As the heart of the solar system and the gravitational center of the travels of the earth and the other planets, the sun is the primordial light, the source of all warmth and life. From the dawn of humanity, it has been worshipped. It has symbolized the absolute power kings and despots yearn for and emulate. The sun king, the nucleus of society, embodied a principle of cohesion and harmony. Various subordinates—aka planets—revolved around it. In terms of psychological symbolism, the sun corresponds to the center of an individual, the factor that rules your psyche. Its luminous aspects are usually associated with knowledge and consciousness. As a creator of life, it is related to the image of the mother and the influence of motherhood on an individual’s consciousness and ideals. As a result, the sun’s position in a birth chart always indicates the way in which an individual will relate to your goals and ideals, what your ambitions and aspirations might involve. A person whose chart is strongly “solar” usually identifies very positively with motherhood. Your personality is friendly, energetic, and creative, with high ideals and a firm determination to accomplish them. You take your own superiority and authority over others for granted, and you have a natural ability to command the attention and admiration of an audience. You are a born leader who enjoys being in the limelight and may behave somewhat theatrically or with dramatic exaggeration. You have definite artistic leanings. The sense of your ideals is evident to you and may lead you to be somewhat self-focused. If ill-directed, your deep aspirations may lead to such faults as egotism, selfishness, or greediness for power.

Bob Packwood:

Jupiter is the planet of luck and success. It is the biggest planet in the solar system, and it presides over the process of personal expansion. This growth is accompanied by a feeling of self-confidence, which, in turn, buoys up an even greater externalization and expansion of the ego. However, this snowball effect (Jupiter smiles and the world smiles with you), in which social skills magnify confidence and boldness reaps many rewards, betrays the negative side of Jupiter: extreme and excess. Although grandeur was the characteristic of the “king of the gods,” errors of judgment, poor taste, and sometimes selfishness and pride are also likely to be part of the Jupiterian package. It is important to note that the extension of the ego may be a form of escape; it is tempting to hide behind one’s popularity and social success, which are fairly easy to obtain, rather than be really demanding with oneself. The Jupiterian has a tendency to amplify qualities out of compensation, to avoid seeing weaknesses and flaws. As a result, you must be aware of the risk of over-identifying with your social mask, which would cause you to neglect your inner self and deep nature.

Bob Packwood feels a need for unity, a need to be related. He is also deeply aware of the importance of dreaming, and, negatively, may be prone to delusions. At certain times, he is overwhelmed by a feeling of subtle confusion related to a need for “something else.” When his well-being is disturbed this way, he either yields to a sort of passive, apathetic dissatisfaction, or loses himself in the search for an imaginary world, perhaps to escape or plunge into bliss. His spirit and emotions emerge confused, and his will is sometimes weakened.

The ninth house is important in your theme because it contains several planets, including the one which rules your rising sign.

According to traditional astrology, the ninth house rules this much broader framework, which includes law as well as philosophy, psychology, science, religion, mysticism, occult studies, etc. Bob Packwood is likely to feel a strong desire for personal expansion in this area of his astrological chart. An idealist, Bob will seek out experiences which reveal knowledge and meaning to him and give him a better indication of his purpose in living. The difficulties he is likely to face will be hidden behind what appears to be success. They may arise from his expansiveness, which is sometimes uncontrollable, or disproportionate. Although at the outset, his ambition and desire for personal development are a source of strength, they later become powerful enough to cut him off from himself. If he identifies too strongly with the flattering self-image reflected by the community, he may gradually begin to neglect his personal essence. Because this perverse tendency to confuse form with function is reinforced by modern society’s emphasis on packaging and advertising, he is liable to lose himself completely.

Bob Packwood, an astronomer, has studied the eighth house for many years and has written several papers on the subject.