If we wake up during the Brahma-muhurta, it allows us to begin the day with calm and cheerfulness and maintain this state throughout. This is the time when sattva predominates, which itself brings harmony to all energies. Passion starts at sunrise. With the sunset tamas takes over. Before sunrise the atmosphere is saturated with sattva; this is the only time of day when this energy is dominant. At this time there is a positive flow of energy which creates the best conditions for meditation. Thus it is the most beneficial time of a day. By getting up at this time, we can synchronise our rhythm with the rhythm of the Sun. Rising during Brahma-muhurta increases and maintains the best qualities of our unique nature svabhava and allows us to be established in it. This condition is called svastha. Svastha is veritable health, the achievement of which is possible only when one becomes established in virtue and goodness. Brahma-muhurta is also the best time for us to pay respect to elders and gurus, offer prayers, meditate, read spiritual scriptures and chant sacred names. The Goddess of Fortune shuns us if we do not perform these morning rituals.
Sri Chanakya-niti-sastra (15.4) states: He who wears unclean garments, has dirty teeth, eats like a glutton, speaks unkindly and sleeps after sunrise, although he may be the greatest personality, will lose the favour of Lakshmi. In other words, prosperity, health, beauty and vitality leave us if we get up after sunrise, no matter how important we are.
* * *We may wonder what time of day is more suitable to perform various activities morning or evening. Undoubtedly the morning is more suitable; it is easy to experience how calm and blissful the atmosphere is in the morning. If we are in tamas (ignorance), we become more active at night and sleepier in the morning. Most crimes are committed at night. Darkness and gloom are characteristics of tamas, that is why night-time should be for sleeping. Almost everything in nature falls asleep when the Sun sets and awakens as the Sun rises. You will never see a bird or animal covering their face with a wing or paw from the light of the Sun as it rises.
The nervous system rests from approximately 9:30 pm to midnight; if we do not sleep at this time, our rest will never be satisfactory, regardless of how much we sleep. According to Ayurveda one of the most detrimental things for our health is staying awake at night, particularly for night work. The World Health Organizations research department announced the inclusion of night work in its list of factors most likely to cause cancer.
Morning is the time of goodness (sattva); our most creative ideas occur to us and our intuition is heightened at this time. There is a saying, Morning is wiser than evening. We should never make serious decisions in the evening, but wait until the morning. If we follow this rule, we will not have to waste energy fixing unnecessary mistakes.
Chapter 7
Association
Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone elses opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.
Oscar WildeOur Life is a Theatre Where Everyone Plays a Role
Eastern psychology says that we are similar to a chameleon; we take on the colour of the things we associate with. Our lives are determined by association because we absorb the qualities of environment we live in such is human nature and nothing can be done to change it.
There was a famous experiment some years ago: some mentally balanced, successful students were selected and then divided into two groups. The first group was told they were prisoners and the second that they were wardens, and they would conduct themselves in accordance with their roles. After four days the experiment had to be stopped, although it had originally been intended to last for one week. The students in the prisoner group were starting to manifest signs of severe depression and other modes of behaviour similar to real prisoners. Those who were wardens became more aggressive and rude toward the prisoners, although they were friends in real life. One student warden even became physically violent. They had become completely immersed in the mood of prison life.
Even actors who play angry characters become angrier. There are also examples of actors becoming more harmonious and wise after playing the role of a saint. The lives of contemporary actors are often tragic as they rarely play roles of balanced, spiritually advanced people.
On a larger scale, life is a big theatre where we play defined roles, and how we play determines the role we take in our next life. Although we are eternal spirits, because we are embodied in this world, we play specific roles men, women, French, Jewish, German, Ukrainian, engineer, teacher, boss, etc. It is interesting we write our own life story, consciously or unconsciously creating the paradigms which govern how we think and behave. The more ignorance is in our life, the more darkness and misfortune there will be. On the other hand, the more goodness, the more light and happiness we will experience; we will be more aware, our lives will be interesting and full of possibilities.
Would you like to play the role of a person who is angry, unhappy, bored, constantly criticizing others and demanding of everyone and everything? Why do we choose such roles?
Association must be Chosen
We need to choose consciously what roles to play and who to associate with. We have already been given some roles in this life; usually we cannot change our nationality, parents, relatives, or radically change the size of the body. But even within these limitations there is a wide range of possibilities and choices. If we want to understand who we are, we must look at the people with whom we spend most of our time and have the closest relationships.
Ayurvedic psychology states that correct relationships are the basis of our psychological wellbeing. It is important to be surrounded by harmonious people who assist us in our progress, bring emotional equilibrium and help to preserve our peace of mind. It is equally essential to avoid those who destroy our nervous system, cause degradation and reduce our mental composure.
We should associate with such people only if and when they are willing to listen to our advice and are ready to make changes in their lives; otherwise, we should just pray for them and wish them well.
Regular association with people who encourage harmonious growth and love is more therapeutic and valuable than visiting a doctor. Even the mere presence of a wise person cools and calms the mind.
By thinking of someone we absorb their energy. This is why Eastern philosophy and psychology says, Think of God, think of saints, and contemplate what the Holy Scriptures and enlightened personalities say. These things will influence us with pure sattva the transcendental stage.
Chapter 8
Philosophy the Basis of Psychology
How the Living Entity Descends To This World
We will now discuss how the jiva (Sanskrit living entity) descends to this material world and how it can become entangled there. We consider the gunas in terms of psychology because it can help us to develop proper personalities. At the present moment, the main problem of our civilisation is that the two gunas, rajas and tamas (passion and ignorance), have thoroughly penetrated the consciousness of many people. As a result, there is often no point trying to help someone if they have not been purified.
This table clearly shows how the jiva (living entity) descends to this world.
We are part and parcel of God, a spiritual substance which is united with Him.
Initially living existence was situated in the spiritual world (in Christianity it is referred to as the Kingdom of God) a place that is unrelated to materialism and where everyone is aware of their Union with God and full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. But living existence somehow (we will not now proceed to discuss this theosophical moment) falls into some kind of stew of material energy. This is the mahat-tattva the great material energy which consists of the three gunas of material nature.
When the soul descends from the spiritual world, this first embodiment carries the energy of the transcendental world.
But regardless of which part of the material world we are born into, we have a body and begin to associate with others. Then the next step is to identify ourselves with the surroundings Now I am in this world. I am such and such, I am a yogi, I am a sage, I am small, I am great, I relate to this family or tribe; others have such qualities This is the beginning of self-identification with matter. Firstly the gunas penetrate the intellect and then these conditioning develops.
Degradation of the Intellect
At the first stage, the intellect understands that the soul is eternal, that one needs to live in a loving relationship with God. But the intellect becomes slightly contaminated and then ahankara appears (Sanskrit false ego). With the appearance of false ego, we begin to identify ourselves with something that is not our true self: with the body, subtle body, intellect and mind.
First of all we begin to identify ourselves with the senses and mind. Despite the mind initially being in goodness, it becomes contaminated through passion and begins to plan for sensual gratification. It overflows with passion and loses control over the senses, instead coming under their influence. Then the mind becomes engaged in material activity, despite seeing that this does not give satisfaction. Despite the mind being initially sattvic and mellow for example, if we perform meditation and remain free of any attachments, then our mind is peaceful and happy when the energy of the false ego is in effect, the mind becomes impassioned.
In this world there is always someone who is higher or lower than us. For example, our neighbours house may be better than ours, so we also begin to want one that is at least as good. When our mind becomes absorbed in mediating on satisfying our senses, it becomes incredibly powerful, even more powerful than our intelligence. As a result, it can engage the weakened intelligence in fulfilling our desires for gratification of the senses. Then the intellect also begins looking for different ways to satisfy the senses. If our intellect is developed, then it can plan many and varied forms to this end. In modern society, many possibilities have been developed for sense enjoyment.
The gunas (mainly, passion and ignorance) influence the mind and intellect through the sense objects and the mind becomes infuriated because it cannot be completely satisfied with sense enjoyments. As a result the mind becomes more and more agitated. Have you ever seen a person walking the streets of New York or Moscow that is satisfied and peaceful? In large cities, the energy of passion is so strong that just by being there we will eventually start acting more passionately, we will begin to bustle around after only a short while of simply strolling calmly and peacefully. Cities are mostly absent of sattva, with only ignorance and passion. Goodness is found in more natural surroundings.
An Agitated Mind Loses Control of the Senses
By coming into contact with advertisements or something that attracts the senses, or by simply living in a modern metropolis, the mind becomes infuriated and wants countless things. Even if we live peacefully in the countryside, as soon as we come to the city, a desire to buy some object arises, then another, and another.