SAGITTARIUS SUN

In Mesopotamia, your constellation was attributed to the god Pabilsaĝ. The Greeks called you ὁ Τοξότης (toxόtes), the Archer, the Bowman; in Gaelic you were An Saighead, Archer or Soldier; to the Romans, Sagittarius, a term for bowmen on horseback, or the Skirmisher. Early English authors liked to call you "Sol in Sagittary." Regardless of your title, the patron of your sign, a half-man, half-horse, never missed the mark with his bow and arrow.

"I see the goal. I reach that goal and then I see another."

THE HOUSE OF PHILOSOPHY

After the bold soul searching in Scorpio, where we confronted our darkest and deepest unconscious drives, we emerge in the light of Sagittarius. Like its opposite sign Gemini, it is in a state of perpetual expansion. Sagi now has the larger view of what the Scorpio process was all about, and can look back and laugh at itself. The arrow symbolizes concentration, the quest for truth, unavailable in the immediacy of one's environment, and knowledge which requires synthesis and deep pondering. Sagittarius is the enlightenment that comes from Scorpio's mysteries of the soul: Sagi wants to see and understand all that was felt in Scorpio, and how the existence of "something bigger than ourselves" is structured. With awareness of such higher principles and metaphysics, Sagi inspires us to enlarge our scope of vision in order to achieve greater levels of understanding on an ongoing basis.

For how can we accomplish this and get closer to the truth, if we already know it all? What would the archer do if he was out of arrows, or without a direction to shoot in? We can see how vital this archetype is in consciousness and, how important its adaptable nature is to keep life going. The course of travel can always be altered.

Sagittarius corresponds to the sense of being connected to something larger– to the universe, and the grand question of life beyond earth. This perceptual awareness of what we are connected to becomes the basis of philosophical thinking and metaphysical speculation. Sagittarius corresponds to what we call truth (relative to the phenomena of creation). Since something exists, there must be a basis to explain that which is in existence.

The core issue here is lack of integrity: envisioning, based on a natural intuition of what is possible, to the point of not being honest about the here and now. Sagittarians know that it doesn't matter what path they take, as long as they keep walking. But they can bite off more than they can chew. Honesty must be honed. As Sagittarius evolves, humility develops as smallness is realized in the face of what is real. Gradually, the security linked with "understanding" gives way to the desire to simply align with natural law, and in the silence of just being, as the angst to find something new gives way to the present moment, Sagi will directly experience more of the truth.

Early on, Sagittarius decided that they won't be reined into a box. So they researched, and read, and studied; exposing themself to different disciplines, anything to illuminate the larger narrative. They sense the grand design. They know, somehow, that the truth is out there. And this optimism, in the face of real pain, leaves others in awe. "How on earth can you keep going," people wonder. How can Sagittarius keep up the search? While some may not understand, and dismiss this quest, they also come to rely on the Sagittarian sense of perspective. In fact, happiness can become a sustaining force. Sagittarius is made to feel as if they owe others their joy. So a sunny disposition often becomes performative, crafted for the comfort of others who don't understand that happiness may be in the search, but it is not the goal in itself. The treasure which Sagittarius seeks is much more meaningful.

When they do feel hemmed in, misunderstood, or unduly obligated, they default to the one thing Sagittarius keeps in its bag of tricks: they leave. They go on in search of greener pastures, more profound answers, people and places that allow them to feel free. Their pain is bad enough. The last thing they need is to have an anchor tied to their waist while they struggle to swim to the surface. And if the next place, person, or idea doesn't feel right, they move on to the next. But as they find out, while a rolling stone gathers no moss, it doesn't gather much gold, either.

Under rule of Jupiter, Sagittarius embodies the thundering king himself– generous in nourishing others, and expansive like the sky. A piece of the cosmos come down to earth. Being an eternal student makes them the best teacher. They have enough to do for a million lifetimes, just in their search for knowledge.

"I once knew a Sagittarius who changed his name at least once a month, saying that every change brought him closer to his core self. I knew another who took enough psychedelics in one summer that he emerged as a wild-eyed prophet, trembling with the knowledge of the universe. I knew yet another who earned a triple PhD and lectures all over the world."
Our Sagittarian neighbors are intuitive, visionary, enjoy traveling, and aspire to soak up as much of the world as they can to share it with others. As they seek a better world, they find others in pain who need their perspective. They bear the ability to turn wounds into a catalyst. They know that humor infuses every aspect of the universe. There is always a reason to laugh. But they also know that behind every period lies a question mark. No dogma is above reproach. Thus they have the ability to live comfortably in the liminal space between skepticism and belief, knowing that both are required to get to the truth. We only get so many moments on this big blue sphere, and they intend to make the most of it. Challenge is therefore important in a fulfilling Sagittarian life. The compulsion to set new targets is so strong that it can become all-engrossing, with present activities being skimped because the eye is always on the future. Sagittarian enthusiasm, optimism, and zest for life are second to none but must be controlled.

Remember to look inward every now and then, but keep up the search. Hit the road, talk to others and get some answers. We're all waiting to see what you find.
In Taurus, at an inconjunct with Sagittarius, we see the natural crisis between security and adaptation. Because this sign is in aversion to Cancer and Taurus (the house and exaltation of the Moon respectively), it does not see where it belongs, nor does it care. This is why Sagittarians are often fond of travel. To Sagittarians home is "where you hang your hat."

Gemini opposes this sign. Ultimately, this axis is about how we process information. It is commonly described as: Gemini is the collector of information, while Sagittarius is its interpreter. However, this description doesn't do either one of them justice. Gemini is more than a fishing net, catching whatever floats by, and every Sagittarius isn't Socrates incarnate. There is this idea that somehow Gemini is a less evolved version of Sagittarius, and that if they would only learn to have a larger perspective, they could actually put all that information to good use. And if Sagittarius could only bring themselves down to Gemini's micro-level, their philosophy could be put to practical use. But really, both signs are whole and complete unto themselves, and both serve a necessary function.

You can look at it as a "forest vs. trees" situation. Gemini is out inspecting each tree, getting to know the wildlife, taking soil samples; Sagittarius reviews the data, looks at the forest's overall health, its growth year over year, and develops an action plan. Gemini's data would be little more than noise without the larger interpretation Sagittarius provides, and Sagittarius' grand pronouncements would be hollow without the data to back them up. This sign understands on a broad, structural scale, while Gemini understands on a granular level. Both brands of processing are necessary to achieve real understanding. But even when this basis is formed, flaws must be accounted for too. And Sagittarius understands this: that you can never trust anecdotes to show the whole picture. When these two signs' perspectives are put together working toward a shared goal, you get both the forest and the trees.

Cancer's inconjunct aspect with Sagittarius relates to the tendency of Sagi being to make generalizations, then fixing on those as the truth and needing, therefore, to convince and convert others to the same point of view.

Leo, in trine with Sagittarius, is the only other sign in the zodiac that understands why Sagi has an inherent need to expand. So when Sagittarius struggles to explain why every conversation turns into a dissertation or why every project turns into a whole production, Leo is there to back them up and say "go big or go home."

Virgo's square relationship with Sagittarius is best described as, "work hard play hard." Sagittarius connects to humor, lightens the load, and via the square to Virgo recognizes that humor is a central component in positive healing. One learns to laugh at oneself and at the absurdity of life itself. In Sagittarius there is a connection to the cosmic joke, the vision of the absurd. Virgo then points out, "Hey, that table you're getting ready to do a handstand on has a weak leg." Simultaneously helpful— and a buzzkill. Virgo kills Sagittarius's fun, and Sagittarius distracts Virgo's focus. Fire agrees with Earth on the separation of objects, but not the depth. This doesn't occur to them. The level which Earth considers to be surface is reality to Fire; and they want to blow it up, light it aflame, and dance around it. Virgo sees the square and asks, "What is it really, and why?" but Sagittarius says: "It's like that, huh, cool!" This sign is half animal and half man; holding a bow, selecting and pinpointing the target from afar. Virgo holds wheat, sifting chaff, separating the interior, valuable germ from its protective husk.

Pisces also squares Sagittarius. Here, Sagittarian visions connect to the power of Piscean premonitions– they are coming through Jupiter and its joint rulership of these signs. As a result of these processes, Sagittarius connects to the nature and function of our belief systems and thus how we interpret reality. But how we interpret reality may not correspond to what is universally true– hence the phrases "this is my truth," or "this is what is true for me."