Boost Your Vitality by Harnessing the Magic of the Aries Sun

Spring is here, and yet what is usually a joyous time of year is anything but this year—especially if you’re living in one of the areas most affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Even for those of us who are somewhat removed from the hard-hit areas, as the monumental shifts to our daily routines sink in, we are all beginning to feel the loss—there is grieving to be done by all of us. This is a process, with stages (that aren’t linear), and we won’t be finished with it for some time.

In the meantime, we need to be very diligent with our self-care, and this includes not just our physical health but also our mental and spiritual health. In the Northern Hemisphere, this is the time of year where we are supposed to be getting outside and making up for months of lack of sunlight. And yet it might feel scary to even leave the house. But the combination of fresh air and sunshine is an effective treatment for both our physical and mental health.

Read me: Spring’s Magical Transits Give You a Unique Opportunity to Bloom

Magically speaking, an important aspect of the sun is its power for protection and healing. The sun is literally the giver of life for our planet and is a symbol of health and vitality. And right now, the sun is entering not just one but two of its dignities or power zones. The sun is already exalted in the sign of Aries, and also has rulership of the second decan (or middle ten degrees) of Aries. This further enhances its qualities—such that this could easily be seen as one of, if not the most powerful placement for the sun in the entire zodiac.

So, if there is a way to get out in the sunshine without compromising social distancing practices, or even sit in a sunny window or doorway, now is a better time than ever to harness the power of the sun. From March 30 to April 9 of 2020, we can use this transit to build on or restore our basic life-force and power. One way to do this is by connecting with the minerals and herbs which are associated with the sun. For instance, last year I made some hair/beard oil using sunflower oil, sunstone, peridot, and St John’s wort. One of my favorite personal rituals is to use the day and/or hour of the sun to apply this oil, especially if it is a sunny day and I can soak in the rays of the sun on my face afterwards. The day of the sun is, of course, Sun-day, but there are also planetary hours of the sun every day of the week. You can calculate those here.

Some other herbs associated with the sun are Chamomile, Celandine, and Calendula/Marigold—which all produce bright yellow flowers. Orange, cedar, rosemary, and frankincense essential oils are also solar. As far as solar stones, incorporate citrine, ruby, garnet, red spinel, and red tourmaline into your ritual. And of course, the colors yellow and orange are very solar. You can use any combination of these to create a mojo pouch to harness and carry solar energy with you. The best time to do solar magic would be on Sunday, during the sun’s hour with the sun rising or shining high in the sky—but any combination of those factors will work.

Read me: A Chakra Mediation to Attune You to Life’s Current Chaos

Another solar practice that can be very rewarding is meditating while sitting in the sun. The best times to do this are at sunrise, mid-day and/or sunset, but any time on a sunny day is a good time. The following meditation is excerpted and adapted from the one in my book:

Sit in the sunlight and let the sun warm you until you feel relaxed. Now direct the warm fuzzy feeling you get from the sun down to the base of your spine. Let the warmth permeate your entire body. Now imagine your own inner flame flowing from the base of your spine, up and out from the top of your head and toward the sun. Allow your fire stream to flow into the sun, commingling for a moment, and then returning to you to enter at the base of your spine. Feel this flowing stream of white fire permeate your being and imagine it taking the shape of a lemniscate or figure eight as it flows through you, out around the sun and back again. Relax and allow this circulation of fire and light to flow of its own accord, replenishing and renewing every cell in your body.

If we’re fortunate enough to still be working, this can be a great time to take this accumulated solar energy out into the world as well. Clues about how to do this can be gleaned from the Tarot, as the planetary rulership of the decans shows up in the Tarot image related to each decan. The system, as given in Book T of the Golden Dawn, works like this. The first decan of a cardinal sign is related to the number two card of that element, the second decan of a cardinal sign is related to the number three card of that element, and so on.

In this case, the three of wands is the card for the second decan of Aries. This Tarot card is pictured in the well-known Rider-Waite-Smith deck with a strong figure posing at the edge of a high place, looking out over ships leaving the harbor. It is daytime, and the background of the card is golden, like the sun. We can assume this is a person of some authority, who has either ordered or is at least involved in undertaking some grand, far off enterprise. So, this is a card of “bright prospects.” Book T calls this card the “Lord of Established Strength,” and says it is about success and realization of hope. From all this, we can gather that this transit is an excellent time to initiate new projects and take creative risks with any power or capital we may have thus far accumulated.

References and recommended reading: Demetra George, Ancient Astrology In Theory and Practice, Rubedo Press Robert Place, The Tarot, Magic, Alchemy, Hermeticism and Neoplatonism, Hermes Publications Book T, Golden Dawn

Gary P. Caton is a transdisciplinary astrologer who maintains an active sacred relationship with the living Sky as his temple. Initiated an astrologer by a magnificent dream in 1993, Gary is the author of Hermetica Triptycha: The Mercury Elemental Year, and host of the popular Hermetic Astrology Podcast. Find Gary online at www.DreamAstrologer.com

Collage art by Rachel Day