Locked Out of Life
Again it happens in my sleep.
A core of wakefulness opens.
But I have ways of ignoring that.
You say, How long will you beg from others,
when there are things born of you
that emperors want?
Why waste time in meanness?
Who else can say what you say to me?
If I could repeat it, people passing by
would be enlightened and go free.
You are an ocean in my chest
where everyone changes places,
believer-unbeliever, cynic-lover,
dervish-king.
Last night you came to my sleep
asking, How are you?
Locked out of life, waiting, weeping.
-Rumi
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Sometimes, we wake up between the hours of 2 am and 6 am. We lie in our beds with absolute clarity of what we need to do. The wise ones journal about their clarity at that moment. They turn the light on, reach for their journal, and write down their ideas and realizations. The hours between 2 am and 6 am are Vata time.
That is the Ayurvedic term for when the spiritual world is closest to our world, and the veil is very thin. It is no surprise that so many people pass away during these hours as if Heaven is easier to get to then. This could be why our dreams, if we are asleep, or our clear thoughts if we are awake, are spiritually attuned. These thoughts are your spiritual self, rising above your ego-logical mind. Your heartfelt longings become abundantly clear during the Vata hours.
I am inviting you to keep a journal by your bedside. Pay attention to what bubbles up in your spirit and heart from 2 am to 6 am. Welcome these feelings and thoughts as essential guidance for you. After you get into the habit of writing them down, you will likely fall back asleep quickly after you acknowledge them. That is why they bubble up, you know, because during the day, you may not be paying enough attention to your heart and spirit's longings, and they are your true compass.
Your mind might try to tell you another story, but if you take the time to feel, breathe, and hold your heart's wishes lovingly, you will know your truth. Every Vata time is an opportunity to be mindful of what your soul longs for. And every morning is an opportunity to go for it. You have so much to offer. True love in all the right situations is available to you if you courageously and compassionately open up enough to receive it and let go of what is not true love. What would your life look like if you began to believe in your heart and spirit a little more?
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