Sunflare
Twelve Faces of the Sun
(How to add to iPhone Home Screen)
Or get it for desktop: Windows · macOS · Linux
The ancient Puranas describe a tradition where the Sun never travels alone. Twelve great solar deities—the Adityas—preside over the months of the year. Each Aditya is accompanied by a retinue of six beings: a rishi, a yaksha, a rakshasa, a gandharva, an apsara, and a naga. Eighty-four beings in all.
Sunflare is a window into this movement. There is nothing to type in. No birth date, no location, no questions to answer. Whatever Sunflare shows you, it shows to everyone on earth at the same moment—because the Sun is the same Sun wherever you are.
The Beings
Each Aditya embodies an aspect of universal love. Each rishi holds a law which shows how to use this love. Together, they describe twelve fundamental aspects of the human experience—from the capacity to protect and bear, to friendship, self-knowledge, transformation, and the unconditional acceptance that lies at the heart of spiritual realization.
The other beings in the retinue are not decorative; they are the mechanics of the soul's movement. The gandharva is a force of action. The apsara governs the subtle conditions of the moment. The yaksha relates to the body. The rakshasa is the internal struggle. The naga is a deep, evolutionary urge. Every planet activates one of these beings at every moment, determined by the exact degree it occupies.
The Descriptions
Every being in Sunflare has a written description that explores its qualities and manifestations. Each entry ends with a set of Reflection Questions designed for contemplation: direct, personal inquiries into your relationship with these forces in your own life.
This is not prediction. Sunflare does not tell you what will happen. It shows you what is active and invites you to look inward.
The Glyphs
Each of the twelve Adityas has its own original glyph—a visual symbol designed specifically for this app to help you recognize the “face” of the current month.
Accuracy
Calculations use the Swiss Ephemeris—the same precision engine used by professional astronomers—to ensure the planetary positions are exact. No internet or location access is required.
What You Get
- The current month's Aditya, rishi, and naga, with full descriptions and reflections
- The current positions of all nine classical planets
- Full descriptions of every active being across all nine planets
- Set any date and time—past or future—to see what was active then
- Browse all 84 beings and their descriptions at will
Source
Sunflare draws on the Srimad Bhagavatam and other Puranic texts. Its presentation is informed by the research of Ernst Wilhelm. The descriptions and reflections in this app are our own.
About
Sunflare is made by Ninth House Studios. It is the second of three contemplative apps, each drawing from a different celestial body.
Desktop
Sunflare is available as a standalone desktop application for Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is the same app you get on your phone, running in its own window at its native size. No browser needed, no account, no internet connection.
Images
The complete collection of all 591 original deity illustrations from Sunflare is available for purchase. We can also put together collections by Aditya or by being type. Email josh@ninthhouse.studio if you want a custom set.
(How to add to iPhone Home Screen)
Or get it for desktop: Windows · macOS · Linux
