Astrology in Depth                 The Incredible Moon-Sun
                                              Relationship [Part 2 of 2]

        At this time a subtle transition is beginning to take place. Yet this transition will take years to be complete. The young adult, striving for independence from parental or teacher-dominated rule tries to construct their world of freedom. Yet, because they are not ready for independence yet, they inadvertantly construct more Moon-ruled dependencies by joining fraternities, sororities, political movements, religious cults, havens, communities, as well as forming friendship cliques that symbolize something very special to them.

        In a sense, the individual is trying to establish belief in their own existence, and will do anything to bring this about. Yet, their over-riding need to belong to something is very much Moon-influenced as they are not yet psychologically weaned from their depency on all the mothering their immediate environment has provided for them up to this point.

        During the late twenties at about the time of the first Saturn Return (approximately age 28), most individuals can be found married and involved with the raising of their own families (again acting out the rulership of the Moon), this time from a different perspective. As the person begins to think of their life meaning, looking back and reflecting upon their past in an attempt to find their future direction, they are again depending on the Moon and in fact the Moon's Nodes, which will ultimately show them their direction in life.

        With all of this Moon influence, when does the Sun come into play? For most people, the finding of their Sun is a difficult step to achieve. It means letting go of convention, not worrying about reputation or what others think of oneself (yet another influence of the Moon), and daring to set foot into something that will come from themself instead of the nurturing they were dependent on.

        This is the reason why there are so few people who are leaders, compared to those who are content to follow. This is the reason why so many people only reach part of their potential. There is great fear in becoming the Sun of one's life. Most people are not willing ro risk the possible losing of the symbolic womblike lunar environment they have spent years creating.

        It could mean such enormous changes in one's life, perhaps a loss of friends, change of job or career, loss of marriage, change of religion or outlook and so on. Yet, inevitably there is the acceptance of changing over from the Moon to the Sun. This is often a gradual change, in some instances taking decades to realize.

        In essence, it is a finding of oneself, often after long periods of suffering and sacrificing for others. Often it is the awakening to a new reality, after all of the old has been stripped away.

        In order for the Sun to be dominant over the Moon, the individual has to take full responsibility for their fate and their cosmic and personal identity. They must be ready to shine, instead of hiding in the reflected light of others. It is one thing to see the light. It is quite another to be it.

        It often takes much soul-searching (the Moon rules the soul) in order to find the strength to be the Sun of one's being. Though this often takes more time to reach than most individuals would be happy with, it is better that one reaches the light slowly rather than burn up in it without understanding how to use it.

        Thus, it becomes important to understand that at any given age, there is a delicate balance between the Moon and the Sun, where the Moon holds the most dominance in the early years, followed by a gradual slow shift over to Sun Dominance from at least mid-life on. It is as if the Moon slowly gives birth to the Sun, as the long slow-maturing petals of the flower slowly open and the individual's life begins to blossom.