AMRIT VELA POLL

[sevak]

Hello,

I would like to see how many wake up at amrit vela and what times and if you could share your experience of morning practice. Curently I am not doing any gurbani reciting only simran. I usually stay awake on ineternet and do simran at 2 am or 3am for an hour and fall asleep after that and sometimes i wake up at 4 am and i find myself sleeping. However, I am deciding not to sleep at all and trying to do some hard work. I mean what place is there for comfort? and right now i got my own room.. so i can do wat i want .. but laters i cant.

I would also like to knwo from what times is amrit vela? is it from 4am or from 12 midnight as some people say it. Can anyone quote this from gurbani. I know I read it somewhere but cant find it.

[Guest]

When I took amrit last april. I was very excited to get up in amrit-vela like 4 am. I did that for a week then i slacked off big time man. I feel soo soo guilty when I cant get up properly sometimes i even after gettin up after 6. I feel a sleep sometimes while listening to nitneem.

Whenever I feel guilty. I do listen to bhajan (Baba Ishar singh ji divans) just to concentrate better. Its helps a lot.

I think i m in soo need of memorizing all nineem banis. I saw people do that.. its just amazing how could they do that :shock: ...probably years of pratice i guess. Thats my main concern now. Understanding gurbani is not a problem except jaap sahib. I think when i go to india. I ll enroll in the dharamsala where i can learn shud(pure) prouniciation of gurbani and memorize the whole nitneem.

[singh khalistan da]

daily doing ardas n trying 2 wake up early in morning but-----------.

may guru kirpa karn. also u sangat 2 do ardas tan ki amritvele uth sakiyey.

guru ji has given us updesh 2 wake early morng.

"amritvela saach naayon vadiayei veechar"

[sevak]

what aobut just no sleeping at niht and using it to do simran or nitnem? i know that sounds crazy, but many sant mahapurshs did that. let me know?

also plz tell me wht is the time of amrit vela from? some say it is from midnight and others say it is from 4 am. plz show by gurbani quoting. i know there is a verse available but i dontknow where to find it now.

[Guest]

Amrit-vela time its starts from 12.30 to 5 am.. anywhere between those hrs.

However some say its between 2 am to 5 am, some say 12 am to 5 am, 1 am to 4 am. For me i think 12.30 am to 4.30 am should make more sense. Because it has to be before dawn..depending at the country you live in. That should vary a little i guess!!

you live in states sevak?

[Gupt Singh]

at the moment i wake up at 6.30 but over summer its gonna be 1 or 2

[sevak]

yes N3O SINGH, I am international student iin USA. I am not resident of USA. I am studying there at a university, currently I am at middle east visitn my parent and will be visiing india after 2 days and with God's will I might be granted amrit.

There are lots of problem to this.. especially with keeping kirpan in the USA.

my grandfather says amrit vela is the 4th quarter of night when it is between night and day and that is from 4-7 and there are others who says it is from midnight to six. I know there is a gurbani verse which says from what amrit vela is, if i am right it is by Guru Arjun Dev, but I cant find it. I will search it now.

Khalsa, it is wonder ful to wake up at 1 or 2. One of my fanatasy is just to live in the company of sadhus and mahapurshs in some forest in india and practice simran full time, ofcourse doing kirt , seva also... life as usual is hard and difficult to wake up at such early times , especially when you live in weatern country and come home tierd. But I guess that is what the life of a sikh should be. hard I guess ! :?

[sukhsingh]

fateh ji,

the best time is about 4:30, thats when i get up. i love this time because it is still dark in ottawa at this time, and by the end of my paat and simran, it is bright

fateh ji

[Guest]

Yea i would also prefer 4.30 am is a great time only if you can do ur nitneem by one hour that shall be great.

[A_Singh_but_cant_Sing]

Fateh Ji

It is guru ram das ji who tell us about amritvela and the time it is. This is where they are describing who a true gursikh is. If anyone knows that shabad, please post it here or if not I will find it and post it.

Fateh Ji

[simran24-7]

yeh... I get up 4.30 - the light change is cool innit Sevak?

it might be earlier in summer, though

if it's any earlier now, i fall asleep at school lol

[Gurmukh]

There is a line, I don't remember the exact one which states that amrit vela begins a suva-paher (3.75 hours) before the sun rises. I know that many Sants have also repeated this thought. Some sants like baba Ishar Singh Ji got up way earlier than that, but the official time of Amrit Vela begins 3.75 hours before sunrise.

As per the question if it is O.K. to stay up all night. If you can stay up all night and keep your focus on meditation/Gurbani then it is a good thing, but if you are tired then it is not. Bhai Vir Singh Ji use to say that one should be rested before doing Simran in the morning or else they will not be able to concentrate on the shabad. They use to say that it is not our goal to just sit and do simran with our mouth, but to do it while keeping full concentration on the shabad.

So start off getting up Amrit Vela and then as your concentration increases and tardiness decreases then start to get up earlier and earlier.

I have found that to be the best method.

[nogroup singh]

I was surfing AKJ website and found these tips.

Couple of helpful hints which have been told by a few friends, I don't imply using any/few/all of these, but these have been known to have helped. Feel free to Add or delete any of them:

1) Basic Thumb Rule : Early to bed ---Early to rise

2) have gap between dinner/supper and Bedtime----Fill the gap with a little walk ---- & at actual Bed time drink 2-3 cups of water.

3) Use Alarm Clocks/Radio/ OR Cassette Alarm (which shall play Simran even while you are half awake)

Ok Ok now the Real tips for Naam Jaap :

Forwarding you Tips for Naam Japs sent by a Gurmukh Rooh.Some found it useful,someone else may also...

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

Jap naam at amrit vela no matter what!!!! Amrit vela is between 12:30 am and sunrise. Please note amrit vela is not effective unless the body is well rested.

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

Jap naam at night before sleeping. It is very important to do this.Naam (at first) does the work of a cleanser (then it fills one with bliss). Cleansing the mind is night is extremely important. A clean mind sleeps more deeply and wakes up alert. The precious amrit vela then is more effective, since much of the work has already being done at night and in sleep, since a naam-ed out mind will jap naam during sleep too!

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

Try to wake up without alarm. This will only happen via persitant ardas to the guru.

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

Try to divide up the day. For example, wake up at amrit vela. Do simran and nitnem and then take a short nap before the day starts. This prevents fatigue during the day. And psychologically a tired body can wake up more easily if it knows it can go back to sleep. The morning nap should not exceed 1.5 hours. If it does, the body thinks it is night time and usually results in dull day.

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

Keep some water besides the bed. (This has no spiritual significance, but it saves the trip to the kitchen during the precious amrit vela hours).

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

When the body first wakes, *immediately* say "WaheGuru" with tongue or mind - depending on the individual's naam state. Do not wait until ishnan to jap naam. Do not wait to tie loosened dastar or keski or hair before japping naam. Sit up and without even drinking the water besides the bed, jap naam deeply. Only after a few seconds/minutes or hours when the mind is somewhat settled, venture out to do the necessary chores. (The misconception that naam cannot be japped without first doing ishnan is well, just that a mis-conception. Naam *is* ishnan!).

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

At first jap naam loudly, then with kripa and practice, the naam can be japped softly or completely internally. The guru usually gives internal instructions or arranges meeting with naami gursikhs at approriate time.

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

Divide up naam time. It is extremely hard to sit for 3 hours of naam during early stages, but it is possible to jap naam for 3 hours if it is done over breaks. Jap naam before ishnan. Jap naam after ishnan. Jap naam during lunch breaks. Jap naam during traffic jams. Jap naam when driving. Jap naam. Jap naam. Jap naam. Jap naam.

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

Mix gurmanter with mool manter.

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

If mind has wandered off, bring it back by reciting gurBani. Refrain from gossip and slander. This keeps the mind clean and it can more easily focus on naam. (The most common response to "... do not slander Bhai X jee...." is "... I am not slandering Bhai X jee, I am just telling the truth". A very practical defination of slander is: the things that cannot be said in front of Bhai X jee are slander).For that reason avoid the company of the people,who spent mor etime in slandering.

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

Avoid TV or movies or being a news junkie.

Just Start Simraning Waheguru ~~Waheguru

Waheguru ~~Waheguru

http://www.akj.org/phorum/read.php?f=1&i=4355&t=4355

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[sukhsingh]

these are good things to do, this is wat i do to keep awake in the day.

try to divide up the day. For example, wake up at amrit vela. Do simran and nitnem and then take a short nap before the day starts. This prevents fatigue during the day. And psychologically a tired body can wake up more easily if it knows it can go back to sleep. The morning nap should not exceed 1.5 hours. If it does, the body thinks it is night time and usually results in dull day.

also , this helps alot.

Keep some water besides the bed. (This has no spiritual significance, but it saves the trip to the kitchen during the precious amrit vela hours).

[sevak]

The points mentioned by no gourp sikhs are very interesting. I will make a note of them later on. In anycase..I try my best to wake up at amrit vela and sometimes with great determination I am successful.. usually waking up at 3:30 and then starting off at 4 am... however I sometimes fall asleep and in some days it is good.

Currently I am on vocation .. so I really dont do anything in the morning.. So I am thinking about utilising the full night for smiran/nitnem. You know it is just that thought if you ask yourself, if this was your lasrt night on earth.. would you spend it sleeping or doing simran?

I agree to the point that during sirman body must be fresh and not feel any tierdness and this is something important. I am trying to get at that also.

Once I was reading the biography of Baba Harnaam Singh ji from BOSS website. In it baba harnaam singh ji use to come home very tierd from working in the fields and one can imagine that this kind of labour work will tire your body very much and then he use to do simran/nitnem from midnight (I am not sure correct me if I am wrong) and if he use to fall asleep then he would stand in a bucket of cold water. It so happened that by Maharaji's kirpa the need for the body to sleep went off.

Please correct me if I am wrong since it has been a long time that I have read that story.

In anycase, please share your experience. Here in kuwait the sky is already bright at 4 am .. but before 4 am it is dark. I will be leaving to india after one day.

There is another topic which I want to ask. I am starting a thread in this forum.

[Guest]

I found this article and I hope it will help you all.

http://www.maboli.com/seva/sikh_review/199...4/sajjeTEST.htm

Amrit Vela - The Ambrosial Hours

Ajeet Singh Mac (Indore)*

Amrit Vela is the period to enjoy the direct radiation of (bliss) of Sat Kartar - The Creator from Sachkhand Darbar. Guru Nanak is not the first prophet in the history of mankind who has emphasized the value of pre-dawn hours for the peace of mind and spiritual bliss. Other religions too have recognized the importance of this time of the morning which varies between 0400 hrs. to 0700 hrs. Some call it Brahma Murat time, others simply call out with advise, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a healthy, wealthy and wise". But Guru Nanak alone made it the corner stone of spiritual life. Before the human child grows up and attempts to sharpen or awaken his wisdom i.e. increase the depth and plane of thinking, or appreciate the governance of system of management of this planet and its creature, it is of prime value to understand the duty, one is supposed to do at the moment/period of the day/day of the week/month/year/decade/journey of life. Somebody is under pressure of earning his bread and butter, others may be in search of improving quality of living the day/life. While many may be under the ray of thrust that has been generated by accumulation of bad deeds done during the past, the richest i.e. king might be passing through a phase of enjoying pleasure of the materialistic (clubbing female and nature as well) world. Rarely, one in million, who is fortunate to capture Amrit Vela and enjoy the pleasures of this "Amrit Vela" and be in direct communication with Sat Guru, who is the creator and director of this universe. (through His rays of vision).

The East of the globe particularly our country believes that we have the treasure of wisdom and people of the level of Swami Vivekanand who went to parliament of religious, in Chicago a century ago to share this knowledge with American brothers. Its celebrations were in the news recently. The West thinks itself superior to East in terms oftechnological power, it has generated, to create heaven on the earth, along with a perfect defence mechanism to protect itself. Now it is geared up to know more about the universe beyond this planet.

The present day living personality his holiness Satya Sai Baba in Prashanti Nilayam, village Puttaparthi dist. Ananantpur (A.P.) enjoys Amrit Vela by meditation, while his volunteers take parikrama by singing bhajans. All religious institutions in the Asian continent function in the morning hours, where people gather together in doing prayers for a direct bliss of the happiest father i.e. Sat Guru. Because every body wants to be in the best state of happiness for 24 hours. Guru Amar Das has given us Gurbani on "Anand" as Anand Sahib (40 pouries). I prayed once in my life time to Sat Guru during college days to explain to me the meaning of Anand as per Gurbani. It is difficult to express this experience but let me try for sharing it with others.

Prior to this experience, I had the fortune of enjoying Amrit Vela for 21 days only, at a stretch with singular aim to capture Amrit Vela and doing Nitname as per orders of Guru Gobind Singh. I entered into an agreement with Guru Granth Sahib that I want to try to experiment for 40 days only to understand the practical aspect of obeying the orders of Guruji (having had taken Amrit before saying good bye to school) i.e. to do Nitname. First I did it from a Hindi Gutka beginning at 0630 hrs in the morning. In 21 days, Guruji was extra kind to advance this Nitname time to 0430 hrs. It takes about one hour for Nitname for normal reading but the more you aspire for higher level of happiness, the longer you take to read. Today at the age of 44 plus, I feel, when I listen to Gurbani Kirtan of Bhai Harbans Singhji Jagadhariwale, that Sat Guru is truly gracious during Amrit Vela, merely by His vision, He distributes happiness in abundance. This great singer in a week long kirtan programme, generated people's co-operation raised over Rs.6 lac for a school, over a decade ago. Today Indore has one of the best public school in the name of Guru Harkishan Sahib. It is likely to be upgraded to a college from July 1994.

It was the first week of May 1968, I went to sleep at about 2130 hrs. I was passing through my preparatory days of IV year final examination of Electrical Engineering. My friend Mr. Lewis and his wife, Peace Corps volunteers had gone back to America after a tenure of two years in the service of poor people of the town. I was to face the interview of Army selection board in July 68. My sister and her husband were in Indore on holidays. College friends were toiling day and night for success in final exams, considered by most of them to be the most difficult phase of college life. The room light was switched off. The moment my eyes closed, I felt such a bright light inside me, as if a million moons were lit up changing the whiteness into light golden colour. I enjoyed the feeling for 5 minutes and opened my eyes. I found my bed was also lit up. I again closed my eyes and prayed to Guru Amardasji, what is this phenomenon. Guruji answered me. "My son, Satguru has showered his grace on you, therefore you should enjoy the "Sehj" of Anand. I felt so light and elated bathed in a white light all over the bed. My body was almost weightless, notwithstanding its 45 kgs. by gravitation.

Everybody, at any stage of life, can enjoy bliss of Sat Guruji by bringing and practicing discipline in life. The gift of life on earth is very precious and we must appreciate this Divine grace and value every moment of it. Yogic mythology calls it Kundalini awakening. But in reality it is a step towards inward journey, i.e. awakening of inner self. This life is meant for achieving oneness with God. That is possible only in human life. If one desires to go in that direction, Amrit Vela is the only time for it. That is why so much stress is laid on Amrit Vela. This is the only time one can achieve what one desires. Everything is at peace and you can concentrate on your mental and spiritual development for the good of all society.

[Guest]

because of studies and stuff most of the time i end up stayin up till 1 o clock doin my studies. which leaves me 3 hours of sleep until 4 - i put my phones alarm clock on - and place the phone outside my door - so when it comes 4 o clock i HAVE to get out of bed to switch it off... when im on my feet and im straight into the bath ill fill my sleep during the day to catch up...

but now ive finished uni no more 3 hour nights

[str8_desified]

is it bad if i do nitnem at like 10am or later.

[sevak]

Well if you do miss your nitnem at amrit vela, i dont think it is harm to do it during any time of the day. I mean the name of lord taken at anytime of the day is good , but we must also do it at amrit vela.

[sukhsingh]

is there any bani that tells us when amritvela occurs? (ie 3 hours before sunrise)?

SOMEONE PLZ ANSWER MY QUESTION!!!!!

THANKS SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!!

wjkkwjkf

[vaapaaraa]

truthsingh, thats a really interesting post..

sukhsingh, ppl say amritvela is the moment between night and just when sunrise occurs.. but if u get up at 4:30am, that would do

[Mr §ingh]

i wake up at about

5:30 am

but hre inSWEDEN da sun rises at about 7 am in da norning

is da Amrit Wela?

sumtimes in winter da sun rises as late as 10 am :?

but 5:30 it is

[vaapaaraa]

Read this article, this should help you clear your doubts about amrit vela

http://www.kalgidhartrust.org/basicprinciples.htm#13

[sukhsingh]

nice dats an awesome article! 8)