Magic. For some, the word conjures visions of a genie in a bottle, a wand with endless powers, and maybe even a cackling old hag stirring up a pot of who-knows-what beneath a moonlit sky. But for the modern practitioner, the word evokes an entirely different sort of image: a practical lifestyle in which the mystical and mundane not only flow together seamlessly, but do so in a fashion easily suited to today's busy pace.

That's all well and fine, but doesn't the magical lifestyle call for a certain amount of spell-casting? And doesn't that create a time management problem—especially when there already aren't enough hours in the day? The answer is no, and that's because a magical lifestyle relies on the available resources. Of course, this often means substituting something from the kitchen cabinet in lieu of that time-consuming search for a missing ingredient, or maybe even working up a new spell centered around the things already on hand. But that's not a cause for worry either. Why? Because those who live the magical life know that successful magic relies more upon personal mindset than some list of ingredients. In short, they know that the practitioner is the magic. It's as simple as that.

Because many practitioners depend solely on the energies of the Moon when it comes to spellwork, they go to great lengths to plan efforts around Her phases. While there's nothing wrong with that, waiting around for the Moon to cooperate can be more than a little exasperating. When we need something, we need it now. And though we can certainly adjust our intent and wording to suit Her current mood, that takes time. Time we don't have. Especially in today's busy world.

But that's where the Sun comes in. Rather than offering opportunities that can take several weeks to manifest, the Sun presents us with five different phases every single day. Phases that either meet or beat the Moon's power, and all we have to do is apply them toward our efforts.

So, what are these Sun phases and when do they occur? More to the point, though, how do we use them?

While there's not enough space here to go into each one in depth, the following descriptions will get you started.

• Dawn: Infant/Young Child Sun
  Because this phase lends itself to anything connected to fresh starts, beginnings, or change, use it for all efforts where "new" is key (jobs, love, relationships, perspectives, and even life decisions). Rejuvenation efforts involving hope and trust, a reclamation of personal joy, or a recovery of good health or physical energy are also good bets. In fact, even a broken heart can benefit from this energy, for nothing has mending or refreshing abilities like those of the Rising Sun.
• Morning: Adolescent Brother/Lover Sun
  Since any project requiring growth or expansion works exceedingly well during this phase, it provides an excellent time to build upon the positive aspects in your life, resolve situations where courage is necessary, and to bring warmth and harmony to home, family, and relationships. But that's not all. It also offers the perfect conditions for efforts involving romance, sex, and that all-too-often-lacking flow of unlimited cash!
• Noon: Father Sun
  Along with the more complicated matters normally reserved for a Full Moon—love, finance, justice, protection, and so forth—this energy is unsurpassed when it comes to charging crystals and metal ritual tools. It also provides an excellent time for health magic; bringing that extra burst of vigor, strength, and personal energy; for matters of study and knowledge retention; or for those which require extreme illumination and magnification.
• Afternoon: Sage/Warrior Sun
  This is a good phase to handle projects that need clarity and resolution, but require a strategic approach with a soft touch. Professionalism, business matters, communications, and all interactions with other people fall into this category. Rituals concerning new ideas, adventures, and travel are successful during this time also, as are those which involve wisdom, tenacity, and the skills to cut through deceit. A very versatile Sun, the Sage/Warrior even provides a good time to balance the checkbook.
• Sunset: Grandfather/Sacrificial Sun
  Because the energy of this Sun phase is much akin to that of the Waning Moon, His appearance makes it a good time to simplify or tie up loose ends, and provides the perfect atmosphere for work that involves dieting; getting rid of bad habits; and eradicating stress, confusion, and poor health. Efforts designed to uncover deception work well at this phase too, as do those related to divinatory skills and psychic activity.

Since the phases outlined above are just a small reflection of what the Sun can bring to your magic, you’ll want to read Everyday Sun Magic for all the illuminating details. Be warned, though: Once you do, you'll never see the Sun—or magic—in the same light again!