The Centre For Psychological Astrology

Apollo's Chariot - The Meaning of the Astrological Sun

Liz Greene

Many people are familiar with astrology only through Sun-sign columns in newspapers, but they have little understanding of what it really means to be born 'under' a particular zodiac sign. The astrological student may know that the Sun is the most important factor in the birth horoscope; but frequently used terms such as 'self expression' give little insight into this most profound and complex of astrological symbols.

The seminars in this volume explore the many dimensions of the astrological Sun, from the Sun as a father symbol to its importance as a significator of personal identity, vocation, and spiritual values. Also examined are progressions of the Sun to natal planets, and major planetary aspects to the natal Sun. With so little written work available on the Sun in the horoscope, this innovative volume offers psychological and astrological perspectives, which will be invaluable for both the student and the professional astrologer.

Review by Chris Lorenz - Horoscope 2002

Liz Greene's multi-dimensional teaching style makes her one of the best astrologers in the world. From extrapolating the essence of ancient myths, to clarifying modern psychology, to nuts and bolts explanations of the natal horoscope, she bridges the mystical with the personal to make a genuine impact on whoever comes under her spell. And, in the process, she transforms therapeutic astrology froma jumble of psychobabble into meaningful prose.

In Apollo's Chariot, transcribed from a Liz Greene seminar, we learn what the astrological Sun represents in the natal horoscope and how much we've missed through false or incorrect assumptions. Almost everyone knows what his Sun-Sign is, but those who follow the newspapers' daily horoscopes are missing out on the range of symbolism and potential growth available. Most individuals are not living out their Sun, but are more likely responding to their Moon sign. The Sun remains a dormant quality until - or unless - we are willing to forsake what others think in favour of developing our own creative potential, as signified by the Sun's meaning according to its house position and planetary aspects around the natal chart.

How this works in real life is, and always has been, a major personal challenge for almost everyone. The ancients recognised the value of personal development and encoded the lessons in their myths, the stories of the heroes who successfully completed the struggles. Among the ancient myths that most clearly define the process of expressing the Sun's qualities is the collection of stories around Apollo, the Greek Sun-God. Apollo is not the actual Sun in these myths, but the carrier of the Sun, the vehicle. In this way, Apollo symbolizes that within each of us that is immortal, something that lies outside the horoscope and the physical body. Ms. Greene summarizes what the Sun in the Chart says. 'I am born into a mortal body. My span is finite. But I am a carrier for that which is eternal and cannot be changed in form, except as divine fire.'

Primarily, we begin to express the sun through creativity, and then we make a connection with something that makes us feel like a child of the divine. Through further understanding of Apollo's myth, we learn how to develop our creative potential, mature, find our true vocation,and, surprisingly, end family curses. As in the Greek myth of the House of Thebes, or the curse of the House of Atrius, some family members seemed doomed. In modern generations, individuals can do the same compulsive absurdities that ruined their parents and grandparents. The Sun's power can end these cycles, because the moment we become truly ourselves we are no longer our family.

Following the introductory discussion on Apollo, Greene presents the horoscope of a well-known celebrity who has a Taurus Sun in the twelfth house. The twelfth house is one of those concerned with the collective, like the eight and eleventh. With the Sun in the twelfth, the individual is concerned with the collective dreams, longings and yearnings for redemption. It deals with family compulsions and curses. Because this seminar was given in London, we may not be surprised that this horoscope belongs to Prime Minister Tony Blair, but the lessons and insights have immediate applications to Americans since President George W. Bush also has the Sun in the twelfth house.

Most of the seminar's two sessions are devoted to discussions generated around specific charts, both from the attending astrologers, and from recognized celebrities. A large allotment of time goes to charts with their Suns in the eighth and eleventh houses, so that by covering the eighth, eleventh and twelfth houses she is looking into those houses ruled by the three outer planets. Interspersed throughout the dialogue (audience comments and questions are frequent and bring the subject matter to life) the reader will find many gems of astrological knowledge. Keep a coloured marker handy to underscore the best of these for future reference.

Of course the Sun is not the only planet explained in this seminar. Greene has some powerful insights into how various planets interact with the Sun, most notably Chiron, since relatively little information is available on the traumatic scope that this planetoid (or asteroid) carries. The Sun aspecting Chiron gets deep coverage, and the reader will also benefit from the discussion about the difference between Saturn and Chiron. The act of juxtaposing Saturn and Chiron on an equal footing is a remarkable personal shift for the astrologer who brought us the masterful Saturn, a New Look at an Old Devil.

In the section titled 'When the Sun doesn't shine', Greene presents her keen psychotherapeutic take on the problem with modern humanity - namely, narcissism. A psychological dynamic refers to the 'narcissistic wound', which means there is no sense of the independent self. The individual feels alive only when someone else is mirroring back positive feelings. An emptiness remains inside, a feeling that one is really a fake, and one fears that the true state of unworthiness will be discovered. Greene states convincingly that narcissistic disorders are increasing in Western society as they pass from one wounded generation to the next, and have been endemic since World War II.

The solution to these widespread psychological problems can be found by developing the Sun in your chart. Apollo's Chariot will inspire you toward developing your own vocation and creativity. Professional astrologers will find a solid mythological and psychological framework to guide their interpretations and help establish a plan for the client's personal evolution. Beginning and intermediate astrologers will find a golden, well-lit path for their own studies and advance enthusiastically toward mastery. The astrological community is blessed by Liz Greene's intelligence and wisdom.

Books

Barriers and Boundaries

The Astrologer, the Counsellor and the Priest

The Family Inheritance

Venus and Jupiter

The Astrological Moon

The Art of Stealing Fire

Incarnation: The Nodes and the Four Angles

Direction and Destiny in the Horoscope

Water and Fire

Where in the World? Astro*Carto*Graphy and Relocation Charts

Planetary Threads: Patterns of Relating among Family and Friends