Meet the Planets: The Sun

The Sun is the Archetype of the Hero. Each of our lives is a Story, and although the details of our stories are infinitely varied, the Story itself is the Hero’s Journey. Just because we’re the protagonist of our lives, just because our experience of (little “r”) reality revolves around us, that doesn’t mean that we’re automatically the Hero of our own Story. A Hero is made, not born.

The Sun represents who we truly are, the “Big S” Self, but most of us live from who we think we are—the ego, or the “little s” self. (We’ll meet the “little s” self more formally when we explore Mars.) It’s perhaps the most accurate to say that the Sun represents our potential. As we live our lives, and discover who we are, we have the opportunity to fulfill that potential. The journey of our lives is the Hero’s Journey.

Consider that when Arthur pulled the sword out of the stone, that was only the start of his journey, not the end. Yes, his destiny was obvious (that he would be the rightful King of England), but at the time, he was still just a boy. He had to embark on the Hero’s Journey, learning from teachers and friends, overcoming obstacles and passing tests. Each challenge that he completed increased his power and strength, which was a good thing, because each subsequent challenge was even more difficult.

The first step on the Hero’s Journey is to make the choice to align with the Sun, and to begin the real journey of self-discovery. We ask the question, “Who am I?” and acknowledge our utter ignorance and innocence of the answer. Few people ever have the courage and the strength to genuinely ask the question, and fewer still are willing to discover the answer.
This is a question that we alone can answer, although for most of our lives, we have looked to other people to answer it for us. We define ourselves based on our relationships to other people. We define ourselves in terms of our jobs, or our social status. We define ourselves in terms of the things that we create or the things that we believe, and yet, if we choose to take this journey of discovery, the first discovery we make is that none of these things really matter.

The only guide we have on this journey is our sense of personal integrity.

Personal integrity is more powerful and more subtle than the morals and rules of society. It is an inner compass that we must follow, more exacting than the civil laws that govern us. For most people, personal integrity will keep them within the bounds of society’s laws because most of the laws of society are grounded in integrity. The shift often has to do with the reasons that we obey the laws or choose to behave the ways that we do. As children, we obey the laws because we are told to, and we will be punished if we transgress—whether by our parents, our teachers, or by a Higher Power. We are inculcated with a sense of what is RIGHT and what is WRONG, and given a rudimentary sense of morals and ethics. The more we become aligned with our personal standards of integrity, the more we make choices based solely on what is right or wrong for us, as individuals, even when other people may not agree, approve or understand.

Each time we make one of these choices, we discover another clue, another piece of the puzzle that, once completed, will reveal the answer to the question “Who am I?” Occasionally, it can be quite frustrating because the individual pieces may seem to have little in common, little connection to each other. We must continue, trusting that the longer we follow the path, the more the answer will begin to take shape.

The first part of the Hero’s journey is leaving behind all that is familiar. The Hero must leave his home, his family, his friends, all, in fact, that he knows, and set out alone into the unknown. The fear of letting go of what is familiar is the reason that so few people choose to heed the Call and have the courage to follow the path that leads them to their greatness. And yet, it’s important to realize that while occasionally a literal and physical separation is required, the main part of this journey is within, and the separation is more subtle. As we choose to move into right relationship with the Sun and heed the call to follow our personal standards of integrity, we leave behind our attachments to other people’s opinions. Being true to ourselves becomes more important than pleasing other people, or making them feel comfortable.

The choice is to align ourselves with the “Big S” Self, our true essence. This means letting go of the story and the battles of the “small s” self, the ego, which is the archetype of Mars. We find that we must give up so many of the things that we once wanted. We must give up the small payoffs and petty rewards that we obtain from fighting the battles of Mars. And we’re giving them up for something intangible, mythical and apparently beyond our comprehension, let alone our reach. The Joy of being in integrity with our Self at first seems so thin. At times, it is cold comfort. And yet, the Truth is that it is the only thing of real value in the world.

When we are in right relationship with the Sun, we experience physical vitality and strength. We have abundant health, boundless energy, and infinite joy. We look forward to the challenges and opportunities that life presents, and we have absolute confidence that while these challenges will test our limits, we will always rise to the challenge, master it, and doing so acquire more skills and abilities.

When we are out of alignment with the Sun, we experience lethargy, depression, apathy, and illness. We lack joy, anticipation, or even any pleasure from life. We may long for an escape—this is the call of the Sun—and yet feel trapped by our circumstances.

To begin to connect with the Sun, meditate on some of these questions:

• How do I want to be a Hero?

• What are my personal standards of integrity?

• What are my greatest strengths?

• What inspires me to greatness?

• What are my weaknesses?

• What tests my integrity?

• What is my Authentic Self?

• What is the inauthentic self that I create to please others?

Meet the Planets

When most people thing of Astrology, they think of the Signs of the Zodiac. Popular Astrology is all about Sun Signs—“I’m a Scorpio,” and “She’s a Gemini.” It may come as a surprise, then that the Signs are not, in fact, the most important elements of Astrology. In fact, you can use Astrology to improve and enhance your life without knowing any of the qualities associated with any of the Signs. What matters in Astrology are the planets.

And to make things even easier, you don’t even have to learn about all of the planets. Once you understand your relationship with the seven visible or “Personal” planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn) you will be able to use Astrology for personal growth and guidance.

Are the Signs and the Outer Planets important? Of course they are. But they only have meaning when applied to the fundamental understanding of the seven Personal Planets.

Think of the seven planets as Archetypes. They are energetic patterns that exist inside of each of us, and each Archetype governs a different aspect of our experiences. The objective of this “human game” that we are playing is to get into right relationship with each of the Astrological Archetypes. The better our relationships with each of the Archetypes, the more enjoyable, exciting and fun our experience of life.

Down the road, we’ll explore the nature of reality, and the ups and downs of having a human experience. But for now, let me introduce you to the planets.

The Sun: The Hero

The Sun is the Archetype of the Hero. The Sun represents who we truly are—the “Big S” Self. We are each, ultimately, the Hero of our own Story. However, we must make a conscious choice to take that journey. The Sun represents our potential, but it’s our life’s journey to begin to fulfill that potential. Think of it this way: when Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, he was technically the rightful King of England; however, he had to embark on the Hero’s Journey in order to manifest that destiny.

The Sun relates to our personal standards of integrity. As we progress on our journeys, we discover the things that define us. While we are always at choice, and have absolute free will, certain options become less open because choosing those paths would deny the truth of who we are.

Saturn: The Judge

Saturn is the Archetype of the Judge. Saturn rules the world of form. Inherent in form are boundaries, restrictions and limitations. When we first encounter Saturn, it is an unfamiliar and unpleasant experience. Saturn is our first experience of the illusion of separation: there are things outside of us that limit and restrict us. We encounter Saturn as external authority figures who impose and enforce the Law: first as our parents and teachers, and later as our bosses, and the elected officials that support and maintain the integrity of society.

Stepping into right relationship with Saturn is critical, because so long as we are out of alignment with Saturn and perceive authority as being outside of ourselves, we give away our power. Saturn’s purpose is to help us to reclaim our power, and to guide us to discover our personal standards of integrity. When we reclaim our power by accepting accountability for our actions and our choices, our experience of authority and of Saturn shifts dramatically. And from this place of power (and only from this place of personal accountability and right relationship with the rules and laws as they currently exist), we discover that as we were the ones who created the rules in the first place, we also have the power to change them.

The Moon: The Reflection

The Moon is the Archetype of the Reflection. The Moon reflects the light of the Sun, and like all reflections, it distorts and filters the essence of the Source, depicting a facet, a shadow, some single element of the original for deeper reflection. In a very real sense, our lives are a journey through an endless hall of mirrors. Everyone and everything we encounter is simply a reflection of our True Self. And yet, we wander, endlessly, looking for the one that is real.

The Moon is our emotional guidance system. All we need do in order to master this game and reach Enlightenment is to avoid experiences and thoughts that feel unpleasant and choose experiences and thoughts that feel good. If we simply choose the best-feeling thought available to us at any given time, we will easily navigate the hall of mirrors and return to the Source.

The challenge for most of us, however, is that rather than recognizing uncomfortable and unpleasant feelings as indications that we’re facing the wrong direction, we begin to believe that they are real, and that we must take action to protect ourselves from these experiences. All the Moon can do is reflect; she is powerless to stop Mars from getting involved.

Mars: The Warrior

Mars is the Archetype of the Warrior—the part of ourselves that fights, defends, and goes after the things that we want. But we’re probably more familiar with Mars by another name: the ego. Mars is the “little s” self. Not to put too fine a point on it, but Mars is who you think you are. Mars (and the ego) lives and operates from the third Chakra, which is the energy center located at the Solar Plexus. It is essential that we learn how to get into right relationship with Mars, because only then can we begin to experience the Truth that we are infinitely more than our egos. While our egos support us while we have this human experience, we must remember that while the ego is limited, we are not.

Mars and the ego develop in response to the painful and unpleasant emotions we encounter through the Moon. Mars wants to protect and defend against pain, and is incapable of realizing that by focusing on the pain and “defending” against it, we spend far more time in that unpleasant experience than is necessary.

Venus: The Beloved

Venus is the Archetype of the Beloved. The real objective of the Hero’s Journey is to encounter and embrace The Beloved. Venus is what provides the sweetness and the satisfaction to life. On a practical level, Venus is how we give and receive love and appreciation, and this is how most of us know Venus. But Venus is far more than that. Venus represents our Core Values—the eternal qualities of the Divine that we are inspired to pursue, encounter, embody and express. These Values include Abundance, Balance, Beauty, Freedom, Harmony, Joy, Love, Order, Peace, Power, Wisdom and Unity. Because these qualities are aspects of All That Is, they can never be found outside of ourselves. The true Hero’s Journey is an inner quest, that leads us to the realization of the Truth that we are the Beloved, and that which we seek is the essence of who we are.

Mercury: The Storyteller

Mercury is the Archetype of the Storyteller. We frequently take Mercury for granted, dismissing Mercury as how we communicate, but we do so at our own peril. Mercury is far more important than that. Mercury is the Storyteller, and everything we experience—the entirety of this “little r” reality—is a story. Mercury is in charge of our experience of realty. Things are real because we tell ourselves they are—or more specifically, because Mercury tells us that they are.

The story we experience is so powerful that we get lost in it and forget that there is a Storyteller. We would do well to remember that Mercury is also the Liar. Nothing we experience in this “little r” reality is Real. It’s all story. When we step into right relationship with Mercury, we are able to choose what story we tell. We can shift from the “little s” story that keeps us small and separate, to the “Big S” Story that is the Hero’s Journey that calls us to our Greatness.

Jupiter: The Dreamer

Finally, we have Jupiter. Jupiter is the Archetype of the Dreamer. Our Dreams are how we grow and expand, and these are the areas of influence of Jupiter. Jupiter is in charge of our dreams, our imagination, and our faith. Faith is a critical element. Imagination is creative because we have faith that the things we hold in our imagination will manifest. Without faith, imagination becomes fantasy, which has no power and comes from Victim Consciousness. Imagination feels empowering; fantasy, although often a temporary distraction from pain, leaves us feeling worse because our lack of faith tells us that our fantasies will never become a part of our reality.

Jupiter is also the Context to Mercury’s Content. When we expand the context, the meaning of the content changes. Jupiter is how we develop the perspective on our stories so that we can begin to influence them consciously.

Stay Tuned!

In the coming weeks, we’ll take a closer look at each of the Astrological Archetypes and explore how to begin to step into right relationship with them.

How to Learn Astrology (Despite Years of Lessons)

I’ve always wanted to be able to play the piano. I actually took piano lessons for eleven years, and was rather accomplished at playing, and yet I never learned how to just sit down at the piano and play. I told myself that I just never learned how to sight read, or that I never spent enough time learning music theory.

Over the past twenty-five years, I’ve resolved multiple times to learn how to play piano, because I miss it. I’ve tried various online classes to learn music theory. I’ve purchased music theory for dummies (and idiots) books. I even bought a book I remember my mother using years ago, called “How to Play Piano (Despite Years of Lessons)."

I still can’t sit down at a piano and just play.

The other day, I was watching television, and came across a program on PBS. The title was something like How to Play Piano in a Flash. The host explained that the traditional methods of learning piano are geared to creating classical pianists. Most people don’t want to be a classical pianist. Most people want to be able to sit down and make music.

Making music, he explained, does not involve any of the skills or theories or techniques that I spent eleven years practicing. All you have to do is to master a few simple building blocks and suddenly, you’re able to play the songs you always wanted to play.

I was absolutely fascinated by this demonstration. And what impressed me the most was how few notes were played. Even when he got a bit fancy, I recognized that he was using the same simple chords over and over again.

And I realized that the way most people learn to play piano is the way that most people learn astrology.

Most people study astrology. They read books, and memorize interpretations. They learn theory. They practice technique. And if they stick with it long enough, they can probably sit down with a chart and hammer out some kind of an interpretation in the same way that after eleven years of piano lessons I could sit down with some sheet music and hammer out a song: slow, tedious, halting, and not particularly enjoyable.

While the “traditional” path to learning astrology has merit, it’s analogous to the path to becoming a classical pianist. Most people don’t want to be a classical pianist; they just want to sit down and make music. And most people don’t want to become professional astrologers; they just want to be able to understand how to use their birth chart for personal growth and guidance.

If this sounds like you, then you’re reading the right blog.

Just as it’s possible to create wonderful music using simple techniques and short-cuts, it’s possible to become fluent in the language of astrology in the same way. If you’re new to astrology, this will be easy for you. If you’re not new to astrology, you may find it more challenging, because you’ll be asked to set aside the vast majority of the things that you “know” already. However, I think you’ll be quite impressed with how much astrological “music” you can make with just the most basic “notes.” This is the essence and the power of REAL Astrology!

So, stay tuned! There’s a lot more to come!

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Welcome to The Real Astrology Blog!

Welcome to The Real Astrology Blog! I'm just getting things started here, so pardon my dust. This blog will take the place of the Astrology Updates eZine, so follow it, and become a fan on Facebook to get the latest updates, articles, and astrological information from me, Kevin B. Burk.