Can Relaxation and Concentration cut
down on the Number of hours you Sleep?
Sleep is most important. Through sleep you are able to recover
energy, allowing the body to refuel and repair itself. So it would be
wrong, especially at the start, to substitute meditation for sleep.
In the beginning, practice is practice and sleep is sleep. Some
people think that sitting in meditation is just the same as sleep. It is
true that meditation will calm down your nervous system and brain
but your body still needs the rest and sleep is the best way of pro-
viding it. If you sleep less and then tend to fall asleep during prac-
tice, that is not good at all. Not being able to concentrate during
practice you will simply defeat your own purpose.
Try to have regular hours of sleep. The average adult needs
about eight hours. It is said, traditionally, that when Chi fills all of
your organs and you fulfill the rebirth process, your body will need
less sleep. Yet, we must recognize that living in these times, sub-
jected as we are to different kinds of stress, new rules must apply.
How does Practicing the Microcosmic Affect
your Emotions?Should you Practice when
Angry, Sad or Disappointed?
All these feelings will affect your practice. Because we live in a
stressful world, no one is able to live a really happy or satisfactory
life. Try to be content and satisfied with what you have. When you
become discouraged, do some exercise, take a long walk, or find
some other way to calm down and then have a good sleep and in
time you will feel better. There are many methods that are helpful.
You can chant or count your breaths or repeat mantras.
All of these divert your attention from your trouble and set you at
ease. But remember always to smile and relax. There are added
benefits to this practice. You will find that you will become calmer
and more stable and may no longer lose your temper as readily.
So it is safe to say that as you become healthier you will be less
angry. This has happened to many of my students. No matter how
much psychology you have studied or theories you have under-
stood or lectures you have attended about how to control your an-
Commonly Asked Questions