Chapter VIII. THE SUN, GIVER OF LIFE

THE Sun, being the center of the solar system, is recognized by all as the physical life-giver, even when they do not believe in anything superphysical ; it is patent to everyone from personal observation that the horizontal ray of the morning sun affects us differently from the perpendicular noon ray, and that in summer the rays carry a life-force which not only brings forth the verdure upon the fields, but also affects the human temperament, and endows us with vital energy, courage and a hopeful spirit foreign to the dark and gloomy winter months. This gloom is permanently noticeable in the temperament of people living in the far north, where the absence of sunlight makes life a struggle that saps the spirit of frolic, while in countries where abundance of sunlight lessens the care of existence the temperament is correspondingly vivacious and hopeful and sunny.

In the horoscope, the angle of each planetary ray at birth determines the department of life it will affect. If the child is born at the noon hour when the sun is at Zenith the daystar will appear in the 10th house of the horoscope and bring preferment professionally. If the child were born at

midnight when the sun is directly under the place of birth its influence would be through the Fourth House, and it would brighten the old age of the child then born.

There are three unfortunate angles for the sun: Children born shortly after sunset have it in the Sixth House, which indicates sickness, and as the Sun is life-giver this position lessens the vitality and recuperative power. Birth in the middle part of the afternoon places the Sun in the Eighth House. This is the house through which the death-dealing forces act, and logically, the Lord of Life is out of place in the House of Death. The Second House shows what income we obtain by our own efforts, and as the Eighth House is opposite the Second it reveals the sources of revenue for which we do not personally exert ourselves, that is to say, legacies, pensions or grants of a public nature. We have known people with the Sun in the Eighth House to acquire vast sums, millions in one case, by speculation in municipal necessities. Such persons are often threatened by death and sometimes have many hairbreadth escapes, but even with the best of aspects to the Sun, a ripe age is seldom attained.

When a child is born shortly after sunrise the Sun is in the Twelfth House, which is the avenue whence we reap our sorrows, and it has been our experience that the early life of such a person is encompassed by trouble of one kind or another.

When the ascendant of a person is in doubt and

the place in the Zodiac which seems to fit neares^ brings the Sun into the Twelfth House, the writer has often found that the exact ascendant may be ascertained by asking the person if his childhood's life was clouded by poverty of the parent and consequent limitation for a number of years just after birth. This in all cases where it has been found that all other events fitted in the horoscope proved a successful method of determining the true ascendant, so that the number of degrees from the ascendant to the Sun, the latter located in the Twelfth House, would indicate the years of poverty, for the Twelfth House makes for limitation in that respect, especially when the Sun is there at birth. When the Sun by progression has passed through the Twelfth House and comes into the ascendant, things begin to brighten for the person involved, and when in time it passes through the Second House he will have a period of financial success; but as stated the Sun in the Twelfth House, just above the ascendant, usually makes a very poor home for the child during the early days of life. If Pisces is there the cause will generally be found in slothfulness and a desire for drink on the part of the parents, which makes them thus neglect their offspring.

The qualities imparted by a well placed Sun are dignity, strength of will and courage, both physical and moral, a lofty pride and a keen sense of honor and responsibility which makes a person eminently reliable, a sterling honesty and a hatred of

anything small, underhanded or tricky. It makes him steadfast in love, staunch in friendship and generous even to enemies. A dignified, exalted or well placed Sun brings friendship from people in a position to bestow substantial favors and aids the person materially in his endeavors to advance in life.

When the Sun is afflicted and weak by sign and position the opposite qualities are manifested ; bombastic self-assurance and bluster, love of adulation and a desire to rule or ruin, but no courage to face opposition ; indulgence of the lower nature and a waste of the vital force with a consequent loss of health and strength. When the Sun is weak the person is not to be depended on; he regards his promises as pie-crusts, made to be broken, and because of these traits such people always remain in obscurity.

In the world at large the Sun signifies employers and those in immediate authority over the person such as judges, and other government officers, and when the exigencies of life bring a person in contact with them he will receive at their hands Whatever treatment is merited by his Sun.

The Sun being masculine is significator of the marriage partner in a woman's horoscope (and the feminine Moon serves a similar purpose in a man's figure), hence a well placed Sun is one of the indications that a man will make a good husband, and an unaspected, weak or afflicted Sun gives him a tendency to neglect his hearth and home.

As general significator of health the Sun rules principally in masculine figures, (and the Moon in feminine horoscopes), but both lights and important. It may be said however, that the health of a man is not so much endangered by afflictions of the Moon as by a weak Sun, and vice versa, a woman suffers more if her Moon is afflicted than if her Sun is evilly aspected.

THE SUN IN THE TWELVE HOUSES. Ol The Sun in the First House

The Sun is the source of vitality and the First House signifies our constitutional condition and the home of our childhood, hence the Sun well aspected in the First House adds to the vitality of the rising sign and augments the recuperative powers. It brightens life during the days of childhood and stabilizes the nature, making the person more cheerful and companionable, ambitious to succeed in life, courageous in overcoming obstacles. The outlook on life is joyful and optimistic, hence the chances of success are increased. People with the Sun in this position love to lead and exercise authority over others; they are very jealous of the e.steem of the community, upright and honest in their dealings.

When the Sun is afflicted in the First House it lowers the vitality, makes the person timid

and vacillating, lacking in courage and ambition; hence the chances of a successful life are slim unless many other good aspects modify this condition.

This shows the person will find favor with people in a position to further his material prosperity and will by their help gain a comfortable living, but it also gives a tendency to squander money on the principle that ''what comes easy goe.s easy." Unless this trait is curbed it may bring about financial stringency, for it is not so much what we earn that counts as what we spend. We shall be poor with an income of a million if we spend two.

This favors travel and makes the person bright and observing, eager to investigate conditions and things, for it imparts a scientific turn to the mind. It is a good position for writers as it helps to bring them to public notice and favor.

In one sense this is a very unfortunate position because it deprives the person of the help of the solar influence during the major portion of life, which is on that account a constant uphill struggle, but as the Fourth House rules the lat-

ter part of life it is always a consolation to see that the declining years will be brightened by the Sun of success. That should make the burdens lighter to bear.