Before starting Vedic astrology I had been familiar with Indian concepts like Brahman, atman, etc. When I heard that the Sun represents the atman, this made sense, but then it also represents our individuality/ego. How can the Sun represent the atman, of which there is only one, and also each individual? When I look at a chart and the Sun is in Capricorn and has this or that condition and so much strength, etc., how do I understand that in relation to the fact that the Sun is also the atman?
After considering this for a while and trying to understand other various philosophical takes I created the attached image that shows how I have come to understand this process and what it means, and how I can integrate the Sun as atman and as ego.
There is a discussion of this in the Understanding the 5 Elements Course
Sun is atman, moon is manas which holds the jeeva along with Ahamkara, the ego. The individual self is thus in moon, which is the reflection of the sun. Atman is really the Sarvaatman, the soul of all. In a chart it indicates that little spark of god that is in us, but its not ego, its not a living being, its the bit of the one soul that is in us and it holds our essence.