Yoga or Sleep?

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam,

 

Yesterday I woke up around 5:30am. I then proceeded to do Adi Mantra,

Sat Nam Kriya, The Cooling Breath, and a quick Nabhi Kriya. I then got

ready and left for class around 7. School lasted all day, with only

two classes but lots of academic stuff that needed to get done (that's

a Wednesday in my book) and my last class ended at 9pm. I then got

engaged with the professor for a stimulating 2 hour conversation, and

a one hour drive home.

 

Normally, I like to do Sa Ta Na Ma Kriya, cooling breath, Har Har Har

Har, and then get ready for sleep. but instead, I just showered,

cooling breath, and off I went. I didn't make it to class today, woke

up groggy after sleeping NINE hours... and then fell asleep later in

the day for another 3 hours.

 

How does sleep and yoga work together with a busy schedule? I don't

think I'm sick... why did I sleep so long? Does skipping my kriya

have something to do with it? Something tells me it's one of those bad

habbits I need to break, but it's always been a huge area of concern

in my life.

 

Thanks and Blessings.

[Guest guest]

Sat Nam

Chad, I can't speak for everyone, just my own inner experience, but I

identify with your question well. When my sons were babies I found it

utterly impossible to wake up at a consistent time and I judged myself

so much for my apparent lack of discipline, etc...

What I have come to know about my own experience of yoga is that every

practice for me is powerful and opens a door. Sometimes the

integration is calling for sleep. I had gotten myself to a consistent

4am practice and a few times would oversleep because I was relying on

my circadian rhythm to wake me up. Five days ago I slept to

7am...utterly bizarre in my world - even my kids are up by then! All

day I was sleepy and a little moody. I have been centering my practice

on my 2nd Chakra, and it turns out that there is a lot there for me to

integrate. So I let myself sleep when it feels like medicine because

in the end, it is my own body that I have to be accountable to, and

that the practice is there to unfold my journey.

I know that everyone has there own set of beliefs about this, but I

think that balance is so very individually experienced.

Blessings,

Om Shanti,

Dawn