Sunrise meditation moment
Sunrise is the most important time of the day, and it’s ideal to be awake and up at sunrise to get the benefit. The sense of balance that one can attain at this time is really valuable, as well as the sense of a juncture, where the lighting effects and atmospheric affects can really generate a mystical state for those who are receptive.
The Sanskrit or Vedic yoga tradition divides the day into “muhurtas, which are 45 min time slots. The most valuable are the two before sunrise, leading up to the actual sunrise moment. The exact time of sunrise and sunset is called the “sandhya” or junction. It is the time when yogis would stop their activities to specifically meditate, if even to chant their gayatri mantras, or to take a few minutes to acknowledge the time and tune in to the cosmic shift and perhaps state at the sun directly so as to allow the sun’s rays to enter the eyes and stimulate the Pineal gland.
This is quite a science and since the Pineal is a type of lens like the eyes, it reacts to light and benefits from the sun. In total darkness it produces melatonin, which allows for good sleep. It also allows for mystical experiences on the yogic path of meditation and consciousness awakening. For centuries the Pineal was not understood and considered much like and appendix – unneeded and unknown. Now we understand more thanks to the Vedic yoga tradition of India.
By getting the timing right, we can achieve a lot move of value in life. And the sunrise moment is a powerful time, like sunset. I recommend rising to greet the sun if you can daily. It’s easier in the winter when it rises later perhaps, although it might be cold. But as it says in Bhagavad Gita, the essential Vedic text on yoga and self-realization:
“The non-permanent appearance of happiness and distress are like the appearance and disappearance of summer and winter seasons. They arise from sense perception and one must learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.”
So by catching the early part of the new dawn one can capitalize on the peace and quiet to perform a momentary meditation, for as long as you wish, setting your intention for the day, preparing yourself for the tasks ahead, while offering to respect to the teachers and life coaches that have got us this far, as well as the masculine and feminine aspects of the divine, that animate all life. Not everyone is that specific about their connection with divinity or source, so then you can simply become centered and focused on the breathing and still the mind placing the attention on the breathe, in and out, ideally while intoning your mantra, or the universal OM.
One powerful mantra related to OM is the following. It carries more “shakti” or potency as an invocation of transcendence or union with the source. The word “yoga” actually translates as “union” implying between self and superself or higher self. A more detailed mantra to really connect is
You can recite this three times or repeatedly for several minutes as your mantra meditation for the sunrise moment. Anything from a few seconds to two hours of mantra meditation at dawn will empower you to balance out the hemispheres of the brain as well as stimulate the Pineal, and also connect us with source.
Rising and taking rest in synch with the natural cycles of the day is ideal for the Circadian rhythms of the body and mind. And traditionally even six hours sleep a day was enough for new aspirants. As one advanced on the path of meditation that could be decreased, and with age, I see in older people generally. That’s unless your convalescing, when more sleep is better, as it is actually the great healer. Wake up too late after sunrise and your body clock will not be at its optimum. These kind of habits are not conducive to yoga, nor are late nights obviously. So be sure to pace yourself and keep in synch with the rhythms of nature to really get into a peak state of consciousness.
It’s worth it in the long run.
![Power House Creatives _night mode.png](https://steemitimages.com/407x271/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmaiw4cFKQ3DcVEFB45qJZ7H92FL4WFmZEXPUZqthprUFT/Power%20House%20Creatives%20_night%20mode.png)
![MindfulLife.gif](https://steemitimages.com/0x0/https://files.steempeak.com/file/steempeak/naturalmedicine/Pnq9Bi00-MindfulLife.gif)
Not having a great view at sunrise I find myself waiting for the sun to peek over the hill, a little after sunrise hits the ocean. Sunset is always enjoyed with a look over hills rolling out over the valleys.
Never done yoga, have heard about the mantra, was brought up the with saying "Early to bed, Early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" not sure where that originated from, always made logical sense.
Yes that mantra is a valid one.
I always wake up early and do some yoga and yes it's a lot benefitial and always help me to start my day with a smile and fresh mind
Good to hear, that's the way.
I also love sunrise! I especially like the touch of the sun at its earliest, before it gets hot and cause sunburn, then get my dose of Vitamin D! I usually do gardening in the morning and some walking. The fresh air, with some dew drops everywhere, is a great way to start your day. I don't do yoga, but I meditate a lot, especially after reading the Bible. 😊
That sounds ideal. Bible verses will give you some good guidance and a focus upon which to meditate. The contemplative life is healthy for us all.
That's true @julianhorack. God's thoughts are higher than men, so we really need to ponder upon it, meditate on it, to get the meaning. 😊
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I hear you.
Waking up with the sun...
Would this hold equally true when the summer nights are very short (sometimes not even existing at all in some places) and winter nights are very long?
I suspect that traditionally, people would sleep more in the winter, and less in the summer, but they still needed some sleep and some waking time...
Good point Viking, Up north there is so little night in summer that if you rose at sunrise, you would hardly sleep. It is skewed in that case I would say.
We should get about 6 hours sleep a night ideally, and time it so that we can awaken to see the sunrise.
I would love to be able to rise before sunrise and be sitting under my favourite angophora tree to feel the energy of the new day but somehow I'm finding it's getting harder and harder to go to bed earlier.
Your article has inspired me to try to go to bed earlier tonight, so that I can once again experience a sunrise. Resteemed so as to keep reminding myself. ♥︎♥︎⚖️♥︎♥︎
Thanks I'm glad you're inspired. I also go to sleep later nowadays than I used to - after midnight sometimes, with my passion for writing and curating here, but I still cannot sleep beyond early light, the body just wakes up, regardless of whether I go to sleep at 2am even.
Your body is different obviously, so you can adjust accordingly. It really is preferable for your Circadian rhythms to rise with the sun or before, and so sleeping earlier at night is best to facilitate that.
Some great photos here my friend. Camera used?
I have a lifelong habit of rising before the sun. 4am or 5am are good hours to be outside, as most of our world here is still sleeping.
Blessings!
Amazing, you are a natural, rising early like that and capturing the best time of the day.
Pics are from free commons site though, my pictures are really amateur.
![1557724927093.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPuh2CqUjGPLid8P6CL2UEHWYVzM4TzrfCZ5wsKqLCHDj/1557724927093.jpg)
I love doing yoga under the morning sun, the energy is so much different!
Well done, that is the way. You coach by example.
I sometimes lie in bed for ages until I can't stand it anymore and then have to get up, and find when I go outside in the garden the sunrise is just coming up
Lol, you are experiencing the symptoms of age, where sleep is less easy to come by it seems, perhaps less necessary. 4 hours a night is fine, for younger people 6 hours minimum.
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Yogis highly recommend an early morning mediation to start the day. I understand why but I have yet to get into the groove for this as I am not waking up early enough.
Make it a lifestyle shift, it is the best for your health and mindset.