As the heart of the solar system and the gravitational center of the travels of the earth and the other planets, the sun is the primordial light, the source of all warmth and life. From the dawn of humanity, it has been worshipped. It has symbolized the absolute power kings and despots yearn for and emulate. The sun king, the nucleus of society, embodied a principle of cohesion and harmony. Various subordinates—aka planets—revolved around it. In terms of psychological symbolism, the sun corresponds to the center of an individual, the factor that rules your psyche. Its luminous aspects are usually associated with knowledge and consciousness. As a creator of life, it is related to the image of the mother and the influence of motherhood on an individual’s consciousness and ideals. As a result, the sun’s position in a birth chart always indicates the way in which an individual will relate to your goals and ideals, what your ambitions and aspirations might involve. A person whose chart is strongly “solar” usually identifies very positively with motherhood. Your personality is friendly, energetic, and creative, with high ideals and a firm determination to accomplish them. You take your own superiority and authority over others for granted, and you have a natural ability to command the attention and admiration of an audience. You are a born leader who enjoys being in the limelight and may behave somewhat theatrically or with dramatic exaggeration. You have definite artistic leanings. The sense of your ideals is evident to you and may lead you to be somewhat self-focused. If ill-directed, your deep aspirations may lead to such faults as egotism, selfishness, or greediness for power.

According to Greek myth, Mercury (or Hermes, whose name derives etymologically from the piles of rocks which marked trails and guided travelers) was the messenger of the gods. He carried orders from Olympus to the mortals on Earth. The child of the illegitimate union of Zeus with Maia, Mercury was born “unknown to the immortal gods” and had to win his place among them by trickery, cleverness, and cunning. This is why he became the vagabond deity of travelers and wanderers. He is the instinctive foe of the settled who see him as an outcast roaming on the outskirts of society: a pariah, a thief, and a swindler. As ruler of the sign of Gemini, the Twins, he symbolizes the brother—the alter-ego who teaches us as much as we teach him and is associated with adolescence, a period of intense intellectual discovery. Mercury thus symbolizes lively, sparkling wit, mobility in any form, mental exchange, and interaction. As a result, a person strongly ruled by Mercury is quite likely to be clever and skillful. If Mercury is “afflicted” in one’s chart, they may sometimes become mentally hyperactive. In any case, these skills are a great resource in the social realm. You communicate easily and effectively, orally or in writing. Your ability to unite and transmit would be a good resource in diplomatic or commercial endeavors.

This planet symbolizes the principle of independence and self-sufficiency, as well as a principle of transformation. Its most striking characteristic is distance from others: the Uranian strives to stand out from the herd, distanced from structuring influences like convention, tradition, etc. Although this need to free yourself from the confines of convention, tradition, and family symbolizes an appeal for freedom and a desire to evolve beyond the bounds of physical limits toward a spiritual dimension, it may also correspond to a form of escape. This is why you sometimes need to cut yourself off from situations or relationships which feel stifling to you. Your intense fear of being swallowed up psychologically causes you to react to certain emotional demands by making yourself remote or running away. You need a lot of space and frequent change. In a relationship, you are seeking a certain degree of intellectual excitement. Without it, you feel as though an unbearable, suffocating boredom sets in. By refusing certain concessions to convention which are practically inevitable, you may find yourself in unpleasant situations. Finding an intelligent alternative to the routine set by the rigid forms of the past is extremely different from rebelling against any form of authority, in the settings of family, school, business, or society.

One of the major problems you have to solve is how to wield your freedom, in your emotional relationships, as well as your relationships with society. In your quest for independence, you sometimes find that you need to cut yourself off from people or situations which are no longer fulfilling. At other times, you may be drawn to people or situations which seem overly demanding or restrictive. You may find it difficult to compromise, or to accept differences of opinion. You are also searching for a sense of adventure and excitement in your relationships, and you may be impatient with those who do not offer you what you are looking for. You are often quite open and expressive, and you enjoy intellectual discussions as well as physical ones. However, you may also be quite demanding, and you may find it difficult to compromise. You are also quite sensitive, and you may be hurt easily. You need a lot of open space in your life, as well as frequent change. In relationships, you are looking for a sense of intellectual excitement and adventure. You may be quite demanding, and find it difficult to compromise. You are also quite sensitive, and may be hurt easily.

The tenth house is an area of the sky which is especially important in your theme, because it contains several planets, including the one which rules your rising sign. According to traditional astrology, the planets in this area have a general meaning which can be used to understand your personality and your destiny.

The North Node in the tenth house can be opposed to its partner, the South Node, the lowest point on the map of the sky. As the highest point, it symbolizes your elevation, your social position. You are sure to derive some power from your social eminence, such as money, prestige, or privilege, but you also have duties to fulfill. When this area is the site of significant activity, it does not mean that you will automatically have a high social eminence. It means that you will invest a great deal of energy in acquiring a form of social power. Because the energy is somewhat vague, you will have to become aware of the various desires, needs, and ideals which are motivating and inspiring you. As a result, you will probably become conscious of how closely your social destiny is linked to your family’s reputation. Indeed, all you can give society is what you have managed to make of yourself from the raw material you received from your background.

The third house is an important part of your theme, and we shall explain its meaning in detail below.