Tamas !

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Namaste All,How does one overcome sleep during sadhana? I have a reasonably busy schedule (like anyone else), so I set aside the late hours(no disturbances) of the day for my japa sadhana. On most days I experience a natural flow and I can cruise along for a longer time. Good! But at other times, owing to the late hour, sleep sometimes comes in waves and the japa mala slips from my hands.I tried shifting my sadhana to the early hours - I sometimes feel sleepy then as well.I tried coffee and tea - with limited success. I found the drug store caffeine tabs fairly effective., but I am not sure if I should take this regularly.Question: Any suggestions on overcoming sleep - Tamas? Is 8 hours of sleep a necessity for the human body? How do sages handle sleepiness).Thank you all for your patience.Best Regards.Sivakumar

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[Guest guest]

Dear Sivakumar,

 

Everyone, including those inclined more to karma yoga, like myself,

get sleepy at times when we need to be alert. The best answer that I

know to the problem is the teaching given in the Gita: that our mind

can be our helper, and it can also be our enemy; so we must lift

ourselves up by our own mind. That is, we must inspire our own self

when we are in the downswing of tamas.

 

I remember that the great swamis in the tradition of Sri Ramakrishna

would sometimes say to their young disciples, " meditate and pray as

though the very Devil has his fingers in your hair! "

 

When we feel sleepy it is time to remind ourselves why we have taken

up spiritual practice. For many, to become a little calm and peaceful

is the goal; but if our meditation, prayer, and karma yoga is to lead

us to God-realization, them we must be up and doing: " This is no time

for sleep and laziness! " That very attitude of mind has the power to

break the tamas.

 

Sri Ramakrishna would let the young college students who visited him

on weekends sleep for a couple of hours at night, then he would wake

them up and say " Be up and doing! Will you sleep your life away? I

very much dislike that line in the song that says, 'thus striving,

some day I may attain Him'. People with that attitude are like soggy

cornflakes (flattened rice soaked in milk) nothing whatever will be

attained that way! " So, we can ask ourselves, when sleep starts to

overpower us, Do I want to be soggy cornflakes, or do I want to

realize God?

 

Many people seem to think the mantra is like a magic word that will

do all the work if they just repeat it enough times. I believe that

attitude puts many devotees to sleep. To me, real religion is

Relationship: the power of the mantra brings our attention on God, no

doubt, but then, it is the degree of emotional relationship with God

that one has that determines the degree of Divine Presence one feels.

 

Sri Ramakrishna repeated over and over again that " longing for God is

the one thing needful " . He asked everyone, " Can you shed tears for

God? Can you cry for God " . Worldly people shed buckets of tears for

worldly things; who can cry for God? "

 

He said that in his sadhana period he would retire to the forest and

open his mouth so wide that it would seem to encompass the heavens and

the earth, and cry out " MAAAAAA! " He didn't do it one time only, but

all night long--year after year. He said that his eyes didn't close in

sleep for twelve long years. And, I believe that with that kind of

longing for God, that kind of emotional intensity, or bhava, it would

be hard to go to sleep.

 

These are the things that come to mind in regard to the question of

sleep during meditation. I hope that it, or some part of it, may be

helpful in some way.

 

With love,

Kumari

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

, Siva Kumar <sufi116 wrote:

>

> Namaste All,

>

> How does one overcome sleep during sadhana? I have a reasonably busy

schedule (like anyone else), so I set aside the late hours(no

disturbances) of the day for my japa sadhana. On most days I

experience a natural flow and I can cruise along for a longer time.

Good! But at other times, owing to the late hour, sleep sometimes

comes in waves and the japa mala slips from my hands.

>

> I tried shifting my sadhana to the early hours - I sometimes feel

sleepy then as well.

>

> I tried coffee and tea - with limited success. I found the drug

store caffeine tabs fairly effective., but I am not sure if I should

take this regularly.

>

> Question: Any suggestions on overcoming sleep - Tamas? Is 8 hours of

sleep a necessity for the human body? How do sages handle sleepiness).

>

> Thank you all for your patience.

>

> Best Regards.

>

> Sivakumar

>

>

>

>

 

> Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile.

Try it now.

>

[Guest guest]

Dear KumarNamaste! I really enjoyed reading your perspective. I agree it is the degree of emotional relationship with God that counts. I have a long way to go!Thank you for your the detail in your reply.Best RegardsSivakumarty_maa <dsjames wrote: Dear Sivakumar, Everyone, including those inclined more to karma yoga, like myself, get sleepy at times when we need to be alert. The best answer that I know to the problem is the teaching given in the Gita: that our mind can be our helper,

and it can also be our enemy; so we must lift ourselves up by our own mind. That is, we must inspire our own self when we are in the downswing of tamas. I remember that the great swamis in the tradition of Sri Ramakrishna would sometimes say to their young disciples, "meditate and pray as though the very Devil has his fingers in your hair!" When we feel sleepy it is time to remind ourselves why we have taken up spiritual practice. For many, to become a little calm and peaceful is the goal; but if our meditation, prayer, and karma yoga is to lead us to God-realization, them we must be up and doing: "This is no time for sleep and laziness!" That very attitude of mind has the power to break the tamas. Sri Ramakrishna would let the young college students who visited him on weekends sleep for a couple of hours at night, then he would wake them up and say "Be up and doing! Will you sleep your life away? I

very much dislike that line in the song that says, 'thus striving, some day I may attain Him'. People with that attitude are like soggy cornflakes (flattened rice soaked in milk) nothing whatever will be attained that way!" So, we can ask ourselves, when sleep starts to overpower us, Do I want to be soggy cornflakes, or do I want to realize God? Many people seem to think the mantra is like a magic word that will do all the work if they just repeat it enough times. I believe that attitude puts many devotees to sleep. To me, real religion is Relationship: the power of the mantra brings our attention on God, no doubt, but then, it is the degree of emotional relationship with God that one has that determines the degree of Divine Presence one feels. Sri Ramakrishna repeated over and over again that "longing for God is the one thing needful". He asked everyone, "Can you shed tears for God? Can you cry for God".

Worldly people shed buckets of tears for worldly things; who can cry for God?" He said that in his sadhana period he would retire to the forest and open his mouth so wide that it would seem to encompass the heavens and the earth, and cry out "MAAAAAA!" He didn't do it one time only, but all night long--year after year. He said that his eyes didn't close in sleep for twelve long years. And, I believe that with that kind of longing for God, that kind of emotional intensity, or bhava, it would be hard to go to sleep. These are the things that come to mind in regard to the question of sleep during meditation. I hope that it, or some part of it, may be helpful in some way. With love, Kumari , Siva Kumar <sufi116 wrote: > > Namaste All, > > How does one overcome

sleep during sadhana? I have a reasonably busy schedule (like anyone else), so I set aside the late hours(no disturbances) of the day for my japa sadhana. On most days I experience a natural flow and I can cruise along for a longer time. Good! But at other times, owing to the late hour, sleep sometimes comes in waves and the japa mala slips from my hands. > > I tried shifting my sadhana to the early hours - I sometimes feel sleepy then as well. > > I tried coffee and tea - with limited success. I found the drug store caffeine tabs fairly effective., but I am not sure if I should take this regularly. > > Question: Any suggestions on overcoming sleep - Tamas? Is 8 hours of sleep a necessity for the human body? How do sages handle sleepiness). > > Thank you all for your patience. > > Best Regards. > > Sivakumar > > > >

> > > > > > > > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. >

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Dear Kumari(I apologize for the error in spelling your name in the last email)Namaste! I really enjoyed reading your perspective. I agree it is the degree of emotional relationship with God that counts. I have a long way to go!Thank you for your the detail in your reply.Best RegardsSivakumarty_maa <dsjames wrote: Dear Sivakumar, Everyone, including those inclined more to karma yoga, like myself, get sleepy at times when we need to be alert. The best

answer that I know to the problem is the teaching given in the Gita: that our mind can be our helper, and it can also be our enemy; so we must lift ourselves up by our own mind. That is, we must inspire our own self when we are in the downswing of tamas. I remember that the great swamis in the tradition of Sri Ramakrishna would sometimes say to their young disciples, "meditate and pray as though the very Devil has his fingers in your hair!" When we feel sleepy it is time to remind ourselves why we have taken up spiritual practice. For many, to become a little calm and peaceful is the goal; but if our meditation, prayer, and karma yoga is to lead us to God-realization, them we must be up and doing: "This is no time for sleep and laziness!" That very attitude of mind has the power to break the tamas. Sri Ramakrishna would let the young college students who visited him on weekends sleep for a couple of

hours at night, then he would wake them up and say "Be up and doing! Will you sleep your life away? I very much dislike that line in the song that says, 'thus striving, some day I may attain Him'. People with that attitude are like soggy cornflakes (flattened rice soaked in milk) nothing whatever will be attained that way!" So, we can ask ourselves, when sleep starts to overpower us, Do I want to be soggy cornflakes, or do I want to realize God? Many people seem to think the mantra is like a magic word that will do all the work if they just repeat it enough times. I believe that attitude puts many devotees to sleep. To me, real religion is Relationship: the power of the mantra brings our attention on God, no doubt, but then, it is the degree of emotional relationship with God that one has that determines the degree of Divine Presence one feels. Sri Ramakrishna repeated over and over again that "longing for

God is the one thing needful". He asked everyone, "Can you shed tears for God? Can you cry for God". Worldly people shed buckets of tears for worldly things; who can cry for God?" He said that in his sadhana period he would retire to the forest and open his mouth so wide that it would seem to encompass the heavens and the earth, and cry out "MAAAAAA!" He didn't do it one time only, but all night long--year after year. He said that his eyes didn't close in sleep for twelve long years. And, I believe that with that kind of longing for God, that kind of emotional intensity, or bhava, it would be hard to go to sleep. These are the things that come to mind in regard to the question of sleep during meditation. I hope that it, or some part of it, may be helpful in some way. With love, Kumari , Siva Kumar

<sufi116 wrote: > > Namaste All, > > How does one overcome sleep during sadhana? I have a reasonably busy schedule (like anyone else), so I set aside the late hours(no disturbances) of the day for my japa sadhana. On most days I experience a natural flow and I can cruise along for a longer time. Good! But at other times, owing to the late hour, sleep sometimes comes in waves and the japa mala slips from my hands. > > I tried shifting my sadhana to the early hours - I sometimes feel sleepy then as well. > > I tried coffee and tea - with limited success. I found the drug store caffeine tabs fairly effective., but I am not sure if I should take this regularly. > > Question: Any suggestions on overcoming sleep - Tamas? Is 8 hours of sleep a necessity for the human body? How do sages handle sleepiness). > > Thank you all for your

patience. > > Best Regards. > > Sivakumar > > > > > > > > > > > > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. >

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[Guest guest]

Dear Kumari,

 

Thank you for an inspiring post!

 

Some thoughts on sleepiness.

 

1. Pray to Mother to overcome sleepiness.

 

2. Sit with spine erect. Sleepiness is caused by spine being curved or

inclined. For me that means I have to master Siddhasana.

 

3. Keep stomach empty before practice, if possible. This helps

Pranayam too.

 

4. Paramhansa Yogananda made this suggestion for overcoming drowsiness

during meditation: " Squeeze your eyes shut several times, then open

them wide and stare straight ahead. Repeat this practice once or twice

more. If you do this, sleepiness will cease to bother you. "

 

5. Get some good sleep after practice:)

 

6. Personally, drinking a lot of water during the day has reduced my tiredness

during the day which helps if you are chanting at night.

 

My experience is that in general sleepiness during chanting is a

temporary phenomenon. If you persist, after a while it goes away.

 

love

srini

 

 

 

 

, " ty_maa " <dsjames wrote:

>

>

> Dear Sivakumar,

>

> Everyone, including those inclined more to karma yoga, like myself,

> get sleepy at times when we need to be alert. The best answer that I

> know to the problem is the teaching given in the Gita: that our mind

> can be our helper, and it can also be our enemy; so we must lift

> ourselves up by our own mind. That is, we must inspire our own self

> when we are in the downswing of tamas.

>

> I remember that the great swamis in the tradition of Sri Ramakrishna

> would sometimes say to their young disciples, " meditate and pray as

> though the very Devil has his fingers in your hair! "

>

> When we feel sleepy it is time to remind ourselves why we have taken

> up spiritual practice. For many, to become a little calm and peaceful

> is the goal; but if our meditation, prayer, and karma yoga is to lead

> us to God-realization, them we must be up and doing: " This is no time

> for sleep and laziness! " That very attitude of mind has the power to

> break the tamas.

>

> Sri Ramakrishna would let the young college students who visited him

> on weekends sleep for a couple of hours at night, then he would wake

> them up and say " Be up and doing! Will you sleep your life away? I

> very much dislike that line in the song that says, 'thus striving,

> some day I may attain Him'. People with that attitude are like soggy

> cornflakes (flattened rice soaked in milk) nothing whatever will be

> attained that way! " So, we can ask ourselves, when sleep starts to

> overpower us, Do I want to be soggy cornflakes, or do I want to

> realize God?

>

> Many people seem to think the mantra is like a magic word that will

> do all the work if they just repeat it enough times. I believe that

> attitude puts many devotees to sleep. To me, real religion is

> Relationship: the power of the mantra brings our attention on God, no

> doubt, but then, it is the degree of emotional relationship with God

> that one has that determines the degree of Divine Presence one feels.

>

> Sri Ramakrishna repeated over and over again that " longing for God is

> the one thing needful " . He asked everyone, " Can you shed tears for

> God? Can you cry for God " . Worldly people shed buckets of tears for

> worldly things; who can cry for God? "

>

> He said that in his sadhana period he would retire to the forest and

> open his mouth so wide that it would seem to encompass the heavens and

> the earth, and cry out " MAAAAAA! " He didn't do it one time only, but

> all night long--year after year. He said that his eyes didn't close in

> sleep for twelve long years. And, I believe that with that kind of

> longing for God, that kind of emotional intensity, or bhava, it would

> be hard to go to sleep.

>

> These are the things that come to mind in regard to the question of

> sleep during meditation. I hope that it, or some part of it, may be

> helpful in some way.

>

> With love,

> Kumari

>

>

>

>

>

, Siva Kumar <sufi116@> wrote:

> >

> > Namaste All,

> >

> > How does one overcome sleep during sadhana? I have a reasonably busy

> schedule (like anyone else), so I set aside the late hours(no

> disturbances) of the day for my japa sadhana. On most days I

> experience a natural flow and I can cruise along for a longer time.

> Good! But at other times, owing to the late hour, sleep sometimes

> comes in waves and the japa mala slips from my hands.

> >

> > I tried shifting my sadhana to the early hours - I sometimes feel

> sleepy then as well.

> >

> > I tried coffee and tea - with limited success. I found the drug

> store caffeine tabs fairly effective., but I am not sure if I should

> take this regularly.

> >

> > Question: Any suggestions on overcoming sleep - Tamas? Is 8 hours of

> sleep a necessity for the human body? How do sages handle sleepiness).

> >

> > Thank you all for your patience.

> >

> > Best Regards.

> >

> > Sivakumar

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile.

> Try it now.

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Srinivasan,These tips are all worth trying. Thanks!Sivakumarsrini_sadhu <srini_sadhu wrote: Dear Kumari, Thank you for an inspiring post! Some thoughts on sleepiness. 1. Pray to Mother to overcome sleepiness. 2. Sit with spine erect. Sleepiness is caused by spine being curved or inclined. For me that means I have to master Siddhasana. 3. Keep stomach empty before practice, if possible. This helps Pranayam too. 4. Paramhansa Yogananda made this suggestion for overcoming

drowsiness during meditation: "Squeeze your eyes shut several times, then open them wide and stare straight ahead. Repeat this practice once or twice more. If you do this, sleepiness will cease to bother you." 5. Get some good sleep after practice:) 6. Personally, drinking a lot of water during the day has reduced my tiredness during the day which helps if you are chanting at night. My experience is that in general sleepiness during chanting is a temporary phenomenon. If you persist, after a while it goes away. love srini , "ty_maa" <dsjames wrote: > > > Dear Sivakumar, > > Everyone, including those inclined more to karma yoga, like myself, > get sleepy at times when we need to be alert. The best answer that I > know to the problem is the teaching

given in the Gita: that our mind > can be our helper, and it can also be our enemy; so we must lift > ourselves up by our own mind. That is, we must inspire our own self > when we are in the downswing of tamas. > > I remember that the great swamis in the tradition of Sri Ramakrishna > would sometimes say to their young disciples, "meditate and pray as > though the very Devil has his fingers in your hair!" > > When we feel sleepy it is time to remind ourselves why we have taken > up spiritual practice. For many, to become a little calm and peaceful > is the goal; but if our meditation, prayer, and karma yoga is to lead > us to God-realization, them we must be up and doing: "This is no time > for sleep and laziness!" That very attitude of mind has the power to > break the tamas. > > Sri Ramakrishna would let the young college students who visited him > on

weekends sleep for a couple of hours at night, then he would wake > them up and say "Be up and doing! Will you sleep your life away? I > very much dislike that line in the song that says, 'thus striving, > some day I may attain Him'. People with that attitude are like soggy > cornflakes (flattened rice soaked in milk) nothing whatever will be > attained that way!" So, we can ask ourselves, when sleep starts to > overpower us, Do I want to be soggy cornflakes, or do I want to > realize God? > > Many people seem to think the mantra is like a magic word that will > do all the work if they just repeat it enough times. I believe that > attitude puts many devotees to sleep. To me, real religion is > Relationship: the power of the mantra brings our attention on God, no > doubt, but then, it is the degree of emotional relationship with God > that one has that determines the degree

of Divine Presence one feels. > > Sri Ramakrishna repeated over and over again that "longing for God is > the one thing needful". He asked everyone, "Can you shed tears for > God? Can you cry for God". Worldly people shed buckets of tears for > worldly things; who can cry for God?" > > He said that in his sadhana period he would retire to the forest and > open his mouth so wide that it would seem to encompass the heavens and > the earth, and cry out "MAAAAAA!" He didn't do it one time only, but > all night long--year after year. He said that his eyes didn't close in > sleep for twelve long years. And, I believe that with that kind of > longing for God, that kind of emotional intensity, or bhava, it would > be hard to go to sleep. > > These are the things that come to mind in regard to the question of > sleep during meditation. I hope that it, or some part of

it, may be > helpful in some way. > > With love, > Kumari > > > > > > > > > > > > , Siva Kumar <sufi116@> wrote: > > > > Namaste All, > > > > How does one overcome sleep during sadhana? I have a reasonably busy > schedule (like anyone else), so I set aside the late hours(no > disturbances) of the day for my japa sadhana. On most days I > experience a natural flow and I can cruise along for a longer time. > Good! But at other times, owing to the late hour, sleep sometimes > comes in waves and the japa mala slips from my hands. > > > > I tried shifting my sadhana to the early hours - I sometimes feel > sleepy then as well. > > >

> I tried coffee and tea - with limited success. I found the drug > store caffeine tabs fairly effective., but I am not sure if I should > take this regularly. > > > > Question: Any suggestions on overcoming sleep - Tamas? Is 8 hours of > sleep a necessity for the human body? How do sages handle sleepiness). > > > > Thank you all for your patience. > > > > Best Regards. > > > > Sivakumar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. > Try it now. > > >

Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Search.

[Guest guest]

Thank you Kumari Maa. This post is extremely thought provoking and

inspiring.

 

Jai Maa

, " ty_maa " <dsjames wrote:

>

>

> Dear Sivakumar,

>

> Everyone, including those inclined more to karma yoga, like myself,

> get sleepy at times when we need to be alert. The best answer that I

> know to the problem is the teaching given in the Gita: that our mind

> can be our helper, and it can also be our enemy; so we must lift

> ourselves up by our own mind. That is, we must inspire our own self

> when we are in the downswing of tamas.

>

> I remember that the great swamis in the tradition of Sri Ramakrishna

> would sometimes say to their young disciples, " meditate and pray as

> though the very Devil has his fingers in your hair! "

>

> When we feel sleepy it is time to remind ourselves why we have taken

> up spiritual practice. For many, to become a little calm and

peaceful

> is the goal; but if our meditation, prayer, and karma yoga is to

lead

> us to God-realization, them we must be up and doing: " This is no

time

> for sleep and laziness! " That very attitude of mind has the power to

> break the tamas.

>

> Sri Ramakrishna would let the young college students who visited him

> on weekends sleep for a couple of hours at night, then he would wake

> them up and say " Be up and doing! Will you sleep your life away? I

> very much dislike that line in the song that says, 'thus striving,

> some day I may attain Him'. People with that attitude are like soggy

> cornflakes (flattened rice soaked in milk) nothing whatever will be

> attained that way! " So, we can ask ourselves, when sleep starts to

> overpower us, Do I want to be soggy cornflakes, or do I want to

> realize God?

>

> Many people seem to think the mantra is like a magic word that will

> do all the work if they just repeat it enough times. I believe that

> attitude puts many devotees to sleep. To me, real religion is

> Relationship: the power of the mantra brings our attention on God,

no

> doubt, but then, it is the degree of emotional relationship with God

> that one has that determines the degree of Divine Presence one

feels.

>

> Sri Ramakrishna repeated over and over again that " longing for God

is

> the one thing needful " . He asked everyone, " Can you shed tears for

> God? Can you cry for God " . Worldly people shed buckets of tears for

> worldly things; who can cry for God? "

>

> He said that in his sadhana period he would retire to the forest and

> open his mouth so wide that it would seem to encompass the heavens

and

> the earth, and cry out " MAAAAAA! " He didn't do it one time only, but

> all night long--year after year. He said that his eyes didn't close

in

> sleep for twelve long years. And, I believe that with that kind of

> longing for God, that kind of emotional intensity, or bhava, it

would

> be hard to go to sleep.

>

> These are the things that come to mind in regard to the question of

> sleep during meditation. I hope that it, or some part of it, may be

> helpful in some way.

>

> With love,

> Kumari

>

>

>

>

>

, Siva Kumar <sufi116@> wrote:

> >

> > Namaste All,

> >

> > How does one overcome sleep during sadhana? I have a reasonably

busy

> schedule (like anyone else), so I set aside the late hours(no

> disturbances) of the day for my japa sadhana. On most days I

> experience a natural flow and I can cruise along for a longer time.

> Good! But at other times, owing to the late hour, sleep sometimes

> comes in waves and the japa mala slips from my hands.

> >

> > I tried shifting my sadhana to the early hours - I sometimes feel

> sleepy then as well.

> >

> > I tried coffee and tea - with limited success. I found the drug

> store caffeine tabs fairly effective., but I am not sure if I should

> take this regularly.

> >

> > Question: Any suggestions on overcoming sleep - Tamas? Is 8 hours

of

> sleep a necessity for the human body? How do sages handle

sleepiness).

> >

> > Thank you all for your patience.

> >

> > Best Regards.

> >

> > Sivakumar

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with

Mobile.

> Try it now.

> >

>