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Summary of Question:	Waking up
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Tuesday, 9/28/1999 4:34 AM MDT

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ke Fateh

Can you please tell me how can i make myself get up early so i can do the panj Baniah(n)?

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ke Fateh.

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Reply
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This is a wonderful question. First of all, if you want to join and enjoy the pre-dawn Amrit Vela, it makes sense that you have to adjust your sleeping time to go to bed earlier. It's like getting a new job or a new life, you have to <resign> from the old job and the old life. Day creatures associate with day creatures. Night creatures associate with night creatures. Saintly people and <night life> people live in different realms. Isn't that interesting, just in the practicality of <how do you get up consistently to meditate on Guru's Bani>? Ben Franklin's advice was <Early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise>. And, just as you asked, Guru Ram Das said, <Gur satigur kaa jo sikh akhaa-ay, So bhalikay uth harinaam dhi-aavai>. (One who calls himself a Sikh fo the True Guru, shall rise in the early morning hours and meditate on the Lord's Name.

Next in this shabd, Guru Ram Das gives you a most important clue: <Udam karay bhalakay parbhatee, Ishnaan karay amritsar naavai>. (Upon arising early in the morning, the Sikh is to bathe and cleanse oneself in the Nectar Tank). Actually then, unless you can go to Harimander Sahib and do Ishnaan in the cold water of the tank, then make that bath a cold shower. It will rush the blood throughout your muscles and capillaries in the skin, stimulate you to be very awake and present mentally for meditation on the Naam. Finally, get to the agreed upon place where others are also meditating on the Guru's Name. The power and energy of the Sangat (even of other family members praying together at home) provides unity and inspiration, vital support for your spiritual practice as a Sikh.

To review:
1) Go to bed earlier.
2) Bathe or shower in cold water to stimulate your blood flow, your body and your mind to be awake and energized.
3) Join with others in Guru's presence and simran.
4) If you do these things (try for just 40 days consistently, set a realizable goal), have the confidence that Guru will move everything to be there with you. You will experience His grace and blessing. An intelligence that is innate within you will arise to teach you everything.

Please write again soon and teach us what you discover.

Humbly,
Krishna Singh Khalsa