When I think of healing I think of the warm summer sun. I think of the warmth surrounding me with solar magick that takes away impurities and sickness. The sun rekindles my inner fire and I am renewed. The sun has always been a source of healing. My own patron god is Asclepius, the Greek god of healing. He is the son of the sun god, Apollo, and is considered the father of medicine. Symbolically, Asclepius is represented by the rising sun in the east that dispels the cold dark night. He is the renewer of life and health and is called upon when someone needs healing from an illness or wound. In many pagan cultures the gods and goddesses of the sun are seen as deities who bring health, happiness, growth, and joy. If we look at the Tarot, the major arcana card of the sun traditionally means joy, health, and happiness. 

I am also a child of Diana the goddess of the moon so I love moonlit nights very much, but I also think that in our modern culture of witchcraft and paganism the sun is often overlooked as a source of magick. In my tradition of witchcraft, I was taught that not all spells have to be done at night, however that is certainly when most of us have free time from working all day long. I was taught that, ideally, we should separate our magick into lunar magick and solar magick. Lunar magick of course would be any spell that is coordinated with the phases of the moon as well as magick for love, psychic powers, spirit work, ancestors, dreams, journeying, and dark magick. Solar magick would be any spell for healing, jobs and success, protection, earth magick, wealth, and magick that brings good luck. Of course, I do magick when I have the time like everybody else, but if I can use the sun for magick I certainly do!

One of my favorite practices I enjoy doing with the sun is healing. Physically, the sun is the source of vitamin D for humans, but it is also a source of energy for plants that allows them to grow. The sun is also the source of heat that warms the earth and allows life to thrive. This wonderful solar energy can also be used to energetically heal the body. The sun is a powerful source of life force. Life force, also called prana, chi, or qi, is what gives all life the energy to heal, grow, and stay in balance with all things. Life force can also be found in the earth, the food we eat, and the air we breath. 

One of the ways the sun is healing for us is our emotional state. I live in Chicago, so it is cold and cloudy for many months at a time. Many people in this city become lethargic, depressed, and become more sick in the cold cloudy months of fall and winter. When spring finally arrives, the warmth and light of the sun renews not only the plants of the earth but also our spirits as well. We become happier and more energetic. The summers in Chicago are usually the best time of the year. Everyone is out and are more physically active. The sun gives us energy and life and many of us feel so much better and energetic. The sun fills our spirit with joy.

There are many times in our lives when we will need healing. There are many factors that lead to imbalances in our bodies and our emotional state. Between the toxins in our food, water, and air, and the stressors of daily life, our bodies can quickly become sick. There are also genetic factors that can lead to imbalances as well. I have found that using the sun’s energy to help find balance can be very powerful magick. It’s relatively easy to call upon the sun’s life force to bring your energy bodies into a state of wellness. 

There’s a simple ceremony that I have created to call upon the healing power of the sun. The most important thing to remember while performing the ceremony is to try to connect to the energies of the sun the best you can. Connect to the light, the warmth, and if you like, the gods and goddesses of the sun. For this ceremony, you will need an offering of some kind. I use either tobacco, wine or ale, water, or flowers that relate to the sun. You may also light incense if you like. For a solar working, I prefer frankincense, but any scent related to the sun will do nicely.

  1. Find a place outside where you will not be disturbed. It’s better to go outside, but you can perform this ceremony in your home or temple space as long as you can see the sun through a window.
  2. Spend some time connecting to the land around you and the earth beneath your feet. Then connect to the air around you and the sky above. Know that each of these things contains spirits of healing.
  3. Light your incense. You can give the smoke and the aroma of the incense to the spirits as one of your offerings. 
  4. Bring your attention to the sun above.Open your heart and connect to the energies of the sun.  Focus on the healing qualities of the sun such as light, warmth, healing, joy, balance, etc. Now, think of the many gods and goddesses associated with the sun. The ones that come to my mind are Apollo, Asclepius, Brigit, Horus, Sunna, and many others
  5. Call out to the sun. Speak from your heart and call to the sun and ask them to send you healing energy.
  6. Inhale the healing solar energy. Visualize the yellow light of the sun beaming down to your head and  filling your whole body with healing energy. See how your cells drink up the life force of the sun. See yourself balanced and whole.
  7. On the exhale, breath out toxins, sickness, and negative energies. Continue to breath in the healing solar energy and breath out sickness and disease.
  8. After a while, visualize your whole body pulsating with the magick of the sun. Know that the healing solar energy is healing your body, your mind, and your spirit.
  9. When you feel that you are finished, ground the remaining solar energy into the earth. 
  10. Give your thanks to the gods of the sun and the energies of the earth. Leave an offering for the spirits.

 

This ceremony is one of my favorites to do. It is very simple and incorporates energy work, the gods, and the energies of the earth. The main thing to remember is to try to connect with the solar energies the best you can. This ceremony can be performed at any time of the year. In fact, I do at least one solar healing ceremony for each season of the year. When performing the ceremony, don’t forget to leave an offering for the gods of the sun. The more we show our gratitude to the god for their healing energies the more connected we will become with those gods.