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DJLantz4
USA
6 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 8:32:35 PM
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Anything wrong with doing the second practice right before bed (i may be a bit sleepy)
For now i could do it earlier in the evening, but I have a sporadic life and i might be getting home late often etc. Anyone else do this (i.e. Meditate at 12 AM)? |
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11jono11
United Kingdom
181 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 9:17:03 PM
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It's happened to me sometimes, I work random shift patterns also, 7-3, 8-8, 7-9.30 (thats a longun) 9.30-7, 1.30-9.30 etc, though if I can/if work isn't too busy I always try and take a break and do it early evening.
It's better to do it earlier, before you begin the evenings activities. I think that this is because practice is not simply about the practice and the silence/love/ecstasy that come within the moment, it's about bringing the silence, the ecstasy, the love into your life outside practice. So going to sleep (where in deep sleep you're pure love/consciousness/silence anyway), is slightly un-recommended.
If you can I would suggest practicing in an evening break at work (there's always a place, even the toilet), most employers should be quite understanding if you say you're going to meditate for 30mins.
Some may suggest otherwise as it is also suggested that your usual/home meditation seat/quiet safe etc, is preferable, so it would be a toss up between those 2, however I would say practicing earlier would take preference over practicing at home.
Also my practice always seems to wake me up/energize me considerably, something else to consider, you might wake yourself up too much before attempting sleep.
Hope that helps.
Love. x |
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tonightsthenight
846 Posts |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 9:18:48 PM
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Hi Dj,
it really depends on sensitivity. there is no problem with it if it doesn't give you problems.
i don't do it for sure. if i did then life would be a hallucinogenic hell, so it doesn't work for me. i would guess that there are others here that do practice near bedtime, however, so just give it a try and if everything's cool then go ahead and do it on the reg. |
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DJLantz4
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 10:21:10 AM
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| Okay - i don't think it'd be always... Maybe half of each week? Not even that yet.. once i get my own apartment it might turn out that way. |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2011 : 11:55:28 AM
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Hi DJLantz4
Welcome to the AYP forums.
I agree with tonightsthenight. It depends on how you feel after meditating closer to bed time. Some people can meditate closer to bed time and have no problems, some have a tough time falling asleep. So if it is not affecting your sleep, you can practice late.
The only thing I would suggest is to not fall asleep immediately after meditation. After you finish meditation and rest for a few min, get up and do something (read a book, watch TV) for a few min before going to bed for the night. If you fall asleep directly after meditation, it can result is feeling groggy and heavy headed in the morning. Again, this is not true for everyone. But something to keep in mind.
Wish you all the best!!! |
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n/a
26 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2012 : 10:10:45 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Shanti
If you fall asleep directly after meditation, it can result is feeling groggy and heavy headed in the morning. Again, this is not true for everyone. But something to keep in mind.
This is exactly what happened to me last night!
A little background: I have just started SBP, have only been doing it for two or three days. Ever since starting it, I've noticed a change in the DM afterward. I'm losing the mantra quite a bit more than I was before, and seeming to fall asleep (although I'm not sure that's exactly what's happening) a lot more. Moreover, I feel highly irritated during the pranayama practice because I can't seem to keep my breath steady and keep my awareness on the length of the spine.
Anyway, last night I got done with my 30 minute routine, with similar symptoms of irritation, falling asleep(?) and losing the mantra a lot...and I went to bed right after. I just went to sleep for the night. I got a full 8 hours sleep. But, upon waking this morning to do it all over again, it was like I'd only slept for a few hours! I was so groggy and heavy-headed! Needless to say, my routine saw a repeat of last night's symptoms.
I've been up for a few hours now, and I'm still groggy and heavy-headed....
So,
1) Shanti, you're right.
2) Did I time the addition of pranayama correctly? Should I drop it for now? Are these symptoms of deeper purification that I should be happy about?
Thanks, everyone, for being awesome.  |
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n/a
26 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2012 : 10:22:46 AM
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I also want to add that I have a family routine after work.
I get off work around 5 p.m., come home and immediately have dinner with my wife and two daughters. Usually it's already on the table when I come through the door. If it isn't, I'm usually preoccupied with tending to my daughters anyway.
So I try to wait a couple hours after eating before doing my practice for the evening. This inevitably puts it pretty close to bedtime. I've thought about attempting it at work before leaving, but that may not be practical.
Also, concerning this:
quote:
After you finish meditation and rest for a few min, get up and do something (read a book, watch TV) for a few min before going to bed for the night.
That's what I usually do. I read some more AYP or something similar, or talk with my wife, etc. Some nights that has been a problem. I end up lying in bed awake for much longer than I care to.
I guess the solution is try to do my practice earlier somehow?
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mikkiji
USA
219 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2012 : 11:18:35 AM
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I was trained as a teacher of Transcendental Meditation (TM) by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1976, 33 years ago. The meditation taught here by Yogani is virtually identical to TM in every regard, so I feel I can speak about proper practice in AYP with a fairly good understanding of it. Maharishi ALWAYS told us to instruct meditators to NEVER do the practice right before bed, for a variety of reasons. Mostly, they were having to do with falling asleep but then waking up in a couple of hours and not being able to get back to sleep, and grogginess/heaviness/dullness the following morning. Correct practice should be before breakfast and before dinner, morning and evening. Of course, that is in an ideal world with a perfect schedule, and that's something that seems to be increasingly difficult to establish in this modern 21st century world. However, because meditation IS the central practice of the most important task we undertake in our entire life (that of Self-Realization), it deserves our utmost devotion to get it right and do it so that our time spent in the practice is most efficient and effective. Which means, do everything we possibly can to insure that we can meditate before breakfast and before dinner, every day. Meditation is a preparation for activity as well as a period of inner silence and contact with the Absolute. We needn't prepare for the "activity " of sleep, sleep is characterized by the LACK of activity! Meditating prior to sleep often can have the very negative result of robbing us of sleep and causing the subsequent morning meditation to be poor. Meditate in the morning to prepare for the day's activity, and in the late afternoon/early evening to release the stresses gained during the day and prepare for the evening's activity. This insures the best results and most rapid progress.
Michael |
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vijikr
United Arab Emirates
413 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2012 : 11:21:24 AM
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Hi,
I too do my meditation before going to bed and sometimes at odd time around 1 or 2 or 3am but initially there wasn't any problem if I sleep immediately I was feeling infact sleepy after my meditation but then after few months I became so fresh after meditation and couldnt sleep the whole night and used to end up watching a movie or two.
So it all depends if its fine for you one can do it at odd times.
Love n Light
Viji
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n/a
26 Posts |
Posted - Jan 27 2012 : 2:30:42 PM
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Michael,
Thank you for the helpful and practical advice, and for sharing your expertise as a long-time teacher of TM! I can assure you that I am taking this advice to heart, and will be exploring ways to get that second daily session in well before bedtime.
Viji,
I appreciate you sharing your experiences. It helps that they are similar to mine, and it's good to hear from others that have similar experiences. Thank you. |
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vijikr
United Arab Emirates
413 Posts |
Posted - Jan 28 2012 : 06:32:25 AM
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hi spsalsm,
Infact many months after my practice of meditation at odd hour my hubby who doesnt do any practice was disturbed by my practice to the extent that even after I stopped those practice at those odd time he used to get up eaxactly at the same time and was feeling fresh and he was so fresh he couldnt get to sleep after that.He was suspecting that I was doing my meditation right in my bed while lying down.I then told him that no I was sleeping.sometimes it so happens that we both getup fresh at the same odd particular time lol.
love n light
viji |
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n/a
26 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 10:17:37 AM
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Hi Viji,
Ha! That's awesome. I think that's an illuminating example of the tangible, palpable presence of energy and inner silence cultivated while doing these practices. I love it.
With Love
Sean |
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brother neil
USA
752 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2012 : 6:50:53 PM
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I have read through the lessons and what I can tell you is that in yogani's perspective, and he is the guru on this/ayp path, is to not do it before bed. In essence this meditation has a vibratory characterstic of vibrating chakras one to six. since the mantra vibrates the chakras it makes them more active. think of going for a run, the body may feel relaxed after but the energy will be flowing and more awake. if your meditation was to sit in silence, which does not actively vibrate the chakras like a mantra does, yet may relax them, then that is something that may be done before bed without ill effects. however your practice is AYP style so best to stay within the guidelines yogani has laid out.
namaste,
brother Neil |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2012 : 09:57:30 AM
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Hi spsalsm
Sorry for the delay in my reply.
Welcome to the AYP forums.
Like you, it was impossible for me to do my evening practices anytime, other than very close to bed time. I never had any problems with sleep.
Are you having problems with sleep? If not, you can do it close to bed time, and make sure
quote:
After you finish meditation and rest for a few min, get up and do something (read a book, watch TV) for a few min before going to bed for the night.
Also:
quote:
A little background: I have just started SBP, have only been doing it for two or three days. Ever since starting it, I've noticed a change in the DM afterward. I'm losing the mantra quite a bit more than I was before, and seeming to fall asleep (although I'm not sure that's exactly what's happening) a lot more. Moreover, I feel highly irritated during the pranayama practice because I can't seem to keep my breath steady and keep my awareness on the length of the spine
Losing the mantra more is good. Falling asleep is also good... it means deeper level purification is going on.
And the irritation during practice maybe the clunky starting stage... so if the irritation is not carrying over to the rest of your day and if it is not making you uncomfortable (distracting) during practice try it for a few more days to see if it smooths out. If it does make you uncomfortable during practice and/or carries over to the rest of the day through, cut back on the practice time.
Sounds like wonderful things are happening.
Wish you all the best. |
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n/a
26 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2012 : 3:53:32 PM
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Thanks Shanti!
I appreciate the encouragement. This week has proven to be very productive, and more encouraging than last week! My SBP is becoming much more smooth and irritation-less, and I'm not having much trouble falling asleep at bedtime. Fantastico!
With Love,
Sean |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2012 : 10:51:03 PM
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Sounds good Sean. I guess it was a clunky stage thingy then.
Glad things are working out for you now.
Wish you all the best. |
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chit-ananda51
India
127 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2012 : 11:52:37 PM
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Wondering how all the yogis in Himalayas and caves stay awake all through night meditating on the blissful Self?? Not caring about self-pacing and grounding ?
Done with their inner purification rightly, huh? 
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Swan
India
256 Posts |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2012 : 09:32:33 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by chit-ananda51
Wondering how all the yogis in Himalayas and caves stay awake all through night meditating on the blissful Self?? Not caring about self-pacing and grounding ?
Done with their inner purification rightly, huh?
Well, those yogis dont have to live normal lives ya know? We however, have to deal with people every day, and being overloaded is not an excuse for not getting fired from a job or having our loved ones live in fear of being snapped at. 
The one thing we do have that the yogis in the Himalayas will finally have to face in the movement back into the heart. After the crown has opened and the marriage of Shiva and Shakti has happened... they have to move back into the heart for the outpouring of divine love to happen. Well, the yogis living in the Himalayas will have to come back and live among people, and that integration is hard for many. Living in bliss is only for self is easy, but spreading the bliss to the world happens by living among the people. That is what us yogis living in the regular world are doing with self pacing overloads. We are getting ready to become the conduits through which the divine can flow when the marriage of Shiva and Shakti has happened and the honeymoon is over and now they get to the heart and start giving.
My simplified way of seeing the process...
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maheswari
Lebanon
2516 Posts |
Posted - Feb 01 2012 : 1:36:44 PM
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quote:
the marriage of Shiva and Shakti has happened and the honeymoon is over and now they get to the heart and start giving
even that marriage's honeymoon ends |
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chit-ananda51
India
127 Posts |
Posted - Feb 02 2012 : 9:33:50 PM
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Hi Swan ,
Thanks for the pointer.
Shanti,
Interesting observation. I agree. I was specifically refering to people who have refined their physical and even subtle bodies to greater extent that distance and place does not matter. Some Siddhas move around freely among people quite unnoticed.
A place where we all are inching towards day by day. Stillness in action! |
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Radharani
USA
843 Posts |
Posted - Feb 11 2012 : 02:39:45 AM
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| Due to my work schedule, I do my practice when I wake up and in the wee hours before I go to sleep. The only "problem" (if indeed you could call it that - one might wish for such problems!) is that sometimes in my evening meditation I get completely blown away in divine Love and Bliss for hours and consequently don't get a lot of sleep. However, I have found that usually deep meditation is at least as restorative as sleep, so I feel fine the next day. Other times I go easily from meditation into lovely divine and sometimes lucid dreams. But I've been meditating for 35 years, so I would not necessarily recommend this for everybody. I agree with Shanti that each person must take into account how it affects them and adjust their practice and self-pace accordingly. |
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Bourgo
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - Mar 16 2012 : 1:27:28 PM
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I nearly always meditate about 2 hours before bed. I have a job, a long commute, a wife and two kids and I am the primary cook in the house. Needless to say, day-to-day life is pretty full, and despite wanting to meditate earlier I just can't take time out to do it at any other point. But, as far as I can tell it doesn't adversely affect me (yet anyway) and meditating before bed is likely better than not meditating at all, so I do what I have to.
In any event, my advice would be to just meditate when you have the time and when you can be quiet and unbothered -- you should have good results. |
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Chiron
Russia
397 Posts |
Posted - Mar 17 2012 : 05:18:52 AM
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| dont go to bed, sleeping is for humans |
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Practice Before Bed
