Brahmamuhurta: do you practice sadhana at this time?

[c.smith]

Hari Om!

Sw. Sivananda has written in many of his books on the subject. He suggests getting up one half hour earlier than your normal wake time for a period, then another 1/2 hour, etc until you are up at the desired time. I admire your efforts here and know from personal experience that you will benefit greatly.

From my own practice, after washing hands, feet, etc, I do some pranayam and light yoga. Helps me wake and ready myself for meditation.

In terms of SOHAM, I simply use time as a guide. www.swamij.com may give you additional ideas and information.

Jai Jai Hanuman!

[Jainarayan]

Namaste c.

I've read Swami Sivananda and missed that part. It makes sense to not try to make a major change overnight (was the pun intended or not? you decide ).

I may use SOHAM as a preparation and for pranayama, but use OM to chant on, since I'm not initiated into a mantra.

[c.smith]

Hari Om!

Yes, by all means use OM. And certainly not to change the way you do things, but do consider the fact that you breathe SOHAM anyway, so initaited or not you are "chanting" this mantra 24/7.

Jai Jai Hanuman!

[Jainarayan]

Hari Om!

Yes, by all means use OM.

Great.

...do consider the fact that you breathe SOHAM anyway, so initaited or not you are "chanting" this mantra 24/7.

Jai Jai Hanuman!

I read that too... we breathe 'soooo' on the inhalation and 'hummmm' on the exhalation. Or some transliteration thereof.

[c.smith]

Yes, and in terms of meditation if you choose to try it, breathe "SO" up the spine and "HAM" down. Quite energizing.

[devotee]

Namaste TBTL,

It said that you must force yourself to do something continously for 21 days to change even stubborn habits ! May be that works for you.

I get early in the morning since my childhood, so it has become a habit. However, one thing is for sure : If you want to rise early in the morning, you must go to bed early !

OM

[Jainarayan]

Namaste devotee.

Yes, a habit can take even as long as 6 weeks to form or break.

I set my alarm clock for 5 am today, but I did not make it. I was only half awake until 5:30 when I bounced out of bed (but not without addressing the clock with a word that refers to barnyard effluvium ).

I will set my alarm for 5:30 for a while. It think 5:00 was too ambitious considering it's ordinarily set for 6:00. Even then I don't get out of bed until 6:15 or 6:20. So today was remarkable.

I'm not sure how much earlier I can go to bed and have something left of the evening for reading or even some guitar playing. I get home from temple at about 8 pm (gotta stay for the Mangala Aarti!). But that has been only Tues. or Wed. and Fri., so 2 nights.

Though I think 10 pm is neither too late nor too early for a 4:30 am wake-up time. It's 6 1/2 hours sleep, which most Americans get. There is the possibility of a "power nap" at lunch time.

When there is a will, there is a way.