Solar Return occurs every year when the Sun returns to it natal placement. It is usually a day before or on the day of birth. Solar Return Chart is the chart that we cast for the moment the Sun returns to its exact natal position (the exact same degrees as the natal chart). Imagine it likes the season turns, the Sun has been hurtling through space in their movement around the galactic centre. The Sun looks back the past twelve months how the planets have moved, and how they join together for this moment of renewal of our personal cycle.

It is natural that most of us will think about the year to come when we approaching our birthday, a time to pay attention. In the solar return chart, each degree of the zodiac carries a particular stamp of solar energy, a unique quality that underlies our core sense of self. Solar Returns were popular as early as 17th century, used by Lilly and Kepler as a forecasting tool which overview of year ahead as well as information about our process of individuation, our becoming.

Why Solar Return Chart?

In the daily transit, the fast-moving planets like Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars, their transits will be captured in the snapshot the moment the Sun return to it natal place. This give a picture of the potential themes of the upcoming year. It is like a mini chart of your natal chart. Anything aspecting the Sun will reflect the transits that the Sun has been receiving during the year.

It is similar to reading our astrological birth chart, we pay attention to four angles, angular planets in the Solar Return will be visible in the events and circumstances of the year, Uranus on the MC might bring an unexpected change in our professional life, Neptune on the MC bring us boundless imagination to our professions, we might involve in artistic work, or allow ourselves to dream the possibility of our career path or world. It is wonderful for artistic inspiration. Saturn conjunct the Ascendant might suggests a Solar Return year begin feeling perfectly in control. Planets on the angles also describe our psychological orientation. The angles are powerful thresholds, with each making a shift in our perspective. We also pay attention to the chart ruler on how we approach life in that particular year as versus our own natal ascendant. Most importantly the Sun’s placement, the Sun’s house position is the most important factor where it shows where our greatest growth will occur, and its aspect to other planets. The year most important lesson will be met in this area. Through working with the energies and issues of this house we can develop a stronger sense of our own identity and power.

You can create your solar return chart by using software if you have one, or visit www.astro.com by entering your birth details, in the chart type – select Solar Return Chart.  

Location

What location should we use to cast the Solar Return Chart? There are various discussions and studies about whether we should use the birthplace or the residence area, personally I use the place of residence as it reflects the development that I need to focus for the year where I live. I also use the birthplace solar return chart as the support. We can pay attention to the planets that are angular in the birthplace of the solar return, they will be extremely active during the year. For example, the solar return chart that I cast for my birthplace, Sun is in the 9th(the house of publishing, higher educations beliefs/meanings) is in opposition to Neptune in the 3rd (the house of mind, communication), this could indicates there are some tensions in this area of life in this solar return year. Sun in the 9th is in trine to Pluto in the 1st and Uranus conjunct Moon in the 5th formed a grand trine with both Moon in the 5th and Pluto in the 1st sextile to Neptune in the 3rd house, this could suggest 3rd house as an outlet for this creative flows coming from the Sun, Moon and Pluto and by harnessing the boundless imagination of Neptune where I could communicate through writing with creative self-expression that can ground the ideas and sensuality of the Moon (Moon in Taurus) and desire to express oneself in a practical and powerful way (Pluto in Capricorn in the 1st). Venus in the 9th is ruling the MC. Saturn the chart ruler is in the 2nd house sextile Mars in the 6th, which suggest a daily work through writing, learning and communication that can bring the assertive mind to values, a concrete resources. Sun in the 9th also suggests a year of focus on expanding the horizon, the wanting to explore, questing, look at the bigger picture and also living one is truly believe. Its a year of self-discovery, reaching the beyond and have faith.

While in the solar return chart that I cast based on the current residential, Sun is in the 12th conjunct with the Ascendant could suggests that by harnessing the opportunity for quiet contemplation or use this opportunity to focus working behind the scenes, approach life in a systematic way, also to have better understanding of myself. It also suggests focus on working the craft behind the scenes (Venus in Virgo in the 12th). Mercury is retrograded in the solar return chart and it is also the Sun depositor. Mercury in Libra in the 1st house. This could suggest the mentally is sharp turning inward on how to bring the ideas that are flowing fast this year to share with the world through writing, publishing, sharing ideas and beliefs (Mercury also the depositor of Mars in Gemini in the 9th house and rules MC in the 9th and the 10th house. The Moon is in the 8th house of depth psychology and transformation, indicating relationship with body and mind (Moon in Taurus) is focus on healing which support the Sun in the 12th of self-undoing. Saturn is in the 5th sextiling Mars in the 9th is giving the creativity a form through publishing, writing, through technology.

This suggests, the relocated chart often carries similar themes, but shown from another perspective. They work together as if it is adding layers of meaning. As suggested by Karen Hamaker-Zondag, the birthplace solar return indicated a potential and the relocated chart was a place of action. Using the analogy of the right hand and the left hand in palmistry, the hand that you use most reflect the way you developed your potential.

Solar Return Moon Phase

We can also look at the moon phase in the solar return chart, for example – a Solar Return Full Moon suggests some sort of inner conflict or polarisation will be brought to a head, the Solar Return houses describes the terrain of the year and the kinds of encounters the individual will experience in terms of solar consciousness as Lynn Bell explained in her book Cycles of Light. A New Moon in the solar return always carries the energy of a new beginning. A new Moon is the same sign as the Sun, we could think of it as self-renewal, a new way of being with oneself. The Moon brings its vulnerability and sensitivity, the power of the moon that makes things fruitful. A new moon that aspect to Saturn might mark the beginning of. a long term project, for example. A waning moon might suggests a part of the solar return year we might need to finish things in the old cycle.

Solar Return House

Houses, in general, describe areas of life. It describes different experiences that are available to all of us. The House that occupied by the Sun suggests where we can grow, there might be some struggling to establish where the sun is in, but thereby we get a better understanding of our purpose, a deeper knowledge of ourselves. And we gain confidence and a sense of achievement in this area of life, where we can receive most recognition and be most creative in that sphere of life. Being our own hero - where we can shine. Each year we have the opportunity to work on different sphere where the house that Sun move in that year.

By creating the solar return chart since our birth could help us to see the development path. Or we could choose a handful of years that are stand out, observe if there were there any specific themes that come up that year(s)? For example, in a year when the Solar Return Sun is in the 2nd house, you may be living out a sense of investing in yourself, your actions may reflect where you are with yourself worth. Always reflect on the different levels of meaning that can be described.

In the next article, we will discuss Solar Return houses.

Click here to read Solar Return - Part II of III on Solar Return Houses

Click here to read Solar Return - Part III of III on The Solar Return Chart in relation to the natal Chart

Click here to read more about Solar Return New Moon

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