When you say magical, a lot of people think of night time, with the moon hanging in the sky and stars twinkling above. The moon gets a lot of magical attention, with different attributes for each of the phases, and many people work with the moon throughout the month. Even if you only work with the four main phases (new, waxing, full, waning), you are still doing something roughly every week.
But when we think about working with the sun, we typically think about the Sabbats. We have these large moments that honor the suns cycle throughout the year, tapping into the seasons and how the world changes. So, we work with the sun every one and a half months.
I think the sun sometimes gets overlooked because it is so very constant. The sun rises every morning (sure, the time varies, but how many of us are up every morning at sunrise to be aware of that) and sets every evening, and we are used to being out and about when it is shining in the sky.
In a way, we take the sun for granted, which is a seemingly glaring oversight especially for anyone who works with nature and celestial bodies. It is the most present force in our lives, and by all rights we should work more with the sun than any other celestial body, but because it is always there, we over look it and seek out more interesting astrological events to work with.
Our bodies literally absorb sunlight, which increases our vitamin D production (a vitamin that aids in calcium absorption), it can help the body release serotonin (which helps improve our mood), and it is important in regulating our internal clock (helping you sleep better). This is why some people struggle more in the winter with depressions, as they aren't getting as much sunlight.
Of course, we are well aware in this day and age, of the dangers of the sun as well. We know that spending too much time out in the sun unprotected can cause sunburn, which isn't good for us in the long run. The good news is it doesn't take much time (about ten minutes a day) to reap the rewards of the sun.
I definitely find that when I'm feeling low that going out in the sun boosts my mood. I don't sunbathe for long periods, but sometimes I just need to get out and face the sun (with my eyes closed!) and let it soak into me. The curious thing (for me), is that if I spend a lot of time outside (like on summer vacation), my body will retain that feeling of warmth for a very long time (I'll feel less cold for weeks afterwards).
There are a lot of ways to work more closely with the sun. One of the simplest is to greet the sun every day. And no, you don't have to get up at dawn to do this! I greet the sun as part of my morning ritual every day, whenever I wake up. I open the window and take a moment to gaze outside, seeing what the weather is like. I have a small chant I say that says goodbye to the night and hello to the day. I find this helps me really start my day off right.
Another way to work with the sun is to charge things in it's light. Just like I go outside and soak in the sun, I can take my tools outside and give them a dose of sunlight. We charge items in the moon, why not the sun! It is just as magical, and you don't need to leave your stuff out all day, just take the things you wish to be sun-blessed outside and ask the sun to charge them for you. This is great to do with any sun aligned herbs or stones, but also any fire or air tools.
Moon water is a pretty common ritual supply, and while you can certainly make sun water, why not take it a step further and brew some sun tea. This is a really simple beverage to make, just take a large jug of water and some teabags outside and let it steep in the sun until it is as strong as you would like. The heat helps brew the tea. You can add some honey to sweeten it (honey also has great golden sun energy), and drink it when you want a bit of a boost from the sun!
Even though we see it every day, the sun is a powerful force, and could play a greater role in our magical practice. It is tempting to look for the mysterious and mystical when we seek out the magic in our lives, but we would be limiting our experiences if we didn't spend more time tuning into the sun (and not just thinking about it at Sabbats). Step outside, turn your face to the sun, and just allow the energy to fill you up!
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