Sun Correspondences
The Sun, from Guido Bonatti Liber Astronomiae, Nicolaus Pruknerus, Guido Bonatti
Metal: Gold
Color: Yellow, Yellow-Brown, Orange
Zodiac sign: Leo
Deities: Apollo, Bastet, Mithra, Ra, Sekhmet
Day of the Week: Sunday
The Sabbath. The quintessence. The government.
Image from The Illustrated Key to the Tarot by Arthur Waite
The Sun is what we first learn about in astrology. In pop culture, many references to astrological knowledge are limited to Sun signs, which causes many people to dismiss astrology as being too general and therefore not applicable to their life.
The Sun is the center point of ourself and it represents our ego identity. It focuses our willpower and ability to act in the world. It is the life force, and anyone who sun bathes is familiar with the feeling of absolute vitality after an afternoon at the beach. It fuels the growth of animals, vegetables, and trees.
When we first think of the Sun, we may imagine its qualities of radiance, light, and resplendence. It corresponds to personal qualities of ardor, dignity, glory, greatness, heroism, honor, individuality, loyalty, perseverance, popularity, significance, vigor, and virility as well as shadow qualities of arrogance and excess pride.
It is also connected with being seen and performances of all kinds. It aligns with Shakespeare’s quote that “All the word’s a stage, and all the men are merely players.”
The stages include the business world and the political arena—in which the Sun is aligned with qualities of achievement, advancement, ambition, authority, confidence, creativity, fame, politics, as well as its shadow qualities of overconfidence and boastfulness.
The stages also include the TV and movie screens, and increasing online platforms, in which we see all of the above Sun qualities as well as increased amounts of creativity and self-expression. The Sun rules many professions in the entertainment industry including theater managers, celebrities, entertainers, and executives.
Those who work in highly-visible leadership positions, like chief executives, directors, managers, religious leaders, and school principals are associated with the Sun.
Sun Dogs from The Nuremberg Chronicles
The Sun also presides over the aristocracy and royalty, including the empires that they rule and all of their emblems. All of the royal titles, including king, queen, prince, emperor, duke, etc. are associated with the Sun. The Sun is also connected to the concepts of monarchy, sovereignty, and imperialism. Heads of state and presidents also fall under the rule of the Sun.
The predominant images of the royal families that we see today, including castles, and palaces, fall under the rule of the Sun, as well as their crowns, sceptors, and thrones.
The coronations of newly appointed kings and queens fall under the rule of the Sun, including the royal coaches that transport the royal family and the pedigreed horses that pull the coaches.
Symbols of wealth such as jewelry, fur, and gold coins are also associated with the Sun. (The concept of money is associated with the Sun, but it is also associated with Venus and Jupiter.) Money changers, money managers, and money lenders are also associated with the Sun, but they are also connected with other planets, as noted above.
Specific precious gems associated with the Sun include amber, chrysolite, diamonds, gold stones, and rubies.
The Sun rules the zodiac sign of Leo and is exalted in the sign of Aries. It also rules progeny, especially sons and first-born children.
Sun Dogs from The Nuremberg Chronicles
The Sun rules the body in general, including one’s physical constitution and one’s general health.
In the body, the Sun rules the heart and the heart wall (pericardium), the back (especially the lower dorsal region), the sides of the body, the spinal cord, spleen, and the eyes.
It also rules the blood and breath—the vital fluids and forces.
Illustration from The Other Side of the Sun, a compilation of short stories by Evelyn Sharp. Drawn by Nellie Syrette.
The Sun rules places associated with amusement and recreation, including ballrooms, casinos, circuses, coliseums, parks, playgrounds, race tracks, resorts, showboats, solariums, stages, and theaters. It also rules large and showy buildings as well as places that feel like “the center of things.”
It rules places associated with the leaders of a government, such as public offices, as well as places associated with money, like stock exchanges.
Natural landscapes associated with the Sun are those with strong heat like deserts and jungles.
Illustration of sun god Apollo c. 1539
Flora include almond trees, aloe, ash trees, bay trees, blueweed, celandine, eye-bright, golden and bright yellow flowers, frankincense, grapefruit trees, helianthus, heliotrope, hornwort, hyacinth, juniper, lemon trees, marigolds, mistletoe, olive trees, orange trees, passion flowers, peonies, pimpernel, poppies, rosemary, rue, saffron, St. John’s wort, sundew, sunflowers, trefoil, vines, walnut trees, wild mustard, and yellow lilies.
Faunas include large felines—cougars, lions, tigers—as well as peacocks.
Food and drinks associated with the Sun include almonds, gin, lemons, limes, olives, oranges, rice, and walnuts.
