Scene from a Silent 10-Day Vipassana Meditation Retreat...
A gong sounds outside my room and awakens me from a deep, restful sleep at 4:05 AM. I stir even though my body is sending me "I'm-warm-and-comfortable-and-don't-want-to-get-up-yet" signals. It's time to rise and meditate. Knowing that I must be sitting on my meditation bench by 4:30 AM, I throw the covers off my lethargic body and roll out of bed.
Scene from a Rigorous 8-Day Training...
A piercing alarm cries out in the silence of a dark room. I fumble for the button to shut off the blaring sound and reinstate the silence. It's early -- before dawn. The bed is warm, but I'm already emerging from the covers to start my day. Fresh snow blankets the world this morning, so I dress warmly. I step out into the silent, still-dark morning making footprints in a sea of white that's sparkling like diamonds as I make my way to the training center.
I'm no stranger to rising early to do my sadhana. In fact, some of my best memories are of rising early to meditate, practice yoga, and/or attend a training. Yet, the hedonist in me loves her sleep (the same one that detests -- with a capital D -- alarm clocks). The past few months, I've been letting the hedonist have free reign and I've been rising late. Because of this, my morning practice sometimes feels rushed and I find that I'm not all that productive during the day.
Lately, however, I've gone back to those wonderful early morning rises. My gradual awake (I had to offer some sort of compromise to my hedonist if I was going to drag her out of bed before the sun comes up) alarm clock now beckons me to leave the cozy cocoon of my bed at 6:00 AM. And those few hours make all the difference in my day. My meditation practice is back on track (there's something magical about meditating in the early morning hours), my yoga practices and my other daily practices don't seem rushed, and I feel wonderful throughout the day. All that from setting my personal alarm clock a few hours earlier.
My new daily wake/sleep schedule resembles that of the daily cycles of Ayurveda. And there's no doubt about it -- when I rise at 6:00 AM and go to bed by 10:00 PM, I just feel better. If you're feeling sluggish in the morning, you might want to try adhering to Ayurveda time:
Day
6:00 AM - 10:00 AM (Kapha time)
The best time to exercise
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM (Pitta time)
The best time to eat the largest meal of the day
2:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Vata time)
The best time for mental activity
Evening
6:00 PM - 10:00 PM (Kapha time)
The best time to wind down for sleep
10:00 PM - 2:00 AM (Pitta time)
The best time for sleep
2:00 AM - 6:00 AM (Vata time)
The best time to wake up
Yes, even my little hedonist enjoys keeping to this schedule. It feels more like a natural rhythm. I'm one of those folks who gets her second wind at 10:00 PM, so I can easily stay busy and productive through the early morning hours. The problem is, after doing this, I wake feeling groggy and foggy and struggle to get through the day.
If following the Ayurvedic schedule is not agreeing with your inner hedonist, at least try some of these wonderful Ayurvedic practices to keep you healthy this winter:
- Add ghee to your grains and soups (mmmmmmm -- I add ghee to my morning oatmeal, and it's delicious!)
- Start your day by drinking 8 oz. of warm water with lemon to cleanse your system.
- Prevent ear infections and keep ears lubricated by placing a few drops of warm oil (sesame or neem or tri-doshic oil) in your ear. Put a cotton ball in your ear and let the oil sit for 15 minutes.
- Before your shower, brush your skin and follow with an oil massage.
- Dip a Q-tip in warm sesame oil and swirl it inside your nostrils, inhaling deeply. This is wonderful for your sinuses (keeps them lubricated).
- Keep your gums healthy by massaging them daily with neem diluted with a little olive oil.
Ayurveda hasn't been around for thousands of years because it doesn't work. Try it -- you just might find yourself living a happier, healthier life because of it.
Namaste!
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Happy reading here.
Posted by: slpete42 | October 17, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Great information! I'm struggling with my discipline to practice yoga daily right now... perfect timing to read this, haha!
Posted by: Angelique | October 13, 2009 at 04:08 AM
Thanks for this post!
Posted by: Nicole of Raspberry Stethoscope | October 12, 2009 at 08:40 PM
Tremendously informative and helpful - thank you! I am with you on the hard-to-rise scenario but am energized by your descriptions of the beauty of the morning hours. I hope I find it within myself to adjust to that schedule!
Posted by: Lisa Wilson | October 10, 2009 at 09:01 PM