Dare to Look into the Sun
An illuminating thought experiment
[This article has a 9.5/10 Woo Rating].
Imagine a school of guppies in a fish tank.
Every morning before work, Claire walks past the tank and sprinkles some fish flakes in the water. If the fish could muster a small degree of environmental awareness, what would they make of Claire? Would they understand her motivations? What T.V. shows she likes? Who her friends are? Or would they simply see a dark blob dropping food in the water?
Every morning, the Sun rises in the sky above us. It feeds all life on Earth.
What is the Sun?
Please take a moment to say your best answer out loud.
If you’re anything like me, your definition is something like the one on NASA’s website:
The sun is a 4.5-billion-year-old yellow dwarf star at the center of our solar system. It's a hot, glowing sphere composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, and it's the primary source of light and energy for Earth.
And yet, to the vast majority of human cultures, the Sun was a divine being with agency and consciousness. It’s probably the consensus view to assume that this is just a relic of magical thinking. Their primitive minds have no grasp of the complex nuclear fusion processes or astrophysics we do. So they made up an explanatory fantasy about a man in a chariot.
But how much of what we know about the Sun is also a fable?
I recently watched Dr. Rupert Sheldrake’s provocative speech (and essay) “Is the Sun Conscious?”
Known for challenging materialist views, maybe Sheldrake is simply trying to expand our horizons. Maybe it’s more than that. First: we have to accept we don’t even know what consciousness is. Second, the Sun actually exhibits some behaviours that would suggest a degree of consciousness, as we currently define it.
Sheldrake points to panpsychism, a theory which proposes that consciousness is a basic and universal feature of all matter. This opens up the initial possibility that a system as vast and dynamic as the Sun could possess its own, non-human form of awareness. Sheldrake also references Integrated Information Theory (IIT). This model argues that consciousness corresponds to the capacity of a system to integrate information in a unified way. Given the Sun’s immense complexity, plasma flows, magnetic feedback loops, and dynamic self-organizing behavior, IIT suggests it may have a nonzero degree of consciousness. Some scientists also believe that consciousness could exist in electromagnetic fields, and since the Sun produces vast, structured fields, it could potentially support a form of awareness. The point of Sheldrake’s scientific heresy is not to prove that the Sun is conscious, but more to raise the possibility that it could be.
Other cultures have invented stories to fill the gaps in their knowledge of the Sun’s behaviour. Modern science would obviously never do that. Right? In the 1970s, astronomers discovered that stars in galaxies rotate faster than they should based on the visible mass present. To explain this, scientists postulated the existence of dark matter. This is invisible mass that doesn’t emit light but exerts gravitational pull. Sheldrake notes the absurdity of this sleight of hand:
“Dark matter helps to explain the movements of stars within galaxies and the relations between galaxies within galactic clusters, but it does so at a heavy price: nobody knows what it is, and all attempts to detect it experimentally have failed.”
In an amusing and insightful post,
suggests that maybe the terminology of modern science is actually smuggling in magical thinking:If scientists were forced by law to call dark matter “Angels” until they, you know, had actually detected some, and to call dark energy “The Holy Spirit” until they could come up with even a rough account of what it was or where it came from, it might be a bit more obvious what they were doing.
Sheldrake contrasts this with the “Volitional Star Hypothesis” from Gregory Matloff. This suggests that stars, including our Sun, may possess a form of consciousness or volition, meaning they can make decisions or direct their behavior intentionally in some way.
The guppies have no idea Claire has “friends.” And they would have absolutely no conception of how she communicates with them over the internet. Equally, there’s no reason we can discount the idea of stars being aware of each other’s presence or interacting through quantum or electromagnetic mechanisms that currently vastly exceed our understanding of them.
The Sun may not be just NASA’s big ball of gas, but a highly dynamic, self-organizing system with cycles, feedback loops, and energy regulation, much like other systems that show signs of intelligence. While this doesn’t mean the Sun is conscious “like a human,” Sheldrake argues that it may have its own kind of experience, and that ancient cultures who saw the Sun as alive might have intuited something modern science is only now beginning to rediscover.
So What?
It’s a healthy and humbling mindset to consider that other forms of consciousness may exist, especially ones different from our own. Even more provocative is the idea that some of these intelligences could be radically more advanced than us, possibly even shaping our lives in subtle ways we can’t directly perceive. Entertaining this possibility opens the door to taking things like environmental cues and synchronicities more seriously; not as magical thinking, but as invitations from a more intelligent environment.
We already know the Sun’s energy literally keeps us alive and affects our circadian rhythms. Our hearts are also electromagnetic transmitters and receivers. And the Sun is an absolutely gargantuan electromagnetic transmitter. Some controversial studies suggest increased solar activity is associated with greater social unrest, heart rate variability, or shifts in collective behavior.1 It’s probably a coincidence, but my favourite experiment of Dr.
’s is that if you experimentally suppress the brain’s left hemisphere for 10-15 minutes, subjects can perceive the sun as animate, moving across the sky and giving them energy. Our right hemisphere is dramatically more connected to our hearts, which in turn are connected to electromagnetic fields we barely understand. What if our neural architecture was preventing us from taking the idea of a conscious sun more seriously? It fits with my general belief that left-hemisphere-lock inhibits our ability to be guided by environmental attractor intelligence.It’s certainly a thought experiment guaranteed to irritate the kind of dogmatic scientist unwilling to even consider the existence of anything more intelligent than themselves. And while I’m annoying rationalists, I may as well fully cross the Woo-bicon.
What first got me wondering about this concept was the Law of One material I read a few months ago (and haven’t stopped thinking about since). As a reminder, The Law of One claims to be a series of 106 conversations between Carla Rueckert, Jim McCarty and Don Elkins, a professor of physics and UFO investigator. Their contact was allegedly with an advanced channeled entity called “Ra,” speaking through Carla.2 Jim is the last surviving member of the trio and we interviewed him earlier in the year. I’ve found the Law of One compelling because it has expanded my awareness of how the entire cosmos might work, while bringing more meaning to the mundanity of my daily life.
According to Ra, the One Infinite Creator, or Logos, expresses itself by creating stars, each one a Sub-Logos. These are individual architects all working under a single master. Each star is a conscious entity capable of designing the metaphysical and physical architecture of its own solar system. Our Sun, in this view, is not just a ball of gas but a creative intelligence. It establishes the local blueprint for planets, ecosystems, and even the rules for how consciousness evolves within its domain.3
One of the key features the Sun allegedly installed is something called the “veil of forgetting.” This is a barrier that conceals our divine nature. In other, earlier solar systems, there was no veil, so all beings knew they were aspects of the divine. But this led to stagnation. No conflict meant no growth, and spiritual evolution dragged on for aeons. Ra claims Earth’s veil is especially thick, making it a hard place to live but a fast place to learn.
Claire controls the guppies’ ecosystem and determines their survival without them ever being aware of it. But, unlike guppies, we possess self-awareness. In Ra’s cosmology, this places us at the third density level of consciousness. This is the stage where entities gain the ability to choose their path, particularly between service-to-self-or-service to others. First density is elements like fire and water. Second density is plant and animal life. Humans are third density entities, which brings self-awareness. Jim believes are currently experiencing a transition into fourth density.4 This shift involves an increasing awareness of our unified consciousness, psychic abilities, of love as a powerful force and a confrontation with our own shadow. Ra’s message suggests that solar cycles may play a role in triggering these harvests and planetary shifts, therefore the Sun may be actively coordinating the spiritual path of humanity.
This thought experiment has continued to reinforce my most “woo” suspicion: that we live in some kind of Earth School. As a reminder: this is the theory that we have souls that choose to incarnate on Earth in order to learn specific lessons. These lessons evolve our consciousness, perhaps up through the densities that Ra introduces.
Looking up at the stars can make us feel puny and insignificant, but this framing gives us nobility and responsibility. It’s grounding to be aware of the limitations of our intelligence and inspiring to consider the existence of phenomena that far exceed it. Especially if it’s our individual and collective purpose to evolve our consciousness in that direction. All of these mysteries overwhelmingly emphasize the importance of the unifying force of love in this process. And human relationships are extraordinarily intense catalysts for that growth. The purpose of a thought experiment like this isn’t to have us turn our eyes towards the heavens and blast off into space, it’s sharpen our focus on loving those directly around us. My own gaze was drawn to one of the top comments beneath Sheldrake’s lecture on YouTube:
A few years ago I had a period of daily sungazing and each day I could see it rise I'd say hello and if I was lucky enough to see a sunset I would thank it and say how great I thought it was. This went on for months and one day after about fifteen minutes of watching the sun set, I was thinking the usual things “wow, you're amazing, I love you,” all that jazz, and suddenly I had a very direct message from the sun: “there's trillions of us, and only a few billion of you, I'm not so special and you should focus those specific feelings towards yourself and your family and loved ones.” It was quite startling. After I thought about it, I couldn't argue with the logic. I absolutely have no doubt that consciousness pervades everything.
Another powerful geomagnetic storm like the 1859 Carrington Event could devastate all the electronics on Earth. Here’s a New Yorker article if you want a new thing to freak out about.
In case you’re wondering about the association between the name Ra and the Ancient Egyptian deity: Ra claimed they visited Egypt during a time when its people were spiritually open and seeking guidance. Their polytheistic model apparently made them more open to Ra’s metaphysics. Ra’s intention was to share teachings centered on unity, love, and service to others; the essence of the Law of One. However, the Egyptians interpreted Ra’s presence through the lens of their existing religious frameworks, particularly their reverence for the Sun as divine. As tends to happen, over time the purity of Ra’s message was distorted and co-opted by those in power. These distortions, such as turning spiritual knowledge into hierarchical control, prompted Ra to withdraw. Ra’s later contact in 1981 was a conscious attempt to clarify and repair those earlier misunderstandings. So Ra didn’t choose the name “Ra” the Egyptians assigned it to them. But the name stuck, and Ra continued to use it in further communications with humanity.
The last few hundred pages of The Law of One somewhat surprisingly argues that the Tarot is not just a tool for fortune-telling, but a sacred system of archetypes designed by the Sub Logos to guide the evolution of our consciousness. According to Ra, the 22 Major Arcana cards represent aspects of the archetypal mind, which all souls engage with as they progress spiritually. By studying and meditating on the Tarot, especially in its original symbolic form (such as the Egyptian images), seekers can accelerate spiritual growth. I found this whole section a bit of a slog to be honest. But if the topic interests you, MJ Dorian is currently doing a typically well-produced podcast series on the origins of the Tarot. Fun aside: as I was writing this piece yesterday I was coincidentally pitched the investment case for Sun Pharma and Taro Pharma.
Beyond Third Density we have:
Fourth Density (Love): Entities evolve into collective consciousness, emphasizing unconditional love.
Fifth Density (Wisdom): Integration of love and wisdom through advanced understanding.
Sixth Density (Unity): Balancing love and wisdom, approaching oneness with the Creator.
Seventh Density (Gateway): Completion of the learning cycle, preparing for reemergence into the Infinite Creator.
Eighth Density (Infinity): The octave of existence folds back into the Infinite Creator to begin anew.
“What if our neural architecture was preventing us from taking the idea of a conscious sun more seriously?” I believe it totally is! Luckily, we have our dream space which is the easiest, most accessible way of humans to play in the more right brain “school” of experience, as long as they’re willing to remember their dreams and bring back what they experienced into waking life for contemplation!
I really enjoyed this article and will listen or read Sheldrake’s piece. Thank you!
“In our world," said Eustace, "a star is a huge ball of flaming gas."
Aslan replied, “Even in your world, my son, that is not what a star is, but only what it is made of.”
― C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader