Yogis Who Rise Early

Many yogis, especially those who live in ashrams or who once did so, develop the habit of rising early for practice. It is legendary that some yogis rise for the brahma muhurta or the hour of the creator-god Brahma. This is supposed to be one and one-half hour before sunrise, at about 4.30am.

But why do this? One of my yoga teachers, Arthur Beverford objected to rising students to do yoga that early in the morning. But some other yogis and students feel that they are superior to those who do not rise early. However we may realize that rising early alone does not make anyone into a yogi and does not make anyone superior to anyone else, and does not give anyone the right to ridicule or criticize persons who do not rise early.

Recently I saw an opossum which was up and about at about 3.30 am. Once I saw a raccoon which was up and about at that time. In the Amazon jungles jaguars may be up that early. Long before the modern era when there was no electricity, some human rose that early as a matter of course. The cave people were up and about at dawn.

I rise early and the question may be posted:

Why do I bother?

If it does not make me superior and critical of others, why do I do it?

What benefit do I derive from it if it does not make me feel that I am better than those who rise late?

The answer is simple:

I do it to escape unwanted astral association which I find increases at about 3.30am and continues until about 6.30am.

I do it because some advanced yogis encourage me to do so and associate with me when I do so.

Do I feel superior to those who do not do it?

The answer is that I do not feel so. It never occurred to me that doing so made me superior to anyone else. I do not derive a superiority complex from rising early.