What about your health?

for ex-BKs to discuss matters related to experiences in BKWSU & after leaving.
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jann

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What about your health?

Post11 Jun 2007

Getting up at 4 in the morning to do Amrit Vela, breaks up your night rest.

You get tired during the day and you feel you have to rest. Meaning ... in my opinion, I leave my friends and the things i am doing to get my sleep in the afternoon or meditation ... and remember Baba (... ?) To solve the problem.

Any ex-BKs have any explanation on that? How was your health while you joined BKWSU? And how is it now?

Love Jan.
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mitra

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Post13 Jun 2007

8) Dear Janni,'

If a soul has to get up early in the morning he should go to bed early, "EARLY TO BED AND EARLY TO RISE".

IBHS
MITRA 8)
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paulkershaw

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Post13 Jun 2007

mitra wrote:If a soul has to get up early in the morning he should go to bed early, "EARLY TO BED AND EARLY TO RISE".

You left out some of that quote: Permit me to finish the quote in case you don't know it:

"Early to bed, Early to Rise, keeps a man healthy; wealthy and wise."

Us ex-Bks already know the answer to the wealthy bit, but we still would need proper answers as to the healthy and wise bit ... Jannisder's question is about our health and I think that the answers would differ from person to person, their outlook on life, and we could perhaps consider emotional, mental and physical health aspects in our answers ...
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ex-l

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Post13 Jun 2007

mitra wrote:If a soul has to get up early in the morning he should go to bed early, "EARLY TO BED AND EARLY TO RISE".

A common theme of old BK "war stories" is for BK to sit around and tell stories of how tired they used to get a work, how they would fall asleep at their desks, the tricks they used to hide from their bosses when they did sleep ... and on a serious note, I can tell a story or two about car crashes thought to have happened because a BK fell asleep.

Sure, the latter happens in all walks of like, the former examples do not. Actually, some of the stories were very funny in a BK way and we all must have known or heard them. I can remember BKs walking around punch drunk with tiredness pushing themselves on

The surrendered Sisters in the centers used to be able to have a little sleep during the afternoon, whilst every one else was at work, to keep on top of the game and looking good. Of course, some surrendered Sisters also push themselves too hard and it shows in their bodies too.

The bit Jannisder does not fully get, because her main contact is a bad example, is that real BKs do not have friends to let down and betray, and do not relax, slack off and generally socialize. BKs only have service contacts, souls need served, service to do, souls to be brought into the religion, VIPs to chase, jobs to do for the center-in-charge and so on ... if a BK is pulling their weight, they do not have a life outside of BKWSU AT ALL and they wll push their body until it breaks because Destruction is coming.

This is basically the message that come out time and time again in the Murlis and the Dadi's and Dada's classes. Am I wrong? I can quote the Murli points.
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joel

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Sleep deprivation

Post13 Jun 2007

ex-l wrote:A common theme of old BK "war stories" is for BK to sit around and tell stories of how tired they used to get a work, how they would fall asleep at their desks, the tricks they used to hide from their bosses when they did sleep ... and on a serious note, I can tell a story or two about car crashes thought to have happened because a BK fell asleep.

I've heard such stories too, also had my own episodes of nodding off while driving a van full of BKs.

In the Murlis we hear "become a conqueror of sleep" and "give up a little sleep now so that you can be world emperor in the future." Which maybe was okay when it was Dada was communicating his own enthusiasm to a small group. It is not a very appropriate teaching for the masses. Chronic sleep deprivation is known to be unhealthy, has been demonstrated to affect long-term memory. And can lead to car accidents, as discussed.

Getting up early is fine if you go to bed early and wake with the excitement of a lover's tryst. Not all are equally alert in the morning. Nor are all early risers any more "pure" or "elevated" than those who get up with the sun.
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ex-l

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Re: Sleep deprivation

Post14 Jun 2007

joel wrote:I've heard such stories too, also had my own episodes of nodding off while driving a van full of BKs.

A BK I actually liked and admired died in a very unlikely car accident. We will never know what really happened. Personally, I trashed the side of a car during my Honeymoon Period ... which is just like the period of hormonal rush that you talk about, the lover's tryst being with BapDada. I was badly out of it in some other world.

They pump you up to think that you can be a super-human, most at least cannot. We have seen both Sister Jayanti and Dadi Jani fast asleep during Amrit Vela ... So what does the mechanical position of the sun relative to the earth's surface where one lives have to do with or affects spirituality anyway?

Yes, when one is over-tired one thinks one goes a little high and is performing better than normal but it has been shown that people in that state are in a similar state of consciousness as someone drunk on alcohol. It was fine for them living at Lekhraj Kirpalani's expense in the Ashram when the Murlis were original spoken ...

The stories I laughed at were once of VERY senior, herois even, Western BK waking up at work to find out that they had fallen asleep at their desk and DRIBBLED all over the business report they were working on. Another was where a BK devised a trick whereby he slept in a chair in front of his office door and put papers at his feet, so when the boss came in, he fell off his chair but was able to pretend that he was picking up papers. MANY Brothers would report that they were so tired that they just fell asleep and did not even know that they had done so.

I, myself, used to hide inside large packing boxes and ignored other staff as they shouted out trying to find out where I had disappeared to ... it was all pathetic.
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paulkershaw

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Post14 Jun 2007

I seem to remember that there is a big difference between the east and the West in terms of BKs resting in the afternoon ... probably overall though, surrendered BKs have it easier as they may get time to sleep during the day but the money-earners don't.

I personally couldn't take the time at work but around lunchtime would pretend to be out seeing clients and would then sleep in my car in a park for two hours ...

I am enjoying the vision ex-l has provided of him sleeping in packing boxes and I am now imagining him being shipped off somewhere and then waking up in an 'express delivery' van somewhere strange! :lol:
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mitra

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Re: Sleep deprivation

Post14 Jun 2007

ex-l wrote:I, myself, used to hide inside large packing boxes and ignored other staff as they shouted out trying to find out where I had disappeared to ... it was all pathetic.

8) What was your Job? :wink:
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arjun

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Post14 Jun 2007

ex-l wrote:The stories I laughed at were once of VERY senior, heroic even, Western BK waking up at work to find out that they had fallen asleep at their desk and DRIBBLED all over the business report they were working on. Another was where a BK devised a trick whereby he slept in a chair in front of his office door and put papers at his feet, so when the boss came in, he fell off his chair but was able to pretend that he was picking up papers. MANY Brothers would report that they were so tired that they just fell asleep and did not even know that they had done so.

My officer is good, so he allows me a few minutes of nap on the office desk so that I could get refreshed and work with renewed vigour. :lol:

During my childhood BK days, I had heard from a BK Sister living at the center, who also used to work in a Govt. Office that she used to use newspaper reading as an excuse to doze off. She would hold the newspaper in such a position that people would think she is reading newspaper while she would take rest. :wink:

It is very difficult for anyone to work continuously or be alert from 4 AM to 9/10 PM. A few minutes sleep is definitely required in between to refresh yourself.

Regards,
OGS,
Arjun
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freedom

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sleep or not to sleep...

Post14 Jun 2007

It may sound funny now but when you are young (22 or 23), and find Raja Yoga BK to be the only way out of your uncertain future, not only do you get unhealthy for lack of sleep but for the lack of self-respect (based on fear), that if you don't wake up for Amrit Vela and pay attention to the Murli ... you will not burn in hell, you will be a 'third-class' cremator in the Golden Age!!!

How is that for your future???

Forget about career, ambition, self-confidence, after all Destruction is going to happen suddenly, (for me, 20 years have passed) ... now I need at least another 5 years to live my dream ... and it is not to be a Princess !! 8).
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alladin

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undersleeping, what a pleasure!!!

Post21 Jun 2007

Unluckily, we all know that, especially for people involved in service and running centers in the West, going to sleep very early is virtually impossible. Plus with lokik jobs in the daytime there's no chance to take an afternoon nap. Not to mention when there's a big demanding program coming up to be organized ...

If someone wants to suggest that a human being can preserve his mental and physical health by sleeping not more than 4 /5 hrs per night because sleeping in God's arms is more restful, he can say that. But I don't believe it. Not for a long period of time. I always appreciated it when I was able to have an early nite and good Amit Vela. Unfortunately it's a rare bonus when that happens. Maybe if I hired a full time maid everyday to shop, cook and clean in my place! And if I did not have to commute to work in the traffic! :wink:.

I think that the habit of undersleeping weakens our immune system and creates a lot of tension and lack of efficiency in people's minds.
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ex-l

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Post21 Jun 2007

The BKs are told that with the Sword of Knowledge and the Power of Yoga, that they can become the Conquerors of Sleep.

Me, I just want to embrace it wholeheartedly and make love to it for 8 hours every night ... not getting enough sleep makes you kid of drunk. You think you are doing great things but you are not. Janki and Jayanti still snooze through Amrit Vela ... if thats the best 70 years of efforts does, I'd give up and accept a lower status.

Better to just have a life in balance.
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joel

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Post21 Jun 2007

ex-l wrote:The BKs are told that with the Sword of Knowledge and the Power of Yoga, that they can become the Conquerors of Sleep. Me, I just want to embrace it wholeheartedly and make love to it for 8 hours every night ... not getting enough sleep makes you kid of drunk.

BKWSU exhortations about the dangers of sleep and sloth, are misplaced, in my opinion. Neither of these is so bad as the dull hum of chronic sleep deprivation. We don't see the Seniors giving friendly advice, "Hey you should get some sleep" (especially to people they are depending on for work). It's not natural or healthy to be exhausted, yet willingness to go on beyond healthy limits pervades the group, which can be risky (as discussed) if people are driving.

Enough to be awake some hours and asleep some hours each day. It doesn't really matter exactly when, or how much, if the person can function in life.

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