attention and response. High self-esteem is probable. It is easier to be a star in rewarding ways.
To exemplify some of the above theory, we would expect the conjunction to be the strongest indicator. That is, the individual would be especially focused on being important in some fashion. The drive might be handled well or poorly. Natal aspects to the Sun offer clues but it is possible to integrate conflicts successfully or to create problems through excesses with harmonious aspects. Any close, natal Sun aspects tend to be part of the situation when current Sun aspects come into play. The natural feeling of the Sun/Sun conjunction would be of a Sun raised to the second power: intense, fiery, exciting, dynamic, seeking attention, extraverted.
The opposition could be lived out in a flip-flop fashion until integrated. The person might be a big star in one area of their life, then run to the opposite extreme and become noteworthy for the reverse qualities. Or, they might identify with one form of ego-seeking and attract partners to express another side, until both learn to integrate. E.g., the traditional marriage suggests men earn attention, applause and admiration through their work in the world, while women reap approval and love through taking care of home and family concerns.
The square suggests that the individual has different options for being in the limelight which seem contradictory and mutually exclusive. The goal is to find some way in which to do all of them (different times and places or in moderate amounts). E.g., people with the Sun in Gemini want to be proud of their ability to communicate (especially talking) to people near at hand, about immediate issues. People with Sun in Virgo want to be proud of their ability to be efficient, and use the mind productively for some result in the real world. People with Sun in Sagittarius want to be proud of their ability to philosophize, to seek a sense of meaning in life, to address existential issues. People with Sun in Pisces need pride in their ability to intuitively understand life, to grasp the world as a whole, in a “knowing” that often is beyond words. They may feel proud of their capacity for empathy, or see their sensitivity as a mark of distinction. Individuals with the Sun in one of these signs (or houses) square another mixture of a mutable with letter five show a need to integrate the various forms of “knowing,” the varied kinds of “thinking,” the “importance” of different ways of communicating. Examples of a mutable-five mixture would include a planet in a mutable sign in or ruling the fifth house, or a planet in Leo in a mutable house or conjunct a mutable planet. Astrology has many ways to symbolize the same principles.
Octiles or tri-octiles would similarly indicate the need to make peace between different forms of ego gratification, differing needs for attention, various approaches to feeling a sense of self-esteem. For example, the Sun in the eleventh might seek self-esteem through friends (They applaud me and support me—or I project the Sun and attract highly charismatic, magnetic friends—who might also be arrogant or self-centered.) or group activities or being in the forefront of knowledge, the cutting edge of change.
An octile from the eleventh to the tenth house indicates the individual also seeks attention through following the traditions, the usual rules and through career success and achievement (which can take away from friends and humanitarian activities). The octile from the eleventh to the twelfth house depicts the need for merging with a higher power, for being a part of a “cause,” for artistic creativity, or for some form of reaching the Infinite through one’s own center. This can vary from the performing artist, to the person convinced that HIS form of meditation is the best, to the person seeking immortality through children. The horoscope shows the principles involved. We choose the details by which we will manifest the principles.
Octiles from the eleventh house to the ninth or first would be slightly easier to integrate as all three houses (11, 9, 1) share the theme of freedom. Air feeds fire, so both 11 and 1 or 11 and 9 would represent the desire for fun, optimism, moving on and variety. Both 9 and 11 are progressive and future-oriented. Both 11 and 1 are very concerned with doing one’s OWN personal, unique thing in life. So, people could take pride in their uniqueness and individuality and willingness to be courageous in acting as they wish. They could be proud of their intellectual abilities (9 and 11), their concern for the wider world, justice, humanity, truth. Trioctile aspects can also be relatively easy to integrate when the signs or houses are naturally compatible. Naturally incompatible planets, signs, and houses tend to require more attention and effort.
Any inner conflict which is unresolved may result in illness. Making sure that there is room in our lives for self-esteem, for a healthy sense of pride in who we are, for loving and being loved, for being able to shine in some way in the world, for pouring creatively out of our own center will strengthen our recuperative power and help to maintain health. The Sun is particularly associated with the heart and with vitality, energy, confidence in general. When we like ourselves and are excited by life and others, we have more energy, are more vibrant, more alive.
With the trine, we would be wary of the potential of an overdose—of pride, persuasive ability, self-importance, love or confidence. Certainly the potential is there for lots of harmony; we would just want to be sure the person was not getting carried away.
The sextile also suggests inner ease and a smooth flow, but with less likelihood of “too much” than the trine. For example, people with the Sun in Gemini sextile a planet in Leo or in the fifth house might have ease and facility in communication assisted by their friendliness and sparkling nature. Their charisma could support their ability to make conversation. Their willingness to talk supports their ability to love and be loved, by keeping the channels of communication open. Transits and progressions suggest temporary periods offering these potentials.
The Sun-Sun quincunx denotes a focus on one’s desires for love, attention, emotional response, payoffs from the world and self-esteem. Analysis and discrimination regarding one’s patterns of ego gratification are called for. Old, counter-productive ways of attracting attention (which might even include physical illness) may need to be discarded, or modified. Love relationships might need attention and possibly changes. (If we delay making needed, healthy changes, we will eventually be forced to change when the emotional garbage gets deep enough. If our power has been projected, others may leave us. In Sun periods, we practice (or we just enjoy) handling love, the limelight and personal power.
SUN TO CERES OR VESTA
Conjunctions suggest that work, productivity and efficiency can be a source of ego gratification, attention and approval. We may be proud of what we produce in the world, get our self-esteem through our job. (Or, if we are not doing a good job, we can get the limelight through INefficient functioning or being ill.) We may also work in fields involving creativity, whether with children, the arts, entertainment, gambling, speculation, anything where we can pour out our emotional and/or physical energy into the world and hope for a response, a bigger and better payoff.
Positively handled, we find joy and a sense of power through our work. One must beware of turning children (Sun) into a job (being critical, judgmental, nitpicking, though this is more a danger with Vesta than with Ceres). Working with children (as a teacher, nanny, etc.) is possible; so are family businesses, where we work with our own children. Pride and productivity are linked; the individual is ego-vulnerable where assessments of efficiency are concerned.
Harmony aspects show the potential of blending love relationships (children, lovers and all forms of loving and being loved) with our work in the world. Joy and discipline can be easily integrated. The sovereign and the servant are able to each contribute their share to an impressive end result.
Our zest and enthusiasm supports our productivity. Our willingness to analyze critically and figure out the most efficient way to work supports our ability to play, to laugh, to have fun. Our creative flair enhances our ability to be practical and realistic; our careful analysis and pragmatic approach enables us to make an impressive showing. We merely have to be wary of going to an extreme. Even with harmony aspects, we can have too much of a good thing. We might overdo either or both ends—work too hard; play too hard. This fire-earth combination can be exceptionally capable and productive, but we need to keep a balance.
Conflict aspects represent the potential of our nitty-gritty approach being at odds with our desire to show off. We may despise the necessary details, preferring to play the royal role, making grand but impractical gestures. We may be too caught up in figuring out every little detail to enjoy the process of productivity. Our practical side may clash with our sense of drama. Our urge to love may fight against criticism and flaw-finding.
Separative aspects, such as the opposition and quincunx, indicate the potential of work taking us away from children or other creative activities. Or, the grand, majestic, gambling and speculative style in life may separate us from simple productivity and realism. Or, colleagues may be put off by our overly dramatic gestures. Or, love relationships may pull us away from doing something pragmatic in the physical world. We may need to integrate our spontaneous, playful, creative side with our careful, thorough, painstaking side. We may need to integrate our desire for power with our willingness to serve others.
Projection is most likely with the opposition—and we can attract people who overdo the dynamism of the Sun or the pragmatism of the Ceres or Vesta—until we learn from their example to manifest those qualities ourselves. We can also simply flip from one extreme to the other—taking turns overdoing both sides of our potential, until we find that middle ground.
With the square, octile, tri-octile and quincunx, repression or displacement is more the danger. We may hold back and resist the practical needs of life. Health problems of any sort are possible if we are not dealing with our needs for efficiency and productivity. Illness is a wonderful escape from a job we hate, that we may feel is “beneath” our abilities. Also, illness helps us avoid feeling guilty about our lack of accomplishments. Vesta and Ceres are particularly tied to the intestines in the body as well as to health in general. If we are displacing Ceres or Vesta, we may be critical in areas where it is counter productive. If we are turning everything in our lives into a job, posting a little sign might help: “Is this my job?” Arrogance and pride may also be displaced. Both humble service and self-advancing confidence are appropriate in life; we just have to know when to do which.
With Ceres, additional themes relate to mother and mothering. The conjunction to the Sun tends to represent an instinctive mother: the individuals who feel their power partially through nurturing others. (This can be done positively or not so positively.) There is often a lot of joy in caretaking activities.
One’s own ability to feel a sense of pride is also profoundly influenced by the mother or mother figure. Sometimes, people need to learn to like themselves and maintain their self-esteem in the face of mother’s disapproval or lack of support. Ceres-Sun aspects encourage parental feelings. Usually, the individual involved WANTS children. And, in current patterns, such a configuration is one of the strong likelihoods for pregnancy (or children coming into the life through marriage, grandchildren, etc.) One may ALSO have a child LIKE one’s mother in some way. That is, through the child, we face issues similar to those we had with our mother, repeating the lesson until it is learned.
Harmony aspects can also indicate potential pregnancy. Or, simply the practical side of nurturing in harmony with the emotional, joyful participation in parenting. Love and caretaking can be easily blended; relationships may involve a lot of emotional support, admiration, and mutual care-taking.
Conflict aspects (besides pointing to the themes of work discussed above) suggest a need to comfortably combine the pragmatic parts of parenting with the more expressive. Children need to be taught to deal with their feelings as well as the real world! We can also live out our own internal conflicts (between practicality and being admired) as a conflict between our mother and our children, or with lovers, or through our own INTERNAL mother and child. Caretaking may be an issue in the love relationships, with one person getting more of the attention, approval, etc. and the other feeling deprived, critical. Sharing approval, love, and attention as well as the necessary tasks and the job of everyday living is a needed integration.
SUN WITH PALLAS OR JUNO
With the conjunction, we are combining the child with the partner. We may seek partners like a child—joyful, fun-loving, egotistical, the center of their universe. That can be a lot of fun—with a partner who is a star in some fashion—magnetic, charismatic, able to act the part of royalty. But, if we do not know how to share the stage, problems arise. Or, we can treat our children like partners, communicating freely, meeting them on an equal level, treating them like peers and often having an ongoing partnership into adulthood. (Or, the not so positive side—competing with them.)
Artistic skill is one potential—and very often the finest of taste! Sometimes, the desires are a bit extravagant as only the best will do. The performing arts are one possibility, but so is the world of entertainment through beauty in a number of realms. Others may seek the limelight through their relationships to people, e.g. the crusading lawyer, the fiery-tongued orator, the magnetic manager.
Harmony aspects represent potential ease between partners and children; between our need to be SPECIAL (a star) and our need for equality and equal treatment. Our desire for openness, communication and an exchange with others supports our ability to be significant, receive attention, admiration and approval. (Of course, if we overdo our need for approval, we can become too vulnerable to the opinions of others.) Relationships can be a source of support, particularly of our self-esteem and pride in our creations. This is a fire-air blend and can be quite communicative, social and fun-loving. If we overdo the ease potential of harmony aspects, we may act out the social butterfly role, the extravagant consumer, the carefree hedonist or other forms of excess fun and games.
Conflict aspects suggest that we should try to make peace between our need to be the king or queen and our need to be on the same level as other people. We may lord it over others too much—or attract someone who tries to dominate us (be it ever so charming and attractive). We can also compete, and play one-up one-down games in the relationship, or who can beat the other to the top of the mountain. Fun in relationships is important, but if it is consistently at the expense of one partner, trouble is in the works. If we repress one side, illness can result. Pallas and Juno especially point to the kidneys, skin and the sugar balance in the body. When our needs for pleasure from other people are disturbed, sugar can be a substitute. We need that sense of equality with others, but also that feeling of being special, of being valued above all others.
Again, we can live the conflict out in the external world as problems between partners and children or close, regular friends and lovers, etc. But any outer conflict simply mirrors an inner one. We may displace (e.g. be equalitarian when we need to lead, or self-centered when we should be sharing). We may repress or project either side of the combination. Our goal is to balance an intense, loving commitment which is emotional and passionate with an equal sharing which has a detached and objective element. Self-esteem and other people’s needs vie for our attention and integration.
SUN TO PLUTO
This conjunction symbolizes tremendous emotional intensity. Generally, the individual feels the internal push/pull of fire versus water: how much to express; how much to hold back and hold in. There may be volatility as the emotions cascade—or mood swings from the euphoria of fire to the depression of water. But it is a warm, caring mixture with the potential of incredible commitment.
The Sun and Pluto represent a natural square and the individual seeking to combine them is usually dealing with the issue of power. The Sun represents our urge to use our power out in the world, to get a response, to be important, to influence or control others. Pluto represents the urge for self-mastery and self-control, power turned inward. But, before it is learned, that power is sometimes used against others—to dominate, manipulate, try to control others for our own security or gratification. So part of the challenge is to use power wisely, especially in love relationships—without coercing or being coerced.
The issue of control is often central. Too often, we overcontrol either ourselves or other people. It is rarely easy to learn to let go, whether of negative emotions (such as guilt, resentment, anger), of people, of relationships, or of situations. If resentment and repressed feelings are maintained too long, illness is a common outcome. Pluto especially is a key to the bowels, bladder, sexual organs and (like all water) can be involved with cysts, pus, fluid retention, and poisons.
Tremendous passion is likely when the conjunction is present. Sensuality tends to be strong. Part of the dilemma is security versus risk, or stability versus change. The Sun represents our risk-taking, gambling side—willing to lay it on the line, eager to take chances. Pluto symbolizes our desire for material goods, security, safety and possessions. This internal struggle can manifest in a number of ways—choice of career, choice of lover, whether or not to have children (who can love us, but also use some of the resources we could otherwise enjoy ourselves), and so on. As with any conflict, we need to make room in our lives for some of each part of who we are.
Any tension aspect reiterates the basic conflicts. The biggest dangers denoted by Sun and Pluto are power struggles and power plays (displacement of the energy—right thing in the wrong place). In extremes, this can include literal physical danger and violence. In milder version, one or both parties uses sex, money, power or other tools to manipulate, dominate, attempt to control other people. Having positive outlets for our need to win, to dominate, to be on top can help—be it through sports, games, business or fighting for causes.
Pluto represents Shadow issues in Jungian terms—those sides of our own personality which we would rather not face, rather not acknowledge. Shadow attributes are usually mirrored back to us by those nearest and dearest to us—people who exaggerate and overdo those qualities we are not accepting within our own being. So projection is often a Plutonian issue—regardless of the aspect.
Learning to SHARE and to COOPERATE, especially with those closest to us, is often a touchy lesson. Sometimes the problem is simply the person loves someone SO MUCH, s/he attempts to spare the other any pain, suffering, etc by running their life. Of course, that never works. When integrated, the bonds in relationships are tremendously deep and enduring with both excitement and commitment present.
Harmony aspects indicate the path to integration is a little easier, but the issues around sharing power, ego gratification and control are still present. If we overdo the intensity of feelings, we can still get ourselves into very volatile, extreme situations. It is important to remember that the Sun (like all fire) represents a need for excitement. We can choose to deliberately and consciously create excitement, drama, passion and intensity in our lives or we can unconsciously draw it in through power struggles or other unpleasant variations. Harmony aspects do suggest it will be a bit easier to achieve a compromise between our own rights and those of other people; to include both inward focus and outward expression in our lives, both speculation and safety, the starring role and sharing on an equal level.
SUN IN ASPECT TO JUPITER
This conjunction usually is seen as a bunch of goodies in traditional books and it can indeed point to tremendous confidence, extraversion, joy, and personal abilities. It can also suggest excessive faith, rash judgment and extravagance in a number of areas. One individual may turn the ego into God and play guru, even to the point of delusions of grandeur. Ego satisfaction and attention may be sought through teaching, writing, law courts, travel, etc.
Harmony aspects indicate the likelihood of finding avenues in which to channel one’s vast amount of fire. Sports often appeal. Activity is usually important. Generally, sociability and gregariousness is high. One’s ultimate beliefs (religion, philosophy, education, etc.) can support one’s desire for applause and attention. And, one’s need for approval, admiration, the limelight can further one’s spiritual or ethical development.
As with any harmony aspect, overdoing is a potential. In this case, the potential danger lies in overreach—blind faith or excessive ambition. The individual may indeed believe that s/he is entitled to much more than is reasonable. Ego may outstrip ethics. Confidence may outrun practicality. The fact that “some is good” does not insure that “more will be better.”
Conflict aspects call for us to pay attention to the interrelationship between self-esteem and ultimate life directions. Perhaps the person is denying pride in the self through a misdirected “spirituality.” Perhaps a path of “delayed gratification” through education or philosophical, religious pursuits is interfering with the current ability to love life and have fun—to play. Perhaps the person has turned recreation into an idol and is not serious enough, only out for a good time. Perhaps the need to be significant is overshadowing other important values. Perhaps the expectations are so high, the individual is afraid to try, to risk, to go forward. A number of different displacements are possible. The solution involves making room for all sides of our nature.
The natural trine between Sun and Jupiter suggests that integration is not that difficult, but we need to be sure we have provided a supportive environment for both our self-esteem needs and our drive for ideals, values and a sense of meaning in life. Physical problems symbolized by Jupiter include handling of fats in the body and the health of the liver. If there are problems involving those areas of the body, we need to examine our faith, our relationship to the Universe, our sense of meaning, of purpose, our long-range goals and values to facilitate a return to health.
Many variations exist, but the challenge present in a Sun-Jupiter conflict is between our sense of an ultimate meaning in the universe, our need to trust a higher power, versus our desire for human response, admiration and love. If we project one end, we may seek lovers to play God for us—to be our all-in-all, or attract people who try to put us up on such a pedestal. We may identify with personal rights or with the well-being of others. We may attract others who are brutally honest, incredibly ethical or spiritually very “pure.” Whatever the details of our particular version, if projection is going on, we need to reclaim our disowned parts and find positive channels in the world to manifest all of who we are: ego and ideals; pride and perfection; loving and seeking; creating and reaching for more.
SUN IN ASPECT TO SATURN
Here we face a natural quincunx, even when in conjunction. We need to blend our gambling nature with our desire for realism and practicality. We are seeking the happy medium between the limits, the rules of the game, and our heart’s desire, those things we yearn for. If not handled, loving may feel incompatible with work (especially career and success in material terms). Or, the joyous, spontaneous attitude may be at odds with the careful, critical approach. We can externalize in terms of father (or other authority figures) in conflict with lovers or children of ours. We can experience a push/pull between playing and working.
Once integrated, we are likely to earn some attention, approval, even fame through our outer world efforts. Our career may put us in the public eye. Our reputation and standing in the community may be excellent. The father or father figure is usually a role model (positive or negative) for our handling of self-esteem, pride and playing the starring role.
Conflict aspects reiterate the challenge of the natural quincunx. We are learning to discriminate the proper times to work and the appropriate times to play, to balance discipline and creativity. We are trying to make peace between the inner father and the inner child (as well as the outer), to find ways in which self-confidence, self-expression, and self-aggrandizement will positively advance the career, accomplishments and ability to handle the real world. Part of the solution involves discovering practical steps that will bring us approval, response, love and admiration from others.
Challenges could include projecting—where we attract either the father figure type in love relationships or others who expect us to be stable, responsible, hardworking and so on. Shared responsibilities and labor can be an issue. Criticism versus compliments; thrift versus extravagance and other polarities may be played out through our relationships, until we learn to balance the conflicting desires.
Harmony aspects symbolize relative ease in integrating the diverse sides of our own nature. The individual is likely to know instinctively when to work and when to play and how much of each is appropriate. Timing is often good. Career success is likely and considerable ambitions may well be achieved. Such people can indeed seek and manifest their heart’s desire in life. As with any harmony aspect, too much of such a good thing can be a problem. One potential is the workaholic—the successful, highly visible, highly capable individual who is overdoing competence and achievement. One potential result is the sense of carrying the world on the back—what Zip Dobyns calls the “Atlas Syndrome.” This can be connected, literally, to back problems. Saturn also represents the potential of crystallization and we can have premature or inappropriate crystallization (gout, arthritis...) if we are displacing our Saturnian motivations. Teeth, knees, hearing can all be a part of the picture if we are repressing or not integrating our need for responsible, practical achievements in the outer world with our desire for fun, adulation, admiration and love.
SUN IN ASPECT TO URANUS
The conjunction still faces the natural opposition. The king or queen faces the commoner as we seek to balance our need to be superior with our sense of “Everybody is equal.” The combination is generally highly creative, innovative and original, with strong gambling instincts. Such people tend to have an instinct toward change and freshness. They are usually willing to try the new and different. This attitude also holds for love relationships—a need for freedom and variety which can play hob with partners seeking a traditional, “togetherness” relationship, an exclusive commitment.
When balanced, the heart and the mind support one another and the individual is bright as well as warm, objective and logical as well as intense and passionate. Friends are often valued sources of ego support and children may be turned into friends, or one may simply keep some freedom by parenting the children of others without having kids of one’s own. Freedom and closeness vie for attention, as we strive for the balance in the middle.
Harmony aspects suggest the ability to blend the intellect with the emotions for positive results. Pioneering efforts are likely and the field can be anything new, unusual or on the cutting edge of change. Friends may contribute to our creative efforts. Our leadership abilities may be recognized through groups and organizations. Our zest and enthusiasm may help to bring about progress, humanitarian changes and new age knowledge. If overdone, we may push change, progress or our version of humanitarianism onto other people. We may be carried away with our enthusiasm for the new, different or revolutionary. We may sweep others and groups along with our desires for change and risk-taking. We may be careless or too impulsive.
Conflict aspects emphasize the natural opposition—calling for the focal point. Learning not to bounce from intense passion to overdone detachment; being able to love as well as be objective is part of the issue. If we project either end, we will attract others who will mirror that side for us—TOO detached, logical, cold (the Uranus side) or TOO emotional, intense, magnetic and arrogant (the Sun side). Repression of our Uranian needs for independence, freedom, openness and noncoercion can be connected—on the physical level—to the ankles, accidents and free flow (circulation) in a number of the systems within the body. The more we can maintain a balance between the heart and the head, the more we can assist our bodies in maintaining good health.
Maintaining love relationships as well as friendships and more casual associations is important. The dilemma is resolved when we can express our own specialness without denying equal opportunity to anyone else. Those who achieve this blend are among the most creative in our world, exciting and leading the rest of us into new territory—emotionally and mentally.
SUN IN ASPECT TO NEPTUNE
The conjunction confronts us with another natural quincunx, calling for analysis and discrimination to figure out what is useful and worth saving and what is garbage and should be tossed. Here the question is partially one of activity versus passivity. The Neptunian principle includes the potential of waiting for God or the Universe to do it for us, while the solar principle represents life reaching out, instinctively expressing. Another side of the issue involves self-confidence versus faith in a higher power (especially the unconscious, emotional faith—which cannot easily be put into words). Power in the physical, sensual/sexual world needs to be blended with a spiritual renunciation or retreat.
Neptune-Sun combinations are incredibly dramatic, connecting the natural acting ability of the Sun with the “magical” attributes of Neptune as seen in the individual who can “cast an illusion,” convince the audience of almost anything. This mixture can provide a marvelous talent for a stage magician, actor or actress, promoter, salesperson or con artist! And all are possible. The artistic creativity is often incredible and the performing arts are an excellent outlet. The feeling for beauty may also be expressed in some physically active way, e.g. through sports, dancing or other vigorous, but rhythmic and attractive activity.
Harmony aspects suggest a good ability to make peace between the various sides of the nature. The person can meet the interpersonal needs of loving and being loved (whether through lovers, children or other associations) as well as meeting the transpersonal needs to beautify or improve the world, leaving it in some way more perfect than when we arrived in it. The idealism and feeling for beauty can contribute to the joy of life and personal expression. The self-esteem needs and pride can lead to healing, helping or artistic avenues as ways of achieving approval and adulation. The sensitivity complements the self-centeredness; the empathy and introspection complement the expressive, outward thrust. If the Neptune side of this charismatic combination is carried too far, we can see the dramatic martyr—the person for whom life is a stage on which to emphasize their trials and tribulations. The victim role may be raised to the nth degree, with considerable flair and dramatic instinct. Or, the creativity and artistic talent may simply be TOO MUCH of a focus in the life. The starving artist in a garret may be painting incredible canvases, but if the practical side of life is not also attended to, the artist may literally starve to death. This emotional combination can symbolize someone who gets carried away with dreams and schemes, someone whose ship is always just about to come in, someone who is waiting for the world to drop perfection in his/her lap. The persuasive talent is considerable, but people can give themselves as well as others a snow job.
Conflict aspects pit the saint against the star and demand we find some ways to comfortably combine them. Ideals, if too high, can lead to disillusionment, disappointment or avoidance in love relationships. If we project the Neptune side, we may attract others who play savior or victim, or draw in artists to manifest our need for beauty. If we repress, typical Neptunian illnesses relate to the feet, fluids in the body, poisons, infections, and anything mysterious. Displacement can result in us waiting for God or some cosmic Santa Claus to do something we are perfectly capable of handling ourselves; or we may be arrogant and prideful when self-effacement and concern for the feelings of others are more appropriate. We may manifest the self-confidence of the Sun at times when gentleness and tact would be more helpful. Egotism, if too developed, will interfere with spiritual, helping and artistic pursuits as the individual is too concerned with attention and currying favor with others. It is vital to keep room for both a healthy sense of pride in our own actions as well as a sense of faith and connection to something Higher. The integration includes enough faith in ourselves to act appropriately, with zest, enthusiasm and enjoyment, and enough faith in something Higher to be able to relax, lay back and allow life to happen when we have done our share.