twilight

I have always appreciated the beauty in sunrises and sunsets (a taste of heaven and puffs of cotton). But it wasn't until the time that I have spent in Hawaii over the last year (to infinity and beyond) that I started to explore the magic in the Sun's crepuscular rays. During my month in Oahu last spring, we would try to catch sunset everyday at the Maunalua Bay Beach during our evening walks with Pele.

Canggu, Bali

While in Hilo on the Big Island, the sunrises (11:11 (part 13)) beaming through my bedroom's sliding door served as the rooster's crow to greet the day. But in Kona, it seemed a ritual for many, whether floating on surfboards, lounging in sand or standing cliffside, it was a siren song that bewitched locals and tourists alike to watch in silence and awe as the hues dynamically displayed its vastness across the horizon. Sometimes, one would even get a glimpse of dolphins and whales frolicking in the distance or a sea turtle basking on the rocks.

No matter how the day unfolded, we never regretted packing up the car to chase the sunset in Kona. With the feet grounded in sand and skin absorbing the ions of the salt in the air and ocean, the experiences were always calming to the senses and provided a reset to the energy. Some of our best self-facilitated therapy sessions occurred after we returned from sunsets.

Gili Trawangan, Bali

Yet, it isn't often that one can find a location, other than high above in the mountains where both sunrises and sunsets grace the sky like puffs of cotton or to infinity and beyond. While in Bali, it seemed as if we could catch one or the other but not both, until we got to Gili Trawangan Island where we could rent bicycles to explore the other side of the island. Meeting a group of aerialists while in Ubud had me stumbling into my first aerial yoga class during sunset at the aptly named, Sunset Beach Yoga.

Sanur, Bali

With almost a month this time around, I was able to explore more of the beauty of the Balinese culture and people since eat, pray, love. Snorkeling in the Gilis while on a local concoction of magic mushrooms allowed our eyes to see the vivid colors fauna and creatures of the ocean. Like last time though, I was mistaken for a local Balinese a few times, affording me the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of being a local as well. I was happy that our last night was at the tip of Bali, one of the few places to enjoy both sunrises and sunsets, and as I flew out the following evening, I was blessed with my final sunset on Bali from the porthole of the plane as we were taking off.

* * * * *

I have paddle boarded a number of times in my life, primarily in the calm waters of lakes like Lake Tahoe or bays. With no daylight savings time, sunrise was a little after 5 AM, requiring a meet up time of 4:30 AM. So a sunrise paddle boarding excursion in the ocean was less than ideal for this night owl. But in the wee hours with the moon lighting my way, the East Vietnam Sea off the coast of Hoi An was as calm as lake waters. I went out further than I had planned, being lured towards the Cu Lao Cham Island, in the direction of the rising sun. We were not alone out in the expanse of the ocean, with the local fishermen rowing their basket boats out to check their nets, with one elated to share news of the few crabs that landed in his net that morning.

Perhaps because of the atmosphere that day, the sunrise was full of red, yellows and oranges, even before and after its peak at 5:19 AM. The brisk sea air, the undulations of the ocean, the hues in the horizon, and the titillating energy all around took me back (or forward) to the breathtaking minutes at a taste of heaven. I lost all track of time and awareness of anything else around me. It was perhaps the visuals that could have corresponded with the vibrations and energy I felt during my 5-MeO-DMT journeys (blast off).

It took me awhile to finally hear the sounds of my paddle board companions as they were calling out to me to not go out much further. We stayed out there for another hour or so, connecting with strangers (with one being a marine biologist) and discussing the miracles of life that humans have not acquired the knowledge to explain ... quantum physics, space-time continuum of a block universe (in the NOW) ... and in the end, we all agreed that we would choose to believe in magic and miracles.

As we got back to shore, there was so much activity, with some enjoying the beach for recreation and sport before the heat of the day became scorching and unbearable. It would seem as my friends were accurate when they said that the locals enjoy the beach and town before 8 AM and after 5 PM. According to them, the only people you see on the beach in between are the foreign tourists.

Hoi An happens to be one of those spots where one can catch sunrises and sunsets because of its topography. On the bridge in Old Town, without the obstructions of buildings or mountains, the locals gather before dusk to bid adieu to the brightest star in our skies.

* * * * *

While I knew that the lack of sun in recent decades has resulted in many illnesses and diseases, I have since learned of the benefits of the crepuscular rays to our bodies. At the low horizon, the sun's spectrum of light travels through more of the atmosphere, creating alternating bands of light with the highest contrast of blue and yellow lights. This contrast stimulates the photosensitive cells in the eyes, which in turn, is important to eye health and effects the hypothalamus pituitary parts of the brain, regulating not only the body's circadian rhythm but also hormones, impacting everything from metabolism to nervous system. Adjusting to the sunrise, sunset, Earth's vibrations and meal times of a location is one way to combat jet lag.

So not only are sunrises and sunsets music to our souls, they are driving forces to our bodies and health. Therein lies another magic and miracle of the universe.