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Summary of Question:	Lack Of Meditation=Guilt Of Past
Category:	Meditation
Date Posted:	Tuesday, 7/23/2002 7:30 AM MDT

I just need a bit of advice on how others cope with working and fulfilling meditation. i recently started meditating and reciting Jaapji Sahib,i was doing this at about 2-3am before going to sleep. It helps emmensly as i had so many issues about my self worth, guilt, feeling worthless (sinning), I WANTED TO ERASE ALL OF IT, AND MEDITATING ON GOD helped so much. the only problem now is that i have started a job, although it is not very important (as i am still studying), i have to wake up early and therefore sleep early..my time for prayers are getting cut. i try and read the Jaapji on the bus, but i am always falling asleep and not concentrating like i should.. also my meditation nowadays has become distracted. my mind is full of thoughts and not properly concentrating on GOD, and the sad thing is i feel like i'm loosing GOD from within, like before. i start getting guilty feelings back about the past and i feel like more bad things will come to me again.. i feel like i'm loosing GOD and my life will not be strong (inner strenght) and i am sinning again.

IS THERE A WAY THAT HELPS OR A PRAYER FOR PROTECTION I CAN RECITE???HOW DO U COPE WITH WORK AND PAST SINS???GUILT?? (i have to admit sexual guilt of events)
one more question, i read in a book by a giani 'in search of the TRUE GURU' that you should never tell people how much u meditate or recite prayers as you will not be able to do it again, i have told people at work that i like meditating and am learning more about my faith-is this showing off???
please answer ALL my questions it would help me so much as i am starting to get anxiety and guilt and scared of other people(i grew strong against someone beleiving GOD would help me through it-forgive me and help me now-but because of my lack of concentration i dont think i will be helped) Like i've read in some prayers 'God himself will unite himself with us and seperate himself from us'

sorry its so long and all over the place. but i truely thank you for this help, you are truely wise in your answers and guide us towards the path of GOD.
May you carry on with many blessings.
WGJKWGJF
Mandip

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Wahe Guru Ji ka Khalsa, Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh.

Yes. The old sleep/meditate/work dilemma. Let me tell you, Mandip, we all struggle with it. This is perfectly normal thing to go through - so let me give you some suggestions.

If you want to rise in the Amrit Veyla:
Go to bed EARLY. (9 - 9:30 is always good). Then - you can approach it one of two ways. Wake up around 4 am, do your meditation, and then take a short nap before you get up for work. Or - wake up a little later (5 am or so ), do your meditation and then get ready for work. But what you want to do is train your body into a routine that meditation is the first thing you do when you wake up.

You can create simple habits that help with this. If you iron your clothes the night before, for instance, it will cut down on the time you need to get ready in the morning and allow you to nap longer after your meditation. You can get creative.

Now-it takes time for the body to adjust to this, so don't worry. Maybe you get up twice during the work week and meditate, the other work days you sleep in, and then you get up early on the weekends, as well, when you can take a nap sometime. That's all right. All of this takes practice. It's like training for a sport. You have to start where you are and then build yourself up. The key is: don't expect perfection and don't get frustrated or "guilty." You're doing a practice that's building the strength of your soul. The stronger your soul becomes, the easier it will be to get up and meditate. But it takes time to develop that strength.

On the days you don't get up in the morning, RELAX. Meditate at the end of the day, instead. Before dinner or before bed. It's fine. Just do something every day - create the habit that every day you spend some time alone with your soul and God. Amrit Veyla is the best time to meditate. But there is no "BAD" time to meditate. Anytime you meditate is a good time. Ideally, Japji should be recited in the Amrit Vayla. But it's not a ritual. If you recite it at 8 pm at night - there's a benefit still there. There are very few people who actually have the meditative sensitivity to notice the difference between reciting Japji in the morning versus at night. So - until you get to that point, do what you can do and let go of the ritual of it.

Now - how do you cope with work and past sins? Guilt? Sexual guilt? Easy. Keep meditating. There's a line in Japji, right? The filth of the mind is cleansed by the Naam. Like water being poured through your consciousness. It's purifying you. Your mind needs cleansing, your meditate, and like a stained cloth, the water brings the dirt up and out. So-meditation brings all that dirt up and out. You see it, you keep meditating, eventually it gets washed away. No problem.

As for the "You should never tell people how much you meditate or pray" - why not? What's to be afraid of? There's nothing wrong with talking about it. Especially with people who are also practicing - sometimes sharing what you're doing with others helps you and them become stronger and more successful. The key is to not be proud of it. If you meditate for two hours a day - know it's God's grace, don't let your ego be involved. But to be afraid of talking about your spiritual practice creates a subconscious fear around it. Sometimes, we just need the validation of being able to speak our truth, you know? Like me. I'm happy to tell you how much I meditate. "Between 3 minutes and three hours a day. Depends on the day." See? And you know what - tomorrow, I promise you. I will meditate anywhere from 3 minutes to three hours. But I will DO SOMETHING. And that's the key.

God bless you and good luck. Don't worry -your soul is going off on a great adventure. Enjoy it and have FUN.

GPK