“Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor, Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.”

-Canticle of Brother Sun and Sister Moon by Saint Francis Assisi

Sun gazing

Sun gazing, also known as: sun healing, solar observation, solar yoga, Surya yoga or sun yoga, is becoming more and more popular. It is the practice of ‘staring at the sun’ and is nothing more than the discipline of looking at the sun directly at specific times of the day for a certain amount of time. People who practice sun gazing are believed to receive nourishment, healing, and spiritual enlightenment as well as a release of tension and anxiety. It is very important though to adhere to the rules of this practice. Not following the steps specifically can have lasting detrimental effects.

Hira Ratan Manek

The current guru of sun gazing, Hira Ratan Manek, is a devout follower and claims that solar energy allows a person to live without eating since it provides the body with all the necessary nutrients. He claims to have lived more than the past ten years without consuming anything but liquids. Surviving on the practice of sun gazing alone. Although established modern science rules out that the sun could ever provide some kind of direct nutrient that can replace food, yogi Hira Ratan Manek is living proof that one can from only sun, water and a little buttermilk. Several scientists have studied these solar claims of Hira Ratan Manek, including the president of the Indian Medical Association. During one study, Hira spent 411 days without food and did not experience any loss of his bodily or cerebral functions. Aside from losing 18 kilos, nothing else was found. In 2003 Hira turned himself into NASA laboratories to be studied. They watched him 24/7 for 100 days and confirmed Hira’s statements. General belief is that after 8-10 weeks without eating a person is in danger of dying.

While not all followers have reached the same extreme as Hira, after two years of practicing sun gazing, they are clear that this practice has positive effects on the body. Even after sun gazing for only a week, people noticed that they felt “much happier”. After a month they had gained a great “clarifying ability” in the face of conflict. This is attributed to the feelings of tension and worry being alleviated. The idea of sun gazing originated in India over two thousand years ago with the teachings of Mahavir de Jain, also known as Mahavira or Vardhamana, the founder of Jainism. Jainists believe that every soul is divine and that we all have the ability to reach a God-consciousness. Forms of sun gazing therapy were also practiced by the ancient Egyptians, Aztecs, Greeks, and Mayans. It can also be found in Tibetan yoga and some Far East traditions such as Qigong and Tai Chi.

What is sun gazing about?

Everyone has told us including parents, teachers, doctors and conventional scientists that one will go blind from looking at the sun. According to several practicing people, this is false. The act of sun gazing or sun healing, is one of the most beneficial things a human being or any other animal can do for physical, mental and spiritual improvement. When you look at the sun (specifically during the first hour of sunrise or sunset), the electromagnetic energy given off goes around your physical state and enters straight into your brain to recharge your batteries and balance your body. All without causing loss of vision in the process. The idea that governs this ‘therapy’ states that when looking at the sun (only during the first hour of sunrise or sunset, otherwise it would be harmful) the body receives the energy of that star. This energy is enough to cure some diseases, provide well-being and help the person to clear their mind. Believers of this technique argue that the human eye (some say that even the whole body) has some type of photovoltaic cells capable of converting solar energy into vital energy.

The healing properties of sun gazing

The Sun; it gives us light, heat and is responsible for water cycles, our food chain, time, balances nature and ecology. That is to say, without this star, there would be no life on Earth. How much of a reach is it to say that the Sun’s rays have therapeutic qualities? People definitely get important Vitamin D from exposure. It sounds paradoxical because what is usually heard is that its radiation is harmful and dangerous to health. Vitamin D though is responsible for the absorption of calcium and magnesium and is acquired by exposure to the sun, in short periods. There is a documentary at https://www.lightdocumentary.com/breatharian-meals.html that goes into depth discussing the science and research associated with sun gazing.

Sun gazing objective; Balance

The ultimate goal is balance. For one to obtain optimal physical health and perfect mental stability. The Indian teacher Hira Ratan Manek, who since 1962 has been investigating the therapeutic properties of the sun. He has also looked at its’ cult throughout history. Since 1995 he has lived only on solar energy and liquids of water, teas, and occasionally buttermilk. He describes the practice; “Do not eat except sometimes tea and other infusions. With the Sun Gazing, we make our photosynthesis. We take the photons of the Sun, which constitute very powerful energy, a nectar that is not polarized in positive-negative” according to Manek. The method used by sun gazers is to see the sun every day near dawn or dusk when the ultraviolet rays are below an index of 2. The first day one must look in the sun for 10 seconds, and each subsequent day must be done by 10 more seconds, increasing daily like this until reaching 45 minutes a day. This process would work as a kind of photosynthesis in which inert brain functions are activated. It is said to activate the pineal gland, which has the vestiges of a retina and is considered the seat of the third eye or spiritual eye (also called the secret sun). For more information on the pineal gland, click here. Hira Ratan Manek says that his pineal gland has been examined by scientists and is growing (usually with age this gland shrinks).

How to perform sun gazing

HRM has established a protocol to observe the sun and indicates that sun gazing should only be done in the “safe hours” i.e., one hour within sunrise or sunset. Otherwise, the technique may have detrimental setbacks.

This practice consists of the following:

1. Look at the sun starting for 10 seconds on the first day and increase 10 more seconds every day, until reaching 45 minutes. One can maintain the 45min for 3, 6 or 9 months, depending on the benefit you are looking for.
2. Look at the sun in the first hour in the morning, or at sunset (the last hour of Sun). The first hour of the sun starts counting since we can look at the sun. Similarly, the sunset is when the solar disk disappears on the horizon, not when the luminosity ends.
3. If you can’t see the sun due to buildings or mountains you can look at the reflection of the sun in the water between 11 am and 3 pm. This process is done by taking a bowl of mud and filled with water, between 12:00 and 15:00 we turn our gaze to the reflection of the sun in the water for as long as appropriate.
4. If you can do barefoot on land or sand, it is better. In case you do not have land, do it with footwear. If you do it barefoot, do not do it on asphalt or cement.
5. Once the 3, 6 or 9-month process is finished, maintenance must be given for 1 year to sustain the life benefits.
6. It is acceptable to break up the time between morning and evening. For example if you are up to 10 minutes, it can be split up to 5 at dawn and 5 at sunset, as long as you take the amount that is required for the day.
7. When you reach 90 days, you will watch the sun for 15 minutes only. If you are physically healthy, perform the following maintenance routine for 1 year to achieve physical health for life.
8. At the end of the first three months of gazing for 15 minutes, the person achieves perfect mental health. This is prior to any healing of the body and enlightenment.
9. On day 91 look at the sun 14 minutes, on day 92 look at the sun 13 minutes, and so on until you reach 5 minutes. Continue with 5 minutes to complete 365 days, additional to the first 90. If you have any eye disease, you will feel improvement after 60 days (10 minutes). Upon reaching 180 (six months), healing will reach the mental level and anxiety will go away.
10. Finally, always keep in mind that the contemplation of the Sun must be done in the safe hours. When you have reached nine months of practice, you will be around 44 minutes. This is the maximum. It is time to either stop or perform the maintenance routine. If one day you cannot look at the sun because it was cloudy or for any other reason, you can resume the routine the next day at the time you left off at on the previous day. It always increases 10 seconds compared to the last time you looked at the sun. If you lose several days, don’t worry. Keep adding 10 seconds, the breaks do not affect the process.

The “discovery” of the sun as a source of energy and well-being is not exactly new, although Manek has established a concrete process. The cult of the star king comes from afar and has already been practiced by all civilizations and religions in one way or another. When looking at the sun for therapeutic purposes it has been known throughout history. The ancient Hindus called it ‘Surya Namaskar’ while the Egyptians and Americans baptized it as heliotherapy. The Europeans called it Apollo Therapy.

They all believed in this basic premise: The root of all diseases is a physical weakness. When the body weakens, it stops working optimally, and harbors a weak immune system. By receiving more sunlight the body will increase the defenses, improving its inherent immune power and self-healing abilities. All this will be reflected in the physical body, since, with a peaceful mind, the body is able to heal itself, letting go of allergies, respiratory disorders and all kinds of diseases. We have all enjoyed sunrises and sunsets for long periods without suffering damage. In the same way, if we practice safe sun gazing during the recommended hours, we will obtain good mental, physical and spiritual health. Sun gazing is necessary to improve and relieve all health problems. When this practice is added sun exposure, drinking charged water and walking barefoot on the ground, you get free health care without insurance.

Conclusion

In ancient times, ancestors performed a practice that consisted of looking at the sun during specific periods. This activity is called sun gazing or also known as the art of eating the sun. These people dedicated intervals of their day to be able to look at the star king, with the purpose of first paying tribute to the sun and second possessing spiritual and energetic healing. It is important to mention that this activity must be carried out in certain spaces of the day to avoid that the rays produced by the sun don’t become damaging. In this sense, the sun gazing must be performed in the morning hours with the first rays of the sun and the late hours of the afternoon, when the sun is about to disappear. Earth’s curvature is shielded by the atmosphere at these times. Scientifically it has been found that during these periods the sun’s rays are at a lower level which makes them ideal for the application of this activity.

Many of the experts who have evaluated the performance of this activity ensure that, at the time a person practices Sun gazing, it is possible that through the transmission of energy, one captures all the energy from the sun. It is presumed that the fact of performing the Sun gazing for only three months is of great help for the improvement of mental abilities. Doctors indicate that the human being, under normal conditions, is only able to use 1% to 10% of its total brain capacity, however, the fact of looking at the sun at sunrise or sunset daily, for 45 minutes, contributes to the improvement of the use of the cerebral hemispheres. It also helps in the possibility of releasing stress and is even believed to be able to eliminate the existence of diseases.