should be thrown away.
Just imagine what would happen to our body if we forgot to brush our teeth or did not wash ourselves for a few days. We would stink and our friends would pray that we keep our mouth closed. Similarly, if we are in tamas (selfish, jealous, greedy), even if we brush our teeth, we will still give of a foul odor when we talk. Modern research shows that if one lives for sixty years, twenty years of these are spent sleeping, four years going to the toilet and even more for eating. Our physical body requires all this time, and usually the lower our consciousness the more it requires; yet as soon as the soul leaves the body, the body begins to rot and decompose.
Chapter 6
Optimum Sleep – The Source of Health and Happiness
Ayurveda states that a woman’s health rests on three key principles: optimum sleep, optimum diet and healthy sex. In my opinion, these are no less important for men.
Sleep is ignorance, yet it is necessary for our body.
The more we are in ignorance, however, the more we want to sleep. When in sattva we require less time for sleeping – it has been proven that even four hours of sleep is enough for our nervous system. If our life is interesting and has a defined goal, then we just will have no need for lots of sleep. Generally people believe that it is necessary to sleep at least eight hours; but if we sleep properly, we will need much less. Sleeping is also affected by the gunas. Sleeping in sattva means to go to bed before 10 pm, or 11 pm at least. Sleep between 9 pm and 1 am is the most valuable, as it is the only time the nervous system rests and the long-term memory is not working. Everything in nature sleeps at this time; only modern tamasic-rajasic people are awake. One interesting point worth noting is that the concept of ‘night owls’ and ‘early birds’ only appeared quite recently. In the past practically everyone was an early bird. Scientists in Canada – a country with one of the highest rates of insomnia – are convinced that most problems with insomnia appeared only because people started to go to sleep later.
Preparing for Sleep
Two hours before going to sleep, it is necessary to prepare by doing the following:
1. Ayurveda does not recommend taking a shower less than two hours before sleeping – it weakens the energy field of the body and aggravates the nervous system, especially if the shower is cold. If it is necessary for us to take a shower, it has to be warm.
2. Before going to sleep we should avoid eating; the food will not be digested and will turn into toxins and fat. It is best to take slightly sweetened warm milk at this time as it calms the nervous system and strengthens the intellect. The first rule for those looking for to put on weight is – eat after 6 pm! And if the food is in ignorance-passion, like white bread or meat, then within a few weeks our friends will start to joke about our huge jelly-belly. In addition to getting fat, we will want to sleep more and more. If we are hungry, it is acceptable to take a small amount of steamed vegetables, nuts or bananas.
3. We should avoid watching or reading anything that causes excitement. It is better to read something spiritual (but not very philosophical), to meditate or say some prayers. Whatever we do or hear before sleeping enters our sub-consciousness; therefore it is extremely undesirable to count money at this time because it intensifies greed. If you lend money to someone at this time, be prepared not to get it back and that they will become your enemy.
4. The room where we sleep should be clean and well ventilated. We need to be especially careful in choosing the type of pictures and even books that are in our bedroom – whatever they represent leaves an impression on our consciousness and enters the sub-consciousness during sleep. It is desirable to have books in sattva, and it is very good to have some holy books near your head. Pictures should depict pleasant, peaceful landscapes. The TV should be in another room or even better, in another house.
Practical Recommendations for Sleeping
In Ayurveda it is stated that the duration of human life is determined by the amount of inhalations and exhalations we take – the more often the breath the shorter the life.
Ayurveda recommends leading a sattvic lifestyle as it strengthens the immune system. Rajas and tamas are the opposite; they weaken or destroy our immunity and stimulate frequent and incorrect breathing. Breathing increases when we experience negative emotions like fear, anger or mental anxiety, during intense physical activity, sex and as strangely as it sounds, during sleeping. In a state of tranquil wakefulness, the length of exhalations within a half-hour period is 10,800 centimetres (108 metres), and 27,000 centimetres (270 metres) while sleeping. In this way, an extra 30 minutes of sleep results in the loss of three-quarters of an hour of life. When we suffer from serious illness, we breathe the same way as while sleeping, and at the time of death the last exhale is the longest. By coming to sattva we not only increase our health by strengthening our immune system, but also increase our duration of life by breathing less.
There is one more important recommendation – to avoid sleeping with our head facing north or northeast. Throughout our life we are all subjected to the influence of various energies and fields. Solar energy, the magnetic field of the Earth, the gravitational field of the Moon and the magnetic storms on the Sun – they all influence us. The human body possesses magnetic characteristics similar to those of the Earth planet.
The Earth’s magnetic field runs from north to south, as the human magnetic field does – from the head to the feet. As a result of it, if we sleep with our head towards the north, our magnetic field will be overcome by the magnetic field of the Earth. It can cause problems with blood circulation, an excessive heart rate and cause general deterioration of our health. You probably remember how two magnets act when the north poles are put together, face-to-face? They spin away from each other because they cannot stay in such a position. Now imagine what would happen to our aura if we were to sleep with our head facing north – the next morning it would be ripped apart, literally. After waking up, we would not feel rested and cheerful. But if we sleep in the opposite direction, toward the south, our magnetic field will interact correctly with the Earth’s magnetic field and we will feel fresh and full of energy when we awaken.
Early to Bed and Early to Rise Makes a Man Happy, Healthy and Wise
It is important to brush our teeth and take a shower immediately after waking to get rid of the guna of ignorance. It is best to have a bowel movement before taking a shower. At night the body gets rid of toxins, and if we do not go to the toilet or take a shower before 9 am, then all the toxins are absorbed back into the body.
A. S. Pushkin said, “Blessed is one who moves his bowels every morning without any force.”
One famous Ayurvedic doctor confirmed, “One of the main rules of good health is to empty the bowels in the morning; if it does not happen then disease will come soon.”
The guna of goodness means knowing the purpose of life, having a life that is stimulating and filled with goodness. In contrast to it, ignorance is destructive from beginning to end; the more our consciousness is influenced by ignorance, the more we want to sleep, watch TV series, associate in ignorance and passion.
We may ask, “But what should we do when we get up early?” The time of sattva is approximately from four to nine in the morning; at this time of day we feel absolutely no desire to drink alcohol, swear, watch movies or engage in similar activities. This time is designed for prayer, meditation, study, planning for the future – the long-term memory works at full power during this time. It is in these hours that we should receive a positive burst of energy for the whole day. In America there is a millionaires club, where one of the conditions of membership is that you have to get up before 5 am. They realised
