Remediating… The Sun
Welcome to the “Remediating…” series, where I give you practical info & tips on how to better understand a planet and remediate the issues it may cause in your life based on your birth chart! What is planetary remediation, you may ask? You can read an article dedicated to it here. To put it simply, planetary remediation is the art of identifying what planet or placement is connected to a problem you have, and to act directly on the planet through symbolic subsitution, replacement etc. in order to ease the issue. For example, say that you keep having issues with passive-aggressive neighbours no matter where you move (and have decided, after some good self-introspection, that you don’t seem to be the annoying one). We look at your chart, and see that Mars in Cancer (the sign of its fall) is in the 3rd house of neighbours. Ah-ah! From time to time, when an activation happens (say, Mars squares your natal Mars), your neighbours act up and start being extremely mean. Based on your chart, and on the timing of these issues, I would suggest different solutions, all related to other symbols of Mars. For example, starting a martial art class (Mars) in your neighbourhood (3rd house) or donating red objects or spicy food (Mars) to said neighbours or a local charity (3rd house). The idea is that you symbolically substitute an issue here for a less problematic manifestation of it, it order to mitigate the issue.
But, it’s not always easy to know where to start. How do I know what placement is tied to what problem? Or, if you know a bit about astrology already, you may be aware that a certain planet is giving you some trouble… But what can you do about it?
This article is here to give you a place to start with the tools that will help you figure out these answers yourself. If someone is an expert in a topic that confuses you, isn’t the best remedy to ask them directly? For each planet, I will give you the basic signification that it holds, and potential issues that may arise. I will also explain how to pacify relations with planetary charity (donating time, money or objects to a cause that’s ruled by the planet in question), before giving you suggestions on how to set up your planetary altar (a dedicated space with symbols of the planet/deity that you can pray to & ask help from). Let’s dive in!
Sun Essential Info Sheet
Name: Sun, Sol, Rā, Helios, Amaterasu…
Day of the Week: Sunday
Night of the Week: Wednesday Night
Sect (time of day where it’s at ease): Day
Domicile: Leo
Exaltation: Aries
Detriment: Aquarius
Fall: Libra
House of its joy: 9th house
Number associated: 6
Symbolises: life, light, royalty, wealth, fame, recognition, kings & powerful people, eyesight, visions, dreams, prophetic dreams, prophecies, clairvoyance, confidence, joy, intelligence and the mind, the soul, perception, the self, acting & actors, the spotlight, luxury, treasures, expensive things.
Parts of the body: the eyes and head.
Colours: gold, red
Determining Whether a Planet Needs Remediation
Using the system of “essential dignity” as established in traditional astrology, we can examine whether a planet has resources or not to enforce its agenda (do things according to its nature) based on certain factors such as the sign & house it’s in, the aspect(s) it makes to other planets, its speed, visibility, etc. There are a lot of factors in order to assess what a planet is up to, and whether it’s free to act or not. So when I say that a planet is “exalted” or “fallen”, it doesn’t mean “good” or “bad”. It means: the planet is in a position to enact its nature, or it might be a bit more constricted. It’s all nuanced, so keep that in mind as we explore possible remediation for a certain placement!
The Sun: the Concept
At the center of our solar system, the Sun sits as king: things revolve around him, he is the source of light, the giver of all life, what literally "makes the world go round".
Because he is so central, powerful and regular (exactly moving 1° per day), the Sun has been appropriated as a symbol by various power figures and those who claimed to hold it by divine right. Those who enjoy tyrannical authority and do not wish to see their power questioned easily identify with the Sun (I know what I’m talking about, France literally had a self-proclaimed Sun King just a few centuries ago…)
However, just like French people successfully… "questioned" the authority of their kings, power is ever-changing and does not necessarily have to revolve around one central figure. There is more to the Sun than dictators and all-powerful, unquestioned megalomaniac tendencies.
This is not to make the Sun what it’s not (aka a democratic force). The Sun fundamentally represents mainstream power, a power accepted (or experienced by) the majority as "obvious" or even "natural". Can this turn into autocratic and selfish tendencies? Absolutely! Is that all there is to it? You know what I’m going to say: there’s more!
The Sun is about radiance, charisma and confidence. The Sun does not doubt its place, its role, or the fact that things revolve around him. But the Sun can feel the weight of expectations ("heavy is the crown…") and the power that come with its natural charisma can also be overwhelming at times. Like a successful comedian performing the most important role of their life, or the confident, charismatic person of a group who’s expected to entertain, represent and speak up for everyone all at once… it can all get a bit much at times.
The key to understand the Sun is that it will not doubt its role, its natural gifts and talents, but can question the modalities of it. At the same time, solar people do not shy away from duty and commitment when it feels natural and they can shine best there. Solar qualities are naturally attractive: like wide-eyed moths in front of a neon shop, people rarely miss the confidence, self-assurance and joie de vivre of solar individuals. But what happens when these qualities seem to fail us? Let’s dive in!
Sun Issues & Remediation
Sun issues can manifest as pessimistic tendencies, lack of confidence, self-deprecating behaviour, a certain apathy and difficulties to find what makes life "worth it". It can also show up as a fear of speaking up for yourself or others, or even cynicism & nihilism ("what’s even the point?")
Sun issues can also show up as uneasiness around things deemed "flashy" or extravagant, with the free self-expression of others or yourself (I could never do that…"), and in some cases an extreme guilt around anything that could remotely be considered a "luxury". Frequent nightmares or dreamless nights, a "block" when it comes to spiritual insights are also manifestations of solar problems.
The Sun is all about balance: not enough time in the Sun and we lack vitamin D, an essential component in our bodies for happiness and health. Too much time with no protection and it can result in grave health problems such as skin cancer. As a hot and dry planet, it is sometimes hard to balance out solar qualities within ourselves. Some may become pathologically scared of becoming obnoxious jerks should they get "too confident". Others fear that, if they stop being the center of attention and constantly needing the warmth of others’ gaze, they may become insignificant and forgotten.
And often, these fears co-exist within us. It’s hard to feel one or the other all the time, as we, like the Sun, are bright and complex creatures. Sun remediation can help us attain our truth, to see ourselves for who we are, as difficult as it may seem sometimes. And this is, in my opinion, the most beautiful of gifts.
Sun Remediation Steps
Planetary Charity
Where to start? If you want to understand the Sun better, planetary charity is always a good idea. By donating money, time or objects to a cause ruled by the Sun, you “appease” him and do a gesture of good will. The optimal scenario is to do this on the planetary day and hour of the planet in question. For the Sun, Sundays (day of the Sun) and/or Wednesday nights (night of the Sun) are best. In order to track the planetary hour, you can use Google to find a planetary hour calculator or use an app (TimeNomad is a free app that lets you display planetary hours, which start & end will vary depending on your location, time of year etc.). Planetary charity is sort of like bringing cookies to your neighbours: by offering something and making an effort to build a relationship with someone, they are more likely to see your good intentions and help with with whatever you need (and pacify relations when necessary!)
For the Sun, you can donate money or time to: eye hospitals and medical programmes which help visually impaired people/work on cures for blindness, helping fathers around you (spending time with them, helping them out with childcare…), donating to theatres/comedians/actors, visiting and donating money towards castle preservation and other former royalty historical sites, watching performances, donate to medical research against skin cancer, donate money or time to lion sanctuaries.
If you donate money, it doesn’t have to be a big amount, but it’s best to give money or objects in a multiple of 6, on a recurring basis (for example, setting up a recurring donation of $6 to a local theatre every Sunday or Wednesday night).
Sun Altar
The next step is to set up a Sun altar, if you feel compelled to do it. By building a Sun altar, you will be able to directly address the Sun and all its avatars to give you advice and provide assistance with whatever issue you may have. You can have a dream the next day, or a conversation with someone that will bring answers you are looking for: that’s the planet/deity’s way of helping! Here are instructions on how to set up a Sun altar:
- Sun Ritual -
Use a gold cloth (paper is also fine), according to your preferences, and put it on your altar.
Put six candles (golden or white) on your altar. You can engrave them with the symbol of the Sun. If you see the Sun as a particular colour (mine is golden with orange), you can also decorate it that way.
Put objects that evoke the image of the Sun. You can print out an image of a painting or sculpture of the Sun, for example the Sun god Helios, or Ra. Sun objects include golden jewellery, crowns/regalia, and images of lions.
Gold or golden metals are the traditional materials associated with the Sun, so you can put objects made of this on your altar. For Sun stones: ruby, carnelian, sun stone (artificial) and garnet are all good choices for the Sun.
With a golden pen, draw the symbols of Sun, his planetary square, as well as Agrippa seals on paper (see images below).
Get incense. I like to use incense sticks (you can buy an incense stick holder for that). For the Sun, I like to use frankincense, lemon or orange peel. Marigold (dried) petals are also good options!
For offerings, I like yellow or orange flowers. Sunflowers and calendula are a nice choice. Cinnamon liqueur, or Amaretto, or any rich, amber-coloured liquors or non-alcoholic drinks are good options!
On the planetary day (Sunday) or night (Wednesday night) and hour of the Sun, once your altar is ready, light the candles and incense. You can then say the Orphic Hymn to the Sun (Helios). Once you're done, present your offerings to the Sun, and you can then respectfully ask for what you wish for. The Sun rules over radiance, intelligence, confidence, visions & prophetic dreams, and over powerful people (ones that may grant your favours!). Once you're done, thank the Sun and meditate on his image on your altar. And you're done!
Consistency goes a long way, so doing this for even 5 minutes every week is better than a big ritual every other month!
You will find a prayer (the Orphic Hymn to Sun) below, as well as symbols to put on your altar. You can also devise your own prayers and symbols if you prefer!
Thank you for taking this Solar journey with me, I hope it can be a useful starting point for a blossoming Sun pratice! 🌞
