[gutshot]

Trailer

Is it possible to stare directly into the sun and not eat food? Meet Mason. Eat The Sun is a feature length documentary that focuses on a young man’s journey into the little known world of sungazing -- an ancient practice of looking directly at the sun for long periods of time. San Francisco, CA 2004: A flyer at school advertising a lecture by an elderly Indian gentleman sparks the imagination of a young man named Mason. The flyer reads: “You can become solar powered.” It also states that the Indian man giving the lecture, who goes by the acronym HRM, has not eaten in over 8 years, a direct result of sungazing. Intrigued, Mason begins this simple practice along with a few other classmates. Everyday, in accordance with HRM’s protocol, they stand barefooted on the bare earth looking directly into the sun and every day they add 10 seconds to their sungazing time. The goal, according to HRM, is to reach 44 consecutive minutes of looking directly at the sun -- which could take 9 to 12 months to achieve -- at which time one would be “fully charged”, meaning not only cured of all mental and physical ailments but also now without the desire or need to eat food. In many ancient civilizations -- from the Incas and Aztecs to the Greeks and Egyptians - this practice was exclusive to only the high priests and forbidden for ‘ordinary’ people. Today, with the help of the Internet, this revived practice is gathering global momentum. Modern day sungazers claim a multitude of health benefits including better eyesight, enhanced vitality, weight loss and, in some more profound cases, a complete loss of the desire and need to eat food. The main theory of how this is possible focuses on the stimulation of the pineal gland from direct sunlight entering the brain via the eye – the only external expression of the brain - and traveling along the retinal-hypothalamic tract. (The pineal, once believed to have no function, is now considered a master gland, controlling the secretion of melatonin and serotonin). Brain scans of HRM, age 70, reveal a pineal gland 3 times the size of a normal man, despite his advanced age when the pineal tends to shrink. (Additionally, HRM was part of a 411-day medical study during which time he did not eat). Mason soon discovers that this journey is going to be a lonely one, as society seems to revolve around food; family gatherings, social functions and dating all center on eating. But as his sungazing time increases so do the positive effects. As a former Olympic hopeful in ski jumping and cross-country skiing, Mason has experienced both physical and mental strengthening and he finds that sungazing is far more potent than anything he has felt before. On the downside, he is alienating himself from society; his girlfriend breaks up with him because of his obsession with sungazing, and others, including his family, are put off by his new zealousness. When Mason approaches 40 minutes of sungazing his desire to eat fades. His conflicts are socially and culturally driven and counter to what he is actually feeling. The only reason he eats anything at all is because of social expectations and some self-doubt. Can this really be happening? Is it possible? Mason’s loneliness and curiosity fuel his desire to meet other people who look at the sun - other than a 70 year old Indian man - in hopes that they can share their stories and experiences so he can better understand this phenomenon. Eat The Sun follows Mason on a cross country tour that links him with a variety of colorful sungazers: a Hollywood lawyer, a practicing Mormon with 5 kids, a religious group that believes Jesus was a sungazer and even a sungazing ophthalmologist, some of whom have been sungazing for over 20 years. Interspersed with Mason’s journey are interviews with scientists and doctors. Mason’s confusion builds as he navigates through this subculture of sungazing. His story culminates in his final decision to continue and finish HRM’s 44 minute protocol. Will Mason succeed? What will happen when he reaches 44 minutes of staring directly into the sun? Has HRM been truthful? Is it really possible to live without eating? Eat The Sun is the story of one man’s struggle to uncover the truth and, ultimately, reveals the power of the mind.

LOL WUT

Sounds like an entertaining documentary though

[Clydefrog]

I don't get how you can not eat for 411 days and still be alive.

[Deified Data]

I've watched this a couple times on the DOC channel, interesting stuff.

In the end, the conclusion is more or less "this probably isn't good for you in any way-shape, or form", but some people seem to benefit from it inexplicably. The subject got really alarmed when doctors told him how much his eyes have been deteriorated. It must have been so gradual that he never noticed.

I don't get how you can not eat for 411 days and still be alive.

The doc crew followed this guy around on his daily routine and asked the restaurants he visited what he had. Usually he just had water or milk, but he went to one Indian buffet where the staff told the crew he ate like a pig. So the guy's full of shit.

[Struct09]

How many calories are in a ray of sunlight? I'm trying to watch my figure.

[itwasTuesday]

[Earthstrike]

What does he drink?

[ajf009]

The only reason he eats anything at all is because of social expectations and some self-doubt. Can this really be happening? Is it possible?

ohh of course that's whyyyy

[ChuyMasta]

Would it be possible to get the same effect by opening your mouth directly at the sun?

I don't like the "fucking up your eyes" part.


I'd be naked, for 40 minutes, with my mouth open towards the sun

And spot a boner, for better reception

[cartoon_soldier]

The doc crew followed this guy around on his daily routine and asked the restaurants he visited what he had. Usually he just had water or milk, but he went to one Indian buffet where the staff told the crew he ate like a pig. So the guy's full of shit.

To be fair not pigging out at an Indian buffet is a crime

[Trojita]

Don't you fucking go blind from doing this?

[Prez]

How can you look directly at the sun for 40 minutes without going blind?

[Opiate]

Don't you fucking go blind from doing this?

According to sungazers, it enhances your eyesight. What more proof do you need?

[Sentry]

According to sungazers, it enhances your eyesight. What more proof do you need?

For some reason I can't help but picture someone saying this while stumbling.

[Lizard with a ladder]

I have some serious doubt anyone could build up a tolerance for something as dangerous as gazing at the sun.

[Deified Data]

According to sungazers, it enhances your eyesight. What more proof do you need?

Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't The doc was punctuated by letters and forum posts from people who were dissatisfied with the practice and stopped because it was damaging their health. I don't understand how someone can stare at the sun for 40 minutes (their "ultimate goal") and be okay, but it happens. People also go blind as a bat.

Even the subject of the doc had tremendous eye damage. He goes into an eye exam expecting to come out fine and they tell him his eyes are obliterated. But he can still see? It's puzzling. The results made him question whether he'd continue or not.

[Nerfgun]

This is almost as weird as those African dudes who think a witch stole their cock.

[endre]

Here is someone who tried it without cheating.

[Cousteau]

This is almost as weird as those African dudes who think a witch stole their cock.

Tell me this is a porno.

[Trojita]

According to sungazers, it enhances your eyesight. What more proof do you need?

Reminds me of those websites back in the day that said you could learn how to control chi and shoot chi balls by training.

[soultron]

Reminds me of those websites back in the day that said you could learn how to control chi and shoot chi balls by training.

You mean the official Dragon Ball website?

[bangai-o]

what do you see?

[IceCold]

Well that's simply bullshit.


Also why would you want to do this? Food is delicious.

[Trurl]

Here is someone who tried it without cheating.

At times I wish I were callous enough to react with an "LOL, Darwin awards" but this is pretty sad. :-/

She even had children.

[endre]

Well that's simply bullshit.

I agree.

Also why would you want to do this? Food is delicious.

Beats me there are always some gullible people. Mildly put. One would assume that if it would be possible, evolution would put it to good use already.

At times I wish I were callous enough to react with an "LOL, Darwin awards" but this is pretty sad. :-/ She even had children.

I agree that it is sad. Also it shows how natural selection doesn't really work in modern human societies. I just dont understand why would a non suicidal person keep through with it.

[Atrus]

Good Idea: Letting your eyes get a few hours of natural sunlight a day.

Bad Idea: Looking directly at the sun to survive.

Somewhere along the way people always take good ideas to their illogical extremes.

[Alucrid]

So skin cancer is merely us evolving into sun gods?

[endre]

Good Idea: Letting your eyes get a few hours of natural sunlight a day.

If you don't mean simply being outside, then I ask why?

[mantidor]

There was recently an article of an english woman who died after trying this. It's so completely stupid, I hate when people ignore common sense.

I'm also pretty sure the (short term) benefits are more placebo effect than anything, these people are absolutely convinced its going to work, and the mind is a powerful thing. Long term effects of not eating? well, is either death or... death.

fake edit: ok maybe it was the swiss woman in the articled linked.

[Death Dealer]

How can you look directly at the sun for 40 minutes without going blind?

I read up on this last week when an annular eclipse happened and I took a few glances naked eye despite all of the news channels saying not to. I found out I really had nothing to worry about just taking a few 1-2 second long glances.

But I learned that staring into the sun for long periods of time (40 minutes certainly qualifies) without a doubt will permanently fuck up your eyesight. It damages the eyes' ability to see fine detail, and can cause a lot of problems, but it won't make you completely blind like Helen Keller.

[Death Dealer]

I hate when people ignore common sense.

You'd have to be awfully ignorant or just deluded like a religious zealot to actually believe you could survive without food by staring at the sun. People don't have chlorophyll.

[Majine]

The sun is amazing, but as with many other natural phenomenons, it also attracts idiots.

[Bombadil]

Wasn't there a Swedish woman who died by following this... this... philosophy?

[Mr Swine]

Wasn't there a Swedish woman who died by following this... this... philosophy?

I live in Sweden and I have never heard of this O_o is there a link to it?

[RELAYER]

I prefer to make myself go blind by staring at the computer screen for 6 hours a day.

[rezuth]

Wasn't there a Swedish woman who died by following this... this... philosophy?

Sure you aren't confusing Swedish with Swiss?

[Damon Bennet]

I live in Sweden and I have never heard of this O_o is there a link to it?

it was a swiss woman. and it was not discussed in this thread, i am sure.

[brumx]

I tried this once for 2 minutes nothing happened I did drink shit loads of water tho lol but I did it at around 4:00PM

[endre]

I read up on this last week when an annular eclipse happened and I took a few glances naked eye despite all of the news channels saying not to. I found out I really had nothing to worry about just taking a few 1-2 second long glances. But I learned that staring into the sun for long periods of time (40 minutes certainly qualifies) without a doubt will permanently fuck up your eyesight. It damages the eyes' ability to see fine detail, and can cause a lot of problems, but it won't make you completely blind like Helen Keller.

The thing is that when you start questioning sun gazers, they don't really stare at the sun. More like look toward it. And they eat of course. If it is spirituality you cant really refute them, since you cant really refute Christianity, Islam etc. I would like to but it is hard. They say that you just don't understand it. Or you cant comprehend spirituality. Just like any other religion or superstitious believes.

I know there are people doing it, because I saw them. Last year I took early bycilce rides along the Danube in Novi Sad, and each morning I saw the same people staring at the sun. The best are the propagators making money of it. I cant find the site atm, but there are people selling apparatus that are helping your "quest".

The thing is with greater access to the internet, stupid things get more followers. For example, in my country more people then ever believe in masons controlling the world, HAARP controlling whether here and that the human kind never landed on the moon. The problem is that these people are often the loudest and propagate their believes.

As for staring in to the sun, I remember of the solar eclipse in Hungary in the nineties I think. Many people were admitted to hospitals for watching the eclipse without protection. There is proof number one it doesn't work.

For proof number two, if you are not really looking at it, then what is the difference between faking it and being out in the sun?

[Kinitari]

Sigh, I put this up there with Homeopathy, Acupuncture and general 'traditional Chinese medicines'. The weirdest part about the people who really buy into this stuff is that a lot of them aren't religious, some would probably call themselves Atheist. I WANT to assume that when you are atheist, it doesn't just mean you don't believe in God, but that you also value empiricism... but I know better now.

Sometimes it feels like it's just people who WANT to believe something because it seems cool, without really caring if it makes any sense or not. Girlfriends sister is into homeopathy and she's an amazing, funny and sweet person - but one time she opened a conversation with "so my homeopath gave me something with diluted gold in it, I think it's awesome that I take gold every day".

What the fuck is she taking gold for? Does she suffer from the case of Midas touch or some shit?

Anyway.... homeopathy tangent, but I don't think this is any different. People are like "WHAT? The sun? That sounds so fucking baller, it HAS to be true!"

[Ferrio]

Much easier way to get power from the sun.

[endre]

Sigh, I put this up there with Homeopathy, Acupuncture and general 'traditional Chinese medicines'.

I do to. But at least with Acupuncture there is some exercise on ones nervous system. At least in their theory.

But Homeopathy?? I laughed at my mother when she wanted to procure some homeopathic "medicine". Luckily I just had to explain her the placebo effect, and that knowing her, she would state that she is the only one on whom the "medication" is not working. Luckily or not she admitted to the former statement, even before trying.

[soldat7]

Danged U2 song is stuck in my head now.

[Beerman462]

[Trojita]

You mean the official Dragon Ball website?

The official dragon ball site had this too!?

[tuffy]

See also Breatharianism

[gooey kablooie]

haha, I will watch this

[Lucky Forward]

Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun

Oh, but Mama, that's where the fun is

[Archer]

Much easier way to get power from the sun.

SunnyD's nuts!

[rezuth]

haha, I will watch this

So that is what Drew has been doing all this time.

[Kurdel]

People are ridiculous.

Step 1 : stare at the sun for 44 minutes.
Step 2 : feel the nourishment of mother Sol.

EDIT: A great book about why people believe ridiculous things.