The Sun is one of the most important planets in our chart. It represents us—the self, the identity, etc.—but this breadth can make it a bit hard to interpret. All the other planets represents components within ourselves. What component, then, is the Sun?
One of my favorite interpretations is that the Sun is what you desire or want from life. It is your sense of Awe; i.e., the type of beauty you gravitate towards, which explains what directions or paths you might . I find this interpretation to be especially helpful in distinguishing the Sun from the Ascendant—which reveals the style in which you obtain those desires.
Your Sun is what you desire or want from life…and your rising sign reveals the style in which you obtain those desires. The sun is how you your own personal value, its placement indicates what you want and expect of yourself. Your rising is the role you were assigned in life and the way you naturally interact with the physical world. Both are you, they’re just different facets of our being.