Sleep is at once a school of nature as well as a necessity at our present stage of evolution. Unfortunately very little has been explored about it apart from the usual physiological aspects. Yet as humans we spend almost 1/3rd of our time in sleeping.
The necessity of Sleep arises as during this time our body metabolism changes in a way to support the assimilation of what we have taken in during the day and to destroy and throw out all that is no more needed. It is a night time overhauling process that the body and mind engage in. A good and proper sleep is therefore a necessity for health and youthfulness. People with disturbed sleep or erratic work schedules do become prone to various physical and psychological disorders hence the need of sleeping well. Yet it is the most neglected area of life style change.
As a school of Nature sleep gives us access to inner worlds and helps us see our psychological states and movements, reveals certain imminent events, shows the way through certain problems we have been struggling with, reveals to us the nature of forces that are moving around us. As you can see it is a vast and complex subject and it is impossible to touch upon each and every aspect of sleep in some detail.
However, for practical purposes what we need to know is how to sleep well. The Mother and Sri Aurobindo have said a lot on this issue. Since during sleep we are off guard and therefore easily vulnerable to the entry of all kinds of forces it is important to sleep in a space charged with beautiful uplifting energies. Apart from physical means like mantra music incense etc. one can always create one’s own beautiful spiritual atmosphere during sleep by offering a prayer and invoking the Divine Forces to surround us as in a cocoon of Her white Light. It is good to be relaxed inwardly and outwardly and imagine this white Light surrounding us. Sometimes the imagery of floating in an ocean of peace or stretching into vast boundless skies helps to put the mind in a conducive state. Having bath before sleep is another well-known simple way. It is understood that to sleep in a state of too much excitement or in a tired unconscious state with a heavy stomach and late-night hang outs, alcohol and such things are extremely harmful to sleep and well-being.
Of course, there is a lot we can learn from sleep and dreams once we start growing conscious. As we grow conscious through the force of Yoga it naturally begins to extend into the sleep state and we begin to become conscious of the dream worlds. Dreams also begin to change their quality as we enter higher and deeper worlds
They assume a symbolic significance and also take the hue of a vision, a seeing of things that actually happened. The forays of the vital and dips into subconscient worlds leading to heaviness and fatigue begins to change as we grow conscious and sleep with the Divine in the lap of the Divine Mother.
