Sungazing
By GreenMoo
@GreenMoo (11833)
January 14, 2013 5:13am CST
Last week I told you that one of our visitors has been telling me about the benefits of urine therapy. We get all sorts of unusual ideas here! One of our other visitors is dead set on the idea of sungazing.
Each morning he heads up to the mountains where he can see the sun rise, and each day he stares directly at it for a period of time, increasing the length of time incrementally. At the moment he's on around 40 minutes each morning.
He believes that this practice allows him to draw energy directly from the sun, and will eventually mean that he no longer needs to eat for nourishment.
Personally I think he's nutty as a fruit cake. Firstly staring directly at the sun can cause eye damage (solar retinopathy)and secondly there is no scientific basis behind his claims that he will require less food if he continues.
If you research those who have claimed to stop eating, in most cases their claims cannot be proven and many get round it by saying that they don't need to eat but do it because they enjoy it or because it's a social activity. What a cop out!
Have you met anyone who practices sungazing? What do you think of the claim that you can gain sufficient nourishment from staring at the sun to allow you to live healthily whilst not eating?
We've got a couple of other guests here at the moment too. It makes me wonder what they will come up with, although they seem refreshingly normal at the moment! 
6 people like this
14 responses
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
14 Jan 13
He'll regret his lunacy when his sight is compromised or damaged. This is the kind of person that needs to be in mental health care, although our laws here prohibit anyone from even telling him he is crazy--that would be "hateful". 
He is right in one way, though, that we draw some benefit from the sun. It may not be pure energy but we get vitamin D from the sun. One reason we, as a population, have a D deficiency is because so many people refuse to let the sun touch their unprotected skin and slather on sun screen so the D can't be absorbed. Even children are D deficient these days because their mothers won't allow them to be out in the sun without sunscreen.
You sure get some strange ones at your place! I don't think you've ever had one, at least that you mentioned, that physically harmed themselves because of their beliefs or ideas, though.
He is right in one way, though, that we draw some benefit from the sun. It may not be pure energy but we get vitamin D from the sun. One reason we, as a population, have a D deficiency is because so many people refuse to let the sun touch their unprotected skin and slather on sun screen so the D can't be absorbed. Even children are D deficient these days because their mothers won't allow them to be out in the sun without sunscreen.
You sure get some strange ones at your place! I don't think you've ever had one, at least that you mentioned, that physically harmed themselves because of their beliefs or ideas, though. 1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
14 Jan 13
Gee, I wonder if she's still alive? A diet like that will surely kill a person! There must have been something wrong in her head--no sane person would starve themselves like that. I'm glad she did not die at your farm!
@Masihi (4413)
• Canada
14 Jan 13
Oy! Doesn't he even realise there's holes in the ozone layer and that the sun rays are stronger than they were say 40-50 years ago? Hasn't he experienced the change in the sun over the years since he's an older fella? Just what does he think he's doing??? I personally think he's losing his mind when he acts on this crazy experiement or whatever he's doing to himself.
Us humans aren't plants. We don't get photosynthesis from the sun, plants do. He might get some Vitamin D but hey he gonna need more nutrients than VitD lol
@BarBaraPrz (47667)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
14 Jan 13
Yup! full of pecans, walnuts and almonds!
I'm more active on sunny days, and I do eat less in the summer, but that's not from staring at the sun. Any nourishment I get from it comes through my skin.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
14 Jan 13
Even if it were true that you wouldn't have to eat.. why would you want to do that? I love eating. And while watching a sun rise once in awhile is nice.. I don't think I'd want to spend that much time each and every day just staring at the sun.. wouldn't it get boring?
1 person likes this
@guybrush (4658)
• Australia
14 Jan 13
Good grief, Greenmoo - the nutter staring at the sun is going to do himself real damage! Hard to believe anyone could be that silly. His retinas will be burned to a crisp. Should save you on the food bill while he's with you, though - not that it's remotely funny - such a shame he won't listen to reason. I have heard of people living on air (allegedly)- but haven't heard how long they've lasted. There are some really different people out there ... your 'normal' people will probably be cavorting around the paddocks in the nuddie tonight while you're sleeping, drenched in otter blood. Go figure! x
1 person likes this
@changjiangzhibin89 (16789)
• China
16 Jan 13
What a fun! I don't know whether the guy was wanting in common sense or out of mere freak.He should know better than to believe that he is a plant that can photosynthesize,leave aside solar retinopathy.It does make a refreshing change to have different people around.No matter what they tell you, take them for what it's worth.At least ,that makes your day.
@changjiangzhibin89 (16789)
• China
17 Feb 13
The fanciful talk can also broaden your knowledge in a way.
@wolfie34 (26771)
• United Kingdom
14 Jan 13
Laughs aloud, this is a person who hates the sun, hates the heat and the last thing on earth he'd be doing is sungazing. Although I was encouraged by one of my partners in 2000 I think it was when we had a solar eclipse, we had to wear these special glasses to look at the eclipse, we were down in St.Ives in Cornwall at the time and at the time of the eclipse the heavens opened it was eerie, kind of like the end of the world, well talk about anticlimax! Still I enjoyed the holiday.
@GardenGerty (160952)
• United States
15 Jan 13
Well, your life is never dull or lacking for new ideas. You keep us all on the cutting edge as well. I do not know of anyone who has practices sungazing. I think it would be obvious if they did, they would be totally blind. I agree, it is a cop out and it is one way to gain attention. Normal is as normal does, enjoy them all.
@GardenGerty (160952)
• United States
15 Jan 13
You provide a place and they bring the ideas to you.
@GreenMoo (11833)
•
15 Jan 13
That is exactly what I tell my family! Having all these new people passing through never leaves us short of amusing anecdotes :) But it's great too, because there are also lots of new ideas and things which I do find interesting and want to take on board. Living out in the sticks means I don't get to meet many interesting people otherwise.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
19 Jan 13
Gosh GM, that sounds a bit leery. For an older man to be behaving in such a lunatic way...just be careful he doesn't sue you for the damage to his retinas as it is happening on your property.
One must be a bit mentally challenged to find some correlation between sun-gazing and nourishment without partaking of food.
@Kashmeresmycat (6369)
• United States
17 Jan 13
OMG! Seriously! Why are these people staying at your house? Is it a bed and breakfast or an asylum? 
You don't have much sun there in England do you? I thought it rained a lot, so maybe this isn't really harming him because the sun is behind most of the clouds? Clue me in here GM, what's going on?
Maybe you are on another Stonehenge site and don't know it. You are attracting some aliens possibly? I have to say, these are the funniest discussions I've seen for a while here on the Lot. At least I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face. 
You don't have much sun there in England do you? I thought it rained a lot, so maybe this isn't really harming him because the sun is behind most of the clouds? Clue me in here GM, what's going on?
Maybe you are on another Stonehenge site and don't know it. You are attracting some aliens possibly? I have to say, these are the funniest discussions I've seen for a while here on the Lot. At least I'm sitting here with a big grin on my face. 
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
14 Jan 13
Wow, I guess if you are crazy then staring at the sun would be a side project. I'm not sure that staring at the sun will prolong your life, we do need Vitamin D but there are other ways to get it, i.g. milk, supplements. I know that seeing the sunrise can give you a sense of belonging in this world but staring at it will damage your eyes, your rods and cones will be all fried and one day when you get up to see the sun all you will really see is the dark because you'll be blind. Have the urine guy and the sun guy met, maybe they can go urine gazing together.
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
14 Jan 13
And you allow these people to continue visiting with you? Personally, I'd be concerned about the possibility of them becoming violently unstable.
I've met some unusual sorts who have held a variety of beliefs. However, I tend to keep some distance between myself and anyone who seems likely to end up on the six o'clock news for having served up a batch of cyanide kool aid.
@GreenMoo (11833)
•
15 Jan 13
I'm not sure I'd consider than anyone holding beliefs different to my own is likely to become violently unstable. It seems a little harsh! Both are actually lovely guys and I'm pleased that they feel able to share their ideas here because it means that they also share things which I do find interesting. I'm sure there are things which I do or think which they find equally whacky.
@lsjapdoit (651)
• Indonesia
15 Jan 13
When the sun rises the first hour in the morning, its rays may still be not that strong for your eyes to handle. Probably your friend really has a talent to absorb sun energy, who knows?
@GreenMoo (11833)
•
15 Jan 13
If you do want to stare at the sun I guess first thing in the morning would be the best time, but I really can't believe that anyone is ever going to be able to use the sun's energy directly to replace their need for food. He certainly doesn't seem to have reduced the amount he is eating so far, at least.
