Surya - The Sun and our Soul and Purpose

The Sun is the luminary in the sky that all other planets revolve around. It brings us light, heat and energy to sustain life on earth.

In Vedic Astrology, the Sun is viewed as an indicator of the soul, the spiritual consciousness and our central self which is our individuality. It represents our self-confidence, or lack of it, and our general sense of ego. It has a natural sattvic quality but because it is hot and burns so bright, it is also a malefic planet.

On a physical level the Sun represents our body, our vitality and our health. Having a strong Sun in our chart gifts us with a strong body and good vitality. Having a weak Sun may create some health challenges or issues with our confidence, energy and enthusiasm to meet life. The Sun rules the heart, stomach, the right eye and is a Pitta planet.

The Sun also represents power, authority and our father. We can look at our relationship with our father through the placement, dignity and aspects on the Sun, just like we can understand our relationship with our mother through the placement of the Moon.

The Sun has a regular rhythm to its movement – each month it travels forward through a different sign in the zodiac, shining its light on a particular area of our life. This can be helpful to monitor, particularly if the Sun is the ruler of your ascendant or your moon sign.

The Sun is the ruler of Leo, the sign that likes to shine bright. Leo, symbolized by the lion, prefers to be the ruler of its own jungle and have power and authority over all who step into its territory. When the Sun is placed in Leo, or in its sign of exaltation, Aries, it can exaggerate the fiery, bossy qualities and make getting along with others challenging. The Sun burns so hot it becomes difficult for others to be comfortable being near to it. When the Sun is in Libra, it falls into its sign of debilitation, and the Sun loses some of that egoic assuredness. It has more self-doubt and is more compromising. It doesn’t like to be alone, and prefers to have the support of others to accomplish its goals.

For anyone seeking to gain wisdom about their soul and purpose on this planet, the Sun is an important planet to pay attention to. You can develop a relationship with this giver of light by waking up before the sun, stepping outside and spending a few moments watching it rise in the sky. You can say a prayer that the divine light awakens in you, and that it fills you with knowledge and wisdom to make good choices during the coming day.

If you know the yogic Surya Namaskar sequence, or Sun Salutations, you can perform these asanas as the Sun rises. Facing the eastern direction, perform the asanas with the understanding that you are honoring the divine Sun both outside and within yourself. Feel how it circulates the solar energy through your body, waking up your muscles, joints and internal organs. It also helps to balance the Pingala Nadi which can support more life-energy in your system

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