Can you meditate instead of sleep?

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John Smith
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Can you meditate instead of sleep?

Post by John Smith »

Even though I am a non-amritdhari Sikh, I do Amritvela. However I am thinking of taking it to the next step and make meditation the whole night. I want to do this because it says in Sri Guru Granth Sahib that a Sikh should remember God 24 hours a day. Although I can't meditate all day, I was wondering if it is possible to stay up an entire night to meditate. It says in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib that the Naam is one's sleep and one's clothes, so is it possible to stay up every night to meditate without having any health problems?

Thank you.
loveforsikhi
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Re: Can you meditate instead of sleep?

Post by loveforsikhi »

I guess no one else has answered so i'll do my best. Maybe people thought you weren't serious. It's really great you wake up at Amritvela. Unless you are sleeping during the day, you can't be staying up every night. Going without sleep causes many health problems, sleep is necessary for us to function. Sleep deprivation causes many symptoms (see http://www.aasmnet.org/resources/factsh ... vation.pdf). You would not only be posing a risk to yourself, but also potentially other people because of the inability to concentrate while driving, making decisions in the workplace/workplace injuries, etc. As stated on this website http://www.everydayhealth.com/condition ... leep-days/
Going without sleep for 20-25 is equivalent to a blood alcohol level of 0.10 %. I'm sure you could meditate through the night once in a while if you'd like, but you need to make up the missed sleep somehow.

My understanding of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is not that we need to stay awake 24 hrs and meditate on God. The Gurus did encourage us to earn and honest living. Sleep is something natural created by God. But rather, i think remembering God 24 h a day is a state of being that just happens without needing to be consciously aware of it. It's not that you are setting aside another task for it, but rather it permeates your life in a way that even while you are washing the dishes, doing your work, etc. your mind is in a state of meditation. So that naturally during your sleep your mind will be in meditation. Please someone correct me if i've made any errors. Thanks.
IJJSingh
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Re: Can you meditate instead of sleep?

Post by IJJSingh »

John Smith,

I recommend against staying up all night. Sikhism is a sehaj(spontaneous) path. Unless you can meditate all-night effortlessly and function the following day, it becomes hath (stubbornness) which is not recommended in Sikhism.
ਮਨਹਠਿ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਕਰਿ ਉਪਾਵ ਥਕੇ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ ॥
No one has found Him by stubborn-mindedness. All have grown weary of the effort. (SGGS 39)

Guru ji does ask us to recite Naam every moment while awake or asleep. However, this is an avastha (state) we reach through sehaj meditation and Guru's grace. When we understand and follow gurbani and do meditation, then after some time, simran starts rom-rom (every pore or hair of our body does simran). Rom rom simran continues even when we are sleeping.

God resides in us. In fact, naam simran is going on in everybody all the time. Most of us cannot listen or experience it because our mind has lost its senses through saturation with maya. Naam jaap (simran done with our tongue or mind) cleans the mind and we connect with ajappa jaap (effortless jaap -- which is always going on). At this stage, we do not do naam but become naam-saroop (part of naam) ourselves. At this stage, we are beyond hunger or sleep. At this stage, one doesnt't need to sit in meditation to do naam, but if one wishes, he/she can sit for extended periods because there are no bodily limitations.
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਸਹਜੁ ਹੈ ਮਨੁ ਚੜਿਆ ਦਸਵੈ ਆਕਾਸਿ ॥
Within the Gurmukh is intuitive peace and poise; his mind ascends to the Tenth Plane of the Akaashic Ethers.
ਤਿਥੈ ਊਂਘ ਨ ਭੁਖ ਹੈ ਹਰਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਸੁਖ ਵਾਸੁ ॥
No one is sleepy or hungry there; they dwell in the peace of the Ambrosial Name of the Lord. (SGGS 1414).

Our body is a gift given to us for getting to naam, and we must take good care of it. For now, do as much meditation as you can without punishing your body. You are fortunate to have such a strong urge. Be patient, and always ask Waheguru for success in naam:
ਨਾਉ ਬੀਜਣ ਲਗਾ ਆਸ ਕਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਬੋਹਲ ਬਖਸ ਜਮਾਇ ਜੀਉ ॥੨॥
and I plant the seed of the Name in hopes that the Lord, in His Generosity, will bestow a bountiful harvest. (SGGS 73)

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ka Fateh
swarn bains
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Re: Can you meditate instead of sleep?

Post by swarn bains »

it is impossible for anyone to stay awake whole night and then go to work the next day. may be some one stay awake at night but sleep during the day. to meditate all night is perfectly alright if you can do it. next subject is that real meditation is the one if one can do effortlessly intuitively not forcing himself or herself, although one has to get into grove by forcing initially.
if you are not working then you can meditate during the whole night but if you work to make a living you cannot stay away awake 24 hours a day. tune your mind such a way that whenever you have time meditate in the mind. make it a habit to meditate whenever you wake up during the night. it will be hard to start with but if you make an effort with devotion it will come and it will have the same affect as meditating the entire night. it is not the amount of meditation but it is the sincerity while meditating that counts
EnricoGalard
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Re: Can you meditate instead of sleep?

Post by EnricoGalard »

Hello everyone
I suggest that yes you can meditate instead of sleep. Meditation for sleep is an effective, natural solution for anyone who wants a more natural approach to achieve deep, rejuvenating sleep, and waking up feeling refreshed and recharged.
http://www.mindvalleyacademy.com/blog/m ... meditation
dalipsingh5
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Re: Can you meditate instead of sleep?

Post by dalipsingh5 »

SSA,

Simran is like a speed boat engine. It takes effort to start it (pulling the string) but once it is going no effort is required.
Simran becomes automatic is your body.
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