Solar deities are among the oldest beings named and worshipped by our ancestors. It's unsurprising as the sun is the bestower of life-giving rays and its deities are healers. Zeus, perceived to be daylight itself, is also a symbol of great passion and power. The sunrise brings with it new hope and opportunities, while the sunset marks a time for rest, reflection, and preparation for a new dawn.

The moment the sun rises, and sets, can therefore be powerful times for meditation, focus and ritual invocation. The sun is, after all, an energy source, and a powerful one.   In the age of electricity it's easy to miss these moments and forget to pause for a moment to think about the cycle of our sun and planets and stars around us. We are often too busy with everyday life to be able to take the time, and even less often able to sit and watch the sun rise or set but whether you are just taking a moment to practice a short offering of gratitude for your day and the things that went well, or to think on the possibilities of a new dawn, it can be spiritually refreshing to occasionally take this time, however infrequent.

Sunrise and sunset rituals

We've created two custom resin blends and rituals for you to try; a sunset and a sunrise.  All orders over the value of A$100 will include one blend, and orders over $200 will include both!  Only until stocks last. 

You don't need to be outdoors or in view of the setting sun for either of these rituals. Just time them so they happen in conjunction with the sunrise or sunset wherever you are. Use google or sites such as willy weather to find the exact times.

Sunrise resin incense blend contains resin, herbs and flowers specially blended together.

Sunrise ritual - create a solar charm for strength

Perform this ritual around sunrise to harness the power of the new dawn. It's useful for times when you need additional strength - whether physical for sport, emotional in tough times, or for psychic resilience.

This ritual can be performed sitting, standing or kneeling. It's important that you are comfortable and free of distraction.

Light your charcoal disc on a fireproof surface and add a little sunrise resin. As the smoke builds, look into the burning resin and focus on your intention. Allow the present to fall away and the physical world around you to fade back as your meditation focus fills your whole mind.

Continue until the resin has burned out and is cool.

To create the charm, combine the resin ash, a gold coin or other small, gold object (a stone painted gold or similar is fine), and optionally, a small amount of chamomile and dandelion, onto a small piece of fabric and bind it shut with red thread.

Keep it as long as you need it. When you are finished and ready to release the charm, return it to nature with thanks. Keep it whole but bury it under a tree, or leave beneath a rock in a quiet part of your garden.

 Notes: chamomile provides an aura of calm and dandelion, or the 'tooth of the lion', fortifies strength in charms.

Sunset resin incense blend contains resin, herbs and flowers specially blended together.

Sunset ritual - personal empowerment

Take a moment to think about the intention of this ritual, such as creating a feeling of wellbeing or inner power in a dark time, or to grow your inner confidence. Once you have identified your desired outcome, begin the ritual.

Begin in a comfortable standing position

Light your charcoal disc on a heat proof surface and add a little sunset resin

Close your eyes and draw deep breaths. Increase your rate of breathing so it is deep, but as fast as you can manage. Be careful not to overdo it and hyperventilate. The intention is to vary your breathing rhythm so it is somewhat chaotic, but keep the depths of your breaths the same.

Extend your dominant hand, finger pointed, and focus on becoming in tune with the power emanating from the setting sun. When you feel in tune and focused, slowly open your eyes and look towards the tip of your finger. For this part, if you feel opening your eyes to be disruptive to your focus, continue to keep them closed and visualise internally.

At the time of sunset point slowly towards the ground while continuing your breathing pattern.

Focus all of your energy at this single point and envision a spark of energy erupting from it.

This visualisation is the energy of the setting sun imbuing you with its warmth, passion and power.

Continue to focus until this vision of energy grows and travels back up your arm from the point of your finger, and fills you with an overwhelming sense of inner power and light.

Notes: if you find breathing deeply with your eyes closed makes you dizzy or unbalanced, this ritual can be completed while kneeling. Just point to a spot on the ground slightly in front of you, rather than directly down. Like with the sunrise charm, the cooled ash from the resin can be combined with other talisman objects to create a charm, or collected into a pouch and kept nearby to enhance the effects for several days afterwards.