The Sun consists mostly of hydrogen (92.1 %) and 7.8 % helium. These chemicals hardly exist on Earth in their free form. (H is mostly H2O = water).
There is magnetic activity on the Sun which forms sun spots in cycles of 11 years. Actually 22 years because they form first on one hemisphere, then on the other.
Sun quality is the most difficult to capture in words because it is an activity and a feeling. In anthroposophy the Sun represents not a special character of one individual but what happens between individuals. It has the quality of Christ's words: 'Where there are two gathered in My Name, there I will be in the middle'. It is more than the sum of the parts.
When people come together with their egos in their individual planetary modes, with ambitions, desires, uncertainties the situation tends to deteriorate. But when you are confident of your own qualities and are able to put aside the ego and so create space for the qualities of the other then something can arise that is more than anyone could have created alone. This 'something' fills you with awe. Here the Sun has risen. The higher I-consciousness flows.
It can happen with musicians who play their own part perfectly and at the same time hold back so that the part of the other is heard to full advantage. Then there is harmony and the music becomes more beautiful than the notes. What applies to musicians can also be applied to all situations in life where people work together in ego-less harmony.
At this point in the evolution of mankind the Sun only rises infrequently between people or is rather nebulous. But we do have the freedom to change if we want to. For instance, anxiety about the environment is forcing governments to take global measures for the well-being of the earth. Now the motivation is survival and not a free choice, but it can become a free choice to work together in harmony so the Sun can rise.
How can we individuals work towards the Sun qualities? First by becoming aware of our individual planetary qualities, by realizing how we are influenced by them and also how they work through others. Then we can take ourselves in hand and work on the schooling tasks of the planets and we also can realize we need each other's qualities to complement our own. Furthermore we can try to give opposite qualities space to grow within ourselves. A method to work on this is given in the last article.