Solar Gaze: Explanation, Advantages, and Steps for Practice
Sun Meditation: A Safe and Beneficial Practice
In recent times, there has been a growing interest in sun meditation as a natural and holistic approach to mind and body care. Unlike sun gazing, which involves staring directly at the sun, sun meditation encourages individuals to focus their mind and full attention on an object, such as a tree or building, while meditating outdoors in the sun.
Research has shown that sunlight exposure can bring numerous health benefits. A 2015 study found that sunlight can help protect against certain diseases, such as type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, while a study from 2016 demonstrated that sunlight can help reduce blood pressure and improve cardiovascular health.
However, it is essential to note that looking directly at the sun, even briefly, can cause serious retinal injury such as solar retinopathy. The American Academy of Dermatology advises that everyone, regardless of age, gender, or race, should wear sunscreen.
To practice safe sun meditation, one can sit comfortably outside in sunlight with their eyes closed or gently lowered without looking at the sun. Instead, individuals can focus on their breath or sensations of warmth and light around them. Guided visualizations can also be used, where one imagines absorbing the sun’s light and energy internally without direct eye exposure.
Facing away from the sun or with eyes closed, allowing the light to fall on your skin rather than directly into your eyes, is another safe method. Engaging in related practices like "Salute to the Sun" yoga sequences, which connect you to solar energy without risking eye damage, is another option.
While sun gazing is not scientifically supported and can cause vision problems, including blindness, sun meditation can offer similar benefits as other types of meditation if safety precautions are followed. Meditation, in general, has been shown to alleviate high blood pressure, stress, depression, insomnia, pain, and irritable bowel syndrome.
For eye safety, it is crucial to never look directly at the sun, avoid partial sun gazing (e.g., at sunrise or sunset) without professional guidance and protective measures, and use indirect exposure methods (light on skin or closed eyes) instead. These precautions help you safely incorporate the sun’s benefits into meditation without risking permanent vision harm.
The American Academy of Dermatology also recommends wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, broad-spectrum protection, and water resistance when spending time in the sun.
In conclusion, sun meditation is a safe and beneficial practice that connects individuals with the sun’s symbolic or energetic aspects while protecting their eyes. By following the safety guidelines, one can reap the numerous health benefits that sunlight exposure offers without risking permanent eye damage.
Engaging in sun meditation, which involves focusing one's mind on an object while meditating outdoors in the sun, may offer similar mental health benefits as other forms of meditation, given its potential to alleviate stress, depression, and insomnia. However, it's imperative to prioritize eye safety by never looking directly at the sun and utilizing indirect exposure methods, such as closing your eyes or allowing the light to fall on your skin, to prevent solar retinopathy. Moreover, other alternative therapies, such as the "Salute to the Sun" yoga sequences, can be incorporated to connect with solar energy without risking eye damage.
