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Sleeping and Yoga Nidra

The teacher's duty is to remain alert and protect students, especially during practices like Yoga Nidrā. The heart is the constant engine of life, requiring maintenance through proper sleep and awareness. Sleep is a restorative process where the body and mind normalize. A teacher must never be inattentive; they must watch the environment and students vigilantly, never closing their own eyes carelessly. This alertness is akin to a driver checking all mirrors. Overconfidence in any practice, like swimming, can be fatal. Many teachers err by being lax or giving incorrect guidance, breaking the necessary rhythm and trust. True teaching requires controlling the inner principles and providing correct, confident instruction.

"Your teacher will say, 'Close the eyes.' Who are you to close my eyes?"

"The teacher should be alert. In the schools, at the university, in college, everywhere."

Filming location: Strilky, Czech Republic

Oṁ Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Kī Jai, Śrī Śrī Devī Svarūpadevī Kī Jai. There is one bhajan from Śrī Mahāprabhujī. He says the Gurudeva is that one who gives everything for the whole world, for all. He does good for all. Like for the child and mother, all are finding shelter in Him. He is giving even to Śiva, Brahmā and Viṣṇu and all the yogīs and siddhas; He is giving the blessing. tvameva pāṇḍu-jaśaśa tvameva vīrya-dravīṇām tvameva gurudeva samādhāna tāra jagame huo hena koī ho yāre... śaraṇa levo caraṇa kī jana, śaraṇa levo caraṇa kī jana. amara karate to yāre, gurudeva samādhāna jagame. uo hena koī ho yāre, gurudeva samādhāna tāra jagame. uo hena koī ho yāre, Śeṣa Brahmā, Śāradā, Nārada. muni channa hoi jo yāre Śeṣa Brahmā Śāradā Nārada samādhāna tāra jagame o hena koī ho yāre, śaraṇa levo, śaraṇa kī jana, śaraṇa levo, śaraṇa kī jana, amara kara deto yāre gurudeva. samādhāna tāra jagame gurudeva, samādhāna tathā tāra jagame. Viṣṇu ko varadāna dino sutta nirmala ho yāre. Viṣṇu ko varadāna dino sutta nirmala ho yāre, sama rūpa deke ātmā, sama rūpa deke ātmā kare kīna? sūtra gurudeva samādhāna tāra jagame huo, koī gurudeva samādhāna tāra jagame huo hena, koī ho yāre. caraṇa levo, caraṇa levo, caraṇa kī jana amara kāra deto yāre. gurudeva samādhāna tāra jagame, huo hena koī ho yāre. deva samādhāna tāra jagame huo hena koī ho yāre. avatāra yogī siddha ko varadāna de nirmala ho yāre. avatāra yogī siddha ko varadāna de nirmala ho yāre. pāpīya ko thī yāriyā ko thī yāriyā he. vedasā kachoro de samatā tāra, jagame huo hena koī ho yāre. deva samādhāna tāra, jagame huo hena koī ho yāre. caraṇa levo, caraṇa kī jana, caraṇa levo amara kāra deto gurudeva samādhāna tāra. antara yāmahi tū saro nāī go yāre svāmī tīpā sācchā sattva-guru, svāmī tīpā sācchā sattva-guru vālālā gurudeva samādhāna tāra jagame huo hena koī ho yāre caraṇa levo caraṇa levo caraṇa kī jana amara... Oṁ, Śrī Devāśvara Mahādeva Kī Jai, Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Mahāprabhujī Kī Jai, Śrī Satguru... Hari Oṁ. All the best, nice to see you again. We have a beautiful evening, a beautiful sunset. The atmosphere is like our inner heart happiness. The inner heart and this environment are one, our heart. All of us here, I welcome you. I pray to Mahāprabhujī, Devpurījī, our Holy Gurujī, Alakpurījī. My dears, I am very happy. Today it was a great program. It is a sunny day, and we are very happy that after the whole day of work we come back to our house at sunset and we are going to sleep. This night is not negative. In some way, night is more sometimes than sleep, than the day. We don’t know how we create how many things in our body—our śarīra, our jīva, our body, and our soul. The rest is okay. So it has given us sleeping. It’s called sonā. Yesterday I talked about the sonā. The different kind of sonā means gold. So the best is the midnight or dark night when we are sleeping. They said there are many kinds of gold. But they said the best black salt is more valuable because it has qualities, but that is rare to get, and it has more effect on the body. Similarly, in the night, everything is getting normal again. Like an aeroplane, the pilot takes off for hours and hours, and it comes exactly, very nicely, to the same place. Like a bird going through the whole forest here and also through the trees, it comes and lands on its real nest. And that bird, the whole night, resting, relaxing. Similarly, when the pilot lands at the airport, that aeroplane goes again to clean everything and to see if all the instruments are okay or not. Engineering. There is an engine, now we call it engine and engineer. So, the techniques are the engine, and the master is the engineer. So, our life is the same as our body. Our body is the flight. Aeroplanes, cars, cycles, running, everything, anything we are doing has its quality and it has its power. But only one thing is running all the time. Others are all changing, and that is what we call 24 hours. Every second, our engine, and that is our heart. And our heart, that engine which has to carry, so we all, through our many techniques—eating, drinking, good food, movement, sleeping, etc.—everything in our engines in the body, our heart, that is the engine and the engineer. So we are engineers, because of our heart. So before going to sleep, check your whole aeroplane, yes. Many things: if it’s cold, if it’s warm, some friends with us, a lot of mosquitoes, and many things, you know. And how we are sleeping. Sleeping is also very important. And some people, the whole night, they are turning left and right at this time. Like a little child, mother puts the child on the right way, and the child is only turned in the other direction or falls down. Humans also, the grown person, so there is some person restless in sleeping. Why that restlessness in the sleep? Because there are so many problems. Problem means not only health or illness. Or many people give me help. Thank you. Or many other kinds of movements. So in the night, one restless person. Or in deep sleep, that is the best. But we can sleep. We think we are completely peaceful. But there are very deep, very deep, our inner movements that help us, good or bad. So the mind, the sleep, when sleep goes, your mind is asleep. Then our lungs and our heart, they have proper breathing. Sometimes we are bringing that energy out, or some kind of impurities inside. Or we are blocked, but the heart is always there. But we are blocking, maybe through the lungs, throat, etc., so we are snoring. And that God has given such a technology that He gives us, that we cannot die. We are not blocked, but in such a way that the one who is snoring does not know that they are snoring. That the one who snores doesn’t even know that he is actually snoring. Others hear everything. So it doesn’t matter if the other one is hearing or not. So, and there are some different things. Those who are snoring are not sleeping properly. So better not lie down, sleep on the back. Like we are doing in Yoga Nidrā. And Yoga Nidrā is also one part of cleaning something. Understanding and relaxing, and that’s why in Yoga Nidrā many people are snoring. And we are giving you an introduction, so please do not sleep. Be relaxed. Control everything. Relax. Relax. Relax. Feel your breath. At that time, you must be very, very controlled. But your master, who is giving you instructions for the yoga nidrā, it’s relaxing. "Relax the whole body. Feel your breath." Within five minutes, there is a very different sarkār. Relax and breathe all in such a rhythm. That master, that teacher, that instructor, if he is the best and the students follow his instructions, then all will be in rhythm, snoring. Then no one feels disturbances. All going the same way. But if one is going the wrong side, the other is going the other side. One is inhaling, and you are exhaling. Then your master is not correct. Your yoga teacher is not comfortable, and he did not learn properly from yoga in daily life, getting more and more in the wrong way. So you will be that master that you have 200 people in Yoga Nidrā and bring them in that rhythm. At the same time, that teacher will say, "The whole body." The whole body, yes, that your teacher will bring you inside. And that teacher who is not a teacher has no knowledge. Then he will say, "And now think, they’re beautiful, these trees, beautiful and big. Feel that, how much oxygen is coming from the trees. And the birds are sitting, and there is a big, big field. And we are going and looking at their whole plan in the sky." What are you doing? You want to come home, and you just tell them to go somewhere else. In the beginning, it is like the relaxation, good air, etc. But if you can bring the rhythm of their breath, their lungs, their vocal cords, everything, then you are a teacher. Otherwise, you are just working. That is the inner qualities, inner ātmā, jīva. And so, in a yoga nidrā, you have to learn. Your teachers are okay. And I’m telling this, that those teachers, they should listen. And I see 80% are doing wrong, or maybe 95%. Because the teachers, they should not close their eyes. And mostly they are saying, "Relax your body," and you are constantly with eyes closed. And very slightly more than three people are gone out, and he says, "Yes, you feel you are going somewhere." And when you open your eyes, some people who have never seen yoga... It is said that when there are a hundred people and all have their eyes closed, including the Master, and a very big snake comes, and that snake is very long and big, and he’s very hungry, he comes very softly. Then he goes like this, and he makes a, you know, he can open so long. His jaw, and he, and then he twists you so quickly, it is something like a biscuit. You take a biscuit in hand and mix powder, so once he will press you, his prāṇa is gone. Then he will say, "God, what happened? Everybody, yeah, you," and so. So, you are those who are teachers. They should hold class, not closing eyes, not looking at your students. But you should see everything: walls, the ceiling, floor, windows, the sound from outside, if mosquitoes are coming, bees are coming inside, some people are walking. That is, you should be alert, because it is said, "Who will close your eyes?" Your teacher will say, "Close the eyes." And many people, it doesn’t matter, 100, 200, 500, 40, 30, it doesn’t matter. What kind of confidence does your student have towards your teacher, so that I can close my eyes? Who are you to close my eyes? That’s it. So we have to have confidence. Give the confidence to your teachers, and then the teacher is closing eyes. And telling such instructions, which are not for yoga and for the yoga nidra. Or not for the meditation, even not for your posture yogas. They are practicing ten times, please, and the teacher is closing his eyes. Why is he closing his eyes, teacher? Because he is very lazy and very tired. He is not alert. Chetan ho kya bhajane? Chetan ho kya bhajane? Dīkhlā diyā Devapurījī ne... Śalādiya deva purīṣane inna piṅgala miltathā nappa duni śūnyatā nappa duni nātha koṣṭhī nanda sanadarantavā dhyānadarantathā samajādiya deva purīṣane samajā diya deva purīṣane jetānaka chilaka svāmīne ṭikala diya deva purīṣane, jetānaka chilaka svāmīne, ṭikala diya deva purīṣane. prabhu avichāriyā prabhupurāṁ vacharitā. parāsadīya deva purīṣane, parāsadīya deva purīṣane. tetānaka chilaka svāmī ne dikhlādiya Devapurījī ne... dikhlā diya Devapurījīne, parāsādhī Devapurījīne, parāsādhī Devapurījīne, chetanaka chilaka Svāmīne dikhlā diya Devapurījīne. siddhasa sudharī hitha milāvadīyadeva purīṣane, jai tetānaka chilaka svāmī ne ṭikalādiya deva purīṣa ne ṭikalādiya deva purīṣa ne Oṁ Śrī Devāśvara Mahādeva Kī Jai Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Bhagavān Kī Jai. So that is what Mahāprabhujī is saying, how our Devpurījī... gives us that kind of knowledge, Jagratā, awaken. Jagratā is many different kinds of Jagratā. When you are driving a car, you should be jagrat, alert. Not sleeping, micro-sleep, accident. Therefore, that is called the alert. A driver, you know all, more or less all, you are the drivers. But that driver is that all? You know that all? You are in the car, you are driving that car. It doesn’t matter if you have friends or not inside. The driver should know. Alert all four directions. That’s why we have a back mirror, so you are looking exactly to see what is outside, the backside. The technology has not told us that we are blind. We also have two eyes in the backside. It means that the backside, the mirror, also with your left and with your right, you have two eyes, and this also left and right, and at the same time, in the front, we know that. And if we mix it a little bit, miss it accidentally, and there are different kinds of accidents, maybe little, or maybe life, or all will die because we were not alert. And in the water, you should know what is inside. Be alert. You can drive or swim long. Are you sure that you will come back to the beach again? Every direction. Maybe we don’t have so many crocodiles there. Or big, big fish, or something else. Or suddenly our heart is gone. So many people try that, "I will and I can." You can dive deep. We have all kinds of instruments, but our machine we cannot control. I had one disciple, he was a very, very great boy. In skiing also, he was the god of the Olympics and many things. And he was my best disciple, and he was learning all yoga exercises. Exercises, his mother also, his father also. You know him, his name is Rock. Rock is like a Himalayan rock, and he was a diver. And his father was also there. So after all that, he was going to teach the people. So he was giving training on how to dive. And after lunchtime, he gave the people who go for lunch, and he wanted to take a picture from underwater, and he dived deep. And he was like this, his camera, and he remained there. He couldn’t come up because it was very deep, and there was also sand. Finished. Of course, then they found him, so they said, "This is how he was there," with the camera he remained there. So please, it is said, we know that we are good divers, and we can also swim. We can swim. We can go to water. It is said, even we will have water up to our shoulders. A Gurujī mi říká, "He didn’t say, ‘Go down, go far.’" Only one very nice chap said, "Water is till the knees, also water, and high deep is also water." When your feet are on the floor, it is still something you can control, but when you lift yourself, you are lifted with the water. Now you have nothing in your control. We can try to come out, but it’s not so quick. So, my dear, a teacher has to be that kind of teacher. There are many things there. So there are many things, oceans and these, and many things we are doing, but the heart, the heart can give us life. Well, Gurujī was not in Europe, Gurujī was not in Europe, and so I used to go to the Adriatic coast, and I was two, three hours in the water, and all, many... They are around me, so many of you know, so they all jumped in. Then I said, "Moment, all go around the circle. Everyone should be a minimum of 15 meters." And when many people go, then it is more like this. But still, they will come. So, all controlling everything. But you know that deep water is good, but not for our life. So, water is very, very dangerous. And very, very good. Without water, nothing. So, in that way, he’s again the master. Many people are going from here to the Adriatic coast or somewhere else. They don’t know. They know swimming. So they go there after eating, with a full stomach, and again they go in the water. And many people died. So once in at least five years, we should go inside. This is all, as I said, about the yoga nidrā. So we can do yoga nidra in the water. We can float in the water. Till the heart is there, everything is okay. It has been about four years since I was in New Zealand. Then in Fiji. And also very nice in Fiji, very good ocean. And I went to swim only from here to 40 meters, different. Good water, clean water, peace water. And then there was some kind of, what? No, no,... there is no quarry. Yeah, they are like this thing on the shoulder. Yeah, gelatine, yeah, yeah, yeah. And then I had to, I was quickly to go out the other side. And about one year or ten years before, I had a little bit from my heart, what we call stents. But I was going quickly out, I lost my breath, so there were two or three of my bhaktas, they were lifting me, and I was only saying, "God," so that is the water. I came out, everything was okay, peaceful, so I didn’t go again there. So you go all everywhere, and especially the Croatian people, they are not on the beach. They are near Hungary and Austria, and this way. There’s nothing to swim, and they think, "Oh, I will go there." No one tells this. Many people die that. Many people, from eating, from swimming, that, etc. But because there’s a time for the tourists, and if they will tell that somebody died, this and that, then many people will be frightened. Anyhow, what we are saying to our practice of yoga teachers, many teachers are thinking that they are gurus. And they said, "Everything, I’m best, and I’m good, and I give." Don’t do this. So, therefore, be alert. The teacher should be alert. In the schools, at the university, in college, everywhere. The students are sitting on the chairs and on the table. But the teacher will not sit on the table and look. They are all the time standing and looking. And then that teacher will give you the next class for others. But your teacher will not go, "I will teach you next year, and here and there, I will teach you both." That is a mistake. Well, Vivek Purī is my teacher or student, and you know how many years you are with me. And how long, how many years have you been with me? 36 or 37, and he was a good young boy. He was always sitting there like this. And he was always coming in the middle, and he was very interested. And there is a lot of teaching here, and so, okay, there are many in Croatia, many, many best yoga teachers, Yoga in Daily Life. In Slovenia, they are much better than others, and in Hungary, my God, and Czech and Slovak. Perfect Austrians, they are masters. So this we have to alert all of you. And if someone is snoring, you should tell, "Wake up." Tomorrow we’ll again. And then we have a technique, please lie down on the stomach, and not. On the complete on the belly, but half like this, what is this posture? Tiger posture, because a tiger is never afraid. So something like that. So, did the teacher have to make something so that nobody would be snoring? And the same thing in the sleeping. So give them this other posture. They will sleep well, and all will be relaxed and sleeping. But we have to learn the Yoga Nidrā. That’s what we have here, Yoga Nidrā. Yogī Janakī Yoga Nidrā. How nice this Vajra... This Yoga Nidrā has begun from our Prabhujī, from Devpurījī. And I don’t want to tell you where or who took it like that more. So, practicing for us, you should learn. If your teacher is sleeping, you can say, "Sir," It’s a cup of glass, water, please. Or ma’am. So, ma’am is the wife of that person who said, "ma’am." Yes. Your wife is a ma’am, so only your husband can call her ma’am. Rozumíš? Ano, prosím. That’s it. So ma’am is good. Takže paní. Yes, so there are many things there, but it is going from the French. And in French, it is a good other word. So we don’t say madame, OK? We don’t say madame, OK? Neříkáme madame. And what do we call it? And there was a beautiful lake. Or big swimming pool, I don’t know, but I think it was a lake. And we were swimming, about ten people, and there was one lady. About 85 years, and she had very nice something and nice hair. 85 is a young lady. Swim with me, and then it is something. Told her that the word, I forgotten, but in the Czech word, paní. So I was swimming there, and she was very nice and swimming, and I was also swimming. There were 10-15 people around, but she was coming more nearly. And others said, "Pani Radova." Yes, no, you know, I told him many times. So sometimes, sometimes, okay, Rādhā. The Pānī Rādhā. So anyhow, why not? Beautiful, we should say. So we should see, in our different countries, different things. Okay, the yoga teacher. Therefore, our yoga teacher, there are three, those who are long-time, they are going like this. One is middle, OK, yes, and then I cannot do, and OK, like this. And the third one, the perfect. Because they want to become a yoga teacher, they are yogis. But the second step, they will... what people? They will spoil them. I want to see you. I don’t tell anywhere, and I’ve said everywhere, "Very nice, nice, very good, very disciplined," is in Slovenia, where Vivek Purī, not Vivek. Dayal Purī, and this city is called Maribor, and about 20–30 km distance, and all disciples and yogīs are very good. I think in this, let’s say, about 30 years, maybe about 80 to 90 thousand people were teachers. Pak máme Vivek Purījīho. Ale, Chorvaté. He has about 1,000, 5,000 people. And then we know everywhere in this. We have very nice teachers under control in the Czech Republic. Always, over in the Czech Republic, the teachers are nearly 1,000 or more. And they are teaching their teachers in how many places? You see on the chart as well as the Slovak and so many others. So, when, but these Czech teachers, they are very under control, like also the Maribor. And for me, no one is under my control, so I always sit on the other side, but all we are under the control of Bhagavān Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Mahāprabhujī, Bhagavān Śrī Dīp Nārāyaṇa Mahāprabhujī, Bālakpurījī, Devpurījī. And our Holy Gurū Jīho. So we always visit Holy Gurū Jīho. People don’t know who the Holy Guru Jīho is. So, one of the Slovakian and Czech disciples, he was a professor, a professor of body work and many things, everything, and he said, "Holy Gurujī," and since at that time we all said, "Holy Gurujī." Also in Jordan, Nepal, and Vienna, we have Holi Guruji ashram. Yes or no? Yes. And in Austria, they are very great, very good. They are all in control. In themselves, all are controlled in themselves. And that’s why I’m coming to Mahāprabhujī, the Holy Gurujī. And Holy Gurujī gave them, said, "OK." But Holy Gurujī said, "When Maheśvarānand comes, be silent." That’s it. Anyhow, my dear, so this, what is controlling our inner self? Our five principles, these five principles: Annamaya Kośa, Prāṇamaya Kośa, Manomaya Kośa, Vijñānamaya Kośa, and Ānandamaya Kośa—these we have to control. And then there are different jñānas. This is above our throat, all this, and then rest down. All tomorrow, you should read your hidden powers in humans: Kuṇḍalinī and cakras. And the last some pages, there you should read that by heart. We should know, I also by heart forgotten, but I know that’s it. So this you should have, especially our people who are in our seminar, this Anuṣṭhāna. In anuṣṭhāna of our what? Kuṇḍalinī or chakras. So please, you should read this more than only meditating. I would like it, it is just now it comes in my mind, okay? I did not think before. Half hour every day, your teacher who is teaching you in this Anuṣṭhāna, then he should really teach, and all this is in the book. And when he cannot... Then, better we shall not give them; they should themselves practice. So, that is what our life is, and we are yogīs. We are the best yogī. Be in your house. Being your husband and your wife and your children, your friends, your brothers and sisters, there is nothing but how. Inner techniques which we have, we should take control. So we will tomorrow think again. Wish you all the best, and I hope that you like this. And especially the snoring, so this night you should enjoy the dreaming and this snoring. Morning, your teacher will tell something. Snoring, enjoy. Enjoy. Enjoy of the enjoy. It’s not that enjoy, which will give you not a joy, but more trouble. But tonight, you can enjoy. Okay, thank you. Thank you very much.

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

The text contains hyperlinks in bold to three authoritative books on yoga, written by humans, to clarify the context of the lecture:

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