Did you ever sleep out under the stars when you were a child? If so, can you remember the feelings it gave you? If you’ve never slept under the night sky before without a roof over your head, why not? It’s something we should all experience at least once in our lifetime.
Our ancient ancestors possessed a great knowledge of the night sky. They had myths, stories, and teachings about the stars and planets deeply woven into their culture. They observed the night sky often. It was an important part of their lives, and helped form their worldview, and even spiritual beliefs.
In modern society many people don’t take the time to observe the night sky. Hopefully you do, and if you don’t currently do so, maybe today’s activity could help change that for you.
Challenge: Find somewhere you can sleep outside tonight (if possible, if not then plan for another night this week or an upcoming weekend). It doesn’t have to be far away. It can be in your backyard, your deck, or a campground. This activity can be done on your own, but is also very enjoyable with friends or your family.
If you live in a city you may not even be able to see the stars due to light pollution or smog, so if this is the case try your best to go somewhere where the night sky is clear enough that you can see many stars.
When laying down and looking up, how many stars can you see? Bet you can’t count them all! The longer you look in one spot the more light your eyes will take in as they adjust, and the more stars you will see. Try it!
You’re welcome to spend this time however you wish. You can identify constellations, look at all different areas of the sky, or focus on one area or even just one star for a longer period of time.
You may find that your mind gets lost in deep contemplation. Observing the stars can be a very mind expanding experience. It can also create a lot of feelings.
How did you sleep? What was it like to wake up to the bright daylight without a roof overhead?
Write any thoughts or feelings you experienced and feel free to share them in the facebook group.