by Mary Fortier Shea

The CHALLENGE for the coming year when the Sun moves to the 1st is to translate spiritual purpose, emotional support and the physical environment into the right combination for personal development and success.

The ASSETS carried over from the previous year when the Sun was in the 7th house are strong partnerships and a sense of cooperation.

The Sun in the 1st house asks "What can you do for and by yourself?" You are not necessarily alone, but you tend to act alone. This is a time of personal progress and achievement. You need to discover your own needs, abilities and talents. Self-interests are important, but can also blind you. While these might play out in the personal area this year, next year when the Sun moves to the 10th house, your skills can be used in the workplace and career arena.

The CHALLENGE for the coming year is to translate personal development into career success when the Sun moves to the 10th.

The ASSETS carried over from the previous year when the Sun was in the 4th house are a strong sense of spiritual purpose, emotional support and an appropriate physical environment.

The Sun in the 10th house is excellent for career decisions and moves. Many people use this position to change jobs, or to start their own businesses and become self-employed. This is a good time to use your reputation to your advantage, especially if the Sun is well-aspected, or is in the 10th with Venus or Jupiter. It can also work against you if you have abused your position in the past. This is also a good time to make destiny path choices or radical changes in life-styles or locations. Reorient your focus in a big way. Issues with authority figures and also parents are possible.

The CHALLENGE for the coming year when the Sun moves to the 7th house is to use your successes and skills to build cooperative and fulfilling partnerships.

The ASSETS from the previous year when the Sun was in the 1st house is personal achievement as a stepping stone to business success.

When the Sun is in the SR 7th, relationships are more important than individuality and independence. The tendency is to want to work well with others is a cooperative manner. This can be a highly creative exchange filled with mutual benefit, or you could find it restrictive. It depends on your skills in negotiation and persuasion. Placation is the fall back position in those more difficult situations. Individuals who are blind to their own faults will have more trouble this year. Those who are able to empathize with others, will grow in compassion.

The CHALLENGE for the coming year when the Sun moves to the 4th is to translate cooperation into support and empathy into emotional definition and clarity.

The ASSETS carried over from the previous year when the Sun was in the 10th are career success leading to relationship success and appropriate destiny path choices which are mutually beneficial and lead to cooperation.

The 11th house is the house of why not? A lot of questioning goes on when the SR Sun is in this house. You tend to question social norms, current practices, rules, regulations, and the way things have always been done. This is a time to define goals and hopes while planning for the future. The purpose of all this questioning and review is to breakdown the limiting structures which keep you from manifesting who you truly are. Next year, the Sun might move to the 8th house which is the house of greatest change. The Sun in the 11th house prepares you for that transition by removing obstacles in your thinking. Group interactions and friends might also be instrumental in this review process.

The CHALLENGE of the coming year when the Sun moves to the 8th house is to remove unnecessary restrictions and formulate goals so that change can occur. Socialization with friends and groups will leads to new insights and accute awareness.

The ASSETS from the previous year when the Sun was in the 2nd house are a renewed sense of stability enabling considerations for change and a strong sense of self-worth that fosters positive and supportive friendships.

The Sun in the 8th house is noted for change. These are the people who change lifestyles or pick up and move cross country. Individuals quit their jobs and go to school. Women who have been raising children, go back to work. Couples get married, others get divorced. Life-styles change in a big way. This is also the house of acute perception. You know more than you are told or could/should ever say. Some of the perceptions are intuitive, others are psychological. But you are able to perceive others motivations and inner dynamics clearly. You are also very aware of manipulations by others. All this is to take you to a new level of self-empowerment. During the year you can learn how to sidestep power issues involving money, sex, or controlling influences if you pay attention.

The CHALLENGE for the coming year when the Sun moves to the 5th house is to makes the necessary changes and empower yourself so that you can truly express yourself in a creative way.

The ASSET from the previous year when the Sun was in the 11th house is the ability to question the status quo and establish new goals and a new order.

The Sun in the 5th house is interpreted as, "To thine own self be true!" It is time for the personality to blossom. You need to express who you truly are. The avenues for expression are both creative and artistic. You might be involved in a highly imaginative project. You might put together your own school or course. You might have a child. You could write, draw, bead, sew, etc. Whatever the task, risk-taking is involved. This is also true when romance is on the scene. This can be a very sexually exciting year.

The CHALLENGE for the coming year when the Sun moves to the 2nd house is to channel all your creativity into money making ideas and products. Truly expressing yourself will also foster self-worth.

The ASSETS from the previous year when the Sun was in the 8th house include greater freedom arising from the changes made. Self-expression is also improved by the acute perceptions and the ability to be self-aware.

The Sun in the 2nd house indicates that monetary concerns are important. This is a good time to budget your expenses or focus on money making ideas. Though your salary may not increase this year, this is the year you decide you deserve more and begin to push for a higher income. The actual increase might not come until the end of the SR year or as the Sun moves into the 11th. Self-worth issues are to the forefront. You will expect appreciation. If you are in an abusive relationship, consider getting out and ending it. Aren't you worth it? This is a good time to prioritize your values and limit any indulgence you might have like smoking. Thinking tends to be traditional and conservative.

The CHALLENGE for the coming year when the Sun moves into the 11th is to foster new goals off of your present stability and develop friendships with people who really appreciate you.

The ASSET from the previous year when the Sun was in the 5th house is ability to express yourself. Creative outlets can lead to money- making projects and increased self-worth.

The Sun in the 3rd house emphasizes the rational mind and all intellectual pursuits. This is a good time for reading, writing, communicating, and studying. Your mind tends to be active and it is good to have something that you are interested in investigating and learning. A restless mind, all dressed up with no place to go might tend to become anxious or depressed. Mental stability is a factor during this time and can make or break the year so pursue your intellectual interests with great fervor. Stoke the fire, don't starve it. This is also a good time for community involvement.

The CHALLENGE for the coming year when the Sun moves to the 12th house is to integrate all the information and facts you have gathered. Knowledge and understanding can also lead to greater compassion.

The ASSETS from the previous year when the Sun was in the 6th house are common sense and practical applications for what you are learning. If you organized your day and watched your health, you have lots of good study time and a sharp mind.

This tends to be a behind-the-scenes year for many. You might not get the recognition you would like or think you deserve. But it could be just too soon. If you wait, things can turn around. This is a time for the one-year project. What you are attempting to do might not be ready for review for a year. Development can take that long, so work quietly for the time being. When the Sun is in the 12th, you tend to have more of a closet personality. The demands of others can be overwhelming, especially if you are drawn to those who are sick or needing assistance. Make sure the people you attempt to help want to be helped, otherwise you will fall prey to savior/victim syndrome. Most of all, this is a time for reflection, meditation, integration, and organization. If you allow your mind to become too unstructured and unfocused, you could experience anxiety.

The CHALLENGE for the coming year when the Sun is in the 9th house is to translate spiritual experiences, intuition and compassion into a philosophy to live by. One-year writing projects can be ready for publication.

The ASSET from the previous year when the Sun was in the 3rd house is a wealth of new information seeking integration and organization.

All beliefs, mundane, religious and philosophical are reviewed when the Sun is in the 9th house. It's time for reassessment. You must take a closer look at the structure underlying your actions and decisions. If you have always had a strong belief in yourself, that you could do something, it's time to prove it. It's now or never. You might also travel during the year, especially overseas. This is a good time to seek a publisher or return to school.

The CHALLENGE for the coming year when the Sun is in the 6th house is to find practical applications for your newly refined beliefs. Practice what you preach to relieve stress.

The ASSETS from the previous year when the Sun was in the 12th house are a spiritual sensitivity and experiential knowing that guides your review and helps you to personalize your philosophy.

When the Solar Return Sun is in the 6th house, the emphasis is on health and work. Generally, health is good as long as you pay attention to what your body is telling you and you have been attentive in the past. Health comes from the inside out and you must work with your body. If you have been negligent, now is the time to take corrective action before a problem arises or worsens. The work emphasis is on organizing your day and streamlining tasks. Choices tend to be either-or. New career directions are more commonly associated with the 10th while the 6th deals with the daily running of the business and office procedures.

The CHALLENGE for the coming year when the Sun moves to the 3rd house is to organize your day and improve your health so you have the time and strength for intellectual pursuits. Practical applications can improve your problem-solving ability.

The ASSETS from the previous year when the Sun was in the 9th house are a strong philosophical structure that supports your actions and lessens your stress. Your beliefs also guide you towards practical applications.