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THE SUN CHART- WITH PLACEMENT OF SUN IN THE FIRST HOUSE
FIRST HOUSE: The first house relates to the self and indicates our basic self-expression in life and in the material world. In Sanskrit it is called "Tanur Bhava", which means literally, "the house of the body". It is the main factor in determining physical constitution but more generally shows our orientation to life as a whole.
It is the house of birth and shows our origin. Strongly afflicted it produces difficult birth or even infant mortality. It indicates our congenital physical vitality, so that when weak, is a primary factor in ill- health.
The Sun shows who we are in ourselves, in our basic character or individuality. The Moon shows how we relate to others, how we appear on a social level to friends and family.
The Ascendant or first house indicates how we project ourselves on a public level--our initial and general appearance to the world at large. As such it determines the whole structure of our outer manifestation, our personality as well as our body. Afflictions to it thus can cause mental disorders. For any significant accomplishment in life a strong first house and its ruler are necessary. It aids us in our career, as it helps establish self-identity. It is important thereby for honor, integrity, fame or recognition. Whatever it is associated with becomes intimate to our manifestation in life: aligned with factors of the ninth house, it gives an ethical nature or spirituality; with those of the sixth or eighth house it gives disease; with those of the second or eleventh house it gives wealth and so on. Through it the influences of the other planets are able to enter into us and become an integral part of our lives. The Ascendant is our signification in the chart, our vehicle in manifestation. It is the most important factor in the chart and its strength or weakness can override anything else.
The Sun The Sun is the centre of the Solar System of planets used in Vedic Astrology. Therefore the Sun rules all types of Central things such as the central government, the centrally powerful person in an organization, and so forth. In ourselves, the Sun rules our centre, which is our soul. The Sun is the source of light for all other planets and beings, so the Sun rules in astrology our of energy. As the source of energy in the Universe, so from the Sun's placement in our charts we judge our level of energy.
The Sun God is father to great Kings in ancient Vedic history. In a chart, a strongly placed Sun gives the ability to lead and be forceful. As we cannot live without the power of the Sun, so it goes in life that nothing can live without the power of the Sun. If one person has a very strong Sun in their chart, they will have a hard time subordinating to those who do not. People with strong Suns therefore tend to surface as leaders by their own force.
The Sun owns the Sign of Leo. Leo is therefore invested with the powers of the Sun. Since the King, or the Sun, is independent, makes the laws, and is therefore in many ways above the law, we find independence and leadership qualities of Leo. Planets placed in Leo take on this nature- that of independence and leadership or force of will. The way of a Lion, the symbol of Leo, is that of "either dominate it, or walk away". A lion either dominates something, or walks away. Lion's do not surrender to anything, therefore they are "the king of the jungle".
The Sun is called a "malefic" planet in Jyotish. Malefic means "negative" or "dangerous". Why is it that the central planet, the one that represents the soul, is considered as "bad". This is because the soul does not, in one sense, belong here. The soul is ultimately meant to be in the spiritual world, and one with other beings in service to the centre. But here, the soul is overcome by the feeling of separateness and independence, and hence is a "malefic" entity in itself. The law here is that one living being lives at the expense of another. Our very presence here as souls has a malefic effect on other living beings always. We are here to learn by carrying out our personal, somewhat selfish, campaigns of self-serving continuation of our lives. Our presence here puts us in contact with elements which give us pain. So, the Sun, or the soul, is in a somewhat negative position so long as we are here, unliberated, in this material world.
The ego is a malefic, because it is generally separate you from God. We feel like we are somebody, but that somebody is a nothing. We are humble slaves of God, but we often feel like something else. That is false ego or ahankara. In Sanskrit ahankara means ego, but putting an "a" before any Sanskrit word means the opposite. So ahankara means ego, and hankara means the non-ego, or un-real ego, the false ego.
In many Sanskrit devotional songs and poems the word ahankara is used. This word is a favorite of the Saints of Ancient Times, because they liked to be able to sum up the illusion ego of a person in this world in one easy word. That's their word- ahankara, and it is ruled by the Sun in Jyotish.
The Sun's position in our chart represents where our false ego will most manifest. The position of the Sun in our chart represents an area of life we will have to reckon with, in order to clear ourselves of attachment in preparation for liberation from bondage and suffering. Liberation to the Spiritual World is something to want and long for. But, our attachments and longings here will keep us here. We have to become humble. The Sun promotes non-humility or pride. Pride is the enemy of the Spiritualist. So, the Sun, though it is our pivot point for being here in this life, it is nevertheless attaching us as well. Saturn, the Sun's enemy and opposite in many ways, rules humility.
In Jyotisha the Sun rules central things, powerful things, things which have force of character, things which are essential or pivotal, as well as overbearing things, and things which can burn and dominate. The Sun may be called a Malefic by Vedic Sages, but most Westerners would call it a great benefice because Westerners by background are aggressive, and supportive of a strong ego in the individual. So keep in mind the Sun is considered a malefic mostly for reasons which are not understood, nor attractive to, the Western mind prior to it's infusion with Vedic Style Spiritual Philosophy.
The Sun in Vedic astrology is called Ravi, or Surya. He is considered to be mild malefic, in consideration of the hot, dry in nature. As in western tropical astrology, the Sun rules the Sign of Leo. He is exalted in the sign of Aries, and he is in his fall in the sign of Libra. The Sun is known as the Atmakaraka. This comes from the Sanskrit atma meaning soul, and karaka meaning indicator. As "indicator of the soul" the Sun is the giver of life.
In Vedic astrology each planet is a karaka, or indicator. The Sun is the indicator of the father, our ego, honours, status, fame, the heart, the eyes, general vitality, respect and power.
The Sun is in his strongest placement directly overhead in the 10th House. He is also strong in the other Kendras, or Angles. These are the Houses 1, 4, and 7. The Sun also does well in what are called the upachaya, or growing Houses. These are the Houses 3,6, and 11. He is particularly beneficial for the fire sign Ascendants of Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. His nature, or temperament is pitta, or fiery, and the gemstone associated with the Sun is the red ruby. The Sun's metal is Gold and his direction is East. His day, of course, is Sunday, and he comes into full maturity and brilliance at age 22.
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