Recently I have been made aware of a practiced known as solar gazing, sun gazing, or solar healing. It involves staring at the sun during sunrise and sunset to gain sustainable nourishment from the rays to replace or complement food intake (eating solid food) and as a facilitator of spiritual development. Taken as is, this notion seems far-fetched and physically harmful. However, while researching this topic I learned there is more to sungazing than meets the eye. In fact, I have been apparently solarhealing for five years now. Let me explain…
After gaining a cursory knowledge of solargazing, I learned it is not as far-fetched to me as it originally seemed. When I was a young boy at age 13 I found an old, small, and red Raja Yoga in my mothers bookshelf. It was printed in 1954 I believe. Inside the book, the Yogis instructed the student to meditate twice daily at sunrise and sunset for up to an hour. I engaged in this practice for two weeks. Towards the end of the two week mark I found playing with my neighborhood friends during the evening and sleeping in an extra hour more in the morning more enjoyable than sitting alone outside, cross-legged in inclement, New York weather - especially during puberty. So I gave it up.
Then I moved to Las Vegas five years ago. Here in the desert the sunsets and sunrises are simply breathtaking. And that - what I feel inside - is the power of solargazing.
At least once per week I have found myself outside in the desert away from the housing developments. Situated near the mountains that surround Las Vegas I sit, lay or stand watching the Sun drop behind the mountains on the other side of the Vegas Valley. Sometimes, I drive out to the next valley - the Eldorado Valley that is uninhabited desert wilderness and sit on the roof of my truck watching the colors of the world change from white to yellow, pink, orange, red, lavender, purple and midnight blue. It’s quite extra an ordinary event, romantic and awe-inspiring as well. Sunsets here will solely be the greatest thing outside of human relationships that I’ll miss when I move away.
Over the last five years I have wondered to myself why it is that sunsets and sunrises move me so. I attributed that it is caused by the color changes in the sky and surrounding terrain. Just as a color change in the face and cheeks emotionally charge and move a viewer, so to do color shifts in the sky caused from the sun setting or rising emotionally charge me. While that cause is speculation and unknown, the effect which is the feeling inside me is real. For myself watching the sunset is moving, warming, calming, and empowering. Move over, I feel a greater connectedness to the land and millions of people I overlook from the edge of the vast Vegas Valley. I am left with a feeling of serenity and oneness with my environment. Viewing the sun set is single the most empowering experience I have partaken in the last ten years or so. That is the power of solar gazing.
Recently I found preforming sit ups and stretching while watching the sunset is even more internally charging, uplifting and empowering. I really do not know why, but there is something about physical exercise and body movement that for me facilitates the already powerful benefits of solargazing.
People who practice solar gazing do so during the safe hours of sunset and sunrise. They stare at the sun during these times due to the limited amount of solar radiation, such as UV light that is received through the sky from the sun. They experience various spiritual and physical benefits as a result of sungazing. Some of the experiences sungazers have reported are feelings of well-being or spiritual enlightenment, a connection with nature and a sense that sungazing is the beneficial to their physical, mental and spiritual health.
Interestingly, I experienced the same - alone - without any prior knowledge of sungazing and solar healing.
Lastly, authorities on Sungazing reported that one can ultimately transcend the need for food through sungazing. That suggested one “feeds” off solar radiation in the way a plant “feeds” off the sun. However, I am willing to bet that the reduced food intake is caused by mental, perceptual and emotional changes (aka spiritual enlightenment) by witnessing the beauty and power of the sun setting and rising. Many people have found themselves healthier by reducing caloric food intake. Perhaps solar gazing and healing is one way to develop into a more conscious, healthier and aware human being.
Note: Studies have shown that sunshine reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer as well as develping myopia, also known as farsightedness.
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