During a spiritual awakening, many people suddenly feel drawn to nature in ways they never did before. I remember that during mine, the sky looked different, colors felt stronger, the world seemed more alive, and the Sun, especially, became almost magnetic. That’s usually when people begin hearing about sun gazing, a practice rooted in ancient traditions that involved connecting with the Sun through focused observation.
Some swear it fueled their awakening, unlocked clarity, helped their intuition, or rebalanced their energy. Others warn that it can be dangerous if done carelessly. And both sides are true.
Sun gazing can support spiritual awakening and deepen your connection to yourself, but it can also harm your eyes if it’s done the wrong way.
What Sun Gazing Actually Is
Sun gazing is the practice of looking at the Sun at very specific times of day for spiritual, mental, or energetic benefits. And by “specific,” we mean only when the Sun is low on the horizon:
- just after sunrise, or
- right before sunset
At these times, the Sun’s UV and infrared levels are significantly lower, which is why traditional practitioners considered these windows the safest.
This is not about staring at the midday Sun or trying to “prove” something with endurance. Sun gazing is meant to be done with respect, awareness, and caution.
Why People Turn to Sun Gazing During a Spiritual Awakening
When someone enters a spiritual awakening, their inner world starts shifting: intuition heightens, emotions intensify, thought patterns change, and the search for meaning becomes stronger. Many people feel pulled toward elemental energy, earth, water, air, and especially light.
Sun gazing often resonates during awakening because:
- Light feels like clarity. Awakening is confusing at times. Sun gazing brings a sense of inner alignment as if your thoughts stop spiraling and settle into place.
- The Sun symbolizes awareness. When awakening intensifies, you crave understanding. The Sun has always represented insight and presence across cultures.
- The practice quiets external chaos. Sun gazing requires stillness. This stillness naturally supports awakening, where the inner voice grows louder than external noise.
- It grounds your energy. Awakening can make you feel detached or overwhelmed. The Sun acts almost like an anchor, bringing your awareness back into your body.
- It strengthens intuition. Many people experience heightened inner clarity after only a few sessions.
These are not supernatural effects; they’re just energetic and psychological shifts that line up with awakening stages.
How Sun Gazing Supports Spiritual Awakening
When sun gazing is done safely and consistently, it has emotional, energetic, and mental benefits.
A sense of inner clearing: As if mental clutter lifts and your thoughts line up in a way that finally makes sense.
Heightened intuition: Many say their intuition becomes sharper, especially during the early phases of awakening where everything feels confusing.
Mood and energy improvement: Sunlight naturally affects hormones and circadian rhythms, which can brighten your emotional state.
A deeper connection to self: Sun gazing slows you down enough to actually hear yourself, something awakening demands.
Calmness without forcing it: Being still in front of something as ancient as the Sun shifts your inner state almost automatically.
Spiritual activation: Many ancient cultures viewed the Sun as a source of life-force energy. Some people feel this energy activate or recharge during sun gazing.
None of this actually requires mystical thinking. It’s just a blend of natural biology, symbolism, and the emotional sensitivity that comes with awakening.
The Risks (And How to Avoid Them)
Yes, sun gazing can support awakening. But yes, it can be dangerous if done wrong.
The only safe windows are:
- the first few minutes after sunrise, or
- the last few minutes before sunset
These are the times when UV levels are lowest.
You should never look at the midday Sun.
You should never push past discomfort.
You should never stare for long periods starting on day one.
Even traditional practitioners started with seconds, not minutes. Sun gazing is not a test of strength. It’s an experience and one that requires respecting your eyes.
If you have sensitive eyes or eye conditions, avoid the practice altogether and use indirect Sun exposure (like sitting in morning light) instead.
What Sun Gazing Means Spiritually
Spiritually, sun gazing is associated with illumination, awakening, clarity, rebirth and life-force energy.
The Sun has symbolized consciousness and revelation for thousands of years. That symbolism becomes more potent when your awakening heightens your sensitivity to meaning.
Sun gazing becomes less about “looking at the Sun” and more about letting light shift something inside you, your awareness, your emotional state, your sense of purpose.
It’s the moment you stop running from your awakening and actually sit with it.
Should You Try Sun Gazing?
If you feel naturally drawn to it, not pressured, not curious because it’s trendy, then it may be worth exploring. But do it safely, do it slowly, and do it with full respect for your body.
Start with a few seconds.
Stop immediately if your eyes feel strained.
Use only sunrise or sunset light.
And remember: Sun gazing doesn’t cause awakening. It simply supports the inner work you’re already doing. If awakening is a fire, sun gazing is the warm air that helps it burn steadier, not brighter, not harsher, just steadier.
