“Give me six hours to chop a tree and I will spend
the first four sharpening the axe.”
Abraham Lincoln
Introductory Notes
Do you spend enough time preparing for the day?
The benefits of early morning meditation are endless, and the practice is really not as difficult as some may think. Yet some people’s immediate response when asked to try out this daily practice is one of shock and panic. Especially those who go to bed at this hour! In response, I would say, try it and give it a chance. Simply experiment with some morning meditations.
Don’t look to see what you are losing, but look and see what you are gaining! Losing an hour or two of sleep is really nothing, compared to the power, confidence and spiritual stamina you will gain from awakening early and absorbing this early morning spiritual energy. You will need to go to bed at a reasonable hour to take maximum benefit from the practice. Start to prioritize the things that are supporting you in life. Become aware of those distractions that are simply going to make your mind more tired. Good decision making comes from clear thinking.
What is so appealing to the yogis of India about this seemingly unearthly hour? In India the early morning meditation is called Amritvela. ‘Amrit’ means nectar while ‘Vela’ means time or moment. As one sits in meditation and in contemplation of the Divine Source, one is able to taste the nectar and the sweetness of this divine time, by being present then you are able to receive sustenance to empower the self from this pure relationship. It is a very special silent and personal time with the Almighty One that is much more difficult to recreate once the world begins its hustle and bustle of the busy and noisy day. It is the best time to take real concentrated power from God.
In India the period of time between 4.00-6.00 am is considered to be a sacred time to meditate. Hindus too believe in the ‘Brahma Muhurta’, the time of God, which occurs exactly for the first 48 minutes, of that one hour and thirty-six minutes before sunrise every day. It is said that this is a time that is conducive to learning and mastering the scriptures, music and any other art form. It is a time when the mind is open and ready to absorb knowledge easily.
Sikhs believe that the day is divided into 8 parts or 8 ‘pehrs’ of three hours each, and the time between 3.00 am and 6.00 am there is the highest energy.
Buddhists also have an early morning meditation ritual from 3:00 am to 6:00 am. They understand the power of this time.
In Islam too the first prayer of the day is called the ‘Fajr’. This relates to the ‘first light’ of the day, before sunrise and this is around 4:00 am.
Those from the Jewish tradition also practice early morning meditations and chants with periods of silence.
The Christians too know the value of early morning prayers. Many dedicated monks, nuns and early risers take time to sit in silence to share the beginning of their day with God.
And the Chinese understand the natural mechanisms of the body, in the same way as Ayurveda. The body works according to circadian rhythms which also dictates our natural life cycle. We forget that our body is finely tuned to the changes in Nature, and we used to live according to natural daylight hours and sleep when darkness fell. This is how our bodies would naturally get the rest and repair time that they needed. What has happened with modern 24/7 living is our whole body clock has gone haywire! This is why so many people maybe suffering with ill health because they are not resting well, keeping their body in balance with a good diet, exercise, yoga, rest, meditation and general positive lifestyle practices. In fact, from some of our choices we seem to be working against ourselves!
According to Chinese medicine, 4.00 am relates to the lungs, and is associated with sadness. If you are not sleeping well and have disturbed sleep patterns then you may have some toxic thoughts and emotions to release. So, actually this would be the perfect time to release some of that negative energy, and re-energize yourself with good ‘chi’, which is our essential life force. According to the Chinese body clock, 4.00 am is the perfect time to not only let go of old ‘stuff’ and to cleanse our lungs, but to fill up with the oxygen of life!
There is also a widely held belief that the early morning hours are the time when the gods or angels are encircling the world. They are ready and waiting to bestow blessings upon us… but only to those who are awake! Which gives rise to the saying if: ‘you snooze, you lose!’
Research studies have shown that meditating for as little as 10 minutes a day can make a dramatic difference to one’s physical and mental health.
“Just one small positive thought in the
morning can change your whole day.”
Dalai Lama
Personal Experience
I personally have been waking up at 4.00 am every day since 1983 and I thoroughly love it. I have never got bored with sitting at this time. It’s a discipline I took up early on, and it has been a part of my life ever since – that time is just not negotiable. If due to sickness or travel I miss this early morning appointment, then there is definitely the feeling of having missed something important. Like missing an important dose of powerful medicine! In the beginning it is easier when you are practicing with others, but after a while when you get the hang of it and are enjoying this time, then sitting alone is just sheer bliss.
“Silence is the language of God,
all else is poor translation.”
Rumi
Of course it does help to go to bed early, and to go to sleep with the right type of thoughts: peaceful, positive and in remembrance of the true nature of the self and God. Going to bed at 2.00 am or 3.00 am is not ideal. In truth, one really needs to ask oneself the question: What is the real benefit of the late night entertainment? Especially when perhaps it could be replaced with the early morning power boost! Late nights mostly drain you and give you that hungover feeling, which has become our habit. The morning experience of focused meditation will recharge and revitalise you. 4.00 am meditation is the only true time to fill up high quality fuel in the soul, for the rest of the day you will not pass by a ‘petrol pump’ with such a special offer no matter how powerful your meditation is.
Before going to bed, make sure everything you need to remember is jotted down on some paper and not in your head. You need to sleep with a clear mind and not hold onto anything. Give your mind a point of focus first thing in the morning, like peace and love. Allow yourself to sit in the energy and power of that peaceful thought.
I am a being of peace…
I am a pure and loving soul…
I am a child of God, and God loves every child…
I am sitting in the presence of the Divine… this is the time to take love, blessings and power…
Listen to music or a meditation commentary as you fall asleep – there are several meditations on this blog:
Click here to listen
or any light music you enjoy…
Put your phone away and not in your room if you can help it. Have a curfew with your phone. Try not to be on your phone last thing at night. It’s really not good for the soul or body. The UV light radiated from your phone does not help to create melatonin which helps you to get a sleep sound.
“When my mind is silent I am able
to feel God’s Love.”
Dadi Janki
Take this time to reflect on your day. What did you learn? What could have been done differently? Did you react or respond? What positive things did you do that is worth repeating? Make a note of the most noteworthy thing and register that into your sub-conscious.
“There is a morning inside you waiting
to burst open into light.”
Rumi
Set your alarm for the early morning around 3:45 am. And let your first thought be that… I am a peaceful soul…
What do you do once you have managed to wake up and get out of bed? Wash your face, and if you need to, have a coffee or tea if you feel you need something to help you to stay awake. Read something positive and uplifting, keep some of these affirmations in your mind.
It also helps to get out of your jammies and into some other clothes to remove the sleepy vibes. This is optional, and I don’t want to set too many ‘have tos’ for you… its good enough that you are up and trying! But really do try and help yourself and find ways to aid the process.
Create some soft lighting in the room where you will sit that does not hit the eyes too strongly. Perhaps try it out at night, so as to not waste time in the morning.
Open a window for fresh air and fill your lungs with the morning ozone.
Light a candle if you wish, but remember that that is simply a pale reflection of the light that is inside of you. You are a wonderful sparkling light sitting in the centre of your forehead!
And sit down to meditate in your favourite and comfortable place, preferably out of your bedroom, TV zone and work space. But once again, if that is the only space you have, then go for it.
You can sit in a lotus position if that is possible. It can be on the floor or sofa. If you can’t sit in a lotus position, then at least sit alert and with a straight back. Best not to slouch, let your body be comfortable and your spine supported so that the energy can flow freely. We want all that powerful ‘chi’ energy to flow naturally.
Just let go of trying to think and just be present in the moment… Enjoy ‘just being’ at 4.00 am in the quiet morning hours.
4.00 am is normally a time to JUST BE… AND TO NOT THINK MUCH… to bathe in the blissful experience of God’s Love and Light, and a time for us to experience our higher self. A time to quieten the mind and to keep the thoughts calm and still. Sit and absorb the Love, Energy and Pure vibrations of the Divine One. It is not really a time to think of mundane matters such as work, or to try to resolve the inner and outer conflicts that may be ongoing; reserve those issues for your later meditations. In fact, as one fills oneself with power at this most auspicious time, one is able to gain the inner strength to overcome many of the obstacles that may arise during the day.
If you snooze, you loose
anonymous
The feeling for me is one of intricate fine tuning, a time to align myself to God’s vibrations. This in turn enables me to fine tune to the world, so that I can begin to know exactly how to think, and what best to say and do.
We will be meditating for 45 mins from 4.00 am until 4:45 am. We will play some music at the beginning to denote a start, and the last few minutes to signal that we are coming to the close of the meditation.
“The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.”
Rumi
After the meditation, do not come into sound, try to stay in silence for the next hour if possible to digest the silence. Sit and journal your feelings and emotions. If you need to use someone’s name then you can use a code for them. Otherwise, sit and read something spiritual.
Repeat some affirmations in your mind:
I am love…
I am light…
I am peace…
I am strong…
I am wise…
I am free…
I am stable…
I am happy…
I am kind…
I am powerful…
I am the one who can make the impossible, possible…
It is known that if you want to learn something such as a language or memorise something, then the morning is the best time. The mind is more receptive at that time to learning.
You may well ask: What comes first? The chicken or the egg? Meaning, that one is needed for the other… so the morning is determined by the day and the day is determined by the morning. Ensure that you pay attention to your thoughts during the day also, in order to have a good 4.00 am Experience.
Hold onto the morning experience like a diamond. Your peace is precious.
Really give yourself time to power up the soul and experiment with this 4.00 am time to be with yourself and meditate. It is really a gift to yourself. A time for you to get to know yourself without any of the usual daily distractions of family, children, work etc. Give it a go. You will be surprised at how much you come to enjoy this time for ‘just being’ you.
There is a saying that going to bed an hour before midnight is worth two hours of sleep after. Just as with anything in life it is good to make those preparations. Again, I cannot emphasize this enough… you cannot ‘burn the candle at both ends’. Get to bed early to experience the full benefit of the morning meditation.
