The Ambrosial Hours
Baabeehaa anmrith vaelai boliaa thaa dhar sunee pukaar
The rainbird chirps in the ambrosial hours of the morning before the dawn; its prayers are heard in the Court of the Lord.
Amritvelaa (ambrosial hours), for a Gursikh is a very special time; this is the time a Gursikh should sit in single minded concentration in remembrance of the Shabad Vahiguroo. Guru Jee says in the Pangtee above when we sit in Amritvelaa and praise the Lord Vahiguroo our prayers are heard in the court of the Lord.
Why is this such a special time?
This is the time most Gursikhs all over the world rise in the early hours of the morning, before dawn and praise the Lord, some praise the Lord in Sangat and some by themselves. Praising the Lord in Sangat is a lot more powerful and a lot easier to concentrate, unfortunately for some people it is very difficult to get Sangat at this time. If we do not get Sangat at this time it is not a problem; meditating by ourselves will make our minds a lot stronger as long as we are focussed fully on the Shabad. Amritvelaa is most likely the only time we will be blessed with spiritual experiences, as life becomes very busy in a Grishstee Jeevan (householders life).
This specific time is called Amritvelaa because this is the time we drink Amrit Naam, this Naam travels up through our body and through our Chakras, as explained in the article titled 'Importance of Amrit'. The word 'Vela' means time. Once we start to wake up for Amritvelaa it is very important to keep it (Samaal), it has to be done everyday as a form of Spiritual and Physical discipline. This is the most peaceful time of day because everyone is sleeping, the only beings that are awake at this time are those who are thirsting to meet God; just like the Rainbird.
Amritvelaa usually starts at 12am, which is the 3rd watch of the night (Theejaa Pehar). Most Gursikhs usually awaken at 2am, this is a beautiful time because it is the middle of the night and it makes it very difficult to get up. First of all we have a bath (Ishnaan) and then we sit in meditation, this is the only time we will get in the day to have single minded concentration, once we start meditating we naturally, through the Shabad, Mind, Body and Soul are connected to every single being praising the Lord at this time. The minimum amount of time that a Gursikh should meditate at Amritvelaa is 2 hours, Amritvelaa is the key to the days meditation. The body is a battery charged by Shabad at Amritvelaa, if charged through full focus and concentration the battery will last at least 12 hours, meaning the Shabad will stay with us, as long as we put some Udham (effort) into hearing it with our inner ears throughout the day. This is why in the evening we should try to do a little more seated meditation to keep the mind and body in focus.
Battle with your mind
At Amritvelaa the first battle we have is with the Douvet (Rajaaee), we want to get up but the Bed is too warm and our mind says go to sleep, no-one wishes to get out of the warm blanket of Kal Jug. First we will find it difficult to get up but we have to battle against the mind and force ourselves out of bed, then it becomes a habit, then with Guru Jee's kirpaa (grace) it becomes a Ras (substance, taste), those Gursikhs that get up at Amritvelaa will know what Daas means. Once it becomes a Ras it will become very difficult to miss an Amritvelaa, if we do due to some fine cause, it feels as if we have lost a part of our body. What can we do without legs, similarly how will we survive without Amritvelaa? A big worry for some people is sleep when we first start doing Amritvelaa we do feel tired during the day, however the mind and body soon get used to this. If we want to do Amritvelaa we should try to be in bed for 10pm at the latest, 4 hours sleep is more than enough, look at it this way: When the mind reaches a higher state Guru Jee says our eyes find it difficult to sleep, 'Phun Nethro Neend Naa Aavai'. After we have completed our Amritvelaa and Nitnem and we decide to go to sleep for 1 or 2 hours, this is the most peaceful sleep we will have, we have to experience it to know it. We should try to develop our seated meditation further if we have time, for example 4 to 5 hours or even more, this helps purify this filthy mind a lot faster.
bhinnee rainurreeai chaamukan thaarae
The night is wet with dew, and the stars twinkle in the heavens.
jaagehi sunth junaa maerae raam piaarae
The Saints remain wakeful; they are the Beloveds of my Lord.
raam piaarae sudhaa jaagehi naam simurehi anadhino
The Beloveds of the Lord remain ever wakeful, remembering the Naam, the Name of the Lord, day and night.
A few years ago Daas watched a television programme called 'Meditation Explorers', Daas distinctly remembers them saying if you meditate single mindedly for 1 hour it is like sleeping for 8 hours, so, therefore those of you who love your sleep have no excuse. The reason for this is when we meditate we replace our thoughts through Naam, having no thoughts for 1 hour is like sleeping for 8 hours, it is our thoughts that make us ill, tired and unhealthy, this is why we are tired after a deep sleep, our body might be resting but this filthy mind will not rest for a second. An average human being has over 30 thousand thoughts a day, Guru Jee says I want you to decrease this to 1, which is Vahiguroo.
Daas would just like to finish off by saying Benti Sangat Jee lets all try to get up at Amritvelaa and Jap Naam Athai Pehar (24 hours), then with Guru Jee's unparalleled grace we might see some true unconditional love throughout the Gursikhs in the Panth. Khalsa Raaj will not be far off, it will only come through Naam. If we won't Jap Naam for ourselves, lets Jap Naam for the Guru Khalsa Panth. The more Naam that is been meditated upon in the Panth, the stronger it gets.
har dhun anmrith vaelai vuthai kaa beejiaa bhuguth khaae khurach rehae nikhuttai naahee
The devotees of the Lord plant the seed of the Lord's wealth in the ambrosial hours of the Amrit Vaylaa; they eat it, and spend it, but it is never exhausted.
*Please stay tuned for next weeks Article, 'The Soul'*
The rainbird chirps in the ambrosial hours of the morning before the dawn; its prayers are heard in the Court of the Lord.
Amritvelaa (ambrosial hours), for a Gursikh is a very special time; this is the time a Gursikh should sit in single minded concentration in remembrance of the Shabad Vahiguroo. Guru Jee says in the Pangtee above when we sit in Amritvelaa and praise the Lord Vahiguroo our prayers are heard in the court of the Lord.
Why is this such a special time?
This is the time most Gursikhs all over the world rise in the early hours of the morning, before dawn and praise the Lord, some praise the Lord in Sangat and some by themselves. Praising the Lord in Sangat is a lot more powerful and a lot easier to concentrate, unfortunately for some people it is very difficult to get Sangat at this time. If we do not get Sangat at this time it is not a problem; meditating by ourselves will make our minds a lot stronger as long as we are focussed fully on the Shabad. Amritvelaa is most likely the only time we will be blessed with spiritual experiences, as life becomes very busy in a Grishstee Jeevan (householders life).
This specific time is called Amritvelaa because this is the time we drink Amrit Naam, this Naam travels up through our body and through our Chakras, as explained in the article titled 'Importance of Amrit'. The word 'Vela' means time. Once we start to wake up for Amritvelaa it is very important to keep it (Samaal), it has to be done everyday as a form of Spiritual and Physical discipline. This is the most peaceful time of day because everyone is sleeping, the only beings that are awake at this time are those who are thirsting to meet God; just like the Rainbird.
Amritvelaa usually starts at 12am, which is the 3rd watch of the night (Theejaa Pehar). Most Gursikhs usually awaken at 2am, this is a beautiful time because it is the middle of the night and it makes it very difficult to get up. First of all we have a bath (Ishnaan) and then we sit in meditation, this is the only time we will get in the day to have single minded concentration, once we start meditating we naturally, through the Shabad, Mind, Body and Soul are connected to every single being praising the Lord at this time. The minimum amount of time that a Gursikh should meditate at Amritvelaa is 2 hours, Amritvelaa is the key to the days meditation. The body is a battery charged by Shabad at Amritvelaa, if charged through full focus and concentration the battery will last at least 12 hours, meaning the Shabad will stay with us, as long as we put some Udham (effort) into hearing it with our inner ears throughout the day. This is why in the evening we should try to do a little more seated meditation to keep the mind and body in focus.
Battle with your mind
At Amritvelaa the first battle we have is with the Douvet (Rajaaee), we want to get up but the Bed is too warm and our mind says go to sleep, no-one wishes to get out of the warm blanket of Kal Jug. First we will find it difficult to get up but we have to battle against the mind and force ourselves out of bed, then it becomes a habit, then with Guru Jee's kirpaa (grace) it becomes a Ras (substance, taste), those Gursikhs that get up at Amritvelaa will know what Daas means. Once it becomes a Ras it will become very difficult to miss an Amritvelaa, if we do due to some fine cause, it feels as if we have lost a part of our body. What can we do without legs, similarly how will we survive without Amritvelaa? A big worry for some people is sleep when we first start doing Amritvelaa we do feel tired during the day, however the mind and body soon get used to this. If we want to do Amritvelaa we should try to be in bed for 10pm at the latest, 4 hours sleep is more than enough, look at it this way: When the mind reaches a higher state Guru Jee says our eyes find it difficult to sleep, 'Phun Nethro Neend Naa Aavai'. After we have completed our Amritvelaa and Nitnem and we decide to go to sleep for 1 or 2 hours, this is the most peaceful sleep we will have, we have to experience it to know it. We should try to develop our seated meditation further if we have time, for example 4 to 5 hours or even more, this helps purify this filthy mind a lot faster.
bhinnee rainurreeai chaamukan thaarae
The night is wet with dew, and the stars twinkle in the heavens.
jaagehi sunth junaa maerae raam piaarae
The Saints remain wakeful; they are the Beloveds of my Lord.
raam piaarae sudhaa jaagehi naam simurehi anadhino
The Beloveds of the Lord remain ever wakeful, remembering the Naam, the Name of the Lord, day and night.
A few years ago Daas watched a television programme called 'Meditation Explorers', Daas distinctly remembers them saying if you meditate single mindedly for 1 hour it is like sleeping for 8 hours, so, therefore those of you who love your sleep have no excuse. The reason for this is when we meditate we replace our thoughts through Naam, having no thoughts for 1 hour is like sleeping for 8 hours, it is our thoughts that make us ill, tired and unhealthy, this is why we are tired after a deep sleep, our body might be resting but this filthy mind will not rest for a second. An average human being has over 30 thousand thoughts a day, Guru Jee says I want you to decrease this to 1, which is Vahiguroo.
Daas would just like to finish off by saying Benti Sangat Jee lets all try to get up at Amritvelaa and Jap Naam Athai Pehar (24 hours), then with Guru Jee's unparalleled grace we might see some true unconditional love throughout the Gursikhs in the Panth. Khalsa Raaj will not be far off, it will only come through Naam. If we won't Jap Naam for ourselves, lets Jap Naam for the Guru Khalsa Panth. The more Naam that is been meditated upon in the Panth, the stronger it gets.
har dhun anmrith vaelai vuthai kaa beejiaa bhuguth khaae khurach rehae nikhuttai naahee
The devotees of the Lord plant the seed of the Lord's wealth in the ambrosial hours of the Amrit Vaylaa; they eat it, and spend it, but it is never exhausted.
*Please stay tuned for next weeks Article, 'The Soul'*
posted by Gupt Wannabe Naam Abhiyaasee at 11:29 AM
7 Comments:
waheguru ji ka khalsa
waheguru ji ki fateh
definately with you on that one. Naam rememberance is the only way the Khalsa will rise against negativity of life, mind, society, hence then go on to estalish Raj ...
may Guru sahib bless all with Naam.
waheguru ji ka khalsa
waheguru ji ki fateh
vaheguruvaheguruvaheguruvaheguruvaheguruvaheguruvaheguru
please do ardaas for lazy souls like myself
Waheguru ji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Chardikala article as usual. May you continue to inspire and uplift the Sangat with these informative articles.
you are right singh...the sleep after amrit vela is a lot better than before it - very peaceful and also you find that your keski is still on your head and not on the pillow.
why does kaam attack me in my Post AmritVela sleep?
Kaam attacks you because of the things you have experienced throughout the day, cut down on the amount of television you watch. Sangat could also be an influence.
Control your eyes and try to jap Naam Athai Pehar (24 hours)
the soul is located in the pineal gland i tell you...
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