# Sungazing...WTF? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 3, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333 "2011-08-03T16:50:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/101 "2011-08-06T03:51:18Z")
Quarter Pounders and 1 liter bottles of diet Coke? How many college students are Breatharians and just don’t realize it? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/102 "2011-08-06T03:56:41Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Quarter Pounders and 1 liter bottles of diet Coke? How many college students are Breatharians and just don’t realize it? [You only think you’re joking.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breatharian#Wiley_Brooks) > [@](#): > > Wiley Brooks is founder of the Breatharian Institute of America. He was first introduced to the public in 1980 when appearing on the TV show That’s Incredible!.[22] Brooks stopped teaching recently to “devote 100% of his time on solving the problem as to why he needed to eat some type of food to keep his physical body alive and allow his light body to manifest completely.”[23] Brooks claims to have found “four major deterrents” which prevented him from living without food: “people pollution”, “food pollution”, “air pollution” and “electro pollution”.[23] > > In 1983 he was reportedly observed leaving a Santa Cruz 7-Eleven with a Slurpee, hot dog and Twinkies.[24] He told Colors magazine in 2003 that he periodically breaks his fasting with a cheeseburger and a cola, explaining that when he’s surrounded by junk culture and junk food, consuming them adds balance.[25] Some things just can’t be parodied. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2011, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/103 "2011-08-06T03:59:18Z")
[This blog](http://sciencebasedlife.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/people-stare-at-the-sun-on-purpose/) pretty well sums up why the “two sides” of this issue aren’t getting equal attention: There is only one side to this issue. > [@](#): > > Thanks to some “new age” spiritualists, I bring you an old, but new to me, practice of pseudoscience. What is special about today’s bogusness is that there is little room for interpretation on this one. There are no muddy studies to pour over, no controversies to weigh, just an ancient practice that physically harms you. and > [@](#): > > These kind of rituals have found a home in the new age mindset. New agers take the findings and theories of modern science, and extrapolate them far beyond that which is either feasible or proven (like “quantum consciousness” or something equally pseudosciencey sounding). What this results in is people believing they can photosynthesize, or stare at the sun and not eat, and putting themselves in harm’s way to satisfy an ancient ritual. As to quarter pounders for Breatharians, the Sungazers apparently prefer Burger King: > [@](#): > > It should also be noted that there have been skeptics who have challenged these practitioners to prove that they can receive all of their nutrients from the sun. With one million dollars on the line, a crony was caught sneaking Burger King to the sun-gazing challenger. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/104 "2011-08-08T15:43:12Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > You might have been better off asking that question in IMHO. Au contrair. Not a matter of opinion at all. Just simple hard facts. Any reputable opthomoligist will tell you NOT TO LOOK AT THE SUN. Doing so will do irreparable damage to the retina of the eye. Holy men of India practice this daily from sun up to sundown, are blind as a bat to their surroundings, seeing nothing at all. Help yourself if you want to go blind, otherwise wear good sunglasses. They provide protection from glare. Not to be used to look at the sun. Welder’s helmelt filters in the darkest shade available (#12) IIRC is what to ask for at the welders supply shop. ---
**Author:** ![OneMissedPost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@OneMissedPost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneMissedPost)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/105 "2011-08-08T17:41:54Z")
Even when I was a kid, I was told not to stare directly at the sun. I don’t really think this has to do with lack of education. This has to do with being 100% delusional. I’m talking about delusional to the point where I highly doubt there would be cure. I don’t even think many years of intense therapy would help. This is almost as bad as believing that there is a boogeyman under the bed. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/106 "2011-08-08T19:57:03Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > Au contrair. Not a matter of opinion at all. Au contraire yerself. Inasmuch as the question was supposedly “has anyone had any experience of this?”, it’s suited to IMHO. The risks have nothing to do with the choice of forum: “Have you ever tried drilling holes in your head?” is a question for the IMHO forum. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/107 "2011-08-08T21:23:56Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Au contraire yerself. Inasmuch as the question was supposedly “has anyone had any experience of this?”, it’s suited to IMHO. > > The risks have nothing to do with the choice of forum: “Have you ever tried drilling holes in your head?” is a question for the IMHO forum. Actually, as a question with a factual answer, it should be in GQ. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/108 "2011-08-09T06:00:25Z")
Not usefully. The GQ answer to “has anyone had experience of sungazing?” Is “yes someone has.” I’m not unaware that there are facts about sungazing which are ripe for description in GQ, nor that sungazers make claims that are appropriate for debate in GD. But neither of those scenarios are what I’m talking about. ---
**Author:** ![topaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@topaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/topaz)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/109 "2011-08-09T17:58:25Z")
This WAS originally posted in GQ. When it turned into a farcical circus, completely off topic, it was moved to GD. One only need read the original post to see how it has digressed to the point where the original question was not answered. Most posters seemed to be more interested in debating the question than trying to provide any type of informed answer. I merely asked if anyone had any experience or knew of anyone that practices Sungazing. I never received any answer from anyone with any first hand knowledge but plenty of answers from people that condemn the question itself. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/110 "2011-08-09T18:12:34Z")
> [@topaz](#): > > One only need read the original post to see how it has digressed to the point where the original question was not answered. Most posters seemed to be more interested in debating the question than trying to provide any type of informed answer. If you only wanted responses from people who have actually engaged in this practice, you should probably tried a forum devoted to sungazing, if there is one, or similar practices. I know you’re to the Straight Dope forums, but there’s just no way that any committed sungazers hang out on this message board. That being said, you received a lot of replies that were on topic and relevant even if you did not get what you want. (There’s a song about that.) And frankly I’m surprised you had such a problem with the disparagement of sungazing. Aside from the fact that the concept is absurd, you titled the thread “Sungazing…WTF?” That suggests a little skepticism from you, too. If no one else has anything to add to this thread except discussions of what forum it should have been posted in or more complaints from the OP about the responses he got, I will lock this. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/111 "2011-08-09T18:14:08Z")
Regarding the question of “awardwinning”, I contacted the director to ask him about it, and he responded that Eat The Sun won the Jury Award at the United Chicago Film Festival. I wrote back to him to see what he thought about Mason Dwinell and the whole Sungazing movement but haven’t gotten a response. ---
**Author:** ![topaz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19adc/32.png) [@topaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/topaz)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/112 "2011-08-09T18:26:41Z")
> [@topaz](#): > > Just watched a documentary on “sungazing”. Any body have any first-hand knowledge of this? Do you know anyone who does it and claims to have benefitted from it without damaging their eyes? > The founder of one of the institutes (HRM) claims he doesn’t even need to eat although he admitted later that he does actually consume some food at times. This is the original question. As you can plainly see I asked if anyone had any first hand knowledge or knew anyone that had practiced it. I wanted answers from objective observers, not people from a website with obvious biases. I can’t figure out why this question was so easily misunderstood. I even got jokes from moderators. Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/113 "2011-08-09T18:32:11Z")
Please note post #53. The film director has acknowledged accompanying the subject of the film to an eye exam where they learned his retinas were burned. That should certainly answer the question of whether eye damage will result from the practice, and it’s as close to first hand as you are likely to get. That is aside from any conceivable benefit from doing it, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/114 "2011-08-09T18:35:19Z")
> [@topaz](#): > > I can’t figure out why this question was so easily misunderstood. It wasn’t misunderstood at all. People who did not have direct or second-hand experience with sungazing contributed what information they had. This is usually called “helping,” although it apparently did not live up to your lofty expectations. If you think this forum is biased, then starting a thread here was a very strange decision. If you continue complaining in this thread (instead of the Pit, where that kind of thing belongs), _at minimum_ you’ll be warned for violating my instructions. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/115 "2011-08-09T19:01:57Z")
> [@topaz](#): > > This is the original question. As you can plainly see I asked if anyone had any first hand knowledge or knew anyone that had practiced it. I wanted answers from objective observers, not people from a website with obvious biases. > I can’t figure out why this question was so easily misunderstood. > I even got jokes from moderators. Sheesh! Fine! Fine! Fine!! I’ll answer the question: > [@](#): > > Any body have any first-hand knowledge of this? Do you know anyone who does it and claims to have benefited from it without damaging their eyes? “No.” There. It’s done. You have your answer. We can lock this thread now. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/116 "2011-08-09T19:49:52Z")
I got a response from Peter Seluin (the director/producer) to my second question, and he gave me permission to post it here. I asked, “Just out of curiosity, what’s your opinion about what Mason Dwinell did and the whole “sungazing” movement?” He responded: > [@](#): > > I’ll assume you saw the film. If not, I’d recommend you check it out. > As far as my opinion on Mason and the sungazing movement: I feel that Mason’s quest was a sincere and authentic effort to uncover some truth(s) and, seen in that light, is commendable and noteworthy; as far as the sungazing movement, I feel that it’s as valid an approach to spirituality and well being as any other spiritual or religious practice. That said, I do not sungaze. > Hope this answers the question for you. > Best, > Peter ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/117 "2011-08-09T21:02:04Z")
> [@topaz](#): > > This WAS originally posted in GQ. except it turns out you wanted it to be an opinion poll + hence my suggestion that it would be better suited to IMHO. > [@](#): > > Then it turned into a farcical circus, completely off topic The subject matter itself is farcical. Your expectations weren’t very realistic. Many of the posts people responded with were quite on topic - they just weren’t what you wanted to hear. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/118 "2011-08-09T21:07:45Z")
> [@topaz](#): > > This is the original question. As you can plainly see I asked if anyone had any first hand knowledge or knew anyone that had practiced it. I wanted answers from objective observers, not people from a website with obvious biases. > I can’t figure out why this question was so easily misunderstood. > I even got jokes from moderators. Sheesh! What makes you imagine that people who do any particular thing are also going to be objective about it? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/119 "2011-08-09T21:49:38Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > I got a response from Peter Seluin (the director/producer) to my second question, and he gave me permission to post it here. > > I asked, “Just out of curiosity, what’s your opinion about what Mason Dwinell did and the whole “sungazing” movement?” > > He responded: > > > [@](#): > > > > I’ll assume you saw the film. If not, I’d recommend you check it out. > > As far as my opinion on Mason and the sungazing movement: I feel that Mason’s quest was a sincere and authentic effort to uncover some truth(s) and, seen in that light, is commendable and noteworthy; as far as the sungazing movement, I feel that it’s as valid an approach to spirituality and well being as any other spiritual or religious practice. That said, I do not sungaze. > > Hope this answers the question for you. > > Best, > > Peter Now _that’s_ a diplomatic answer. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333/120 "2011-08-09T23:21:12Z")
> [@topaz](#): > > This is the original question. As you can plainly see I asked if anyone had any first hand knowledge or knew anyone that had practiced it. I wanted answers from objective observers, not people from a website with obvious biases. > I can’t figure out why this question was so easily misunderstood. > I even got jokes from moderators. Sheesh! So, just curious. Did you ever ask the question on a message board where you were likely to find sungazing practitioners? If you have, I’d be interested in hearing what you learned. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sungazing-wtf/591333.md?page=7)