For a number years, as you have been hearing, I've been researching our
European history. Much so called knowledge and many of the things
that are now taken as being obvious or incontrovertible facts are
actually the moralistic inventions of monotheistic white men. They
have been stamped into our consciousness usually with patronising
repetition and violence. It is by looking at the things that are left
out of our histories or described around, or disparagingly when
observed in 'primitive peoples'. The little inconsistencies that are
found give ideas about how it really was before these men decided we
needed to be brought to heel.
In
the case of sleep; for centuries it was ridiculous to think of
sleeping in one solid stretch, two sometimes three sleep periods,
with an interval was the norm. By the time this was actually being
documented in letters and journals the concept was going out of
fashion and it had already changed who knows how many times? By the
time we get to hear about it the 'tussenperiod',
also called the watch was often down to an hour. It was recommended
to use it for prayer, sometimes for writing, or sex, or even for
visiting the neighbours. The idea of two sleeps dwindled in the late
17th century, by 1920 it was practically obsolete.
I looked up sleep – because I disagreed with the interpretation
given in one of the programs. In my Longman dictionary of the English
language; there are 2 meanings for sleep, each has more than 4 sub
headings. The first is “The natural periodic suspension of
consciousness that is essential for the physical and mental well
being of higher animals”. Oftwel; De natuurlijke periodieke
opschorting van bewustzijn die essentieel is voor het lichamelijk en
geestelijk welzijn van de hogere dieren
That in my humble opinion perfectly describes our subject matter.
There are no value judgements in this interpretation, it doesn't say
good, it doesn't say a number of hours, or mention rest
Natural, periodic, suspension of consciousness, essential, physical,
mental, well being, higher animals.
Sleeping, is great. I love it, my mattress is the most expensive
single item I paid for using my own money!
Many years ago I read some books supposedly by a channelled being
named Seth, much of what he said about sleep and sleeping I
immediately took on board and had many years, until the birth of my
daughter following that method.
Seth recommended 2 sleep periods of maximum 3 hours. I found that
pretty easy to get into, I think I naturally awake after about four
hours sleep which is normal. I rarely have trouble sleeping and can
function for at least four hours on a 20 min power nap. If I stop
within four hours and can then have another 20 minute power nap –
with no disturbance. I can carry on for another four hours. This is
how I partied and worked full time for years. I would often get home
with just an hour before having to leave for work, 20 mins power nap,
shower, dress, out the door. At mid morning I would have another
power nap, one at lunch time and one in the mid afternoon. I didn't
smoke cigarettes so with a short lunch break and somewhere to be
undisturbed, I was still working slightly longer days than most of my
colleagues in most of the jobs I did.
Having a child, living in the U.S. where they are very narrow minded
about how to do things, then moving here and finding the same kind of
work culture. "We want you to behave normally at work and we will decide what your normal is" sent my wonderful life/sleep pattern down the drain.
"Living the 'right
kind of healthy life' is the 21st
century goal. The pillars sold for determining health are: diet,
exercise and sleep. People learn about exercise and nutrition ...
most people know nothing about sleep certainly not their own.
In
2006 Forbes magazine estimated the sleep industry or racket as they
called it made just under €18bn
a year in the states. They noted that part of that was an increase in
the use of slaap middelen 60% in the previous 5 years – we invest
in beds, duvets mattresses, pillows, sleep centres, herbal tinctures,
hypnotherapy, and sleeping tablets. The only things we worry about more is sex
lives and body size.
How often instead of accepting and enjoying the previous night's
rest, do we attempt to tame, get more, less, curse, for not behaving
as we wish or not arriving as we think it should. Did we sleep well
enough, long enough, deeply enough? People dwell on bad nights, bad
dreams, chase cures and new sleep aids. Then when all attempts at
control fail, we conquer sleep with pills, potions and
prescriptions.”
Sleep deprivation is a recognized form of torture. How often do we
inflict that torture upon ourselves because of how we have decided
our sleep should be.
Yet
again a little scratching at the surface of our topics for the month
brings us back to an awareness that we live under a system that want
us ignorant, disconnected from our bodies and malleable, while telling
us the whole time it is offering freedom.
The most important thing as always is to find our what your personal
sleep pattern is, how much sleep you need and what's the best way to
get it. Learning how you work is the best way to get energy and
strength. Honour your individuality. All seemingly pretty impossible
in a system designed around a 'working week' designed to benefit
capitalism rather than humanism
This column references two articles by Laura Barton
