Books on Happiness / the happiness revolution - 2 students

in the spring and harvest in the fall. You hang your laundry when the sun is shining. You wake up in the morning and you go to bed at night. Without acknowledging that these actions cooperate with nature, you will miss the benefits of synchronizing your actions with the rhythms of nature. It is important to do things on time. The right action at the right time will yield a maximal result. For instance, if I go to my bank to apply for a loan at midnight, my e orts will not yield the maximal result I am seeking. There is both a science and a philosophy to learning how to time your actions to circumstances most favorable to inner and outer harmony. Learning to cooperate with the rhythm of time is learning to live a life that makes sense.

I have noticed that modern science is busy documenting when problems occur, while the ancient sciences of Ayurveda focus on the optimal times to take action. When you have knowledge of both sciences, it becomes logical to cooperate with time.

There are reasons that science can document and verify why we are best-suited to live according to the rhythms of nature.

For example, your liver functions best between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. to cleanse the foods in your intestines. For the liver to do its work, you should be lying down and preferably asleep. It is also helpful for no new foods to be introduced into the digestive tract for at least three hours before the cleansing time begins. Thus, it is best not to eat after 7 p.m.

If you need time for creative thoughts and inspiration, science shows that the early morning hours before and at sunrise are optimal for this activity. Likewise, if you want to exercise to lose weight, Ayurveda mentions that the morning time is best.

Here are some more instances where modern medicine has revealed the importance of time in the human body.

OPTIMAL TIMES FOR DISEASE AND THERAPIES

Asthma – Asthmatic episodes most commonly occur between 3 a.m. - 5 a.m.

Heart attacks – These attacks are 40% more likely to occur between 6 a.m. – 12 p.m.26

Hot flashes – Most commonly occur at night Inflammatory diseases – Most commonly flare-up in the morning

Ulcers – Aggravated in the early hours of sleep Melatonin – Excreted from 2 a.m. – 4 a.m.

Allergic rhinitis – Usually worse in the early morning Chemotherapy – More e ective in the afternoon27

Blood pressure – Highest in morning (approx 7 a.m.) and lowest at 3 a.m. 28

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND OSTEOARTHRITIS

Rheumatoid arthritis can be distinguished from osteoarthritis by the time of day when the patient’s joints are most painful. Morning sti - ness is characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis, whereas symptoms in the afternoon and evening often are associated with osteoarthritis. 29

Now, let’s look at Ayurveda’s approach to time management. It centers on when to optimally take various types of action. When you understand this science, you can make all of your actions more successful.

YOUR CONSTITUTION’S ROLE IN TIME

MANAGEMENT—

MAKING TIME WORK FOR YOU

Every hour of the day, every day of the week and every season of the year can work in your favor if you know both a little bit about yourself and a little bit about timing. Initially, Ayurveda divides your day into six separate four-hour blocks of time. Depending upon your constitution, certain activities will be more successful when performed during the proper time period.

Specific times of the day and night a ect you, regardless of your constitution. Here are the times of the day that correspond to the three Ayurvedic constitutions as we discussed in Chapter 2.

Kapha is dominant from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. and from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Pitta is dominant from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and from 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Vata is dominant from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and from 2 a.m. – 6 a.m.

This timetable serves as an owner’s manual for your mind and body. It will only take a few days to adjust your daily routine to gain optimal function and maximal happiness, putting you at the peak

of your function. To have a wonderful and productive life, consider these tips in planning your day, beginning at bedtime:

1.Remember that your day actually begins the night before.

Assuming your bedtime is 10 p.m., it is important to be cautious with your last activities of the day -- between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. If your last waking moments are exhausting, upsetting, or irritating, you will most likely wake up exhausted, upset or irritated. Your bedtime mood determines your morning experience. Be happy.

2.When the fire of Pitta is fully awakened during its night shift (10 p.m. – 2 a.m.), this vitality is for cleansing, digesting and rejuvenation of the body. This is the time when Pitta cleanses your blood and skin of waste. However, if you are awake, the fire goes to your mind instead of cleansing your body. That is why if you stay awake past 11 p.m., it will be easy for you to stay awake until 2 a.m., which may also make you feel hungry or irritable. Thus, it is important to get into bed before Pitta wakes up (10 p.m. – 2 a.m.) at night. Sleeping from 10 p.m. until at least 4 or 5 a.m. will allow the metabolic fire of Pitta to work its wonders.

3.Waking up during Vata time (before 6 a.m.) will give you increased alertness and cheerfulness. Vata controls your nervous system and your alertness; thus, if you start your day during Vata time, you will have more energy and greater endurance throughout the day. Waking up after 6 a.m. puts you into Kapha time, when you may experience dullness, heaviness and fatigue. Sti ness, water retention and bags under the eyes are signs of imbalanced Kapha. If you rise after 6 a.m., you may wake up tired, especially if you have a Kaphic constitution.

4.The first half of the day feels more happy and hopeful because the light increases in warmth and brightness throughout the morning. The light and heat of the sun sustain not only the life on our planet but also our enthusiasm. Sunrise is inspirational; it’s the reason we say “good morning.” Kapha time begins at 6 a.m. and continues until 10 a.m. It is a time for you to exert your strength and demonstrate your stamina and coordination. It is a wonderful time to exercise and get things done. Be productive during the morning time of Kapha.

5.During the daytime hours of Pitta (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.) it is optimal to feed your mind the most di cult problems to be solved or the most important information to be studied. Likewise, the fire of digestion is at its peak; thus, it is often suggested that you have your heartiest, heaviest meal at noon instead of in the evening.

6.Vata time produces the greatest amount of creative energy. Schedule time for contemplation, artistic works and insight during Vata time of 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. This is also the time for fellowship and reflection. The early morning Vata time of 2 a.m. - 6 a.m. is reserved for self-reflection and fellowship with your conscience, and the afternoon period of Vata time is for creative fellowship with your friends, coworkers and family. This is when you make your lists of the next day’s needs so that you do not carry them home with you or into your dreams. Brainstorming new ideas and concepts is most productive during Vata times of the day.

THE SEASONS

The three Ayurvedic constitutions also have their own corresponding seasons of the year. The season of each constitution is the time period that has the propensity to challenge the strength of that specific constitution. Knowing these seasons gives you an advance warning when your constitu-

tion might be at risk if you are already facing health challenges or extraordinary stress.

For example, the cold and damp season of the year – usually the February snows through the spring rains of May – are the risky times for the health of a Kapha. An unhealthy person with a Kapha constitution will be more prone to sinus infections, bronchitis or depression during this time.

Likewise, the summer months of June through September correspond with the constitutional themes of heat and fire (Pitta). The hot temper of Pittas can be easily aroused both in the heat of competition and beneath the hot summer sun. It is important for Pittas to stay cool.

Furthermore, the Vata constitution is easily disturbed by the cold dry winds of the fall season – commonly October through January. It is easy for people with a Vata constitution to stay healthy during this Vata season by simply covering themselves from the harsh winds and being sure to stay warm.

Even a small amount of knowledge that helps you coordinate your e orts with nature’s time clock can drastically reduce your ailments and stress. Becoming more aware of the fact that you live on a planet should not make you feel small and minute, but rather it should make you feel supported and connected to a much larger system of human-

ity and happiness. All of us want to be distinguished and behave in a polished and refined manner. Time management will give you access to these aspects of your personality. Gradually, you will be able to start your day on time and end your day on time. You will feel the formative importance of the first 25 years of your children’s life and simultaneously honor the importance of bringing your commercial life to its culmination near your 50th year of life. The value of time well spent brings immeasurable good now and for years to come.

I hope the previous pages will help you find greater clarity and purpose in how you conduct your years, days and weeks throughout your life. The urge to accomplish more every day continues to grow. In our rush to achieve, the skillfulness and integrity of our actions can easily be ignored. Honoring time means to recognize the influences and relationships of past, present and future actions. The moment you see this connection is the moment you realize that the skillfulness of your next action may lead you closer to attaining your goals – both personal goals and career goals.

You realize the importance of working hard on the most di cult topics and issues when you are in the most inspired and creative mood. The time to work hard is when things are fine and flowing. It is important to realize how powerfully your skillful actions today influence your possibilities for tomorrow. When your mind and body perform in coordination with the forces of nature, then you have greatly enhanced your probability for success.

The essence of time management is knowing when to act. Your timing can be based on a combination of factors that are now becoming known to you. When you are inspired, rested and nourished … take action.

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CHAPTER SUMMARY

•You can change the infl uence of your past experiences by changing your perception of the past.

•There are natural rhythms to time and to our experience of life. If you understand and cooperate with these rhythms, your life will fl ow more smoothly and you will struggle less.

•Thinking about and planning your life in 25 year blocks of time will help you lead a life that will be fulfi lling to you and allow you to work toward uncovering the highest joy in life. At the same time this attitude contributes toward the maintenance of a stable and productive society.

ACTION ITEMS

•Write down the things from your past which you are still actively involved in trying to change or simply never let go of. Consider the freedom that you would gain by letting go of these experiences.

•Regardless of your actual age, decide which of the four phases of life discussed in this chapter you are in right now. Then contemplate how you would like your life to be in the remaining phases and plan out what you need to do to make those visions a reality.

•Review the times of the day when each Ayurvedic constitution is dominant and which activities are most favorable during these times. Take note of how much of your life fi ts into this pattern and how much is in confl ict with it. Experiment with changing those confl icting activities and notice the results.