The Solar Return Chart in relation to the natal Chart

It is useful to look at the Solar Return Chart each year, a Solar Return chart shows how we might best act in order to develop our solar light during that year around the solar principle – our mission, purpose, creative gifts, character, authority, confidence, spirit, and essence. In another word, the Chart shows the “theme” of the coming year - our relationship through the year to people, places, activities, areas of life. Each year, the Sun will be embedded in a new pattern.

In the previous articles, we have briefly touch on that the Solar Return Chart can be read by its own, but if we place it around the birth chart, it can shed more lights, especially for the main cross aspects (within 2º orb) and connections.

When we read the solar return chart, it’s base on everything that we understand of our natal chart. The Solar Return chart only base on our ongoing life. We can look at how does our natal chart suggest us to respond to the circumstance and ‘calling’ of the year shown by the Solar Return Chart, are they easy? Are they challenges?

Anything that is ‘new’ to the natal chart will put us into a new ‘space’. For example, if an individual has a Sagittarius rising in the Solar Return, it presents opportunity and challenge for him/her to look to a broader outlook in life than usual versus his/her natal Virgo rising which is practical and more details orientated. For an unaspected Sun in the natal chart and the Solar Return chart that are connecting with the planets in the chart can shows the direction what we need to develop during the year, and which planet(s) is supporting us, the house that the Sun rules in the natal chart, and the Sun in the Solar return chart also tells us how we could plan ahead or develop our self-awareness if you will.

Let’s have a look of the planets in both natal and solar return chart.

Aspects in the natal chart vs the solar return

(elements, house, aspects, mode)

If there is anything that are similar to our natal chart, for example, Mars in the same element as the natal chart, it reminds us of how we can be assertive to achieve our goals through the same element for example, a cardinal Mars, through initiate a project in the new solar return year or being more proactive in taking action to make the “dream come true”. If its fixed element, it might suggests through continue maintain the projects in progress. We can also look what are the connection between two natal planets in the natal chart, are they in a hard aspect (conjunct, opposition, square) in the natal chart or are they in a soft aspect in the solar return? A trine or sextile might suggests the easy flow of energy between the two where you will consciously work towards your goal or development for the year. If you have Sun-Saturn square in your natal chart, and then also a Sun-Saturn square in the solar return, it bring actions. you can fruitfully draw on and develop the skills of natal Sun-Saturn. If the Sun is now trine Saturn in the solar return, the task feels easier during the particular year. An opposition in the natal chart suggests internal conflict between two planets, more than one point of view, if these two planets show up as conjunction in the SR, they are on the same side working together. A natal trine can become energised when it’s reappear as square in the SR.

The hemisphere of the chart

We can also observe the hemisphere of the natal versus the solar return chart. The four hemispheres – are they more planets above the horizon, which is more objective focus on the world outside for the particular year, while the below horizon is more subjective and focused on the inner world. The eastern horizon concerns the more personal aspects of life while the western hemisphere’s centre of attention is on others or interpersonal relating.

The degree of the Solar Return Planet same as the natal planet

When the Solar Return planet is near the degree of a natal planet: it becomes a channel for that natal energy. Solar Return Saturn conjunct the natal Moon could reawaken us through duty or through more feelings and integration through the past to genuine relationship.

In the example chart show in the picture above, the Solar Return moon was closed to the degree of Natal Uranus and Solar Return Uranus closed to the degree of Natal Moon, the repeat patterns emphasis the year that is more Uranian, the Moon and Uranus connection release the potential. While the Solar Return MC will take the direction of the individual life.

The Moon in the solar return chart

The moon is a way to understand the solar return. In the Solar Return Chart, the Sun will always stays in the same sign, same element, and same degrees, only the house will be different each year.  As for the Moon, it will repeat in an element from one year to the next, it is useful to create your lifetime solar return chart (base on birth place) where you will notice that it will spend two or three years in the same element in the SR. The moon in the repeating element almost has the same connection from the previous year. They come as a series, and this move on when the moon changes element. It often from Fire, Earth, Air, Water in that order depends on what is your natal moon’s element start of with. If it’s in Air element, the next element the moon will be in is Water and so on. They are nineteen position of the Solar Return moon, and we are looking at a larger cycle a nineteen-year cycle that plays itself out in solar return through aspect between Sun and Moon - the Solar return Lunation phase which will prevail the climate of the year.

Also check that if your Solar Return Moon element is compatible with your natal moon, for example natal moon is in Water, while the solar return moon is in fire or air, it might suggest that you will need to be more emotionally aware during the upcoming year and what one’s instinctive methods of seeking security and shelter might not be effective. The moon accumulate experience, so it is important to put the context of it movement from one return to the next. When the Moon enters the same element as the Sun, it harmonises with the Sun’s basic intention, and a great deal can be accomplished. These can be a year of harvest and attainment of particular well-being, especially when the Moon and the Sun are in trine in the SR.

The house position of the moon will indicate the emotional territory for the year. In the Solar Return, we will focus on the area of experience and its house position which could suggests the below: 

Ø  The sphere of life that we are sensitive and feel vulnerable for the year, for example Moon in the 8th, the shared resources, intimacy.

Ø  Area of life where we need our feelings to be in touch with

Ø  The environment where we need to feel safe and secure for the year.

Ø  Where it occupies our thoughts and feelings

Ø  Where we need to be nurtured by

Ø  Where we might recognised our habitual behaviour and feel the need to change these outdated patterns.

Ø  Areas of life where we need to be more emotionally connected and responsive to.

If you have follow your Solar return chart every year, you’ll notice that the Moon travels counter clockwise through solar return progressing 0-3 houses each year.

The element of the chart emphasis in the solar return chart. The dominant element articulates the spontaneous approach to life as being enthusiastic (Fire), pragmatic (Earth), logical (Air), or emotive (Water). And the modalities outline the natural way in which life energy is exercised that year, for example, through activity (cardinal), stability (fixed) or flexibility (mutable).

Fast Moving planet in retrograde in the solar return chart.

To understand better of your lifetime solar return, become familiar with the repetitive cycles and prioritising the patterns in the solar return base on your natal birthplace.

Note the year that the following fast-moving planets goes retrograde in the solar return

Mercury is generally retrograde every 6th solar return. Mercury retrograde in the SR suggests revision, seeing the world differently, learning/communication is altered during the year. To find a new way to express thoughts and feelings, or to go back to finish something that has already begun before this solar return

Venus has 8 different position and will repeat sequentially every 8 years. When Venus Retrograde in the SR, it could suggests a period of reflection about what is most important in our lives, a more intense scrutiny of one’s values, and our ability to love, rework or review our relationships.

Mars will generally follows the elements through the zodiac spending about 3-4 times in an element before it moves on. When Mars retrograde in the SR, it could suggests a signal of a pull back in action temporarily. A time of reflection before action. Or a reorientation of our behaviour.

Retrograde planets are naturally subjective as well as reflective. It has greater potential to be internally focused, and internally orientated. A planet in retrograde is intensified, the experience of the planet is more subjective.

It is always helpful to look at the previous Solar Return and the next Solar Return to put the current chart in context of the others noting the appropriate cycles. The Solar Return charts are a reminder of celebrate the rebirth of the solar hero each year, and to renew our commitment to the development of the self.

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