I have always been deeply connected to the sun; it’s an essential part of my life. The thought of being confined to a windowless space, cut off from sunlight, is unbearable to me. Without exposure to the sun, I would likely wither away in a matter of days.

Fortunately, I enjoy the freedom of my surroundings. Recently, I’ve felt an intense connection to the world around me, particularly because of the Spring Equinox.

My apartment is positioned on a street that runs east to west, with the United States Post Office designating me as living at the western end of it. This street was laid out about a century ago, a time when people navigated by their innate sense of direction and handheld compasses, long before the advent of GPS technology.

In my experience living in various towns with similar grid layouts, I’ve often contemplated their accuracy. Now, having resided in my current apartment for over three years, I can confidently say those planners were remarkably precise.

How do I know this without modern gadgets? It’s simple and entirely free. Each morning, I descend from my second-floor apartment and step into the street. In the early hours, I turn to the east to observe the sunrise, and in the evening, I do the same to watch the sunset.

On the Spring Equinox, I realized that my street aligns perfectly with the cardinal directions. When I stood in the street at dawn, the sun rose precisely in line with the east, and in the evening, it set exactly in the west. It’s astonishing that those town planners managed such accuracy without contemporary technology.

Thanks to this alignment, I can perform my sunrise and sunset rituals without obstruction from hills, buildings, or trees. The flatness of the street offers an unhindered view of both events, making the Equinox one of the most sacred days of my year.

You might wonder about these sunrise and sunset rituals I speak of. To clarify, I must confess something I’ve never shared before: I am a sun-gazer.

Disclaimer: The Surgeon General warns that looking directly into the sun can harm your health.

More than six years ago, I received a stage 4 cancer diagnosis, with doctors estimating I had between six months to a year to live. I rejected their prognosis and left the hospital, vowing never to return. Now, over six years later, I find myself in better health than ever.

I cannot credit my recovery to a single practice. I transformed my mindset, my diet, and my daily exercise routine. I let go of much from my past and concentrated on living in the present moment.

Additionally, I embraced sun-gazing, inspired by Indian gurus who gazed at the sun during its rise and set, claiming to draw energy from this practice. Some believed this solar energy was all they needed.

Disclaimer: The Surgeon General warns that looking directly into the sun can harm your health.

After rejecting my prognosis, I also dismissed the Surgeon General’s warnings (though only internally).

No, I didn’t begin smoking excessively; I merely continued my long-standing habit. Instead, I committed to sun-gazing. While generally true that looking at the sun is unwise, there are two specific moments each day when it can be beneficial: during sunrise and sunset.

At these times, there are brief windows—just a minute or two—when gazing at the sun can be energizing. This solar energy nourishes us during these fleeting moments.

Disclaimer: The Surgeon General warns that looking directly into the sun can harm your health.

As I gaze at the rising sun, I offer gratitude for the day ahead. Like every individual on this planet, I am a divine being capable of bestowing blessings. I set my intention to infuse love into the world for the day to come, asking the sun to share its life-giving energy with all living things.

Disclaimer: The Surgeon General warns that looking directly into the sun can harm your health.

At sunset, I express heartfelt thanks to the sun for providing light and life throughout the day. I appreciate another opportunity for growth in human consciousness and my personal evolution.

Disclaimer: The Surgeon General warns that looking directly into the sun can harm your health.

While I am neither a surgeon nor a general, I know what has positively impacted my life. I engage in sun-gazing twice daily, absorbing as much divine solar energy as possible. Like an ancient seeker, I rise early to witness the sun’s ascent, using this moment to set my intentions for the day while expressing gratitude for my robust health.

Disclaimer: The Surgeon General warns that looking directly into the sun can harm your health.

However, this narrative isn’t solely about the sun or the act of gazing at it; it’s about achieving balance.

Standing in the street during the Equinox, I can witness the sunrise and sunset unobstructed. This balance of light reflects a deeper harmony.

After experiencing this equilibrium, I find myself pondering the broader state of our world. After the sun rises and sets in harmonious alignment, can we also achieve balance amidst the discord in society and politics? Will this equilibrium lead to further imbalance, or can we nurture it within ourselves?

As we look upon the Equinox sunset, can we maintain this sense of balance, or will we be overwhelmed by chaos? Is the divide between universal and human harmony destined to widen, or can we bridge it with understanding?

Will we continue to seek the light, or will we succumb to the darkness that threatens to overshadow life on this planet?

Disclaimer: The Surgeon General warns that looking directly into the sun can harm your health.

Greeting the sun each morning and thanking it at dusk has been one of the most transformative practices in my life. Six years after a dire prognosis, I find myself thriving. I often ponder how such a shift in perspective could influence the world. What if we turned our focus away from our devices and reconnected with the planet and the sun that sustains us? What if we chose to listen to the forces that nourish our spiritual growth instead of the negative suggestions that surround us?

Disclaimer: The Surgeon General warns that looking directly into the sun can harm your health.

This evening, standing in the street before my apartment and gazing into the setting sun, I could almost hear it saying, “You naive soul! Do you truly believe that human conflicts can endure against the backdrop of endless sunrises and sunsets? These conflicts are mere shadows cast by humanity’s resistance to the illuminating light of life. All duality longs to restore unity. Every night of darkness precedes the dawn of a new day, and nothing can prevent the arrival of light.”

Disclaimer: The Surgeon General warns that looking directly into the sun can harm your health.

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