What is the good time for spiritual practice?

First, do we need to do any spiritual practice at all? Well, it depends on what you want to do with your life. If you look at the animals, they are completely programmed. They will eat when they are hungry, sleep after sun set and procreate at specific times. They can’t alter it.

It is humans who are endowed with the power to change the course of their lives. They can, by their deeds, rise to divinity, fall to the status of a demon, or just remain human. If we intend to exude divinity, we need to start spiritual practice in our youth, or preferably earlier than that, which may be possible if you are blessed with parents who have spiritual practices.

I will start in old age

This is what I have heard many times, ‘This is the time to enjoy life. We will turn to spirituality when we turn sixty.’ Oh, really? After spending sixty years of materialistic and mundane physical life, you think you can turn to spirituality? Unfortunately, it just doesn’t happen.

What spiritual practice is good to start with?

As  human beings, we are always in search of peace and bliss. If we consider that as the center of the circle, which is our life, we can reach that center through various methods. The secret is in being at it. Persistence and perseverance are needed to reach the goal. Having said that, we have to choose a technique that can be incorporated into our lives without causing too much inconvenience to us, or the family members.

Fortunately for me, I was spiritual from the beginning and puja, praying and chanting started right from early childhood. But my spiritual practice got a boost when I learned Reiki in 1997, though I was totally unaware of the spiritual aspect of Reiki at the time of getting the training.

Reiki is a good method to start with, because it gently leads you on, bringing whatever is needed for your spiritual growth.

Does the time of practice matter?

Undoubtedly Brahma Muhurta (4 to 6 am) is the best time for spiritual practice. When majority of the people are sleeping, we can feel the silence and it takes us deep within ourselves. It helps us to transcend our physical nature and get in touch with the spiritual dimensions.

I was in the habit of getting up at 4 am from early on, but when I ask people to get up early, I ask them, ‘Can you get up at least 10 minutes before  6 am?’ so that they can have a glimpse of the Brahma Muhurta. But unfortunately, many of them can’t keep at it even. 

In the twilight zone between day and night (dawn and dusk), everything is in a state of flux. So our ability to transcend limitations is more. If you can’t meditate during the Brahma Muhurta, dawn and dusk are next options for meditation or other practice.

Reiki practice – in the morning or night?

When we do Reiki healing in the morning, it is charging us. We are filled with balanced positive energy, ready to take on the world.

Reiki healing at night, before going to sleep, does the cleansing. Whatever negative energies we have accumulated during the day, through interactions with others that lead to emotional turmoil, from reading the newspapers or watching TV, or from our overactive mind that enjoys negative thinking, Reiki removes all of that and we are assured a peaceful sleep.

So, ideally, it is better to do Reiki healing twice daily,  just before sleep and on getting up first thing in the morning. But, as I told earlier, we have to decide what will be conducive for our routine life. If one is  a home maker, going out and interacting with people to get things done and watching TV serials, self-healing in the evening/night is good.

If you are in the corporate world and has to meet so many deadlines and the office work needs a lot of mental energy, healing in the morning will charge you up to tackle the day efficiently.

Ultimately it is your choice, considering what is it that you want, and what is your life style.  

My changing routines

During the years with growing up children, it was our routine to do puja, prayers, chants and Reiki self healing at dusk time. Now that I am free to adjust my schedule, I do my meditation and Reiki practice at 3.45 am and 9 pm, apart from puja/chanting at 8.30 am and 6 pm.