Retrograde! But, Make It Fashion: Sun
Welcome back, friends, and welcome to the fashion show... sort of.
SIDE NOTE HERE: Most of what you are about to read, below, will be repeated in each of the mini blogs about this series. I chose to do this because not everyone reads each individual blog and it is important to discuss some of the general information in each post. This way, if someone only reads one post, they still gain the benefit of the knowledge below. So, if you plan to read all the posts about this series, please forgive the repetition in some of them.
I call this mini illustration series: Retrograde, but Make it Fashion. It's a strange title for a strange idea. However, the origins of my idea for this series' concept does have a grounding in the logical world. I'm not completely in the clouds with this one... well, not entirely. lol
Last December, Venus was stationed retrograde and I had the idea for an illustration. Venus is the planet that governs pleasure, beauty, and attraction (among other things) in astrology. I was thinking a fun way to personify Venus was to transform her into a kind of Supermodel walking down the runway, or posing at the end of it, or just about to turn... I hadn't planned out all the details, because I ended up not working on it within the time frame of when Venus was in retrograde. So, I shelved the idea, until now. With so many planets currently in retrograde right now, I thought, "why don't I pull that Venus retrograde illustration idea out of the morgue and modify it to these other planets?" Thus the pursuit of making a little illustration series on the subject ensued.
I remember making a note on the Venus Illustration entry in my Idea Journal. The title was originally Venus, Sashay Away. It is a reference to the very popular drag competition show Ru Paul's Drag Race. Ru Paul, when she is eliminating a contestant, uses the signature phrase (modified/based on her hit song Supermodel) "Sashay, Away!" There's an animated GIF of it that I like to use sometimes and it ALWAYS gives me a private chuckle. I thought it an appropriate way to conceptualize a planet's astrological retrograde period.
I'm sure you have been asking this question to yourself (and to me) since you started reading this post. Probably you were wondering, in your mind, "What on earth is he even talking about?" Well, funny you should think that. Our position and view here on earth have EVERYTHING to do with explaining what a retrograde is. A retrograde (or planetary retrograde) is when a planet seems to be moving backward in the sky from our perspective here on Earth. In reality: No, planets don’t actually move backward. It’s an optical illusion due to the speed of the Earth’s rotation. But what ancient people realized is that when a planet changes direction or shifts in speed, what it rules will see challenges or confusion in our lives during that specific time.
Astrology is a science that utilizes the placement of the planets to make insightful predictions about how life on Earth is going to develop. It has been around for centuries and that is why we have been able to notice patterns throughout time, refining itself, to figure out that when the planets move, something here on Earth will be affected. You may or may not believe in Astrology, or you might think that it's just a cute part of your daily morning news feed. You may only think it's an amusing thing to discuss on a first date. It isn't my job or inclination to convince you of its validity. I will, however, say this: The waves in our Ocean are created by the gravity of our orbiting moon. The powerful gravity of Jupiter is what protects asteroids and other debris from crashing constantly into Earth (Thank you, Jupiter.) These are both invisible forces. And if this is what they can do to large masses in this universe, what do you think these invisible forces are doing to us or the environment we live in. We are, after all, 70% water. What "waves" is our Moon producing within us? Something to think about. I will leave defending the merits of Astrology as a science to the Astrologers, themselves. I'm just a weekend tourist. They actually live in that building.
Let's get back to talking about the retrograde.
A planetary retrograde is broken down into 3 phases: Pre-Shadow, Retrograde, and Post-Shadow.
In the pre-shadow phase, when the planet starts to slow down from our viewpoint on Earth, we start to see problems crop up and realize some current situations might be on rocky ground. This can last for weeks or months prior, depending on which planet it is.
The actual retrograde phase is when you see the problems that started to announce themselves in the pre-shadow blow-up in front of you. This is when the planet is taking control and moving backward in the sky. In reality, new information regarding what the planet rules are emerging in our lives — something we probably had overlooked originally. The universe is bringing it out dramatically in your face now to show you that you must pay attention to this before you proceed.
The post-shadow phase is when the planet is finally moving forward in the sky again but is still gaining speed to catch up with where it originally fell behind. Once a planet moves past this point in the sky, life should move along much more easily. The post-shadow phase is especially important because it helps us to resolve whatever popped up during the previous two periods so that we are on a better track moving forward.
That being said...
In astrology, there are two Luminaries: The Sun and The Moon. They are the brightest and most important "planets" in the astrological heavens. They are our source of light. They are considered the rulers of our day and night and afford significant and separate classification from the other "planets." Sun and Moon have to do with mankind's spiritual consciousness, while planetary influences operate through physical mechanism. Both luminaries do not retrograde because the mechanism of retrograde is based on the Sun at the center of that transitional planetary motion. The moon is exempt also because it orbits the Earth and not the Sun.
Let's talk about them, shall we? This illustration is devoted to the Sun.
So, in astrology, what exactly does The Sun represent and why should we care about it?
Most people are familiar with at least some aspect of what is called "Sun Sign Astrology." This form of astrology, which gained its popularity back in the early 1960s, has had its hold on defining what astrology is for many people since that time. Sun Sign Astrology is the pop-culture, candy-coated, fast-food version of astrology. It is as devoid of most of the important substance as it is devoid of most of its purpose. It is only meant to entertain and doesn't provide any helpful or meaningly insightful details beyond its surface. i.e.: "Hi, my name is Sally, and I'm a Virgo, and..." And then Sally goes on to laundry list a set of attributes that are associated with the Virgo Sign.
What Sally has failed to realize is that NOONE can completely encompass one single zodiac sign. No one is a "pure" Virgo, "pure" Cancer, "pure" Aries, etc. When someone claims to be a particular sign, they are usually only referring to their Sun Placement within the larger scope of their astrological natal chart. In truth, you have a placement for each planet, and that planet has a placement within (usually) a different zodiac sign. Each planet governs something different in your life, your path, your mind, and your emotions. This governance is then "flavored" with respect to the zodiac sign that the planet is placed in. Follow me? Or have I lost you yet? lol
Astrology is vast and nuanced and is something I personally am fascinated by. There are many facets to learn, but if you are just beginning, it may be best to just start at the astrological "holy trinity" of natal chart placements. These are your Sun, your Moon, and your Ascendant/Rising Signs. These three give you your first real keys to the kingdom of unlocking not only personal insight but personal growth and life direction.
However, today, we just want to focus on the "planet" at hand: The Sun. The Sun represents our ego. It is who we are at the core of our being: The "Self." All other tasks and decisions we make in life are in some way contingent on pleasing and fulfilling the needs of our ego. What are the needs of our ego? This is where you can begin to look at the list of traits associated with your Sun Placement. For Sally, that is in Virgo. For me, it is in Cancer.
At the moment, the Sun is neither in Virgo nor Cancer. It is currently transiting through Libra. It makes this transit annually from September 22nd-October 21st. We refer to this time during the year as Libra Season. And if you were born within this window of time, it is your season. Happy Birthday to all the Libra Suns out there. I hope you are enjoying your Season. Libra Moons and Libra Risings it is also your season, so Happy Libra Season to you as well. But what if you aren't a Libra Sun, Libra Moon, or Libra Rising? What does Libra Season mean for the rest of us when the Sun is transiting through a zodiac sign that isn't one of our 3 main placements? It still has an effect on us. Let's just take a look at the sign of Libra and what Libra means and is associated with, shall we?
Libra is an air sign (air signs activate and are tied to our intellect and our thoughts.) Libra is a cardinal sign, meaning that within the cycle of life (of our thoughts and intelligence) it is the origin. It is where thought and intellect begin. Libra is represented by the scales (interestingly it is the only zodiac sign represented by an inanimate object.) This is a fitting representation as Libra concerns itself with balance and harmony. Libra is also preoccupied with symmetry and strives to create equilibrium in all areas of life. Libra is also about real beauty as this zodiac sign is ruled by the planet of Venus (the planet of beauty, love, money, and pleasure.) Libra is the sign of relationships.
This is not to say, that only Librans are beautiful, nor only Librans know how relationships work, nor only Librans know what is fair or balanced. In fact, if Libra is your Sun sign, it is part of your life journey to strive for these ideals more so than inhabit them. This is true for every Sun Sign placement. Your Sun placement indicates what your ego will strive to achieve throughout the rest of your life. "it's the journey..." they say, is it not? But if Libra is your Sun, Moon, or Rising Sign placement, it is certainly fair to say that you have more experience and understanding of what it is and what it means to navigate the waters of Libra Season, and what it means to be a Libra.
In Libra Season, we are ALL trying to be Libras. This goes for any zodiacal Season, come October 22nd, we will all be trying to be Scorpios in Scorpio Season. (I'm a Lunar Scorpio so I look forward to the depths of the Underworld in Scorpio Season for sure... Spooky Season.) This is part of the force and nature of things as the Zodiacal Wheel of Life turns. Most of the time we are experiencing this pull on a subconscious level. We don't even know that we are trying SO hard to be a Libra in Libra Season. However, the Libras are definitely going to be much better at it than the rest of us... because they ARE Libras.
In Libra Season, We are beginning Fall Season (my favorite season, even though I am not a Libra.) Harvest Time, reaping, becoming close with our tribes as the winter begins to creep closer and closer and we bond together within our own tribes for survival. This is instinct. So what relationships are you fostering right now while the Sun is shining in Libra? Well, the answer to that completely depends on your personal natal chart. Your Ascendant Sign defines the order of the rest of the 12 signs as they are placed in your 12 houses (but I won't get into houses too much. That's a lot to explain. I could point you to some resources if you are interested, though.) But the shorthand is this: Houses represent all the areas in our lives. You can think of them as "stages" if that makes the concept clear.
For Example, I'm a Saggitarius Rising. So, Saggitarius rules my first house. To find out what rules the rest, you continue through the zodiac cycle. My second House is ruled by Capricorn, my Third by Aquarius, and so on. Libra rules my Eleventh House (often called the House of Friendship) this house governs my relationships with my friends, any groups I am a part of, my hopes and idealism, and my relationship with the entire collective of humanity. It is "flavored" in Libra which is the sign of balance, beauty, justice, and relationships. I'd say that is a good sign to have your friendships seasoned with. So, during Libra Season, any transits that the Sun is making to other planets (positive or negative) are going to affect my ego and its relationship to my friendships, my friendship circles, and my connection to my fellow man during this time of year.
If you are wondering how Libra Season this year is going to affect your Sun placement, I am providing this handy dandy LINK to a Your Tango article on this subject. This will go more in-depth on how each individual Sun Sign will be affected. This will probably be easier reading than looking up your natal chart and seeing which house Libra rules in your chart etc. Unless, of course, you're more curious about astrology, what it is, how it works, and how it affects you. In this case, I would recommend looking up your natal chart and starting your astrological journey. There are so many resources for that.
Before we go, let's talk a little bit about the art.
I explained the concept behind these odd but fun little illustrations. One of the things I wanted to pay homage to was the 1902 French film Le Voyage dans la Lune (A Trip to the Moon.) I have always been impressed and inspired by that iconic image of the moon with that face in it. I'm certain that this image has inspired so many other artists and each has paid tribute to this treasure of cinema history. In my case, conceptually, I wouldn't be able to center a face within my illustrated planets. They are in retrograde, and they are sashaying away from us. So we would only see their "dark sides of" or the back of their "heads" if you will. I still wanted to see a face on them in some way. I really wanted to superimpose the faces of real supermodels onto them. So, I came up with the idea of them looking back; serving us one last lewk before continuing on their retrograded ways.
Photo: Le Voyage dans la Lune, 1902.
I wanted to play with the proportions of head size because not all planets are equal (in size) and I wanted to convey that within this series. So some "heads" will appear large on their bodies. Some "heads" will appear small. These aesthetic choices are largely determined by the literal astronomical relation of planetary size to Earth and to each other. I should probably do a "police line-up" of them once they are all completed. lol.
Since The Sun never retrogrades, it was a visual and important distinction that she not be walking away and looking back as the other planets have been illustrated doing in this series. The Sun is the center of it all. She would definitely be at the end of this Cosmic Catwalk just posed in all her glory. She is just basking in all the adoration she definitely deserves; soaking it all up for what it is worth.
Illustration by Pamela Colman Smith
@ Rider Waite Smith Tarot Deck
The Sun is transiting through Libra, so it is important for me to visually represent this zodiac sign in the fashion. In tarot, Libra is associated with the Justice card. It's pretty obvious why from Smith's illustration. The card and the icon that represents this sign (the scales) echo our notions of the origins of democracy. I always think of the Greeks and of Classical art and architecture. I knew from the very beginning, when I was planning the illustrations for this series, exactly what type of garment The Sun was going to wear. I was making all my little notes on who was going to where what and why. I knew that I wanted the Sun to be wearing something that was modern-made but had been flavored with that Classical style. Something that conjures up the image of a Greek Goddess in all her splendor and glory. I mean, after all, this is the Sun we are talking about. She is the center of our universe, both figuratively and literally. She is the source of life.
As a quick aside, if you are in the NYC area, the Whitney has an original printed edition of Smith's illustrated tarot cards on display. It is glorious and I recommend you take advantage of it.
I wanted to evoke that radiation of the Sun's surface visually. Again, these planetary surfaces have presented a challenge to me. A fun challenge recreating the Sun's textural surface, but I like a good puzzle. I also wanted to show the translucence and radiation of its Solar Flares. I figured they would be a good opportunity to create "hair". It was important that you could see through each solar-flare-hair grouping as this emulates what solar flares actually look like. I then used the more recognizable visual representation of the Sun's flares to create the rest of her "mane." Why a mane? Well, the Sun is the planet that rules over the sign of Leo. Leo is visually represented by a lion, and lions have manes. 😊
The dress is based on an Elie Saab dress. I may be mistaken about the specifics, but I believe this dress is from the Spring 2011 Ready to Wear Collection. Don't kill me if this is incorrect. I am having to go back retrospectively and figure out where I sourced the inspiration for these garments. Like a dingbat, I forgot to make those notes in the beginning. 🤣😠Anyway, I LOVE how this evening gown evokes that classical time period. I mean, you could totally see Lady Justice wearing this to court today. Fancy. lol. I should also note that I was attempting to be clever here again in my concept. I am placing The Sun which represents the day in an evening gown. The Moon which represents the night will be wearing day wear.
One last few details to note. On her beaded belt, you will find the icon that represents the sign of Libra. This was the last element in the illustration I wanted to make to connect her to the current season she is transiting through. The "spotlight" she is standing on/in is the most simple form of icon/symbol used to represent the Sun.
That pretty much sums up this blog entry for the Sun and my little illustration of her. Stay tuned for the rest of this illustrated mini-series coming soon. Weather Libra Season as best as you can (especially if you aren't a Libra) and look fabulous while doing it.
Until next time, friends...
Keep dreaming, keep sketching, keep thinking, keep laughing, and most important of all, keep making art.
*Some of the retrograde information cited from:
Here’s what a retrograde in astrology means and how it affects you by Kyle Thomas @ New York Post.
Some information cited from Wikipedia.org
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