Brahma Muhurta ( ब्रह्म मुहूर्त ) / Brahma Muhurtham ( ब्रह्म मुहूर्तम् )
The Ambrosial Period.
Who gets up early to discover the moment light begins? ~ Rumi
Have you ever wondered, why do roosters crow ‘cock-a-doodle-doo’ (English), ‘ki-ke-ri-ki’ (German), ‘ko-ke-kok-koh’ (Japanese), kook doon koo (Hindi) at pre-dawns?
Rooster crowing is a symbol of the break of dawn in many countries. Rooster breaks the dawn every morning as a function of his circadian clock and external stimuli. The anticipatory predawn crowing and external stimulus-induced crowing is under the control of a circadian clock of roosters. There you have it, a relation between Pre-dawns and Circadian clocks.
Now back to Ayurveda! 😇
| ब्राम्हे मुहुर्त उत्तिष्ठॆत् स्वस्थो रक्षार्थमायुषः |
( Reference: Ashtanga Hridayam )
The verses from ‘Ashtanga Hridayam’ translates as: ‘In order to protect his life, a healthy person should get up from bed in Brahma Muhurta.
( NOTE: As per the above statement, an unhealthy or diseased person need not wake up early in the morning and should follow his/her physician’s opinion.)
Many call it Brahmi Muhurta too as it is a good time to learn.
So what is Brahma Muhurta or Brahma Muhurtham?
Brahma Muhurta (time of Brahma) is a period (Muhurta) before sunrise. Somewhere between one and a half hours before sunrise or more precisely 1 hr 36 mins before sunrise.
How is it calculated?
Brahma Muhurta is the 14th Muhurta Kala of the night.
One Muhurta = 48 mins
Whole night consists of 15 Muhurta = 15×48 mins = 720 mins
Brahma Muhurta is the 14th Muhurta Kala, after completion of the 13th one.
13x48mins = 624 mins.
720-624 mins = 96 mins or 1 hr 36 mins.
The word Brahma means Creator or God in His aspect of Creator [Derived from Sanskrit root is बृह् Bṛih means to increase, grow, expand]. Muhurta means period or hour. So it denotes The Creator’s Hour”! It is the last phase of the night and is considered an auspicious time for the practice of yoga, meditation, worship or religious practices. The time of sunrise varies each day, according to geographic location and time of year, thus the time of the Brahma muhurta also varies. Generally saying it would be between 3:30 am to 6:00 am.
Creator’s Hour = Time to Create Yourself = Create your life the way you want it.
In Hindi and Punjabi (language in Punjab state of India) this period is called Amrit Bela ( अमृत बेला ) or Amrit Velaa ( अमृत वेला ) meaning the Ambrosial Period.
Importance of waking up in Brahma Muhurta :
Brahma muhurta is believed to be the most ideal time for getting out of bed in the morning. According to Ayurvedic principles, it is the first step under Dinacharya. It helps you start your day in a holistic way with practices like meditation, prayer, pranayama, yoga, self-study, seeking, and obtaining knowledge. In India it is a prevalent practice, in fact, I used to get up early mornings for prayers, followed by studies and finally jogging.
Ayurveda states that there are three doshas found in any human body, known as Vata (Air and Ether), Pitta (Fire and Water), and Kapha (Earth and Water). The increase or decrease of these three doshas is related to the cycles of time. From 2:00am until 6:00am (sunrise) is Vata time. Brahma Muhurta occurs during the Vata phase of the morning, between 2:00 am and 6:00 am. Vata governs movement and communication. Vata embodies the energies of Air and Ether elements. So it will have lightness, clarity, creativity, and flexibility (an admix of Air + Space elements, rarer media in physics). Vata also governs macroscopic and microscopic movements, the flow of the breath, the pulsation of the heart, contractions of muscles, cellular mobility, and communication ( throughout the nervous system and mind ). Hence, the transmission of knowledge will be swift and greater in this period + creativity of mind + clarity of thoughts + greater communication. With mobility (especially downward movement) as its property, Apana Vayu (a type of Vata) will have an effect on descending colon and hence elimination of bodily wastes takes place.
People of earlier generations or people living in rural settings still practice ‘Getting up early morning’ including Sages, Seers, Farmers, Women, Men. This time of Brahma Muhurta is usually kept for Self. With the rest of the day dedicated to activities in fields, home, markets, doing homas (sacred Vedic ritual), teaching, etc. It is understood that this time is for connecting the body and mind to the Higher Self. And this way our Spirits get easily attuned with our Life Purposes. In fact, it is the most fresh-clear-pure time of the day that provides the cleanest oxygen for exercise, lightness & subtleness for the meditators.
It’s the time when both nature and the self are Sattvic or peaceful. We can tap into our most pure qualities and make quicker spiritual progress by the practice of sadhana during this ambrosial time.
Many Ayurvedic and Yoga masters state that the best time to meditate is at pre-dawn. The reason behind this is that our minds are in a state of stillness at that time. After a good night’s sleep, the healed and reset self enables one to achieve deeper states of meditation. Our minds will be like a blank sheet of paper, low on emotional fluxes and free from day-to-day impressions. This is the right time to tame, change and recharge our minds to achieve our Higher Goals.
How to do it :
✦ Intention : Intent for an early rise.
✦ Action : Start early rising.
✦ Repetition : Follow this habit of early rise.
✦ Awareness : Watch your body for response.
✦ Self Awareness : Adjust accordingly.
Set an Intention of getting up early: Write it in your journal and intent in your mind before sleeping.
Action on How to get up at Bramha Muhurta: If you are starting out, keep an alarm clock near you while sleeping. Once you develop the habit, it becomes easier to get up early in the mornings. Your subconscious mind will make you wake up without any outside alarm clock.
Of course, this assumes that you’re also going to bed at a reasonable hour, ideally just before ten pm at night. In Ayurveda, it’s believed that long life is a result of living in harmony with natural circadian rhythms.
Repetition: Commitment and consistency are keys to overcoming your genetic predisposition. If you want to wake up at a certain time on a regular basis, you need to get up at the same time every day — even at weekends. ‘Your brain needs to be trained to synchronize correctly with its 24-hour rhythm; your 24-hour sleep/wake cycle.’
Awareness: Silently watch your body for the response (e.g.: you might feel droopy in the beginning or have a mild headache), but these are temporary and subside on there once the body gets used to early morning rise. Later you will have more energy, enthusiasm, the freshness of mind.
Self Awareness: This step goes a little further than awareness. It calls for the individual needs of the person. Analyze your current state of health that day. Eg.: If someone is physically sick, he needs rest and healing rather than getting up early morning and exercising.
What are the Activities around Brahma-muhurta :
STAGE 1) Analysis: As mentioned earlier analyse your current state of health that day if you will be able to get up without any problem for example after night shifts, in diseased states, etc.
STAGE 2) Evacuation / Bowel Movements: Attend nature’s call. If you are a subject of chronic constipation, you can drink a tumbler of cold water or lukewarm water as soon as you get up after cleansing the teeth. This is Usha-Pana in Ayurveda and Hatha Yoga. This will give you a good motion. You can also drink Triphala water a night previous. You can keep a ready powder of Triphala and put one teaspoonful of Triphala powder in the water and drink at bedtime. Those who prefer capsule or tablet form of this astringent powder can take 1-2 capsules/tablets with water at bedtime the previous night.
STAGE 3) Preferred Activity: Now you can do meditation, music practice, reading religious scriptures, Japa (chanting), reading-understanding-memorizing of concept (helpful for students), Yoga, walk in nature,
Recite any mantra / prayer / verses / affirmation / chant from the faith you follow. Then sit silently with an empty mind for a few moments.
Relax. Do Pranayama until the breath flows evenly through both nostrils. Meditate while centering your energy in the heart chakra or at the third eye
Vata Prakriti : Meditation, slow yoga, pranayama, slow walk in nature.
Pitta Prakriti : Meditation, moderate-paced yoga, pranayama, walk in nature
Kapha Prakriti : Meditation, fast-paced yoga, pranayama, exercise in nature
Take a walk in the fresh morning air, surround yourself with simple and soothing visuals
Vyayama or Physical Exercise comprises usually of some yoga postures like Surya Namaskar or sun salutation and breathing exercises like Nadi Shodhan Pranayam. But it can be anything including a walk or a swim. This type of early morning exercise or body movement removes stagnation in the body and mind, strengthens the digestive fire, reduces fat. It gives you a feeling of lightness and joy, filling you with fresh Prana.
Science Behind Power of Brahma Muhurta :
As per the Lok Purusha Samya Siddhanta ( As is macrocosm so is microcosm ) there are recurring cycles in nature, that exert physiological changes in humans, one of them is the rotation of the earth on its axis causing the day and night cycle. I am sure many of you know about the pineal gland. It is a small gland located deep in the center of the brain. It secretes melatonin, which plays a role in the body’s internal clock. It regulates the body’s circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms are the daily rhythms of the body, including signals that make someone feel tired, sleep, wake up, and feel alert around the same time each day. Imbalances of any sort can create mental and physical diseases. It is important to note that ‘darkness’ stimulates the pineal gland to secrete melatonin whereas exposure to light inhibits this mechanism. Exposure to light stimulates a nerve pathway from the retina in the eye to an area in the brain called the hypothalamus. In the hypothalamus, we have a special center called the SupraChiasmatic Nucleus (SCN). Once exposed to the first light each day, SCN begins performing functions like raising body temperature and releasing stimulating hormones like cortisol. The SCN also delays the release of melatonin, which is associated with sleep onset, until many hours later when darkness arrives.
Now let us see few other reasons for getting up at Brahma Muhurta :
- Scientific research has determined that in Brahamuhurat, the oxygen level in the atmosphere is almost 41%, which is beneficial to the lungs.
- Tuning our biological clock to the rising and setting of the sun is the best way for reversing the aging process. Waking up during this Brahma muhurta puts us in perfect synchronization to the natural clock.
- In a recent study of 90,000 people, scientists discovered links between the ‘morningness’ genetic make-up (more commonly found in women) and the genes connected to body weight. Early risers generally have a lower BMI (Body Mass Index) and thus are less likely to suffer from obesity.
- According to the same study, the earlier you get up the less likely you are to develop diabetes or suffer from depression or insomnia.
Update: Some FAQ I get on Brahma Muhurta
Q: Can we drink water in Brahma Muhurta?
A: Yes! There is a tradition of drinking water empty stomach. It is called Ushapan. The water is usually kept in a copper vessel and drunk. But there is a proper way to do it. It has some peculiar specifications. Avoid doing it if you have weak digestion or suffering from diseases where fluid intake is restricted. Consult your Ayurveda physician or Yoga master.
Q: What happens if I wake up at Brahma Muhurta?
A: Getting up at Brahma Muhurta gives the body a good energy boost to face the day, more productivity, better decisions making, ample time for planning, and better attainment of goals. Further, you can read about it in my article Benefits of Early Rising – in Brahma Muhurta.
PS: Do not expect a miracle by following it for 1 day. It is more of a routine, and it gives results gradually if we have the intent and the goal of improving our life.
Q: What is today’s Brahma Muhurta time?
A: Brahma Muhurta is the morning period is usually between 3.30 a.m. and 5.30 a.m. (keeping 15min-20 mins as a buffer)
Q: What time should I sleep to wake up at Brahma Muhurta?
A: If you want to get up at Brahma Muhurta, sleep by 9 pm or between 9-10 pm. And for that to happen you have to plan your day very systematically, so that you finish up all the work including dinner beforehand.
Want to learn more
Read more about the benefits of waking up early in Brahma Muhurta
Read more about Nidra (Sleep) in Ayurveda
I hope this was helpful
Always in Love and gratitude 💖 🙏🏽
Dr. K
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