Question: For a six o'clock meditation, will we do better if we get up at five and are up for a full hour before meditating? If we enter into activity do we become more awake?

Sri Chinmoy: It is not good if there is too much activity. If you get up at five and if you touch a book, the consciousness of the book will enter into you. If you touch a novel, immediately the consciousness of the author will come. If you feel that you are drowsy and you start doing housework, then the housework consciousness will enter into you. When dealing with the physical, it is best to take a shower. When you take a shower you will not feel drowsy. Water signifies consciousness. Once consciousness enters into you, then how will you fall asleep? But the other way is risky. If you touch a material object, then immediately the consciousness of that object will enter into you. If you stand against a wall and start cleaning the wall, the consciousness of the wall will enter into you. So the best thing to do is take a shower and then meditate.

From:Sri Chinmoy,The mind and the heart in meditation, Agni Press, 1977
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