Ever heard of Brahma muhurta? You might not have ever heard of this particular Sanskrit term, but you certainly know what it is. Brahma muhurta simply means “early morning hours,” or "the time of Brahma." It’s the dawning of the day that, according to yoga, holds infinite power and sacred connection to the Divine.
The ambrosial hours of Brahma muhurta stand for the hours between three am and six am. Some define it as precisely one hour and 36 minutes before sunrise. Brahma muhurta is believed to be the most ideal time for getting out of bed in the morning, for starting your day in a sacred way with practices like meditation, prayer, pranayama, yoga, self-study, seeking and obtaining knowledge. (Learn about The Practice of Pranayama.)
Of course, this assumes that you’re also going to bed at a reasonable hour, ideally just before ten pm at night. In Ayurveda, it’s believed that long life is a result of living in harmony with Mother Nature’s natural circadian rhythms. This is the premise behind waking during Brahma muhurta. (Read about the Best Time of Day to Practice Yoga.)
Another reason we wake during this time of the day is because this time of day is when the world is most calm, quiet and peaceful. Oddly enough, the mind is also at it's most quiet and peaceful. It’s the time when both nature and ourselves are more sattvic, or peaceful, which means we can tap into our most enlightened qualities and make quicker spiritual progress when we practice during this ambrosial time. (Read about other Morning Rituals for Yogis.)
So, if you’re a night owl, try going to bed and waking up to do your sadhana just a little bit earlier each night until you reach a point when your body and mind naturally wake during Brahma muhurta. Then pay attention to how much more grounded, focused, and rooted in your sacred center you become. (Learn How to Create Your Own Unique Sadhana.)