What is a Solar Return?
What is a Solar Return
Every year around our birthday we get renewed energetically, but also astrologically. We get a new astrological chart that influences our whole year until the next birthday. We could grow into our best version every year, or we could succumb to the worst case scenarios indicated in our birth charts. This new astrological chart that determines what we will experience in the new birthday year is called the Solar Return. It is called this way, because it is created once the Sun passes over the exact degree, minute and second where it was when we were born. Therefore, each year we experience a rebirth, a renewal of energies, but also new opportunities for us to grow and embrace life with fresh perspectives.
How does a Solar Return work
It looks like any regular astrological chart, but it is to be interpreted only in correlation to the natal chart. It is divided into 12 sectors, each representing a life aspect. There are 10 main planets which are spread differently in each new Solar Return. This chart can be regarded as a map of the events that are to happen during the new year. If planets in the chart fall more into a certain sector/astrological house, that life sector will be highlighted during that specific year. The year will get more eventful in that life sector.
The Ascendant of the Solar Return should always be interpreted in the houses of the natal chart. We would read, for example, Ascendant in the 10th house of the natal chart. This means that the Solar Return Ascendant will fall in the 10th house of the natal chart.
Can a Solar Return be changed?
Yes!... we can actively change it, unless it has already been created. Check your Solar Return before your upcoming birthday, and see if the astrological configuration that would be created in the place where you normally spend your birthday aligns with your goals. If this configuration is not compatible with your goals and desires for that year, you have the choice to change it, and make it so that you experience more of what you want. In order to change it, you would have to travel to a specific location in the world that would activate the desired new astrological configuration. Sometimes the trip could be closer or farther to where you live. Sometimes there are multiple configurations as options that fit your goals. Therefore, the configuration and indication of the Solar Return is strictly connected to the geographical location where you spend your birthday.
What can I do if I cannot travel for the Solar Return?
Sometimes, for various reasons, we find ourselves in the position where we cannot travel to change our Solar Return. This could be because of travel restrictions, financial constraints, family or work responsibilities, etc. So, what can we do if the Solar Return is not favorable? The most important step is to actually understand the predisposition of the new Solar Return. By understanding which are the limitations, challenges and opportunities as well, it would make it easier by at least 50% to navigate the upcoming year. In most cases it will be possible to use symbolic activities to "exorcise" the potential negative influences. By doing so, some people could actually thrive off of a challenging configuration. Therefore, if you cannot travel to change a Solar Return, there is still a lot of potential to re-channel the existing energy into higher purposes and into achieving goals. The only key is to actually understand what you will be dealing with, energy wise, because, as you know, energy materializes into events that you experience.
Can a Solar Return be adjusted or improved throughout the year after it is made?
Yes! We can definitely improve further the year of a certain Solar Return. We can do this through the Lunar Returns. Just like we have a new Solar Return each year, we also have a new Lunar Return each month. Every month, when the Moon passes over the exact degree, minute and second where it was in our birth charts, we get a new Lunar Return that will influence the events that we experience for the next approximately 28 days. As an example, if your Moon is at 24 degrees and 30 minutes in Libra, you get a new Lunar Return every month when the transiting Moon passes over that exact degree in Libra. A new astrological chart is formed, and that will influence your next 28 days, until a new Lunar Return takes its place. The Lunar Return can be read in a similar way as a Solar Return, except that the position of the Moon in this chart is more important than it is in the Solar Return, because the Moon is the main energy activator here. Just like with the Solar Return, we can also travel to change the Lunar Return, in case it doesn't support our plans and projects.
How strong is a Lunar Return compared to a Solar Return?
A Lunar Return can be pretty impactful for that specific month. If it is supported by major transits, then it will surely leave a mark. Again, it becomes even more important if during that month there is a Lunar or Solar Eclipse. Still, a Lunar Return will always be subordinated to the main Solar Return of the year. If for example, the Solar Return chart shows a challenging year for real estate and properties, then even if we aim for a wonderful Lunar Return that supports success in this field, the results overall will be close to null or at least very modest. However, if the Solar Return shows success in this sector, even if we get a challenging Lunar Return for real estate, we can still be successful. It would just be a difficult month and then we could bounce back.
However, it is important to note that a series of challenging Lunar Returns that happen during the same Solar Return year and that don't support your goals for that year, can undermine the general desired result. Thus, it will be important to understand the influences of these Lunar Returns and what you could do in order to create an optimal synergy between the Solar Return and the Lunar Returns.
For example, if your goal for the year is to find love, it might not be enough that only the Solar Return supports that endeavor. Well-targeted Lunar Returns will enhance the chances that you find love. Transits will have a say as well. However, if all Lunar Returns contradict finding love, then, it might not materialize, or the results will be frugal.
How important are the transits compared to the Solar Return and the Lunar Returns
I can tell you that the transits are very important to trigger major events, and they will work regardless. However, the transits will act only in the direction pointed by the Solar Return. If the Solar Return indicates a focus on work and career, then the transits will trigger that. If the Solar Return shows love, then the transits will support love. Still, many times the transits are in contradiction with what the Solar Return shows. For example, having positive beautiful transits to your natal Venus, would normally indicate finding love. But if the Solar Return contradicts that, then finding love would not materialize. Those wonderful transits to Venus could just mean that you get more popularity, money or other benefits during that year, all depending on what the Solar Return allows. The Lunar Returns could temporarily favor a certain event shown by the transits. But again, also in the case of the Lunar Return, the transits will have a lesser effect compared to the Lunar Return indication.