The sun is the planet of self-realization, or highest awakening. The sun is responsible for all of life on earth, so it not only represents “life force” in Jyotish, it truly is the essence of life force! Many cultures consider the sun to be a supreme deity, or the physical and literal manifestation of God.

On a day-to-day level, the sun represents authority, government, and power. Strengthening the sun with a ruby promotes brightness, brilliance, and connecting with one’s highest sense of self.

Just as sunlight is required for health and vitality, but too much sun can lead to sunburn, the same is true with Sun gemstones. It’s important that prescribing ruby, spinel, or garnet for Jyotish is done in balance. We want to increase confidence without arrogance. We want to increase ambition without burnout. This is done by either wearing a smaller Sun gemstone, or a pinker color, if one is prone to overheating. For those who can handle it, larger and more vivid red gemstones will produce the most intense and powerful results.