Why is sleepiness during chanting sometimes resistible and sometimes not?
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Does it answer your question? So, in certain times, the sleep which is coming during chanting, sometimes it goes away by certain means like washing your face, sometimes it doesn’t go away. And when it goes away, something falls. Like death joins us and death takes over the sleep.
So, yes, the important thing is when we are chanting, we are fighting a war. And in a war, we cannot just go with a stereotype strategy. We have to see how the enemy will attack.
A soldier may go, I will use a sword and I will kill the enemy. But I go with a sword and I find the enemy shooting arrows. Before I reach, only I will be killed.
Then I have to change the strategy. I also have to start using arrows and fighting. So, in a war, the purpose is fixed.
But the strategy will have to change depending on how the enemy will attack. So, like that, before dealing with sleep, we cannot have a fixed strategy. Some days, it may just be washing the face.
Some days, it may be reciting some verses. It may be just walking around a little bit more. Sometimes, it may be just chanting more intensely.
Sometimes, it might just be taking a break. It will vary. We have to see what works.
We don’t lose our spirit of fighting just because one particular strategy doesn’t work. Basically, what we need to do is, we gradually, by experience, develop an arsenal of strategies. This I can do, this I can do, this I can do, this I can do.
There is no guarantee that one of them will work. But we at least have options. Otherwise, the bigger problem is not just the sleepiness, but along with the feeling of helplessness that comes.
I feel as if I can’t do anything. But I just see that there are options. I can try this or try this or try this or try this.
And even with the worst-case scenario, nothing works. But still, Krishna sees our endeavor. And that, he appreciates our endeavor.
That is also one of the most virtuous things. So, we just don’t work if a particular stimuli doesn’t work. We have to see whatever works.
And have a set of strategies that have worked for us, ready. And then, you know, maybe you have a phone in which you just have a note of, okay, I can try this, try this. Because when that temptation or weakness comes, at that time, you just can’t think of anything.
So, at least having something which gives us that option, okay, I could try this, I could try this, I could try this, that helps a lot. So, that we can try something and by that, most likely we will be able to overcome the sleepiness. But even if we don’t, we will please Krishna by our endeavor.