BRAHMA MUHURTA

A muhurta is a Vedic unit of time. Each day is divided into 30 muhurtas which are approximately 48 minutes long. 30 muhurtas x 48 minutes = 24 hours.

The healthy person should get up (from bed) during brahmamuhurtam, to protect his life. (Astanga Hridayam, Vol.I, 2:1)

The brahma-muhurta is a special time of day that takes place every morning before sunrise. For thousands of years, yogis and spiritual practitioners have utilized this meditation “prime time” to jump start their day and accelerate their spiritual growth.

We have always been told to get up during brahmamuhurtam in our scriptures. As we know all the scriptural injunctions of the Sanatana Dharma have a scientific source. Let us see discover this source. Ayurveda, the science of health in the Sanatana Dharma fully supports this view. Of all the times of day, this time is said to be the most conducive to spiritual practice. It is a time of transition, when your mind is most in tune with the subtle energies of nature.

There are varied opinions about exactly which hours constitute brahmamuhurtam. The Ashtanga Hridayam is one of the foundational Ayurvedic texts and it states that the hours of brahmamuhurtam are the “last three hours of the night (from 3am to 6am)”. One day in the Hindu method of reckoning time is said to be divided into 8 praharas – 4 during the day and 4 at night. The last prahara of the night is from 3 am to 6 am. And this is called brahmamuhrtam. Why is it necessary to get up at this time? This is because this is the healthiest time of the day and of your inner cycle. At that time it is as if you become Brahman and you can create yourself. You can make yourself the way you want to be.

Brahmamuhurtam is part of the 24 hour time cycle. If we overlay this 24 hour cycle over the cycle of a lifetime, we would see that childhood corresponds to morning, midlife to midday, old age to late afternoon and twilight, death to the fall of the night and the unembodied soul, to the night time or 3rd prahara of the night – which is 12 to 3am. Brahmamuhurtam corresponds to late pregnancy and birth. Many people have lifelong physical and emotional patterns and mal-adjustments due to the trauma they have suffered during birth. These can be cured by getting up and meditating during brahmamuhurtam.

The nature of the planet’s relationship with the sun and moon is such that certain physiological changes happen in the human system at this time. Medical science has discovered that even the waste material in your body, such as your urine for example, has certain qualities at that time which it does not have at any other time of the day. There is substantial research into this. The entire body is in a certain conducive atmosphere, and there is a natural production of what is called melatonin, which is a secretion of the pineal gland. We want to make use of this because the pineal gland is secreting at its maximum during brahmamuhurtam, which means you can stabilize yourself both internally and externally. This is why we are asked to get up and do our sadhana at this time.

Modern medicine sees melatonin as a mood stabiliser. Production of melatonin happens naturally during brahmamuhurtam. Ayurveda divides people into three different categories known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Each of these are also said to govern certain times of the day or times of life. Of the three, Vata governs all sandhis or joints, not only of our body but of the transitions from day to night and night to day, from birth to death and death to birth. Vata governs the hours from 2am to 6am, or dawn, which is the conjunction between night and day. This is brahmamuhurta. Apana, one of the five subsets of Vata, becomes particularly active around dawn. Prana, another one of the five subsets of Vata, is that mystical and practical intelligence responsible for assembling a baby’s cells, tissues and organs during pregnancy. It controls the way a body is put together and how it functions once it is assembled. The same Apana that is active during dawn is also responsible for successfully delivering the baby into the world. So we can see that the same force—Vata—is dominant during both time cycles. So brahmamuhurta also corresponds to the entry of the foetus into the world.

If the healthy functioning of Prana assures optimal organization of energy and physical matter in the developing foetus and healthy Apana delivers the complete person into the world in the best manner, then it follows that these principles apply to the period of time known as brahmamuhurtam. During the early morning hours, for example, the active Prana will organize our physical and mental pathways, as it does during pregnancy and delivery. Healthy Apana would allow us smooth entry into our day. It would also stand to reason here that the healing influences of Prana and Apana would be particularly significant during brahmamuhurtam, as they are during pregnancy and birth.

Things to avoid during brahmamuhurtam.

There are a few things that people should avoid doing during brahmamuhurtam to make the most of this spiritual time. Avoid eating or drinking, as it can disrupt the delicate balance of your Prana or life energy. Avoid engaging in intensive physical activities, as it will disrupt the meditative state of mind you are seeking to cultivate. Do not use electronic devices such as cell phones, computers, or watch television, since the light emitted from these devices can disturb your concentration and focus. Do not force yourself to stay awake if you feel tired or sleepy; instead, take a quick nap.

Additionally, it is also important to avoid loud noises and excessive talking, as it can distract you from concentrating on your goals and intentions. Avoid activating or promoting negative thoughts or feelings, as this can interfere with your meditation and peace of mind. Try to maintain a quiet and peaceful atmosphere in order to get the most out of this auspicious time.

Most modern people would shudder at the thought of getting up so early. The main reason they find it difficult is because most people go to sleep very late. All this goes against the laws that govern our system. The microcosm of our body is only a reflection of the macrocosm. The Sanatana Dharma has always understood this and has given us a way of life which moulds into the cosmic pattern. It is very necessary for us to understand this. Our body has certain rhythms that correspond with the rhythms of Nature so it is important that we make use of these times in order to put our functions in order. If we do this we will have healthier minds and bodies and will be able to live longer in a healthy state. The choice is yours.

Loka samasthath sukhino bhavanti!