Radical Reposts: The Planets – Sun

Let’s start our year of reposts by topic in the usual way we speak in astrological sentences—by planet, sign and house. (I’d normally say, for instance, that I have Sun in Virgo in the 5^th House or Moon in Capricorn in the 9th.) Given that natural order of astrological conversation, I’ll start this blog bibliography (blogography) with anything I’ve ever posted on the planets, signs and houses in that order. Later we’ll get fancier with aspects, aspect configurations and the multitude of other topics covered here over six years.

Numerous posts are about all 12 Sun signs, comparatively. I’ll put those in a separate recap when we get to signs, because they cover much ground about the entire zodiac. Many of those offerings are humorous. This first grouping will be more specific to exploring your Sun in particular—not emphasizing how it relates to the other Sun signs.

While some posts recapped are specific to a year or timeframe, I have listed those with at least some generic information about the Sun or Sun in a specific sign within the article, poem or post.

Generic Planets

What Planet Are You From? (30-Aug-09)

A tour of the planets to reassess your resonance and determine which planets influence you most.

Who Would Play Your Planets? (20-Jul-09)

A new way to envision your chart by assigning famous people the roles of Sun, Moon, Mercury, etc.

 Generic Sun

And the Sun Stood Still  (17-Dec-13)

A Winter Solstice poem about the power of the Sun’s “putting on the brakes” to herald the introspective time of year. What do we do when the Sun goes down?

Summer Solstice: “Let the Sunshine In”  (13-Jun-09)

The Sun and Summer Solstice. Summer is primarily a celebration of the signs Cancer and Leo. American schools may get out in Gemini and go back in Virgo (so appropriate as the Mercury-ruled mental signs), but most vacations and the bulk of summer occur when the Sun is in Mom and Dad. That’s right! Mom and Dad.

Sunny Side Up!

 These articles help you explore your Sun or explore the Sun in a particular sign.

Explore Your Sun

Planetary Fishing: The Sun  (1-May-13)

Welcome to our first planetary fishing expedition! Today we'll examine the Sun in the sky—and the Sun in your chart—more deeply.

Starstuck: Overcoming Performance Anxiety (15-Aug-11)

Leo, ruled by the Sun, tells us performing has something to do with fire—with being stoked. How the Sun and the 5^th House play into performance anxiety with practical suggestions for overcoming it.

Your Solar Return and Solar Return Meditation (7-Jun-09)

Once a year, the transiting Sun returns to the exact same position it held in the sky at the moment of your birth. This happens at a different moment each year, within a day or two of your birthday. This fun-omenon is known as your Solar Return. A guide for harnessing your Solar energy!

Sun in Specific Sun Signs or Sun Sign Archetypes

Aries

Aries Auntie: Learning Astrology through Children (31-Mar-14)

What I learned about astrology from observing my Aries niece and nephew—and how children often are the best teachers about astrological archetypes.

“God is Not an Aries” (26-Mar-09)

A tongue-in-cheek editorial on why God cannot possibly be an Aries. For starters, the answers to our prayers and most manifestations take much longer than an Aries would wait. Unfortunately, most of us are pretty “Aries,” Aries or not.

Cancer, Leo and Virgo

The Summer Signs (6-Jun-14)

Revisiting the trio of signs that make up any season helps understand the quarter of the year we’re entering and how to make the most of it. Welcome to the cusp of summer—winter’s complement and the extroverted time of year.

Virgo

Virgos of the World UNITE! Get Radical (21-Mar-09) The Radical Virgo blog launch post. The vision behind The Radical Virgo and why you don’t have to be a Virgo to play in this sandbox made of star-stuff.

The Radical Virgo (11-May-09)

A reprint of my article after which this blog was named, first published in The Mountain Astrologer in 1992. The response to my new vision of Virgo has been overwhelmingly positive and timeless. If you have any planet in Virgo, here’s the reason to get radical—or to the root (what “radical” means) of your Virgoness. Even if you have none, find out why the world needs the sign of Virgo more than ever—now!

The Radical Virgo Revisited (13-Sep-13)

An updated expansion of the original article, “The Radical Virgo,” with a focus on information synthesis and global service. When I speak of a Radical Virgo, I mean the word radical in these dictionary senses, the Virgo energy carried (1) to the utmost limit, extreme; or a Virgo known for (2) favoring or effecting evolutionary or revolutionary changes. I want to add to this definition, (3) A Virgo who expresses the very root of the Virgo archetype, because radical also means root.

The Virgin Myths (11-Sep-13)

Exploring the rich mythology of Virgo, “a nurturing mother to all the earth.” How the Virgo Maria and these archetypal maidens round out our understanding of the V-sign: Demeter/Ceres, Dike, Astrea and Erigone.

Wordgo: The Virgo Way with Words (25-Apr-09)

Why are Virgos in love with words? For years, I have used the Celestial Influences astrological calendars. There is a two-word affirmation for each sign every month. The I-statement for Virgo is “I Analyze.” That job would be really difficult to do without words—lots of them!

September: Old Home Month on The Radical Virgo (1-Sep-13)

Prelude to exploring the sign of Virgo and the cusp of autumn in some of the articles, above.

Libra

While this article isn’t about Libra per se, it’s about one of the major Libran concerns—relationship.

Finding Love in Later Live—or Whenever Venus is in the Neighborhood (15-Oct-13)

All the wisdom this Venus in Libra has accumulated in many years of a complex love life, written at the request of a reader, full of tools on how to manifest your relationship … even how to help romantic issues through the use of flower essences.

Scorpio

Scorpio for a Day (26-Oct-09)

This popular Halloween post is much more than a laugh-a-minute and a virtual costume party. You’ll learn more about Scorpio than you ever wanted to know by seeing how all the other signs dress up and act like one!

  

Sagittarius

Jumpin’ Jupiter! Happy Thanksgiving (23-Nov-09)

No holiday could be more “Jupiter” than the typical American Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving in the USA is perfectly placed when the Sun is in Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter—the pre-game warm-up to the most Jupiterian of all holidays, Christmas. Holy Sag! It’s your time of year.

Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces

The Winter Signs (30-Dec-12)

A quiet contemplation of Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces. Exploring the introverted time of year, as well as introverts and extroverts, the Myers-Briggs Personality inventory, and the gifts of being an “innie” and the inward time of year.

Stillness: Our Retrograde Winter 2014 (2-Jan-14)

Winter starts with Capricorn. Cap sways to rhythm of Saturn, the planet that rules time itself. Winter forces us to face: the sand keeps running in our hourglass. All those questions about fulfillment are more poignant, indeed more urgent, when there’s more sand on the bottom than the top. The gifts of winter and retrogrades revealed.

Aquarius

 

The Chart of HAIR ~ Why We Should Care (14-Oct-10) .

“This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius!” —From Hair by Gerome Ragni and James Rado. Have you noticed? The peace sign is back—and not just on The Radical Virgo logo. The peace sign celebrated its 50th anniversary and Chiron Return in 2008, the same year as the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. The psychedelic movement has weathered its midlife transits!

The Astrology of Independence (2-Jul-14)

Often cited as the archetypal independent sign, Aquarius is often too busy with issues of society to get too close to individuals. Not to mention, with Uranus as its ruler, Aquarius is about as predictable and constant in relationships as lightning in a summer storm. Changeability is deeply woven into the Aquarian nature, and like Sag, Aquarius does not like fences or “shoulds.” On the other hand, when Aquarius—or any of the more independent signs—is there because he or she wants to be and isn’t pressured to commit until ready, Aquarius can ultimately thrive in relationship and learn to relish interdependence.

Pisces

A Prescription for Planets in Pisces: SoulCollage® Your Natal Chart

(7-Mar-11)

Would you like to increase your understanding of how the astrological archetypes express themselves in your life? The abundance of planetary activity currently in Pisces suggests you might find your answer by creating a set of SoulCollage® cards based on your natal chart. This may appeal to people with natal planets in Pisces or other “artsy”Astro-signatures. It’s like a personal Astro-tarot deck.

Mercury Retrograde Stellium in Pisces, Void Moon (26-Feb-13)

A poem of a near-drowning experience in the Pisces archetype. It starts:  So quiet on the Western front. I hear the ear-splitting echoes of my own thinking.

Late Pisces

The Tail of the Fish (13-Mar-13)

Explore the late degrees of Pisces. In a previous article, The Winter Signs, I referred to the Sun's sojourn in Pisces as “the dark of the Sun,” parallel to the “dark of the Moon.” This refers especially to the last days before the Sun cycle starts over. It's a sacred threshold.

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Photo Credit: © Jut - Fotolia.com

Radical Recommendation: Revisit The Top 10 Posts of All Time!

The Top Posts of All Time

In 2015, Joyce is taking a blog break and reposting  past articles—first by popularity, then by theme—for your new discovery or re-enjoyment. See Coming in 2015: A Radical Rest—and Theme Repost Links for complete details.

The Winners

1. Chiron Quiz: How Strong Is Your Chiron? (17-Aug-10) – 35.9% ATPV (all time page views). Please note that Comments are closed, capped at 100 for this post.

2. Radical Retrospective: The 200^th Post (29-Apr-12) – 15.8% ATPV. Compare the Top 10 two-and-a-half years ago to the current list. Many remain.

3. Chiron in Pisces: Integration and Integrity (16-Apr-10) – 11.5% ATPV. What the last Chiron in Pisces from 1960-69 may tell us about the current swim of the Centaur in Fish.

4. Back to School: Jupiter and the 9^th House, Part 2 of 3 (8-Sep-11) – 9.4% ATPV. Your planets in the 9^th House and how they live there.

5. Emotional Maturity: The Secondary Progressed Moon Cycle (18-Apr-11), guest post by Mandi Lockley – 9.3% ATPV. How we typically grow and personalize the 27-28 year progressed Moon cycle.

6. Celebrate This Momentous Winter Solstice (5-Dec-12) – 4.3% ATPV. The potential for a flurry of cleansing and renewal as the Mayan calendar ends at Winter Solstice and alignment with the Galactic Center.

7. Humor: How the Signs Get Ready for the 2014 Cardinal Grand Cross (1-Feb-14) – 4.1% ATPV. How the Lot of 12 preps for—and reacts to—the prospect of an Astro-energetic tight squeeze. Acerbic Auntie Joyce offers “cures” for the signs that may be feint of heart.

8. The 2014 Creative Question: The Cardinal Grand Cross (19-Jan-14) – 3.4% ATPV. Winter retrogrades with their mega-opportunities for self-reflection melt into a personal “Big Bang” to set your creativity afire.

9. Oracular Spectacular (4-Aug-13) -3.3% ATPV. Astrology isn’t the only oracle in town. A primer on the use of tarot and other oracles and how to find the ones that work best for you.

10. Uranus Square Pluto: Seven Exact Hits, Seven Chakra Realignments (5-Jul-12) – 3.0% ATPV. A primer on when and how to tune up each of your energy centers as the current Uranus-Pluto Square progresses to its finale in March 2015.

I love Epiphany—not just because the Coming of the Three Wise Men shares the same word that means an aha or a sudden realization. I love it because it’s the 12^th Day of Christmas, the culmination of a season of remembering who we are and why we’re here, regardless of our religious orientation. The weeks near the Winter Solstice are holy in nearly every tradition. While some of the world remains doubtful, most references talk about the Magi (singular magus meaning magician) as practitioners of astrology, alchemy and other esoteric arts. Then there’s the obvious fact that they followed stars and were also priest-followers of Zoroaster. Zoroastrian philosophy involved the exercise of constructive thoughts, words and deeds.

As we wax into Epiphany this year, I can’t help but realize the parallels between the “star” posts (the most popular) on The Radical Virgo and the Star of Bethlehem. Both act as a kind of GPS to self-discovery—and once more to having that epiphany about who we really are—love.

According to an article on About.com that summarizes much of what I’ve learned about the Magi and the Star of Bethlehem, it was Johannes Kepler who proposed that the ancient star the Wise Men saw was a conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. It was thought to have occurred in 7 B.C. and since our calendar system and the exact arrival of Jesus in time as we know it is dubious, “close enough.” The symbols of Jupiter and Saturn were said to be connected with the prophecy of a coming Messiah. Jupiter was associated with kings; Saturn was the planet that represented the Jewish people. As author Carol Turner-Schott notes, Put these words together and you have “King of the Jews.”

Click on chart to enlarge

On Epiphany 2015, we have Jupiter and Saturn in a wide trine. More importantly, Saturn has just entered the sign Jupiter rules, Sagittarius. Certainly putting our beliefs into form will be an important, universal issue.

Saturn in Sagittarius

We’re being called to walk our talk, to live and act according to our beliefs. The days of mere lip service are over. Saturn will take us to task to live up to who we are and to change the world around us from our highest visions.

The symbol for Sagittarius is a centaur. Whether or not Chiron is the same centaur as Sagittarius is a matter of ongoing debate. (There are two centaur constellations, Centaurus and Sagittarius. They encompass both Virgo and Sag, just one of the reasons why I associate Chiron with the Virgo-to-Sag sector of the zodiac. See Wholeness and the Inner Marriage for more details on that theory.)

Statistics indicate you are more interested in Chiron than any other topic on this blog. Two of the Top 10 include the Chiron Quiz to determine your Chiron Quotient or Chi-Q and my article on Chiron in Pisces. This pair of posts accounts for nearly half—47.4 percent—of the most visited offerings on this site since it was launched on Spring Equinox 2009.

Somehow we all know, intuitively, that putting our own healing first is another first—the first step to achieving Peace on Earth and the principles we dream of out loud during this turning-point time of year.

Looking at the patterns in the ten posts you most read, you like to look back (Radical Retrospective and 200^th Post in second place). This bodes well for this year full of that kind of activity. You’re interested in learning from the past—and learning, period (Back to School: Jupiter and the 9^th House). You’re especially impressed by aspect patterns, just like the Magi who were mesmerized with the signpost in lights Jupiter and Saturn sent up as a flare circa 7 B.C. You especially wanted to know about the end of the Mayan calendar in 2012 and what it meant and continues to mean to us. You were captivated by the perils and possibilities inherent in the Cardinal Grand Cross of 2013 and the Uranus-Pluto Square of 2012, still going until its last exact alignment on St. Patrick’s Day 2015. Last but not least, you care about the Moon—feelings and quality of life—as reflected by the fifth most popular article, a guest post by British astrologer Mandi Lockley on the secondary progressed Moon cycle and its relationship to emotional maturity.

Isn’t that, in the end, what we’re trying to do here? To use our experience on Earth to “grow Up” in spirit as much as we can, somehow tied to emotion and desire, those things that precede manifestation in the physical? It’s what the earth plane is all about.

Lastly, you liked to laugh, judging by the fact that at least one of the many humor posts on The Radical Virgo made the Top 10. It’s a post where we can poke fun of ourselves, as astrologers and astrology students, and our tendency to worry about “what it all means” (article on oracles in 9^th place). It shows what hope there is for us—as long as we can laugh at ourselves while we keep following those stars that catch our eyes …

… modern Magi.

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Photo Credit: © trucobelami - Fotolia.com