The human desire to catch a sunset is as strong as the desire to eat, have sex, feel loved and be seen or heard.
I first came to this realization earlier this evening when I saw how many people were out enjoying the beautiful landscape close to sunset.
A question popped into my mind..
Why do I continuously see this many people waiting for this experience?
I have multiple answers:
We’re genetically wired to seek beauty. Sunsets, of course, are incredibly mesmerizing. They’re beauty knows no limit.
We seek a spiritual connection with Mother Nature. Deep down, we all know that Mother Nature should be respected for her glory and wisdom. What we lack now more than ever is a connection to her due to modernity. People who sit to watch a sunset are doing so to fundamentally feel connected with the world/Universe.
We unconsciously seek to restore our circadian rhythm. Sunrise and sunset are two powerful points in a 24 hour cycle for our health. During these times, a narrow window is offered to us to reap the red light benefits from sunlight. You can definitely get red light wavelengths when the sun is at its peak, but sunrise and sunset offer the most amount of red light. I genuinely believe people are partly driven to them because it improves health, even if they’re unconscious to that fact.
Sun Gazing
This brings me to a related subject - sun gazing.
Sun gazing is a ritual that’s been around for more than 2,000 years and has been practiced by many civilizations across the globe - from India, to the Aztecs, to the ancient Egyptians.
It’s the act of introducing sunlight into your eyes, when the UV index is at its lowest points of the day - sunrise and sunset. UV is close to zero at these times. Being far from the earth, in its low position on the horizon, the sun's wavelengths need to travel through more atmosphere, becoming filtered as well as scattered before they reach you. This is why UV is not harmful to you or your eyes first thing in the morning, and early evening.
Don’t take this as advice to stare at the sun beyond the narrow window of sunrise and sunset because that will damage your eyes.
Your body knows when it’s harmful versus helpful. If you intuitively feel like your eyes are getting damaged, that’s a sign to not do it.
How To Sungaze Safely
Practice it within 30 minutes of sunrise and 30 minutes before sunset
Best done barefoot - on the ground, beach, grass, dirt. Grounding is key
Remove contacts or glasses
Don’t sun gaze through windows because most glass filters the wavelengths
Start slow, letting your eyes gradually adjust. Look directly at the sun for 10 seconds, increasing this slowing every day
Build up to no more than 30 minutes, with 10-15 minutes being a good goal to reach
If the sun is too bright, look away slightly, either side, up or down. As you adjust to its brightness you'll eventually be able to directly stare at it
What To Not Do
Practice it only in the safe hours, when UV light is at its lowest. This means not beyond 30 minutes after sunrise or 30 minutes before sunset
Never look at the sun via a medium, such as a magnifying glass, telescope, binoculars, SLR camera lens. They concentrate the sunlight which can burn your eyes
Make sure to follow these rules religiously since the sun must be respected.
It’s a double edged sword. It’s one of the most powerful healing modalities, but without a healthy amount of respect given to the sun, it can also harm your health.
Much love,
Zaid