My 1st experience with Brahma Muhurta

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I will remember today as the day when I broke my mental barrier. I woke up in the wee hours of the morning, to practice meditation during "Brahma Muhurta". My Ashtanga Yoga guide had scheduled a 2 hour meditation session for us that was to begin at 4.00 am. 

 This meant I had to wake up at least an hour and a quarter earlier, get done with my morning ablutions and arrive on time.  

Surprise # 1: I woke up at 2.31 am, 09 minutes before my alarm clock was set to ring. 

 Surprise # 2: I did not grumble. Nor did I negotiate with my mind to sleep in for those extra precious minutes.

 Surprise # 3: I showed up at the shala on time, at 3.55 am.

We started at 4.00 am with a short, 20 min asana practice, to prepare ourselves for the 2 hour long meditation. I now understand that stretching the body before a long meditation practice helps prepare the body for a longer meditation. 

I had read about the purity of the Brahma Muhurta (that 1.5 hours before dawn) and the benefits it bestows on a person. In the Vedic tradition this period is considered as the ideal time for spiritual practices like prayer and meditation. I have been in awe of people who practice Yoga/Meditation in these hours. I wasn't sure if I could do that willingly. I surprised myself today by embracing this opportunity with willingness and joy.

The stillness of the morning and the quietude of the mind was fascinating and wonderful. 

So, was there a big shift? Did I experience anything dramatic? Was there anything profoundly magical?
Well, what I noticed is how differently my mind behaved. I did not pep talk myself last night for a very early morning that lay ahead. 

 I just informed myself that I had to turn up at the shala at 4.00 am for the meditation practice.

 I must confess though that I won't be as enthusiastic as I was today, if I have to wake up this early every day, given the stage of life I am currently in, with a full time corporate job. 

Societal stereotypes have conditioned many of us to attach a certain scale and size to any change. What I got today was a glimpse and experience of Brahma Muhurta and how I conditioned my mind to cooperate. And I am content in that awareness. That is what I meant when I said I broke a mental barrier today.

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 23, 2018 at 5:02 AM

    Wow! I'm soeechless after reading about your expperiences with Asjtanga yoga and its health benefits !
    The Brahma muhurtha is said to be the ideal hour for practising music and for studying too as the brain is its creative best during that period...very inspiring reading indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownSeptember 23, 2018 at 5:03 AM

    Wow! I'm speechless after reading about your experiences with Ashtanga yoga and its health benefits !
    The Brahma muhurtha is said to be the ideal hour for practising music and for studying too as the brain is its creative best during that period...very inspiring reading indeed!

    ReplyDelete
  3. KrishnapriyaOctober 4, 2018 at 2:49 AM

    This is so inspiring! Both the Brahma Muhurta and the fact that you did 2 hours of meditation!!!! Way to Go! Thanks for sharing. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousJuly 12, 2022 at 3:34 AM


    Thanks for writing this blog, You may also like the Brahma Muhurta time

    ReplyDelete

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