Why do you need to stargaze when feeling depressed?
What is star gazing?
Stargazing is the act of offering yourself the undaunted view of a widespread sheet of shimmering stars. This wholesome experience doesn’t demand a lot of materialistic pre-requisites, the sheer will to lay down, under the night sky, all by yourself or share it with someone close to your heart.
Escape, to a quiet, undisturbed setting, preferably away from the glazing city lights, onto the scape of vast spread tranquillity, and that is what forms a perfect set up for experiencing the overwhelming feeling of the never-ending shimmering lights.
Stargazing is one of the experiences, every human needs to go through to contemplate the many questions of life and existence.
How star gazing can soothe your depression:
There are multiple reasons that make you feel sad and vulnerable, and normally, these stages of uncatered distress change into subtle identification of stress.
We, as humans of today, tend to work to our absolute mental saturation in order to sustain or obtain certain humanistic and societal achievements.
This thus results in us falling into the vicious trap of uncharged mental energy, draining us to the core. The optimism we held in the beginning, now seems to be long gone, and pessimistic thoughts take over. We, on a personal level, struggle to keep up with the happiness that we endorse.
This is the time when we need to stop and take a break. Identify the signals your mind gives you. You have overused it, it’s struggling now. This is the time to take a retreat back to nature.
Why I recommend star gazing in such a situation, you ask?
Well, laying down, on a calm night, beneath the sheet of heavenly stardust and gazing at the infinity it extends to, is going to make your everyday hustle, your unsettling thoughts, be questioned for their existence. As you will immerse into the depths of this astronomical art, trying to make sense of the constant patterns it forms, your mind shall have enough time to recharge and relax. Your mind and soul will heal.
As you rest upon the cold concrete of your terrace or the dewy grass in of the landscapes or the cold white snow, you are bound to compare your own existence to that of the never-ending universe. Hence, you will find yourself amidst a state of realisation and shall be able to contemplate the purpose of it, all while you fall inevitably in love with the long lost peace.
I promise you’ll find the answers to what you’ve been seeking for the longest while. You’ll find peace.
How to stargaze?
Here are a few steps you would want to go through while you plan a night with the stars:
Choose a Cold night: No! You don’t have to get frostbite and fall ill. All you need is the soothing winter night. It’s just the secret to having an awesome experience. Too hot of a night, does no good other than making you all heat-stricken.
Find a spot: All rocky or harsh-on-the-body place does it to deviate your mind from the involuntary meditation and hence does not let you absorb the calmness of the night, in peace!
Get cosy: Wear your warm overcoats, cover your head, if you wish to, share a blanket with someone. The warmer the better.
Stay calm & Deep breathe: This is to centre your mind and take control of it. If you are sharing this moment with someone, this could be the best time for deep conversations that “coffee” can’t just strike or probably some meaningful quite time together.
Take notes: Take mental notes of what it feels like to be a speck of dust in the infinite, never-ending universe. Remember it, revise it, go back to it, for every time you feel that the world is too small, that mental note shall be there to keep your sanity intact.
Best places to witness stargazing:
Natural Bridges National Monument, United States.
Rhön Biosphere Reserve, Germany.
Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, New Zealand.
Cherry Springs State Park, United States.
Pic du Midi, France.
Sedona, United States.
Mont-Mégantic, Canada.
