What Vitalizes You? Tuning into the Element of Your Sun Sign
The sun! The most powerful luminary we have. If you think about the role the sun plays in making life possible on Earth it is an easy parallel to the signification of the sun sign and placement in your birth chart. The sun is how we shine and it speaks to what vitalizes us at the core of our being. It illuminates our identity, sense of self, how we differentiate, and also often provides clues into what other people see in us.
If you’re familiar with your astrology, your sun sign is often the primary modifier we use to explain who we are. I’m a Cancer. Saying that alone tells you that I am a water sign and am deeply connected with the emotional world. Being a crab, I can be closed off at times which is a bit counter to my desire to nurture anything and anyone who comes into my personal space. I also like to go about things with a sideways approach rather than head on.
In Human Design, the zodiac signs are not emphasized in relation to the sun placement – rather you’ll see numbers that represent hexagrams of the I-Ching. The sun is vitally important in the study of Human Design because it controls and distributes the neutrino stream that codes our mind and body. Neutrinos are subatomic particles with an extremely small mass – they’re similar to electrons but much more obscure. Around 100 trillion neutrinos pass through our system every second. Scientists still know very little about these particles but they are recognized as an essential ingredient in our universe. Now things take a turn for the metaphysical … the idea in Human Design is the neutrino stream from the sun is filtered through the position of the planets at the moment of conception and birth and imprints onto our being.
All this to say, the sun plays a HUGE role in connecting every single one of us to the cosmos. When we are able to shine according to the frequency set by the position of the sun in our birth chart, we can show up in powerful and invigorating ways.
Setting the Tone of your Sun: The Element
I like to use traditional astrology and Human Design in tandem when decoding how the placement of the sun illuminates the sense of self and provides clues into what sorts of experiences are fulfilling and energizing. As you layer the information from each one of these systems together, you can widen your perspective and experience with the energies at play.
For the purposes of this article, I am going to start at the ground floor – examining the element associated with your sun sign in astrology. While I LOVE a good deep dive into the various energies at play, I find the most profound transformations happen when people acknowledge and embrace the essential element that energizes their personality. The natural elements are the very foundation and basis for nearly every esoteric system that attempts to define the human condition. The elements create and sustain life here on Earth so it would figure that each one is at play within us. Tuning in to the element of your sun sign and its particular themes that can help you feel more anchored in your sense of self, well-being, and purpose. All we have to do in this lifetime is show up as ourselves and given the power of the sun’s frequency, it seems pretty important to punch up that sun energy, no?
Fire: Aries, Leo, Sagittarius
Fire is an energy that wants to be outwardly expressed. It represents the embodiment of life force energy and tends to be occupied with matters of individual identity. Wanting to be seen, fire suns exude enthusiasm for life and their vitality radiates from their sense of self. This energy is excitable and flows from a sense of self-motivation and empowerment. Everything they do feels like an extension of their life force and they possess natural willpower that enables them to literally blaze forward in all they do. Essentially motivated by inspiration and aspiration it’s important for fire signs to feel lit up in everything they do – and recognized for it. Fire suns can recharge their energy through vigorous activity and pursuing their aspirational visions for the future.
Water: Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces
The water element is reserved and self-sustaining. Like a wellspring, this element is constantly replenishing itself through its complex inner workings. Associated with emotions, water suns are in tune with the most subtle and nuanced experiences of life. It’s important for the water sun to learn that their powerful emotions are a window into their deepest soul intentions and desires and it is vital they honor their tempestuous nature. Tapping into the unconscious and learning to not fear their natural depths can bring sense and understanding to the sometimes overwhelming experience of their emotions. Developing a structure to help channel their emotions through the physical body and toward healing themselves and others is key for these signs. This will help them engage in the emotionally intense and intimate experiences that recharge their energy – without over nurturing or blending with others.
Air: Gemini, Libra, Aquarius
Quick moving and social, the air element is stimulated by ideas, thoughts, concepts, and social interaction. The intellectual realm is home to air suns who tend to be the most connected with the essential life-giving energy of prana or the breath. For air signs, the intellect is constantly receiving cosmic whispers that guide their action. Curious and engaging, air suns are recharged through engaging in thought experiments, debates, academic pursuits, or anything that will allow them to interface with others in a stimulating way. Living in a future that does not yet exist, air suns need to outwardly express and share their ideas so there is the hope of them becoming a material reality.
Earth: Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn
The earth element represents the physical material that creates the structure for all life. Those with an earth sun are primarily focused on how to leverage the material realities of earth to create security and safety for themselves and others. An emphasis on practicality and needing to be grounded intangible matter, this element thrives when it is being productive and able to see the physical results of its labors. Engaging with the senses and celebrating what it means to inhabit a living form can be deeply nourishing for earth suns. Fostering patience and self-discipline will help those attuned to this element develop the resilience needed to create sustainable security and comfort in their lives.
Want to know more?
The element of your sun is just one part of the larger structure that makes the complex and multitudinous being of YOU! If you’re ready to dive into your chart and learn how you can bring your underlying energy into your conscious awareness to help you find the right career/vocation, improve relationships, and build your self-trust and self-worth – let’s chat! You can book a session with me here: thelightlines.com/shop