My grandfather noticing my late nights and late mornings had once come to me with a note with a very wise proverb " Early to bed ... ,wealthy and wise". I must have been 11 or 12 years old, thinking it was an invitation to his morning prayers, walks and exercises; I made a promise to myself to wake up early from the very next day onwards.
There i was walking around in the garden with him leading the way in the wee hours of the morning. I couldn't really tell if it was morning or still night, my mornings started when there was bright sunshine. Why should one wake up when the sun is still snoring ? Anyways i went on with him trying to copy his exercises, breathing in and out, stretching and walking briskly.
All this while he paid no attention to my antics and carried on with his routine. He went to his prayers with me following him to the sasang hall, i sat down behind him in meditation.
It was only half an hour later that i regained my consciousness, when he nudged my shoulder to wake me up from my "meditation".
I was rewarded with warm buttered toasts and tea and stories from the past. The horse carriages, the british collectors, our grand aunt, my grand uncles, my fathers childhood, the list of topics went on and on.
It has been six years since he passed away and in these years i have tried to practice his teachings with 100 percent sincerety but not with 100 percent success.
But even now if i follow his very simple-to-understand rule of waking up early, it has always proven to be a rule that ought to be followed.
There i was walking around in the garden with him leading the way in the wee hours of the morning. I couldn't really tell if it was morning or still night, my mornings started when there was bright sunshine. Why should one wake up when the sun is still snoring ? Anyways i went on with him trying to copy his exercises, breathing in and out, stretching and walking briskly.
All this while he paid no attention to my antics and carried on with his routine. He went to his prayers with me following him to the sasang hall, i sat down behind him in meditation.
It was only half an hour later that i regained my consciousness, when he nudged my shoulder to wake me up from my "meditation".
I was rewarded with warm buttered toasts and tea and stories from the past. The horse carriages, the british collectors, our grand aunt, my grand uncles, my fathers childhood, the list of topics went on and on.
It has been six years since he passed away and in these years i have tried to practice his teachings with 100 percent sincerety but not with 100 percent success.
But even now if i follow his very simple-to-understand rule of waking up early, it has always proven to be a rule that ought to be followed.
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