Filling the body up with positive, nourishing energy is only half of a whole meditation practice. The other half is the cleansing of negative energy and impurities. That is what meditating with the setting sun is all about.
For the best results, you should be facing west when you do your evening meditation. If you can do it outside in the cool air, and hear the crickets and tree frogs begin to chirp, that is even better.
Unlike morning meditation, when our minds are rested from a night of good sleep (hopefully), evening meditation begins with our minds running around and busy. We are still experiencing our higher brainwave patterns that help us be productive at work and school, but which make it hard for us to relax. Many people don't know how to wind-down after work, bringing these active brainwaves into a calmer state. This evening meditation is meant to give you the skills to reduce your stress levels at the end of the day, which will lead to more restful sleep, and thus better morning meditation.
Then, better morning meditation gives us plenty of energy for the day, so we return home feeling less stressed, and we can wind-down more easily. It's one big healthy cycle!
Mediation Practice During Sunset
Find a spot where the sun will shine about 30 minutes before sunset, standing or sitting down on a firm chair. Lengthen the spine, and open the arms and palms to face the horizon. It is the same stance you would take to feel a nice cool breeze.
Begin to scan the body for the aches, pains, stiffness, and other impurities. Become conscious of them and imagine them dissolving. Like I always say: ice to water, water to gas. Melt the impurities and negative energy with the breath.
Breath deeply through the nose, and when you breath out, visualize the negative energy being pulled out of the body by the force of the setting sun.
Where the sunrise meditation is about pulling energy in, the sunset meditation is about surrendering energy. It is about letting go, which is why it is such a great practice for after work and relieving stress.
At first, the impurities and negative energy will leave slowly, but over time, as you learn to fully surrender to the force of the setting sun, you will find that the negative energy leaves much more quickly. Begin practicing for 5-10 minutes, and work your way up to 20 or 30 minute sessions.
Happy Stretching!