Mar 4

What is a Solar Return in Astrology? Your Birthday Signifies a New Beginning Each Year

Spheres of Fate Astrology

Did you know that your birthday signifies a new beginning astrologically each year? Each year on your birthday, the Sun returns to the position (the sign & exact degree) it was in when you were born. This is called a Solar Return, a reflection of the cosmos the moment the Sun returns. Astrologers utilize Solar Returns in their practice because it is such a powerful technique that yields accurate yearly predictions. The Solar Return chart reflects the unique story unfolding each year in an individual’s life, covering all facets of their experience- self-development, relationships, career, finances, health, friendships, recreation, living situation, family, etc.

What does a Solar Return look like?

The Sun will always be in the same sign as the individual’s natal Sun sign, as the Sun is returning to the same position. For example, if you have an Aries Sun in your natal chart, the Sun will always be in Aries in your Solar Return chart. However, all other components of the Solar Return chart are subject to change.

The Sun is the primary factor in a Solar Return chart

The first thing to consider while reading a Solar Return chart is the Sun. Astrologers consider the following factors related to the Sun:

The house placement of the Sun- the house the Sun is placed in showcases the area of life activated for the year ahead. For example, if the Sun is in the 9th house of an individual’s Solar Return chart, this indicates that education, travel, and philosophy will be highlighted. Major themes and events will revolve around travel, the pursuit of educational goals, belief systems, and/or moral contemplations. The house placement also ties in the concept of Sect, an astrological categorization that distinguishes a chart as a day chart or night chart. If the Sun is above the horizon (above the degree of the Ascendent and Descendent), it is considered a day chart. If the Sun is below the horizon (below the degree of the Ascendent and Descendent), it is considered a night chart. If one's Solar Return chart is a day chart, there is a greater emphasis on public contributions, gaining attention, and outward ambitions in the year ahead. If one's Solar Return chart is a night chart, there is a greater emphasis on endeavors behind the scenes, building foundations, and internal ambitions in the year ahead.
The aspects to the Sun- aspects to the Sun showcase the energies tied to the central events of the year ahead and whether the events are supportive or challenging in nature. Continuing the example above, if the Sun in the 9th house trines Uranus in the 1st house in an individual’s Solar Return chart, this indicates that themes of education, travel, and philosophy are connected to cultivating personal freedoms, reinventing one's identity, changes in appearance, and authentic self-expression in beneficial ways.
The Soli-Lunar Phase- the aspect between the Sun & Moon reveals the Soli-Lunar phase, a configuration that describes the ebbs and flows of creative processes. Waxing phases represent growth and expansion, waning phases represent shedding and surrender. The placement of the Sun & Moon in the Solar Return chart will reveal which themes are connected to this process. For example, if the Sun is in the 9th house and the Moon is in the 11th in an individual's Solar Return chart, under a waxing crescent phase, this suggests that gradual growth related to education, travel, philosophy, future goals, community, and friendship is in store for the year ahead.
Special Signatures- any special configurations involving the Sun such as a Solar Eclipse, Cazimi, or Combustion are important to pay attention to in a Solar Return chart. A Solar Eclipse is the most powerful signature, as it signifies that the year ahead is subject to fated twists and turns that are life changing. One can expect potent shifts related to their identity, roles, purpose, life direction, paternal figures, authority, public image, and self-expression. The sign placement, house placement, and lunar node connected to the Solar Eclipse in the Solar Return chart will provide more details around the changes taking place. For example, a north node Solar Eclipse in Aries in the 10th house of an individual's Solar Return chart would indicate major new developments vocationally- gaining a new boss at work, stepping into new roles publicly, initiating powerful entrepreneurial projects, changes to one's status, stepping into leadership positions in career, pursuing life changing long-term personal goals, paternal figures forging influential paths in the world, etc. A Cazimi is a very special configuration the Sun can have with other planets, as the Sun enhances the themes connected to whichever planet is Cazimi. For example, a Venus Cazimi represents elevated relationships, creativity, and financial prosperity. Thus, a Cazimi in a Solar Return chart suggests an emphasis on a specific planetary energy in a way that is uplifting. Conversely, a planet that is Combust with the Sun is weakened and diminished by the Sun's rays. For example, a Combust Mercury in an individual's Solar Return chart suggests draining intellectual tasks, overthinking, mental anguish, dwindling social interactions, and depleting commutes. Thus, a Combustion in a Solar Return chart suggests an emphasis on a specific planetary energy in a way that is taxing.

Other planets in a Solar Return chart

Each planet in the Solar Return chart adds to the story for the year ahead. For example, if Jupiter is in Gemini in the 5th house of an individual’s Solar Return chart, this indicates an expansion of creativity, romance, fertility, and recreation in a way that is dynamic, intellectual, and multi-faceted. Jupiter in Gemini in the 5th house represents cerebral and playful events such as publishing creative works, meeting dating partners through social connections, learning new skills/hobbies/languages, teaching children, engaging in leisure that is also educational, and/or receiving invites to agile social gatherings (concerts, arcades, sports games, etc). Astrologers evaluate many factors connected to each planet to gain a holistic perspective on the events taking place (dignity, aspects, house placement, sign placement, sect, retrogrades, etc).

Natal chart overlay

Astrologers investigate how the Solar Return chart compares to one’s natal chart to deepen their understanding of the year’s significance in the individual’s overall life story. For example, if an individual’s natal Venus is in Taurus and Venus is also in Taurus in the Solar Return chart, this signifies that this particular year is monumental for relationships and finances (example milestones: a marriage, a new source of income, big purchases, etc). If the MC in the Solar Return chart makes an exact conjunction to the individual’s natal Mercury, this indicates a monumental year for learning, communication, public image, and career. The individual could learn impactful information career wise or gain visibility in some way for their communications. As always, the potentials that exist within one’s natal chart will provide more context as to what will be activated. To understand these potentials, astrologers assess the condition of one’s natal placements (evaluating dignity, aspects, house placement, sign placement, sect, retrogrades, etc).

You don’t have to wait for your birthday to get a Solar Return reading!

Decoding your Solar Return chart or getting a Solar Return reading is a great way to celebrate your birthday each year and anticipate what is coming up for you. However, you don’t have to wait for your birthday each year to get a Solar Return reading or look at your Solar Return chart! Remember, the Solar Return chart is active from one birthday to the next, which is a year long time period. We are always under the influence of our most recent Solar Return; thus, discovering what is activated for you currently is useful as well.

Book a Solar Return reading here for an analysis of your unique Solar Return chart (for any year of your choosing).

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