Shamanu: Sunset Medicine
Each night, at five o’clock, we head down to our little lookout over the ocean to watch, yet another magnificent Costa Rican sunset. Our days are full of activity, be it giving workshops, tending to clients, cleaning, cooking, writing, doing our daily practices, visiting with friends, monkeys, tree frogs or whomever drops in. But, always, at the end of the day, we quiet ourselves to enjoy the last rays of nourishment given so freely by the sun.
I am always amazed at how profound this simple ritual is. As I let myself sink into the gentle rhythms in this time of day, I am, once again, awestruck by the astounding process that I am a part of. Slowly, without effort, the Earth turns the other side of her enormous round body to the sun, all the while spinning through space at a vast speed. It seems that every insect in the jungle knows that this is their final chance to sing their song and so they do, with a robustness that challenges even the howler monkeys. The hummingbirds drink up the final drops of nectar, their tiny bodies darting from one delight to another, and the turkey vultures grace us with movements so elegant, you are certain they are in love with the wind. And then it happens. What was seconds ago shades of blue, green and brown, transforms into the soft & brilliant palate of reds, orange, purple & pink; the Sunset! It seems that all of nature gathers its best to celebrate the closing of another day. What an honouring of life. What an expression of gratitude.
I sit there awestruck again. All my little worries and frustrations of the day have dissolved, as gently and effortlessly as the tinted sky of sunset dissolving into the soft greys hues of evening. I feel renewed, safe, embraced in a process so grand, so generous, so constant. And of course, nature doesn’t abandon us here. Even before the sun is set, the earth opens her skies to welcome the soft brilliance of a star. The same one every night shines down on us, reminding us of the kindness and munificence of life. Soon the moon will bless us with her soft assurance of the constancy of light.
As the earth becomes still and the night creatures do their rustling dance I can no longer even remember what troubled me today. Participating in this movement of Love between sun, earth & sky, I am wooed back into holy communion with myself and my Earth Mother. A sense of grandeur fills my soul as I remember that what created this explosion of life, also created me. I give thanks to the wind that surrounds me and gives me breath. I give thanks to the sun for the fires of my metabolism. I give thanks to the waters of life that drench my insides with liquid truth. I give thanks to the Earth for the bones and flesh of my body. And I give thanks to the spirit-that-lives-in-all-things for the privilege to be a part of such an amazing gift called Life.
It’s good to take the time to remember. And remember, no matter where you are, there will always be a sunset once a day. You can count on it!
Dawn and Dusk have been thought, by many traditions, to be the most magical times of the day. A brief time where the merging of night and day opens primary gateways to a larger experience of ourselves and the world.
Here is a simple meditation to come into the present moment, to prepare yourself for your sunset experiences.
While it is preferable to be outdoors, that is not always possible. The simple act of participation with the energies of this time of day will evoke a transformational experience. If you cannot be outside, sit in front of a window, preferably facing west, and where you can see something natural – a tree, flowers, bushes etc. This meditation can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour.
Sit comfortably. Close your eyes and become aware of your environment.
Notice the sounds, scents, the touch of the air on your skin, the temperature and how the light plays behind your eyelids.
Breathe deeply and feel the movement of your breath as you inhale and exhale.
Become aware of the sensations in your body, feelings and thoughts, letting them relax into a quiet place in your belly.
Now, on the inhalation, open your eyes and take in one thing from nature. It can be a branch, the whole tree, a flower or piece of grass; it may be the sun itself.
Closing your eyes on the exhalation let what you have just seen integrate. As if you’ve swallowed it and it is now becoming a part of you. Repeat this for at least 10 breaths.
Now, we will reverse the process. Open your eyes on the exhalation, imagining gratitude moving out from your heart to the heart of whatever you are seeing. Closing your eyes on the inhalation visualizing yourself receiving a return of gratitude from nature. Let yourself fully receive and integrate what you are feeling. Do this at least 10 times.
A sense of being nourished, filled by the essence of each part of Nature you let into yourself, often accompanies this exercise.
When you feel relaxed and in the moment begin to attune to the energies of sunset.
If you start your contemplation with a sense of the Earth’s immensity, and imagine that hot, bright being on the horizon containing a million Earths, and that the gravitational power of the sun is what whips the Earth, 93 million miles away, in its annual arc, you may feel yourself shifting into the realization of the miracle that you are witnessing and intimately a part of.
Enjoy the subtle changes in colour, sounds, the moisture in the air, the way nature moves to open the way for the coming of night.
Gives thanks for the day. Give thanks for the night.
Even if it is just for a moment that we touch into the grandeur of what we are a part of, it can help to keep the events of our lives in perspective. We are indeed embraced, in every moment by Earth’s massive partner. Sharing in the joy and power of this great cosmic love affair.
“The Sun is, with each second, giving itself over to become energy that we, with every meal, partake of. For four million years, humans have been feasting on the Sun’s energy stored in the form of wheat or reindeer as each day the Sun dies as Sun and is reborn as the vitality of Earth. Every child of ours needs to learn the simple truth: she is the energy of the Sun. And we adults should organize things so her face shines with same radiant joy.”
“Human generosity is possible only because at the center of the solar system a magnificent stellar generosity pours forth free energy day and night without stop and without complaint and without the slightest hesitation. This is the way of the universe. This is the way of life. Each of us joins this cosmological lineage when we accept the sun’s gift of energy and transform it into creative action that will enable the community to flourish” ~ Brian Swimme, The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos.