My Pilgrimage to the Spirit

October 2, 1929

Q. Sometimes sleep is really an experience of death, for the consciousness merges into the Matter. Outwardly one becomes absolutely unconscious, one loses his real self in some dull and gloomy state and one does not know what happens around him.

In such death-like sleep, in such unconscious state even if we experience something, we do not remember anything when we awake. In such unconscious condition, the forces from the dark regions attack us.

Sometimes I have experienced, they send waves of darkest lower movements. If I continue to have unconscious sleep, I fear, they will succeed in creating those lower movements.

.... Last night I was in sound sleep, and the waves began to come. I felt that something very dark was coming to attack the sex centre.... I became conscious, I jumped out of the bed and began to walk in the room, aspiring and praying for protection and light....

After this experience, I try to avoid sleep as much as possible.... I think sleep is nothing but one of the worst habits the human being has developed and has become slave of it.

If you like and if you allow, I would like to come into a more helpful and favourable atmosphere. I will come in your house after 12.00 p.m. and sit in the stairs, meditating.... Will you kindly allow?

A. This is quite impossible. It is better to go to sleep and make it a discipline to become conscious in your sleep. Sleep may be only a habit, but it is a necessary habit at present and the thing is not to suppress but to transform it into a conscious inner state.

Sri Aurobindo