  The solar cycle is a complex phenomenon, a comprehensive understanding of
which requires the study of various tracers. Here, we consider the solar cycle
as manifested in the harmonics of the solar large-scale surface magnetic field,
including zonal, sectorial and tesseral harmonics, divided into odd and even
relative to the solar equator. In addition to considering the amplitudes of the
harmonics, we analyze their contribution to the magnetic energy. It turns out
that the relative contribution of different types of harmonics to the magnetic
energy is virtually independent of the cycle height. We identify different
phases of the activity cycle using harmonics of different symmetries. A
possible way to incorporate the obtained result into the solar dynamo theory is
proposed.
