Paying homage to the sun
Nature provides therapy for body and mind as the columnist experiences sun therapy amid the Himalayan mountains in Pokhara, Nepal.
I WRITE this column overwhelmed by unusual excitement because I have just returned from one of the most blissful places on earth, the Himalayan mountains in Pokhara, Nepal.
My journey there was to experience sun therapy from watching the splendid sunrise at the 8,000m tall Annapurna mountain region.
It began at 4am on a scary 45-minute drive in an all-terrain vehicle that took us on a rocky winding road uphill along the deep gorges of the mountain from Pokhara town.
Halfway up the Sarangkot hills, I was asked to get out of the vehicle and take about 200 steep steps to reach some flat ground where several dozen people had already taken position in anticipation of daybreak in Nepal.
All of them waited in silence, gazing at the hazy mountain range and enjoying the tranquil breeze and fresh air.
It was cool at the plain which was shrouded in mist and a low ceiling of clouds.
My guide, Surya Parajuli, described the Sarangkot hills as heaven on earth because of the peace, silence, natural beauty and joy one can experience here.
He urged me to perform a prayer at a stupa on the mountain to pay respect to the abode of Gods and seek permission to witness the break of the daylight.
This was because since early June the weather pattern had been unpredictable – it had been cloudy and many visitors had not been able to catch the sun coming up.
At 5.19am, the grey sky slowly began to glow and a few minutes later, sharp red and orange beams of light slipped through the cracks in the clouds and sent rays down to the Pokhara Valley below.
The fresh light opened up a charming view of the famous Phewa Lake surrounded by the mountains and a magnificent view of the Annapurna Massif, Fishtail Mountain, Dhaulagiri range and Manaslu.
There was complete stillness on the hills before a few locals started chanting mantras to usher in the light for good health and a better day.
Several of them clasped their hands in prayer to show their appreciation to the magnificent sunlight before everyone produced their mobile phones and started recording images of every second of the sun’s movement.
As sun gazing is an ancient method of healing, some elders stretched out their arms to allow the rays to touch every inch of their body.
I joined them in this spectacular and emotional exercise and noticed the subtle changes in the sky as the sun rose and brought life to the plants and every living thing within my surroundings.
As it turned a brighter hue, I could feel the warmth and energy reaching my sense organs.
The body aches and pain I had developed while travelling here started to disappear slowly and I felt a strong sense of rejuvenation.
I could feel my body, mind and spirit being recharged when I allowed the new vigour into my body.
According to Surya, every sunrise is different and I was lucky to witness the birth of a new day and a new beginning.
“People come here to leave their past in the mountains, regain strength and return home healed,” he said.
Sun therapy produces a feelgood factor and the locals wake up early to perform the sunrise salutation every day. Sunlight has properties that stimulate metabolism and vitamin D from the sun’s rays is good for the skin.
Dwellers in the Pokhara Valley open the doors and windows of their homes to welcome the sunlight into their premises because it has the power to remove stale energy and restore vitality in any enclosed spaces.
The whole exercise left me deeply satisfied with its strong messages of improved clarity, new opportunities and a fresh start.
T. Selva is the author of the bestseller book Vasthu Sastra Guide. You can follow him on Facebook Vasthu Sastra and write to him at drtselvas@gmail.com. This column appears on the last Friday of every month.