8 hours of Sleep??? - Part 1
I have been feeling un-easy and not finding rest in my mind for quite some days. Just don’t know how to start.
“Since my childhood, my dad had been asking me to wake up early, but I never listened to him, finding comfort in my mother's lap as a secure place from his teachings. I never found the concept of waking early in morning, waking up only when mom continuously asked to wake up and get ready for school.
My school started at 7:20am, and my school-bus timing was 6:40am! I don't know how I managed to do that, but I only used to get-up at 6am, and then tried hard to catch the bus, sometimes running in the streets, where our neighbor’s dog used to bark hysterically! I just wished, this school timings should be changed to 10am something! So that I can complete (?) my sleep at least!
Time passed by, while in school, it happened to be a nice moment, when my sisters decided to get Amrit, and asked me the same. I replied in affirmation. The day was very good in my life; I thought my life would be changed. And it did actually! But I continued to sleep in the nice hours of morning. Parents never questioned my sleep, feeling the child gets tired from school and his studies, and he should get some rest. Everyday, I felt uneasy to wake up at 6am.
On Saturdays and Sundays, I used to sleep till 8am, and then do whatever. However, I used to see that my cousins used to sleep till 10am or even 11am! And their dad or mom never questioned them, rather they themselves used to sleep till 8:30am! I used to crib, as why don’t my dad let me sleep till that late, and why does he wakes up at 5am while his brother is snoring till 8am! J
Slowly, slowly, I increased my sleep, i.e. from 8am to 8:30am and the day was not far, when I was sleeping till 10am! Alas! I had done it! Matched my cousins in sleeping! I heard my dad asking mom about why I am sleeping till 10am. But I never winked open!
Time passed by, Dad used to say, you should wake early on Saturdays and Sundays, because it is Holiday, and I said, it is the only time when I get time to sleep late! So true, isn’t it? Dad said, you can sleep after lunch, you can take some rest. I used to counter comment, “I don’t sleep in afternoon!” What would he say more, when a son is countering?
I got admission in Engineering college, and here nobody was there to watch my sleep, rather I myself had to get up early otherwise I could miss the lecture (who cared seriously, but still!). It was so tiring, starting at 9am and going till 4pm! Now, I was turning to a different attitude! I started keeping myself awake late nights chatting with friends by going to their rooms, or they coming to my room, all laughing, chatting, nothing else! Suddenly everybody used to realize that it is 2am already and we need to sleep, and wake in the morning to get the “Aloo de paronthe” which was only available between 7am and 8:30am??? How would it be possible?? Only 6hrs of sleep? Impossible!
I used to skip that precious Breakfast of our college mess, so that I can complete my sleep! I still couldn’t think why the breakfast timing was so early? Then I said, it is logically correct, as college started at 8:30 or 9am, and mess started at 7am. So timing wise it was ok. Nobody to blame! Why would I blame myself? It was the friends who were talking and I had to complete my at least 8hrs of sleep, as I was a student! I skipped the breakfast at mess and used to eat some sandwiches at Gyani’s Canteen.
Time passed by, I was 18 already, still couldn’t wake up early. Whenever I used to visit my home for vacation, I slept till 10am, and dad had stopped asking me to get-up early, may be I was not young enough to keep on telling things, and other reason, I was at home, not away! Parents are just like God… they let you do things, and then love you even when we don’t agree with them!
In college, I had the time to get company of some Gursikhs, who used to wake at 4am and do sewa of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. I was wonder-struck with their effort, yet never volunteered to do the sewa even once! I was afraid of my inability to wake early.
Dad’s often said words used to come to my mind, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy-wealthy and wise!” but I never seemed to think upon that. Who wants to waste sleep? It is one of the best things in the world, isn’t it?
Well, those friends, they did the sewa, and I just used to go before going to college, i.e. around 8:50am. Matha-tek and get out! This was me, an Amritdhari!
continued...
“Since my childhood, my dad had been asking me to wake up early, but I never listened to him, finding comfort in my mother's lap as a secure place from his teachings. I never found the concept of waking early in morning, waking up only when mom continuously asked to wake up and get ready for school.
My school started at 7:20am, and my school-bus timing was 6:40am! I don't know how I managed to do that, but I only used to get-up at 6am, and then tried hard to catch the bus, sometimes running in the streets, where our neighbor’s dog used to bark hysterically! I just wished, this school timings should be changed to 10am something! So that I can complete (?) my sleep at least!
Time passed by, while in school, it happened to be a nice moment, when my sisters decided to get Amrit, and asked me the same. I replied in affirmation. The day was very good in my life; I thought my life would be changed. And it did actually! But I continued to sleep in the nice hours of morning. Parents never questioned my sleep, feeling the child gets tired from school and his studies, and he should get some rest. Everyday, I felt uneasy to wake up at 6am.
On Saturdays and Sundays, I used to sleep till 8am, and then do whatever. However, I used to see that my cousins used to sleep till 10am or even 11am! And their dad or mom never questioned them, rather they themselves used to sleep till 8:30am! I used to crib, as why don’t my dad let me sleep till that late, and why does he wakes up at 5am while his brother is snoring till 8am! J
Slowly, slowly, I increased my sleep, i.e. from 8am to 8:30am and the day was not far, when I was sleeping till 10am! Alas! I had done it! Matched my cousins in sleeping! I heard my dad asking mom about why I am sleeping till 10am. But I never winked open!
Time passed by, Dad used to say, you should wake early on Saturdays and Sundays, because it is Holiday, and I said, it is the only time when I get time to sleep late! So true, isn’t it? Dad said, you can sleep after lunch, you can take some rest. I used to counter comment, “I don’t sleep in afternoon!” What would he say more, when a son is countering?
I got admission in Engineering college, and here nobody was there to watch my sleep, rather I myself had to get up early otherwise I could miss the lecture (who cared seriously, but still!). It was so tiring, starting at 9am and going till 4pm! Now, I was turning to a different attitude! I started keeping myself awake late nights chatting with friends by going to their rooms, or they coming to my room, all laughing, chatting, nothing else! Suddenly everybody used to realize that it is 2am already and we need to sleep, and wake in the morning to get the “Aloo de paronthe” which was only available between 7am and 8:30am??? How would it be possible?? Only 6hrs of sleep? Impossible!
I used to skip that precious Breakfast of our college mess, so that I can complete my sleep! I still couldn’t think why the breakfast timing was so early? Then I said, it is logically correct, as college started at 8:30 or 9am, and mess started at 7am. So timing wise it was ok. Nobody to blame! Why would I blame myself? It was the friends who were talking and I had to complete my at least 8hrs of sleep, as I was a student! I skipped the breakfast at mess and used to eat some sandwiches at Gyani’s Canteen.
Time passed by, I was 18 already, still couldn’t wake up early. Whenever I used to visit my home for vacation, I slept till 10am, and dad had stopped asking me to get-up early, may be I was not young enough to keep on telling things, and other reason, I was at home, not away! Parents are just like God… they let you do things, and then love you even when we don’t agree with them!
In college, I had the time to get company of some Gursikhs, who used to wake at 4am and do sewa of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. I was wonder-struck with their effort, yet never volunteered to do the sewa even once! I was afraid of my inability to wake early.
Dad’s often said words used to come to my mind, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy-wealthy and wise!” but I never seemed to think upon that. Who wants to waste sleep? It is one of the best things in the world, isn’t it?
Well, those friends, they did the sewa, and I just used to go before going to college, i.e. around 8:50am. Matha-tek and get out! This was me, an Amritdhari!
continued...
Comments
But still the early mornings have a very special place in a human beings routine :
ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥
ਪ੍ਰਾਤਹਕਾਲਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਉਚਾਰੀ ॥
ਈਤ ਊਤ ਕੀ ਓਟ ਸਵਾਰੀ ॥1॥
ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਜਪੀਐ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ॥
ਪੂਰਨ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਮਨ ਕੇ ਕਾਮ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਰੈਣਿ ਦਿਨੁ ਗਾਉ ॥
ਜੀਵਤ ਮਰਤ ਨਿਹਚਲੁ ਪਾਵਹਿ ਥਾਉ ॥2॥
ਸੋ ਸਾਹੁ ਸੇਵਿ ਜਿਤੁ ਤੋਟਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥
ਖਾਤ ਖਰਚਤ ਸੁਖਿ ਅਨਦਿ ਵਿਹਾਵੈ ॥3॥
ਜਗਜੀਵਨ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਿ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ॥4॥24॥30॥
ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਇਹੈ ਮਨੋਰਥੁ ਮੇਰਾ ॥
ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਨਿਧਾਨ ਦਇਆਲ ਮੋਹਿ ਦੀਜੈ ਕਰਿ ਸੰਤਨ ਕਾ ਚੇਰਾ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਾਤਹਕਾਲ ਲਾਗਉ ਜਨ ਚਰਨੀ ਨਿਸ ਬਾਸੁਰ ਦਰਸੁ ਪਾਵਉ ॥
ਤਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਅਰਪਿ ਕਰਉ ਜਨ ਸੇਵਾ ਰਸਨਾ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਵਉ ॥1॥
ਸਾਸਿ ਸਾਸਿ ਸਿਮਰਉ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਅਪੁਨਾ ਸੰਤਸੰਗਿ ਨਿਤ ਰਹੀਐ ॥
ਏਕੁ ਅਧਾਰੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਨੁ ਮੋਰਾ ਅਨਦੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਇਹੁ ਲਹੀਐ ॥2॥26॥
There is another way in which these shabads guide us , if we take the metaphorical meaning of these early mornings as the efforts we need to make as youngsters. In the Early part of our life (i.e. spiritual life which can begin at any age ...though preferably young :) )
I apologise, if my experience didn't clarify what I am looking for. For easier reading, I have broken the post in 3 parts.
My concern is, I am unable to wake up early. Is there any method by which this can be done?
I agree with you that us di yaad hi simran hai jo har wele chit ch rahey, us di yaad da ras hi naam jap hai, us di yaad hi man nu dholan to bachandi hai, har wele us nu chit ch rakhna te har bure kadam to pehla getting alerts for it is SIMRAN..
Waheguru ji sanu sareya nu ohi jayi yaad chit ch har wele wasaan da rasta dassan taahi eh manukhi jeevan safal hai..may we all get his blessings in that way...Simran swas swas us di mitthi yaad ch jude rehan nu hi keh sakde haan, but it doesnot mean ki simran da jap kerna is wrong, eh te apni apni awastha hai, waheguru ji ucchi awasta waleya nu hi man da tikaav dende han, naam simran karan layi...
Saddi vi ohi awasta bane...Ameeeeeen