Magic is not only used for big efforts like finding a new job or healing an illness. It’s also incredibly useful as a stabilizing, smoothing force. When the patterns of life shift, it can be useful to look at what we can do magically to make the waves a little calmer. The transition out of daylight savings time and into a darker, colder season of the year is a great opportunity to set new magical practices in place. It’s easier to build seasonal enchantments now so they’ll be there for us when winter’s more challenging moments arrive.
Many of us wrestle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) to some degree – a response to shorter days and longer nights that negatively impacts our state of mind. The effect can range from mild discontent to full depression. There are some helpful mundane techniques for managing SAD like daylight lamps, mood stabilizers, exercise, and the correct use of supplements. As with many areas of life, there are also some good magical techniques for boosting the amount of solar energy we’re getting. My favorite solar enchantment for winter is a sun-saver.
In regions with deciduous trees, more sunlight reaches our homes during winter than summer. This is helpful in terms of heating bills, of course, but also means that bright sunlight is available to us even if the air outside is cold. Take advantage of the windowsills and surfaces in your home that get a lot of daytime sun by using them to power up some sun-savers. A sun-saver is a stone, talisman, or jewelry item whose sole purpose is to gather up and then release solar energy. Stones like citrine, amber, sunstone, and orange calcite all work particularly well as sun-savers. Jewelry items in the shape of the sun, or made of bright, sunny colors, are also effective.
To create your sun-saver, begin by noticing where the sunlight falls within your home during the day. For example, the back of my house is southeast facing, so the windows on that side of the house get the most sun. Choose a sunny windowsill or other surface that gets plenty of illumination. It’s okay if that windowsill has other residents – my sun-saver space is shared by some houseplants. They don’t seem to mind the extra solar presence a sun-saver spell creates.
Then, select and clear your sun-saver items. Reusing things you already have is great – look through your rock collection for fiery stones and through your jewelry collection for solar symbols and colors. If you don’t find anything useful, you can always draw sun symbols on small pieces of paper or fabric to use as talismans. Purify the items you’ve selected in the way most appropriate for them – rest them on salt, waft purifying incense over them, rinse them in holy water…it all depends on what you’re using as your sun-savers.
On the next bright, sunny day when you are home to take advantage of the sunlight, gather your supplies. Clean the windowsill or other surface first. This helps remove any potential energetic buildup that your sun-saver could potentially absorb. You can either use the clean windowsill or surface, or set a solar-themed base for your sun-savers. A piece of bright yellow or gold paper (even wrapping paper), sunny or golden scarf, or brightly colored plate will all work. I’m a big fan of using inexpensive secondhand scarves as altar cloths and bases for different workings. Once you’ve set your base, dedicate that space to the sun. I am Heathen, so my invocation is to Sunna. Feel free to use this or adapt it if it speaks to you:
Fire of the sky, ever-glowing fair-wheel
Grace-shining sister of Máni
Be welcome here, Sunna.
All-bright seen one, let your touch linger
On all that rests in this place.
Sunshine sparking Sunna
Bless this space with your radiance.
Hail, Sunna.
I like to make an offering to deities I invite into my space, so my sun-saver space includes a small offering cup. After the invocation, I pour Sunna some mead and leave it on the windowsill for a few days.
Then, place your stones or jewelry onto the base you’ve selected. Use several items as opposed to just one so that some items are always charging while others can be worn or carried. As winter progresses, place a sun-saver stone in your pocket in the mornings, or wear one of your solar jewelry items. Allow all that saved-up sun to warm and brighten your energy. Return that item to the base to be recharged after a day’s wearing/carrying and choose a different item the next morning.
On sunny days when you are home while your sun-savers are charging, visit their space. This spot in your home has been blessed with solar energy. Stand or sit for a few minutes and soak up some sun with your mind, heart, and body. If you are working with a deity like Sunna, remember to refresh the offering and express gratitude for the help.
A large pile of tumbled citrine or other sunny stone can be useful for introducing more solar energy to a room or office. Allow that collection of stones to charge in the sunlight for a day or two, then place half of them in the room where you need them the most. Switch them out weekly (or as they lose effect) with the half of the pile that has been charging while the other stones were working.
Depending on your need for solar energy, your working area can expand into a full altar. If you are using a windowsill, consider adding hanging sun images or charms to the window itself using small suction cup hooks (available in the housewares section of most grocery stores). If your working surface is a sunny shelf or tabletop, consider additional sun symbols. Draw, print out, or obtain an image of the solar deity you’re working with and make offerings to them part of a regular practice. If incense is part of your devotional practice, a sun altar can be enhanced with offerings of bright, fiery incenses like cinnamon, juniper, rosemary, or sandalwood.
May the blessings of bright sunlight be with you this season, and may you feel the cheer of their glow.
So, how do you hold onto solar energy during the fall, winter, and early spring? Hit me up in the comments. You never know when your technique is exactly what will work for someone else.
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