The Sun

The sun has always been revered since ancient times. Aside from the obvious influences on agriculture and astronomy, the sun was also a figure of religious significance. Head deities such as Zeus, Amen-Ra, etc. were often depicted as sun gods. The importance the ancients placed on the sun was certainly not misplaced, as life wouldn't have turned out as it did on Earth without the sun.

Even in this day and age, the sun still affects us to a very great degree. Block out enough sunlight from the Earth for a sufficient period of time and one is looking at the onset of an ice age. Solar storm activity poses serious threats to electronics and electrical grids. In fact, we're in the middle of a solar storm right now, with the CME (coronal mass ejection) expected to hit at about 10pm.

With so many fears about skin cancer and a depleted ozone layer, many people are avoiding getting too much sun exposure. The obsession of getting fair or white skin also makes a lot of people avoid the sun. This is actually unfortunate, because Vitamin D (which we get from sunlight) is more important than we realize. For one, it seems Vitamin D effectively boosts the immune system, particularly useful against the flu. There seems to be something to this, because when one of my friends got the flu, one of her Facebook friends mentioned that ever since he started taking Vitamin D3 supplements 2 years ago, he never got the flu again. Vitamin D also seems to be effective against cancer, and there are studies that Vitamin D can also fight depression and Alzheimer's disease.

Given the many health benefits of Vitamin D, I've made it a point to get some morning sunshine for a few minutes everyday. Of course, it's always possible to just buy Vitamin D3 supplements, but sunshine is free and natural is always better.

Interestingly, sunshine is also considered one of the foods that feed the pineal gland. In esoteric practice, the pineal gland has a very important role to play in the expansion of one's consciousness. If I may indulge in a little bit of conspiracy theory thinking, it's interesting to note that media and advertising have been overemphasizing the dangers of sun exposure, thus promoting the use of sunscreen lotions. However, it seems most sunscreen lotions do more harm than good. The skin-whitening craze (at least in tropical countries) also tends to lead people to shun sunlight. If one lacks sun exposure, then one's pineal gland can get starved, which makes it difficult for one to achieve a higher level of consciousness. It just seems one of those things that conveniently fit into the theory of a global elite that seeks to keep the masses chained to a slave mentality.

In any case, aside from feeding the pineal gland, sunlight is also a source of powerful solar prana. There are different types of prana that one draws from the surroundings, such as earth prana, air prana and water prana. However, solar prana is understandably the most powerful. According to Master Choa Kok Sui, this is why those with insufficient internal power feel down or weak during cloudy days or during seasons when there is little or almost no sunlight. There is not enough solar prana getting through to the Earth. We've all heard the term "a depressingly rainy day" and it seems there is basis for this description.

In Theosophy, the sun is also called the Solar Logos, the physicalized form of God. This is why in Hinduism, they have the Gayatri mantra, which is addressed to the sun. Repeated chanting of the Gayatri mantra is supposed to accelerate one's illumination.

Even from a literal point of view, we can say that the sun gave birth to us. Our physical bodies are formed from the trace elements of the Earth, and the different planets were formed from the ejecta that accompanied the birth of this solar system. Just as the heat from the sun is part of the sun but is not the sun itself, so are we intricately linked with this majestic cosmic body. One can then see why the ancients deeply revered the sun and why the sun gods were the head deities, "from whom all things come."

Whether from a purely physical health perspective, or from the deepest core of esoteric spiritual teachings, we would do well to respect the power of the sun.