Feb 8- Brahmamuhurtha, God’s Hour

“I do understand that in a hot country like India it makes sense to practice early in the morning - but the middle of the night? What's up with that?”

I have been wanting to ask this question in conference, and it came up on the last blog post (THANKS for asking).  I have my own idea of the answer, but I’ll ask in next conference (10 days time) and let you know Sharath’s take on it.

I like to translate Brahmamhurtha as “God’s Hour.”  I actually began learning about it more through my Ayurveda studies, as some spiritual therapies are likely to be administered in these early morning hours.  Wikipedia defines the measurement of time as 48 minutes before sunrise, but I’ve heard also 2 hours and 3 hours before sunset, and more specifically 3:30-5:30, and it does shift a bit in the winter.  Read:

“During the hour before dawn, saints and yogis establish themselves in their yogic pose, facing north, chant Omkar, and meditate on Brahma. Yogis believe that during this pre-dawn period, the aspect of Brahma is prevalent in the atmosphere. As a result, the entire atmosphere in is charged with powerful electro-magnetic-intelligent carriers generally called spiritual vibrations that travel in a north-south direction. Aspirants sit in the direction of the flow and meditate on their deity or Omkara Brahman. With this their expectation is that their minds will be spiritually linked in those powerful vibrations. The desired result is to obtain communion with the Yogis and saints spiritually; that their minds will freely float and get merged in that peaceful and serene atmosphere; and that they will receive blessings and guidance. Aspirants who follow this meditation method are said to quickly evolve in their Sadhana or practice.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmamuhurtha

What are the benefits of practicing so early?  Well it’s true, its all true, the floating of mind, the ease of meditation, yes.  This would be an easy experiment for all to do.  You don’t have to take my word for it.

But Practical notes: 

The world is quiet before sunrise.  Because I am often up and listening in a variety of geographies before sunrise, I can attest to it: people in west and east, city and country, begin to stir only after the light begins to come.  As I am sitting there, undisturbed (listen to Mysore:  guy across the street I can hear snoring- across the street! His poor wife.  A few street dogs jogging along.  Bats in the trees.  Mosquito. Oh! Yoga student starting a scooter), opportunity awaits.  Aren’t we always putting the mind on tasks and duties of householding?  I tell you, if I hear footsteps in the morning, I feel a visceral response in my muscle-body.  I am hard wired to respond/react in some way to other people.  Had I not spent some years waking before sunrise, I would not have had the consistency to notice this. 

In Ayurveda, the majority of Dinacharya, or daily regimen, happens before leaving the house, or before the family is up.  I explain it like this: Once you go into the world, you are FAIR GAME. 

Brahmamuhurta is the time for God’s play.  The communication between mind-God-Universe is all happening.  The senses are quiet (not much to disturb) not hungry, half awake, nothing going on in this waking plane where we spend most of our time.  Making space for the B-Muhurta can only result in success.

Why then, am I wanking about the 2:30AM?  Well, I tell you I have spent many of my B-Muhurta hours in service as an Ashtanga teacher.  My students begin arriving at 5:45.  I get up at 4:15 to allow myself an hour of quiet, at home.  Because once I have left there, even if it’s to practice, I am...FAIR GAME.  I see this as a worthy sacrifice, a blessing in fact.  I get to devote my life to supporting people in finding God.

Gots to find my own God first, though, most days.  I have to say I find it jarring here to walk into a packed room at 4AM.  I’m used to my quiet time.  And that’s one reason I’m wanking.  The other is constipation (that’s another blog post altogther).

Sharath gets 4-5 hours sleep, he says.  Bedtime probably 7:30-8, which is what most of us do here.  Then we lie under the ceiling fan and listen to them make dinner next door.  For him, he’s got to find his God before 4:30AM when we all come in.  It is traditional to begin Hindu practices (not for the householder, necessarily, because there are some years when sleep is as important as worship on the hierarchy of family duties) around 2:30.  Gives you 3 hours before the world wakes for the chanting, bathing, ringing of bells, burning of things, and all that is necessary to unite Self and universe (the Union of Yoga). 

If its true that nothing is more important to me than my Sadhana, or spiritual works, there is nothing happening after 8PM that interests me anyhow.  Boob tube, bars, French fries, sex.  Yet another reason Im wanking: I went from 0-60 in one week here.  From 4:15 to 2:30 AM wake up.  That kind of thing takes a few years to ease into.  8PM desires do begin to drop away, but so suddenly, here I am, staunch as can be.  Grrr.

How goes the practice: I’m way stiffer that early.  My bowels are not empty (even if I don’t eat after lunch).  It’s harder to talk to God with all those people around.  I can’t wait to get home and be quiet and alone and take good poops.

BUT.  There is something happening, unbeknownst to us in that room.  We ARE being “charged with powerful electro-magnetic-intelligent carriers” as we practice together with all the hubbub at 4AM.  This is the kind of thing I don’t notice until I get home.  Here, I’m just in it.  Im struggling, I’m stiff, I’m distracted, I’m disappointed in myself.  And I do believe one has natural defenses to guard against too much Shakti too fast.  Stiffness is one, mental stiffness included.  My bad attitude about the mornings I do hope will give way to the willingness, the openness, the beauty of the B-Mahurta.

And, back in Boston on the fire escape in the AM, I will long for it again.  In hindsight, feeling the sparkle of that room, the quality of being as we wake the energies together through movement.   I will find it in the little room where my students and I are working together, and as always, the only place I feel at home in the USA is in the yoga room.