I’m reading Retrograde Planets by Erin Sullivan (affiliate link) and she makes a very intriguing point about the nature of the sun as it relates to astrology. She claims that the sun is ultimately a reflection of the other planets that mediates those energies in our lives, through the sun sign. I found this commentary relevant because of ongoing magical work I’m doing that involves creating a specific space where you phase out sublunar energies, because of how they interfere with magical work. I also found it relevant for another reason, because when you are working with specific materials you don’t want direct sunlight to tamper with the energies. The commentary filled in a gap for me around the work I’m doing.
If we consider that the solar energy is essentially a mediation of other planetary energies as they show up in your life, then there exists the possibility that we can change our relationships with a given planetary energy by changing how the solar energy mediates that planetary energy. For example my Saturn is in Leo. My sun is in Libra and mediates that Saturn energy around relationships and my ability to love myself versus seeking love with other people. The result is that I’ve necessarily had to do a lot of self love work around myself because of the Saturnian influence as mediated by Libra, but in doing that work, one of the aspects I’ve explored is how to change my relationship with Saturn. This necessarily has involved changing how I approach setting boundaries and healthy relationships in my life, but it also of late involving working on self-responsibility and applying a Saturnian approach to relationships that redefines them in favor of healthy self-awareness and taking responsibility in a way that empowers me, instead of punishing myself.
This new perspective also has helped me see how retrogrades can actually be powerful and positive experiences that open us to awareness around the areas of our lives where change is needed and opportunities are available. For example, when Mercury goes into retrograde, the opportunity is revealed around the area of communication and what you take for granted about communication that could be worked on. Or apply this to Venus or Jupiter, with whatever meanings are associated with those energies. What could you discover about yourself in a retrograde period that could be worked on and developed in a meaningful way?
The application to inner alchemical work is clear when you apply this lens to planetary magic, but you can also apply it practically to your life. For example in the case of relationships, you can engage in magical work that’s designed to help you improve your communication and relationships skills. This ay mean you work with mercury to call up situations where you can practice your communication skills or that you approach a specific situation with an aim of enhancing your communication using mercurial magic…and at the same time you’ll factor in the solar influence and how that shapes your approach to communication. In my case, the solar influence is Libra/Scorpio cusp so I have to consider how that communication might be really intense and also a balancing of different perspectives, in a way that might work against me. The solar mediation of mercurial energy is an essential aspect to consider in terms of how I might apply magic to communication.
Taking this perspective on around planetary magic has shifted my overall approach with a consideration of how to factor in the planetary influences on the sun, as well as how the sun also plays a role in the other planets. It is a two way street and meditation on this idea can be helpful, especially as you develop planetary magic workings further, or apply them holistically to other endeavors. I’m applying this awareness to my daily work as well, in consideration of how to best direct the given planetary influences and also be more aware of them in terms of how they show up in my personality so that I can apply them in a way that is helpful to my efforts.
A nuanced approach to planetary magic factors in the way the planets influence each other, instead of treating them as siloed entities. Ideally you’ll get the various influences to play off each other, but even if you don’t learning how to plan for them can help you get better results with your planetary magic. Applying this understand may provide an additional key that opens doors for you with the respective planetary forces you are working with.
