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A common difficulty in kriyānusthān, particularly in the morning, is sleepiness. Practitioners may find themselves drowsy or even falling asleep during kriyā. This is very natural because tamas guṇa is present within. This tamas guṇa is increased by eating, especially by consuming any kind of grains that create gases in the body. For instance, if you drink water half an hour after eating, you will feel tired within minutes because the gas rises. It is akin to pouring water on a fire, which causes smoke to billow. Therefore, in yoga, it is described for yogīs as alpāhāra. Alpa means small. You know of the mountain called the Alps; this is a Sanskrit name. Alpa means small. This was known at the time of the ṛṣis—this small Himalaya. And Russia means Ṛṣiland, the land of the ṛṣis, as many ṛṣis were there. There is the Hindu Kush mountain, which is about 2,000 kilometers long, stretching from the middle of Turkey through Afghanistan and touching the ocean towards Mumbai, India. Thus, Rusland means Ṛṣiland. Similarly, the Alps, or Alpin, means Alpa, the small mountain, like a small Himalaya. For yogīs, it is described or suggested as alpāhāra—alpa meaning little. Breakfast should be alpāhāra, and the evening meal should also be alpāhāra. Alpāhāra also means light: the kind of food that does not create too much stool in the body. When we eat too much grain, bread, and cheese—which is in tamas guṇa (yogurt is not, but all kinds of cheese are)—it increases tamas. Chapati that is cooked and eaten within two hours is acceptable, but after a few hours, all chapati also belongs to tamas guṇa. Bread belongs to tamas guṇa. If it is fresh-made chapati or fresh bread, it is different. However, most commercial bread is not completely cooked through inside; it remains very soft. Only the upper part is well-cooked, and it contains yeast inside. All this is not easily digestible and creates tamas guṇa in the body. On the other hand, we are all normal workers. You must work hard, both physically and mentally. If you have to work hard, then alpāhāra alone may not be sufficient, or you would need alpāhāra every hour. So we must take into consideration when and how we should think about our diet. Consuming nuts is very good, especially almonds. Almonds are good for the brain, concentration, and memory; they harmonize the body's functions. There are two kinds of almonds: one is small and thin, the other is big and thick. The big, thick almonds do not have the same effect. The very thin almonds, which mostly come from Arabian countries, are more potent. According to Āyurveda, this small variety has a greater effect on the body. Other nuts are also very good, but they can be dangerous for collecting cholesterol. However, for those who practice agnisāra and bhastrikā prāṇāyāma daily, cholesterol is burned. This requires 20 minutes of practice, not merely three minutes. One cannot practice for three minutes and then say, "Okay, my cholesterol is gone, now I'll eat one kilo of mandel (almonds)." In alpāhāra, sprouted seeds are good; nuts like almonds and walnuts are good; salad and fruit are also beneficial. But the approach must be practical. As I said, if you have to work at home—cleaning, washing laundry, ironing, cooking, shopping—a homemaker works very hard, often more than a man who goes to an office. The man may come home angry, saying, "What have you been doing all day? You are at home." Send her on a ten-day holiday, and you will see how the house looks when she returns. First, you will have mountains of laundry to clean and so many things to be tidied. Do not take it lightly. Homework is more demanding than office work, and there are different kinds of labor. Therefore, we must take grains; we should eat chapatis or bread—not gold. They give you strength, but you must be able to digest them. So alpāhāra means eating little. It means if you eat one kilo, then eat only a quarter kilo. Reserve a quarter kilo for liquid, a quarter kilo for air, and dedicate the remaining quarter to fasting. In essence, alpa means to reduce your intake. --- Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Summer seminar