THE SUN

By Rob Hardy

The Sun is the first of the seven classical planets. The other six are: The Moon, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn. The Sun and the Moon are not planets in the proper sense but were called such by the ancient astrologers.

Why do these large lumps of material floating in space have any magical value? The answer to this question depends very much on your own personal view. I believe that all the planets in our solar system have their own living consciousness. A physical being is not required to run or fly or swim to be alive.

These apparently immobile physical objects are constructed from millions of tiny atoms and as such are far from lifeless. Pick up a pebble and you will have in your hand pure force, held in check by the will of the supreme creator.

With such thoughts in your mind is it not then conceivable that something as large as a planet can, and quite possibly does, have its own thinking consciousness? So, when I contemplate the planets I think of them as living beings. The ancients had a good name for them. They called them "The Gods".

The Sun is without doubt the greatest physical force in our solar system. Without the energy that the Sun bestows on our world, life as we understand it would be impossible.

The Sun has always been revered and worshipped by humanity from the most ancient times to the present day. The morning sunrise fills us with a sense of joy and oneness with our inner self.

The Sun's energy enters all physical things in one way or another, thus impregnating them with its life giving energy. Yet if you or I tried to gain entry to the Sun, ie expand one's consciousness to the point of becoming one again with the light, it would mean certain annihilation of oneself; to be consumed and yet at the same time one with the Sun once more. In so doing you would cheat yourself of your own individuality.

Let me try and explain. Each human body is like a small delicate chalice. Each vessel is filled with a drop of light, a spark of divine spirit. In this form a being has its own individual life and purpose. Yet if that small drop was to be returned to the whole, poured back into the ocean of light it would be as a cup of water poured into the sea. No longer an individual but integrated into the larger being, it would be lost.

In legend Icarus rose higher and higher in search of the divine light personified and made manifest in the Sun, only to fall with burning wings back to the earth one more and into the great sea, the birth place of all life on earth, presumably to be reborn to assay the task again.

Next time you have a bonfire in the garden take up a long piece of wood and beat the fire. Watch the sparks fly up into the sky. Compare these bright sparks to the incarnation of countless new spirits leaving the immeasurable fire of the god-head: like sperm leaving the phallus to be caught, like morning dew on the silver cobweb of the womb of the Great Mother, the Green Earth, from there to pour forth onto the physical plane as abundant life.

The Sun has its own special place in the tarot pack: Key Nineteen, The Sun. In the traditional pack the Sun shines down on a pair of children, a boy and a girl. They stand together hand in hand in a circle, made, it seems, from living grass, not unlike the fairy rings you find in the grassy places of our land. The circle is dotted with many small flowers. Behind the children is a wall made from different coloured blocks. The suggestion is that they are in a garden, perhaps the "Garden of Eden". The Sun in the sky above them looks on with indifference. Many Hebrew Yod symbols fall from the Sun (The Yod symbolises sparks of divine fire). Yods rain down onto the garden and children alike making both fertile. The card itself means; Night has been dispelled by the glory of another sunrise. Happiness and health radiate from this card.

The Sun like all classical planets has many occult correspondences: its own special perfumes, metals, herbs, precious stones, hours of the day and spirits of the day as well as its own battery of talismans. A few of these correspondences are listed here.

PERFUME: OLIBANUM
METAL: GOLD
HERBS: LAUREL, VINE
STONES: YELLOW DIAMOND, TOPAZ
DAY: SUNDAY
HOUR: MIDNIGHTO 1.00AM
SPIRIT: OCH
ANGEL: MICHAEL, DARAEL

 

The talisman, "The Square of the Sun" is shown here. The total sum of the figures adds up to 666, the magical number of the Sun. Its powers are: honour, success, long life and the wisdom of clear sight. It also has the power to protect its owner from evil spirits and can give one some powers over the spirits of the Sun.

If you would like to construct your own magical square it's quite simple. First you will need the brain of an Eagle. This you must shoot with a golden crossbow at sunrise when the Eagle is on the wing. Of course this make no allowance for the fact that you might shortly afterwards be decapitated by a bunch of wild conservationists

If you think all that might be a bit awkward here's a better idea. Take one fresh chicken egg, some good quality parchment and an old style dip pen with a plain wooden handle, (then you can embelish it with magical runes at your lesure). You will also need a small pot of soot from your chimney . Consecrate these items with the four elements and bless them in the name of the Sun. Next separate the white of the egg from the yoke. Mix the egg white and the soot. This will make your "Ink of the art". Cut a three inch square from your parchment and with your pen and ink inscribe it with the numbers in order from 1 to 36.

If money was no object The Square of the Sun could be inscribed on a plate of gold. When completed wrap your talisman in a piece of gold cloth and put it in a safe place ready for use. All magical work of this nature should be carried out when the Moon is waxing, in a place that has a congenial atmosphere. If you have the skill, a magic circle is ideal.

The best way of becoming familiar with the Sun and winning its help and friendship is to celebrate the fact that you know of its existence, not just as a ball of explosive gas but as an intelligent being. A good way to achieve this is to conduct a ritual working in honour of the Sun.

One of the oldest, and I think, the nicest rituals to the Sun is to celebrate a Morning Sunrise. The Autumn and the Spring are the best times of year to participate in sunrise rituals as the sun does not rise to early at these times. The ideal location for the ritual is a lonely hill-top, overlooking an east facing scarp slope. Once you have found your ideal location keep an eye on the local weather reports. Pick a fine clear morning and dress in warm clothing. It is probably best to go alone as this is less likely to make distractions. Don't arrive at your site too early; half an hour is a long time to wait on a chilly morning. The first five minutes of a sunrise seen from a hill-top is a beautiful and moving experience. Talk to the Sun. Tell it your problems. Bathe in its golden rays. You will see your life in a new perspective. Your worries will fade and the way ahead clear.

Do try this ritual. You will find it a most rewarding experience.


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