Rest and Activity

“Golden slumbers,
Fill your eyes
Smiles await you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling
Do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby.”      

– Paul McCartney, John Lennon

“Golden Slumbers,” Abbey Road

I don’t know about you, but if I’m tired I can’t do anything well. Writing is out, seeing friends is out, and sometimes even talking to my family is out. If I get overly tired I look for a quiet spot to nap, meditate, or just become a recluse for a while.

Certainly this is a function of aging, but the model of aging that impressed my young mind was of my Irish Nana, who only slept 4-5 hours a night and took a 20-30 minute nap around 4:30 in the late afternoon after coming home from work. When she woke up she made dinner and was up until midnight or later. I grew up thinking that at some point I wouldn’t need the eight hours I spent sleeping. What my Irish Nana and I have in common is a 20-minute nap in the late afternoon. After that wonderful repose, I practice my Transcendental Meditation technique for a deeper rest and Samadhi.

Later as a 20-year old, I learned that my spiritual teacher, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, also only slept four hours each night. Actually he didn’t sleep, not the way we think of it; he witnessed his sleep, meaning that he maintained inner wakefulness while he slept. This witnessing of sleeping, waking, and dreaming is a characteristic of Cosmic Consciousness and higher states of consciousness. Sometimes while Maharishi ‘slept’ people read to him. At a meditation retreat one such person told us that when he first started reading to Maharishi while Maharishi ‘slept’, he didn’t understand what was expected of him. Was he supposed to read to Maharishi until he fell asleep and then quietly close the book and tip-toe out? Evidently not, for when the reader stopped reading, Maharishi ‘woke up’ and said, “Continue reading.” So the reader started reading again. As Maharishi’s head began to fall to his chest and his breathing changed to indicate he was asleep, the person again stopped reading and closed the book. Maharishi with eyes closed said, “Please continue.” After that the reader continued reading for the next few hours. When Maharishi finally woke up, the man told us that to his astonishment Maharishi wanted to discuss the book and even asked some questions! Now that’s a great example of making use of every minute of time!

Alas, I’m not there. I have had experiences of witnessing sleep. Sometimes it happens while I’m napping and sometimes it happens an hour before the sun rises. But mostly I sleep long and deep. Not only do I need it, I love it, or more accurately I love how I feel when I awaken. To be fully rested makes me feel like a kid again. It makes me feel fully alive and wide-awake.

And yet for many years I didn’t have time or more importantly I didn’t make time to be fully rested. I practiced my Transcendental Meditation and advanced techniques twice a day and that helped keep me afloat. But even with that I didn’t rest enough. I pushed myself too hard and in too many directions. Having your own business will do that. When I was tired in the late afternoon, I drank coffee. Loved coffee. Must keep going, must keep all those plates spinning in the air. Despite my efforts to stay energized, over a period of years I slowly grew tired. And instead of sleeping less I slept more.

When I was in New Delhi, India in 1980 with Maharishi and three thousand other meditators and TM teachers on the Vedic Science course, someone asked Maharishi what the priority should be for meditators. Maharishi considered the question and then said, and I paraphrase, ‘First priority is sleep. If we are not fully rested then our experiences in meditation will not be clear and our TM Siddhi practice will not yield the results we seek. Second priority is being regular in our TM and Siddhi program. Being regular brings tremendous benefits and makes our activities successful. Third priority is our business. Being successful in business brings joy and support for our family. Fourth priority is family. We do all that we need to do to take care of our family. Fifth priority is the TM Movement. If we have any time after taking care of the four previous priorities, then we help the Movement where and when we can.’

I was surprised to hear Maharishi say, ‘Sleep is the first priority.” But of course it made sense and much more sense as the years passed. Our physical bodies need rest to repair and reorganize this complex brain physiology. Lack of proper rest not only makes us grumpy but also creates wear and tear. Like Humpty Dumpty going over a wall, we too can find ourselves beyond repair at some point. Avoid being Humpty Dumpty, especially if you want to live a creative life. If you want to live an enlightened life that path is one of balance and moderation. Rest and activity is the formula. Don’t over do it and become exhausted.

For your well-being, health, and longevity I urge you to take more rest, not less. Take a nap, instead of going for that late afternoon run. Exercise in the morning. Go to bed earlier and skip the 11o’clock news. Make sure you get eight hours of sleep. Studies show it’s good for your brain and your memory. In order to live a creative full life we must be rested and not running on adrenaline and caffeine. To love fully and appreciate those around us, we must be rested. To be our natural creative and happy selves good rest is needed. I promise if you take this advice to heart, you will thank me later. Activity in the pursuit of happiness is overrated. Being deeply rested creates the ground for a natural state of joy and appreciation. Transcending with the Transcendental Meditation technique twice a day is also a big plus. Helps to keep one at your happy, creative best.

Okay, time for my nap.