“God contracts and expands.” (2:245)

The heart is a fairly small muscle that beats 100,000 times a day and produces roughly 115,000 Joules of energy, enough to boil a cup of water for some tea. Like a flowing river, deoxygenated blood travels from the right side of our body to the right side of our heart via valves and chambers until passing through our lungs, where each breath we take facilitates the oxygenation of every individual blood cell with 4 molecules of oxygen. The now oxygenated blood, continues to progress, never stopping, now through the left side of the heart, again passing through valves and chambers, eventually being pushed out to the rest of our body with the help of the left ventricle. The left ventricle is the thickest, largest, strongest, and most muscular part of the heart because it has the responsibility of pumping oxygenated blood through the aortic valve and aorta to the rest of our body. If this continual circulation is ever interrupted, it can lead to catastrophic outcomes.

There are several ways this flow can be interrupted, many of which happen before birth and require immediate surgery after delivery. Congenital heart defects (CHD) are some of the most common types of birth defects, but as medical care and treatment have advanced many of the babies that suffer from them usually end up living long and healthy lives. Treatment isn’t required while babies are in their mother’s womb, because the circulation of the heart is different before the baby takes its first breaths, and there is normally a mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood. CHD can be mild, like a hole in the heart between two chambers that allows the mixing of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood. Ventricular septal defects and atrial septal defects (holes in the heart) are some of the most common forms of CHD. Sometimes these defects can be resolved on their own or may not be realized until much later in life, or they may require a “patch” repair if they are larger. VSDs and ASDs are associated with Down’s Syndrome, and maternal risk factors including diabetes, obesity, and smoking. Patent foramen ovale (a hole in the heart that fails to close) is found in up to 30% of the general population. It usually requires no treatment and isn’t discovered unless complications like a stroke occur later in life by having a blood clot form, requiring the blood to then travel through the hole, and then be shot up through the aorta into the brain. All babies are born with patent (open) ductus arteriosus – the ductus arteriosus is a fetal blood vessel that allows flow from the right heart to the aorta, necessary when the baby is in their mother’s womb, but incompatible for life after the baby is born. Within the first few days of life, this blood vessel should close and eventually transform into a ligament that helps tether the pulmonary artery and aorta to each other. If closure fails and the ductus arteriosus remains patent, a continuous machine-like murmur can be heard with a stethoscope, and treatment with indomethacin is started. Untreated, a PDA would result in cyanosis (blue/gray skin) and Eisenmenger Syndrome due to decreased oxygen delivery [1].

The heart’s responsibility is not only to provide oxygenated blood to the rest of the body but to also somehow feed itself. The heart’s muscles exhaust 11.6% of the body’s total oxygen consumption in order to maintain its own contractile activity, coming in 3rd after the liver (20.4%) and the brain (18.4%). During contraction or systole, the heart pumps at 120 mm Hg to provide blood through the aorta and arteries. During relaxation, or diastole, the heart expands and allows for blood to fill into its chambers and also flow through the coronary arteries. These coronary arteries are the arteries that will feed the heart itself. Thus, in order to feed itself the heart must relax and therefore allow its coronary arteries to expand and provide blood to itself. When the heart is contracting and providing blood to the rest of the organs it is too constricted to provide blood to itself. Since these branches are located within grooves of the heart, when the heart is systole the arteries are too constricted for blood flow due to increased tension. This is especially true regarding the arteries supplying the left ventricle since it is larger and more muscular – remember this is where the aorta will branch off, providing oxygenated blood to the rest of our body.

This balance between contraction and expansion may remind some readers of the concepts of Qabd (contraction) and Bast (expansion) in Sufism or Tzimtzum in Jewish mysticism, and how one truly feeds the other thus allowing for growth through this cycle of contraction and relaxation. Tzimtzum is used to explain the process of creation, a contraction of infinity happening to give birth to a finite universe [2]. The Sufi tradition is a personal journey described as “contraction and openness are mysterious ‘bargains’ that have been made without the will or intention of the traveler. The first one blocks his or her way; the second one gives him or her wings to fly to new heights [3].” What is perhaps most interesting is that our physical heart performs this contraction and expansion perfectly so long as we take care of it, whereas our spiritual heart can have lapses in this critical exercise. Maybe, if we understand how to take care of our physical heart, we will also find the answer to keeping our spiritual heart healthy. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, emphasizes this connection as follows: “Verily, in the body is a piece of flesh which, if sound, the entire body is sound, and if corrupt, the entire body is corrupt. Truly, it is the heart.”

Some ways to take care of our physical hearts include incorporating more physical activity into our daily lives, eating less and healthy, and controlling our stress. Perhaps our spiritual health would also benefit from these and similar activities, including regular acts of worship, fasting, controlling our temper, and being kind to others. When we don’t take care of our physical heart, it begins to fail since oxygen ceases to be delivered to our heart and the electrical currents can no longer travel effectively, thus resulting in a heart attack.

Coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and especially in developed countries. The deadliest heart attack occurs if there is a blockage of the left anterior descending coronary artery, which is why it is tragically termed the “widow maker.” Beginning from adolescence, arteries begin to accumulate fatty streaks and progress to an atherosclerotic plaque. This plaque can lead to several disastrous complications such as follows:

• a narrowing or complete obstruction of an artery, impairing blood flow and leaving the heart thirsty for oxygen
• a stroke due to a blood clot caused by decreased movement, breaking off and flowing to the brain
• a weakening of the vessel wall leading to an aneurysm, the vessel bursting

For some patients, a heart attack becomes a wakeup call in order to make the many necessary lifestyle changes that are necessary in order to live a long and healthy life. However, 20% of patients will experience a second heart attack. As the heart gets weaker and weaker it can eventually develop cardiorenal syndrome, a complication that results from the heart being unable to pump effectively resulting in it getting backed up in the heart and the right side of the body. This increase in volume in the body is further exacerbated by the kidneys, which continue to retain fluids and thus cause the body to become overloaded. This leads to edema, or swelling, in the legs that can eventually progress to the lungs and cause congestive heart failure. As the kidneys try to ameliorate the fact that the heart is not pumping effectively, they ultimately worsen the situation leading to end-stage renal disease and stage D heart failure.

Of course, as with almost all medical conditions, these fatal results can be prevented much earlier with lifestyle changes, even before introducing medical intervention with prescription drugs or other procedures. These lifestyle modifications include moderate aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week, a diet rich in vegetables and low in fats, sugars, and carbohydrates, smoking and alcohol cessation, and weight reduction (which would come as a result of these modifications). It is also important for patients that are already dealing with hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia should keep them well-managed and controlled.

Maybe similarly, some simple lifestyle changes, such as putting aside a few minutes every day to reflect, can be the secret to keeping our spiritual heart healthy. Our heart must remain healthy to keep the rest of our body healthy. Considering the close relationship between our physical and spiritual heart, our spiritual heart must be kept healthy to keep the rest of our spiritual body healthy. Spiritually healthy individuals will further reinforce the health of our community, for Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, says, “The believers in their mutual kindness, compassion and sympathy are just like one body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever.”

“As the whole of existence is in His grasp and at His free disposal, it is He Who directs and disposes of all things, from the heavens to the human heart… When God wills, He contracts a heart so tightly for what only He can provide that only He can satisfy it. By contrast, He expands and exhilarates it to such an extent that it needs nothing. Contraction is caused by God’s Majesty; openness is caused by His Grace. (Fethullah Gülen, Emerald Hills of the Heart).”

References

• https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/congenital-heart-defects
• https://www.britannica.com/biography/Isaac-ben-Solomon-Luria#ref163236
• http://fgulen.com/en/fethullah-gulens-works/key-concepts-in-the-practice-of-sufism-1/qabd-and-bast-contraction-and-openness

Experiments have proved lack of sleep as a cause of death. Lab mice that are deprived of sleep for three to four consecutive days eventually die. Lack of sleep for a long period of time, especially when combined with excessive fatigue, poses a serious threat to our health.

There are intensive research efforts to understand the mysterious workings of the biological mechanisms underlying sleep. Human beings spend almost a third of their lives in sleep. Yet, the basic sleep mechanism and its functions are still not completely known. Each of many theories proposed for understanding the secrets of sleep provide different evidence, but no guaranteed results have been attained so far. Initially, sleep was considered a rest period. However, although brain activity lowers during sleep, the brain continues actively working. It can be said that the brain rests itself by working during sleep.

Scientists classify a person’s state of consciousness as one of three stages:

1. Wakefulness
2. REM sleep
3. Deep sleep

According to this classification, sleep is divided into deep sleep and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. During a night’s sleep, there is a loop of REM sleep and deep sleep. Approximately 90 minutes of deep sleep is followed by REM sleep, which lasts between 5 and 30 minutes. Approximately 75% of the total sleep span is deep sleep; 25% is REM sleep. REM sleep happens while slipping into sleep from wakefulness. Just before waking from sleep, a short-term REM is observed.

During the first hours of sleep, REM spans are shorter, and they grow longer during the last hours of sleep. If a person is extremely tired, they experience extremely short REM sleep spans within the first hour of their sleep. They may even slip into deep sleep without REM. Right after mid-sleep, REM sleep periods last longer. If a person is deprived of all or partial sleep – such as the deep sleep or REM – they will need to sleep longer at the next opportunity. If they are deprived of REM sleep or deep sleep for longer periods, they will have longer deep sleep.

REM Sleep

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) is given this name due to the intensive and fast eye movements during this sleep stage. During REM, not only the eyes but also hands, arms, legs, and fingers move. An onlooker may think the sleeper is fully awake. However, scientists are unable to fully explain the reason why it is difficult waking a person in REM, although they are active as if they are awake – this is a paradox. In fact, a person in deep sleep may be awakened easier, by either sound or touch. If it is difficult to wake a person during the REM stages in their sleep, it may also be considered as a paradox for that person to wake from REM sleep.

During REM sleep, contrary to rapid eye movements and gestures, a person’s muscles are extremely relaxed and soft, to the extent of a wrist drop. This is called REM paralysis.

The reasons, mechanisms, and even benefits of REM sleep are not known for certain. The newest theory in sleep research claims the relationship between REM sleep and acetylcholine secretion. Acetylcholine is a brain hormone that triggers movement. Yet, acetylcholine typically causes wakefulness. This, too, appears as another paradox.

Dreams seen during the REM stage are remembered more clearly. The limbic system, including the hippocampus and amygdala, is active during REM sleep, thus it is assumed that it is easier to commit dreams to memory during this stage. The hippocampus is tasked with committing (reinforcing) information.

During REM sleep, a person’s heartbeat and breathing are more frequent and irregular. This also relates to what a person sees in their dream. During this stage, the basal metabolism rate is higher or equal to that of wakefulness. Electroencephalography (EEG) readings register beta waves, which normally show during wakefulness. Alpha waves show during times of calm, when the brain rests during wakefulness, such as at times when one closes their eyes and dispels thoughts. However, when the brain is actively dealing with an issue or when a person experiences an upset, beta waves appear. Beta waves also show during REM stage. This shows that the brain is active during REM stage.

Deep sleep

This stage of sleep is also called low wave sleep or delta sleep. During this stage, movements are at minimum, and the muscle tone is harder. Heartbeat, breathing, basic metabolic rate, and blood pressure are low. Internal organs like the stomach, intestines, urinary tract, and even the liver minimize their activities and slip into an actual rest.

During this stage, dreams and even nightmares may also be seen. However, one cannot remember a majority of dreams when they wake up. It is assumed that the traffic between the cortex and the lower structures of the brain are disengaged during the deep sleep stage. People wake up from nightmares, only to usually remember the last part.

EEG readings during deep sleep stage show delta waves. The presence of delta waves hints at the disengaged traffic between the cortex and the lower nervous system components (thalamus, hypothalamus, brain stem, hippocampus). This condition also shows that the person is in deep rest, free from pain and other bodily stimuli.

Secreted at night, melatonin is a hormone that protects against cancer and slows down the aging process. Melatonin also plays a role in lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) and balancing body heat and blood pressure. Melatonin secretion starts around 10:00 p.m. and reaches its maximum around 5:00 a.m. That’s why, the most ideal sleep is after 10:00 p.m. when melatonin secretion starts. Bedside lamps are not suggested as they hinder the secretion of this night-bound hormone. People should also avoid conditions such as stress, smoking, extreme lighting, lack of adequate daylight, and working at lengthy periods, which lower melatonin level.

Serenity sometimes comes in the form of perceptible or imperceptible signs; at other times it appears so clearly that even ordinary people can identify it. Whether itself and its signs resemble a spiritual breath blown into the ear of conscience or a Divine breeze that can be perceived only with great care; or it appears miraculously and so clearly that anyone can see them, as in the case of the Children of Israel during the time of Prophet Moses, and in the case of Usayd ibn Khudayr^[1], a Companion of the Prophet, to whom it came like a vapor while he was reading the Qur’an, serenity is a Divine confirmation for those believers aware of their helplessness and destitution before God, and a means of thankfulness and enthusiasm. It is God Who sends it, as declared in the verse: He it is Who sent down serenity into the hearts of the believers so that they may have more faith added to their faith (48:4).

Serenity usually comes to strengthen the believers’ willpower, to affirm their belief and hearten them. A believer gifted with serenity is not shaken by worldly fear, grief, or anxiety, and finds peace, integrity, harmony between his or her inner world and the outer world. Such a person is dignified, balanced, confident, assured and solemn, and self-possessed and careful in his or her relations with God Almighty. Egoism, vanity, and pride are abandoned; every spiritual gift received is attributed to God; humility and self- discipline are exhibited while thanking Him; and all dissatisfaction and uneasiness is ascribed to personal weakness and examined in the light of self-criticism.

As for itmi’nan (peacefulness), it is defined as full satisfaction and the state of being at complete rest without any serious lapse. It is a spiritual state beyond serenity. If serenity is the beginning of being freed from theoretical knowledge and awakened to the truth, peacefulness is the final point or station.

The ranks or stations of radiya (being pleased with God in resignation) and mardiya (being approved by God) are two dimensions of peacefulness belonging to good and virtuous believers and are the depths of resignation. The ranks of mulhama (being inspired by God) and zakiya (being purified by God) are two other difficult-to-perceive degrees of peacefulness relating to those brought near to God. The gifts coming through them are pure and abundant.

Some thoughts and inclinations displeasing to God may appear in serene souls, while only perfect calmness is found in those that are peaceful and at rest. Peaceful hearts always seek God’s good pleasure or approval, and the “compass needle” of their conscience never swerves. Peacefulness is such an elevated rank of certainty that a soul traveling through it sees in every station the truth of: I wish to set my heart at rest (2:260) and is rewarded with gifts. Wherever the believer is, the breeze of: They will have no fear nor will they grieve (2:62) is felt; the glad tidings of: Fear not, nor grieve, but rejoice in the glad tidings of Paradise that has been promised to you (41:30) is heard; the sweet, life-giving water of: Beware, in the remembrance of God do hearts find peace and tranquility (13:28) is tasted; and corporeality is defeated.

Peacefulness is realized when believers transcend material causes and means. Reason’s transnatural journey ends at this point, and spirits are freed from worldly anxieties. Here, feelings find whatever they seek and become as deep, wide, and peaceful as a calm ocean. Those who have acquired this rank find the greatest peace only in feeling the company of God. They become aware of Divine Beauty and Grace in their hearts, feel attracted toward Him in order to meet with Him, are conscious that existence subsists by God’s Existence, and that the power of speech exists only because He has Speech. Through this opened window they acquire, despite their finitude, the power to see and hear in an extremely broad capacity. In the whirl of the most complicated events, where everyone else is bewildered and falters, such people travel in safety and escape the whirl. In addition to being freed from worldly anxieties, a believer whose heart is at rest or peace welcomes with a smile both death and the obstacles following death, and hears the Divine compliments and congratulations: O soul at rest, return to your Lord, well pleased (with Him), and well-pleasing (to Him). Enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise! (89:27–30). Death is seen as the most agreeable and desired result of life. When his or her life has ended in death, he or she hears, as was heard from the grave of Ibn ‘Abbas, in every station passed through after death, the same Divine congratulations or Decree: Return to your Lord, well pleased (with Him), and well-pleasing (to Him). Enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise!

Such people spend their lives in the grave on the “shores” of Paradise, experience the Supreme Gathering in wonder and admiration, the Supreme Weighing of People’s Deeds in awe and amazement, pass over the Bridge, only because they have to pass over it, and finally reach Paradise—the last, eternal abode of those whose hearts are at rest or have found peace and tranquility. For such a person, the world is an ‘Arafat^[2] prepared on the way leading to God’s eternal forgiveness. The worldly life is the eve of the festival, and the other life is the festival day.

Our Lord! Grant us in the world what is good, and in the Hereafter what is good, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire. And bestow blessings and peace on our master Muhammad, the Prophet, the chosen one, and on his Family and Companions, good and virtuous.

Notes

1. Usayd ibn Khudayr felt surrounded by a vapor-like mass while reading the Qur’an and felt greatly exhilarated. (Tr.)

2. The plain where Muslim pilgrims stay for some time on the eve of the Religious Festival of Sacrifice as a pillar of pilgrimage. (Tr.)

In the mountains, people use mason jars for everything: canning, flower vases, gifts, moonshine, drinking glasses, treasure jars – the list goes on and on. There’s not much a good old mason jar can’t do for us country folk. Believe me, a person has never had a good glass of tea until they have drank it from a mason jar full of ice, with a slice of lemon shoved down in it. It is m…..m….good!

The treasure jar is the one I want to write about. The name treasure jar explains itself. It’s very simple. People decorate the jars and then put items in them that they treasure themselves. The treasure can be a simple recipe passed down generations through the family, or it can contain rare old coins worth a fortune. It all depends on what the person holds dear to them in their own hearts. Once the jars are filled, they are given as gifts.

When I was a child, I would catch lightning bugs and put them in an old mason jar and set them on a table beside my bed. I would watch them light up until I fell asleep. It was a “simple” but “great” treasure in my young eyes. But no matter how hard I would pray for them to live forever beside my bed, they would always die.

I have thought about it a lot, and if I only had seventy-two hours to live, this is what I would do: First, I would buy five-hundred mason jars in different sizes, then I would put my “prized” possessions in them. Next, I would distribute them in unique ways so that the people getting them would surely smile. Remember that where I’m from, “prized” possessions do not have to have monetary value. They only have to mean something special to the one giving the jars.

The people that I would give my jars to would be chosen very carefully because, after all, I’m giving away “my” prized treasures. The first jars made would be for my four grandchildren. I have three boys and one girl, ages running from newborn to age seven. In my granddaughter’s jar I would put some pictures of us together, as well as a recording of my voice with a special message just for her. I would also add my pearls and ask her to wear them on her wedding day. That way a part of me will be with her on her special day. I would arrange for the jar to be given to her on her wedding day. The boys’ jars would also contain a recording of my voice and some pictures as well , but one would contain a watch given to me by my father. Another, a case knife I’ve had for years. The last one would contain an old engagement ring of mine, so that whoever receives it can give it to his true love someday. I would want their jars given on special days as well, such as their senior graduation or eighteenth birthday.

The next jars would go to my son and daughter. My daughters jar would contain the rest of my jewelry, and then I would share with her my whole life story. I would tell her things about myself that I have never told anyone. I think she would be very surprised about some of the things she would learn. I believe some things are better left unsaid until the time is right to share them.

My sons jar would contain some old coins that belonged to his father and all of my old love letters written by his father when I was only fifteen years old. I would also include the poetry and songs I’ve written over the years that no one else has ever seen or heard.

The next thing I would do is take twenty of the jars and write down all of the hopes and dreams and goals that I had, but never got to accomplish. I would release them into the river along with a note to those who found them that would say,” live everyday like it’s your last, because it may well be.”

The rest of my jars would travel across the seas, to other states, and hopefully to the White House. Some jars would be painted red, white and blue and sent over seas for the men and women serving our country. Their jars would contain thank-you notes for their brave gestures, and also a lucky penny in each one. Next, I would love for one of my jars to make it to the president and his family. In their jar I would place inspirational notes for them to read to lift them up when times seem really hard. I would also explain how happy I was to have lived long enough to see a historical moment in time. I would also include two handkerchiefs that were embroidered. one would say, “MR. PRESIDENT’ and the other one would say, “FIRST LADY”. The only way I can think of to get it to the president is to go to the media, so that’s exactly what I would do.

Finally, the rest of my jars would be divided in half and shipped to The Shriners Hospital and to The ST. Judes Hospital, because they treat very sick children for free. The jars would be decorated and filled with small toys and trinkets along with an inspirational note to encourage them to keep on fighting until they find a cure for their diseases. I would want the jars to be given to the children as soon as possible, because these children are fighting for their lives, and some may not make it.

I believe my jars would bring peace to others as well as myself because they would know they were on my mind in my final moments of life. It would also bring me peace to know that I left a part of myself all over the world. And that’s something special, considering I’ve always lived in the mountains and have lived a very simple life.

Once my goal was achieved, I would spend time in prayer. I would pray for my loved ones as well as myself because I would not tell them I was going to die, because I want to remember them with a happy, joyful spirit, not with a sad broken one. But if, for some reason, I was given more time to live, I would do the things I’ve always wanted to do, like write a book, record the songs I’ve written, and I would love to be able to travel to places I’ve never been to.

Life is short, and time passes quickly, but I want to live. But just like the lightning bugs I caught as a child, I will eventually die. Life and Death walk together hand in hand. Life screams, “LIVE!” and Death screams, “YOU BETTER LIVE BECAUSE I AM COMING AFTER YOU SOONER THAN YOU THINK!”

Belinda Sturgill is a freelance writer. She lives in McRoberts, KY, and she can be reached at belindasturgill12@yahoo.com. With this essay, she won an honorable mention in The Fountain Essay Contest 2010.

Even if work done is for the sake of good, if it does not occasionally add color to life, then one can experience boredom beyond monotony. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, prevented those who gave themselves to worship from worshiping in a way that would bring boredom.

One of the heroines of this situation was Zaynab binti Jahsh, a sultan of the women’s world. She was a woman famous for her devotion to worship and her generosity. She took the Prophet as a role model and behaved like him as best as she could. A member of a noble family, our mother Zaynab was one of the honorable of the Quraysh tribe. Perhaps due to a spiritual state derived from her heritage, she experienced inner turmoil when she married Zayd. However, she was to be the wife of the Blessed Prophet. God made their marriage in the heavens with the verse: We united you with her in marriage (Qur’an 33:37).

Our mother Zaynab was so devoted to worship that she stretched a rope between two poles in the masjid so she could lean on it when she got tired. Seeing this rope, the Messenger of God said as a warning:

“Untie the rope. When you get tired, rest, and after you rest, perform worship. If you do not show weariness, in a similar way, God will not show it towards you and will give you what you want.” At another time he stated, “When you are sleepy while you pray, it is probable that the favorable prayer you would make will turn into an unfavorable one,” thus recommending the performance of worship after rest.

Similarly, it is certain that constantly doing work along the same lines will bring on boredom. In order not to allow this to happen, there is benefit in visiting a different place within your means and to becoming busy with other things. Also, in order to increase your love and enthusiasm and to increase your motivations for good service, it is helpful to see people who share the same ideas and feelings that you do.

In fact, you can stay in such a place as a guest. Also, you can visit places of historical heritage and institutions established for good service to others. In this way, you both relax and maintain your liveliness. To the contrary, your body might relax in places where heedlessness and excitement are promoted, but your spirit cannot. Actually the body’s full relaxation depends on the spirit’s being lively and alert. If the hope is that the spirit relaxes as well as the body, then you should visit people who show devotion to worship and good virtues and who are good examples with the way they live. I can comfortably say that money used for gasoline and other expenses in these visits will be considered charity. In this way, we will have given the best charity for our families, and we will have taken them out for pleasure as well. Even if vacations made for purposes other than these relax the body, they also allow for the prolongation of heedlessness and some subtle faculties of human spirit may be destroyed.

In summary, those with believing hearts should not neglect to go on vacation on certain days of the month or year, within means, for the purpose of their own and their family’s relaxation. It is very important for the sake of continued vitality.

And We made your sleep to be rest (to you) and the night to be a covering. (Qur’an 78:9-10)

Most time management experts agree that the essence of time management is self-management. A successful time management strategy requires the setting of goals, and then assigning priorities and identifying important activities that help achieve these goals. People then will organize their time into a ‘time map’ (just like a floor map), writes Morgenstern, and place important activities in fixed blocks of time.

This general strategy, which has worked for many, requires strong willpower. According to Taylor, it is ‘self-management with respect to time.’ We can achieve more important goals by increasing the time we spend on them and/or by increasing our productivity. To use our mind and body in the most effective manner, we need to understand the psychological and physiological aspects of our selves and act accordingly. This article considers the relationship of hormones, our body’s biorhythms, and self-management with respect to time.

Hormones

Hormones, which are produced in certain parts of the body, are chemical signaling molecules that travel to another site to have an effect. Many researchers believe that these messenger molecules are the basic channels of mind-body communication. The periodic release of messenger molecules regulates our mind-body activities, but this does not mean that we are controlled by our hormones. We know that our thoughts, attitudes, and emotions can influence the release and flow of these messenger molecules just as they can influence our thinking, feeling, and behavior. By focusing on positive thoughts, we can induce the secretion of hormones associated with calmness and serenity, and vice versa (the mind-body communication flows both ways). Let’s examine several important hormones that regulate our energy, stress, activity, and rest.

Energy and stress hormones. Energy is crucial for performance. Two important hormones, among others, are secreted to provide a steady level of energy for the brain and other organs: insulin and glucagon. Insulin, released when the blood sugar level increases, helps various organs consume sugar and hence decreases the blood sugar level. Glucagon, the other pancreatic hormone, tends to raise the blood sugar level.

Both hormones work together to help maintain the blood’s normal level of glucose so that this critical energy source’s supply is always constant and even. While different bodily organs can use other forms of sugar for energy with the help of insulin, the brain’s only energy source is glucose. Therefore, it is vital to maintain a steady level of glucose in the bloodstream for the brain’s healthy functioning.

Insulin is important because its excessive release causes large fluctuations in the blood sugar level, which affects our mental performance. High glycemic index foods, such as high-carbohydrate and sugar-loaded processed foods (e.g., cookies, cakes, sweet carbonated drinks etc.) raise the blood sugar level too quickly when they are digested. The body responds by releasing insulin, which causes the blood sugar level to drop too much.

Normally, various bodily mechanisms collaborate to ensure that the glucose level remains within certain limits. But if the brain cannot get enough glucose, it first may reduce its activity in the form of sleepiness or unconsciousness. Continued deprivation may cause brain damage and even death. To achieve maximum mental performance, high glycemic index foods should be avoided, and steady blood sugar levels should be maintained.

The adrenals glands, located just above the kidneys, often are referred to as the stress glands, because we could not survive stress without them. Cortisol, DHEA, and adrenaline are the three adrenal stress hormones that raise blood pressure and heartbeat. Under their influence, glycogen is converted to glucose for additional energy. A normal adrenal rhythm will produce correct amounts of these adrenal stress hormones at appropriate times during the day.

Occasional surges of stress hormones temporarily raise the heart rate, blood pressure, and mental acuity so that the task at hand can be accomplished. They give us the energy to escape danger, fight (verbally, psychologically, or physically), and generally survive the pressures of our lives. The downside is that too much of this activity erodes our health in insidious but serious ways. An excess of stress hormones compromises health, from damaging blood vessels to weakening the immune system. Some physicians blame stress for most disease.

Stress hormones play an important role in time management. Natural stress hormone secretion is at its peak during the early morning so that it can awaken the body and prepare it for the day. Cortisol and insulin secretions reach their maximum around 6:00 am, and we awaken. Lubeck states that German researchers have discovered that two hormones, ACTH and cortisol, send a message that alerts the brain. Even the blood’s contents are enriched to get ready for the day. The early morning increase in stress hormones is part of our circadian biorhythm, and we can take advantage of it by scheduling demanding activities at this time.

However, an artificial increase in stress hormones may sometimes hurt us. A frequent cause for excess stress is the use of such stimulants as cola drinks (e.g., Coca Cola and Pepsi) and coffee. When trying to focus on a task, mental clarity is very important. When we are under stress, we may find it hard to concentrate and thus spend a lot of time to achieve very little. Continued stress depletes our energy and prevents us from undertaking important tasks. An abnormal release of stress hormones also affects our REM sleep, which is very important for memory consolidation. People who find it hard to wake up in the morning may suffer from an abnormal stress hormone cycle.

Some neurohormones such as pinoline and DMT, which are linked to spiritual imagery, reflection, and out-of-body experiences, are secreted at their peak level around midnight. Early Islamic scholars, following Prophet Muhammad’s tradition of night prayer, used to wake up at midnight for reflection, study, and prayer. The discovery of these hormones may explain why this time of day might be the best time for such activities.

The rest hormone. The pineal gland’s cells secrete the hormone melatonin in a 24-hour (circadian) cycle. The amount remains low during the daylight hours but increases during the nighttime hours. Melatonin regulates the 24-hour circadian biorhythms, and its secretion is affected by light. As a biological timekeeper, melatonin is critically involved in synchronizing hormone secretion and is responsible for regulating many biorhythms, including the sleep-wake cycle.

Since it is the ‘rest hormone,’ it generally is more productive to rest when its secretion is high, namely, the dark hours. Trying to work or study with the help of caffeine and other stimulants despite increased melatonin levels is like fighting the body’s natural rest and healing systems. Students sometimes cram on the night before the exam. While this strategy may work for short periods, continued disruption of the body’s rest cycle may leave the person weak and susceptible to diseases. Melatonin secretion turns off around 8:00 am.

Biorhythms

Each person experiences mental lows several times throughout the day. Most people attribute these to the food they have eaten, not enough sleep, or other external factors. While some of these factors may be real, Rossi informs us that there is a more fundamental factor: ultradian rhythm. Scientists have observed a number of interrelated biological rhythms of the body and the brain since the 1950s. These rhythms are named according to how much time they take to complete a cycle. Circadian rhythms occur once every day, ultradian rhythms occur several times a day, and infradian rhythms take more than a day to cycle. Originally it was thought that our circadian rhythm was simply a daily alteration between being awake and asleep. The second stage of our developing understanding began when researchers discovered, in the mid-1950s, that sleep was divided into 90-120 minute ultradian alterations of dreaming and deep sleep. While such external factors as daylight and seasons do affect us, the periods of our bodily rhythms are regulated primarily by the hormones our body secretes. When planning activities for different periods of the day, it helps to know which periods are conducive to what kinds of activity. For instance,early morning is the time of energy hormones and mental clarity.

Therefore, it is more effective to schedule our early morning hours for mentally taxing, difficult problems. Afternoons, however, are ideal for socializing, relationship building, and long-term memory building. There is a second peak of bodily energy around 5:00 pm, and a mental peak around 7:00 pm. Ultradian rhythms were observed first in military research laboratories, where the objective was to determine the effects of time on human performance. A common pattern among the ultradian rhythms was their occurrence within a period of 90-120 minutes. They consisted of a peak of heightened alertness and performance, followed by a trough /deep of fatigue and a need for a break from the current activity. Mental activities modulated by ultradian rhythms include right-left brain dominance, attention, concentration, learning, memory, sensations, dreaming, fantasy, imagination, and creativity. Although ultradian performance rhythms follow a 90-120-minute activity cycle followed by a 20-minute rejuvenation, they shift easily to help us adapt to changing demands and circumstances. Thus we can skip a rejuvenation period and keep performing if necessary.

However, repeated neglect of the need for rejuvenation and chronic overactivity lead to stress by distorting our normal ultradian/circadian rhythms of activity and rest. The 20-munite break ameliorates stress-related symptoms by enabling our natural mind-body rhythms to normalize themselves. In other words, the 20-minute trough of our rest-activity cycle is a natural period for physical and psychological rejuvenation and healing from the wear and tear of everyday life. This is why Rossi calls it the ultradian healing response (UHR). The UHR also may be the hidden common factor in most holistic approaches to mind-body healing such as relaxation response, meditation, imagery, biofeedback, hypnosis, spiritual rituals as in Sufism and Yoga, laying on of hands as in holistic healing approaches, and the daily prayers in Islam. All such approaches require that the subject take a break for about 20 minutes to maximize his or her healing. The important elements of the ultradian healing response are:

1. Cutting off or minimizing input to the brain. This can be achieved by closing the eyes or looking steadily at fixed places.

2. Changing the activitys nature or simply taking a rest.

3. Allowing our consciousness to diverge and not trying to concentrate on the things we were thinking on before the break.

Other steps, such as washing parts of the body (e.g., ablutions made by Muslims before praying), moving parts of the body, stretching, or lying on a comfortable couch may help increase the UHRs healing effects. The afternoon nap can be considered a special case of UHR. Almost everyone experiences an after-lunch dip in performance. For many cultures, early afternoon signals siesta time. An afternoon nap may help reinforce the bodys self-healing mechanisms and make the rest of the afternoon as productive as the morning, writes Mednick et al.

In Muslim culture, asserts Nursi, a short afternoon nap was a tradition reinforced by Prophet Muhammad. Manycreative people nap during this time and often awaken refreshed and full of new ideas. Winston Churchill, prime minister of England during WWII, probably said it best: You must sleep sometime between lunch and dinner, and no half-way measures… When we use coffee and other stimulants to eliminate signals from our body, we may achieve a temporary mental alertness. But we also loose the opportunity to replenish our mental faculties depleted resources. The need for a break does not go away; instead, it either returns more strongly in the next period or we experience stress during the rest of the day.

Conclusion

Self-management lies at the heart of successful time management. When we conduct ourselves well with respect to time, we make the best use of our time. However, in the face of such adversities as lack of energy, interruptions, tendencies to diverge, and unimportant but appealing activities, it sometimes becomes difficult to control ourselves and focus on the right activity. A good understanding of how our body works makes this task easier. When we work in synchrony with our hormonal biorhythms and maximize our inherent potential, we optimize our achievements within the 24-hours allotted to us each day.

References

• Mednick, Sara et al. The Restorative Effect of Naps on Perceptual Deterioration. Nature Neuroscience, published online on May 28, 2002.
• Morgenstern, Julie. Time Management from the Inside Out. Henry Holt & Co.: 2000.
• Nursi, Said. The Flashes. Kaynak.earthlink.net /~rossi/ultradia.htm. search.ebi.eb.com/ebi/article/0,6101,33284,00.html (diabetes).
• Smolensky, Michael et al. The Body Clock Guide to Better Health. Henry Holt & Co.: 2000. Taylor Harold. Making Time Work for You. Dell: 2000.
• www.antidepressantsfacts.com/pinealstory2.htm (pinol: 1995. Rossi, Ernest. The Twenty Minute Break: The Ultradian Healing Response. Zeig, Tucker & Co.: 1991. Online at: http://homeine). www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9901/09/wakeup.call (Lubeck).
• www.growth-hormones.net/ (growth hormones). www.stanleykrippner.com/papers/Ayahuasca.htm (DMT).

With their spirits so broken, their future so dark and undefined, it is no wonder at all that their distress has led them over the edge of despair. They long for some relief, some strength to hold themselves up and stop their legs from giving way. They long for a heroic figure to give them vigour and purpose, a message of hope.

Hope is a condition of mind connected, above all, with belief. Those who believe have hope, and their degree of hope is directly proportional to their degree of belief. It is because of this that certain effects of strong belief can strike some people as miracles. And those who do not experience belief on this level therefore consider such hope and belief in others as something quite out of the ordinary.

Despair and pessimism do not arise in the mind and spirit of one who has chosen well what he believes in and, believing, has set his whole heart upon that belief.

An individual develops by means of hope. Likewise, a community gains vitality and sets about becoming prosperous by means of hope. Just as an individual who has lost all hope cannot be regarded as truly alive, so too a community devoid of hope is disabled, paralyzed.

Hope consists of a man finding his spirit and seeing the potentiality that lies within it. Perceiving that, he comes into contact with the All-Powerful and thereby obtains a power that can overcome everything. It is by that Power that a particle becomes a sun, a drop of water becomes an ocean, and by It too a man’s spirit becomes the breath of the universe.

The Prophet Adam, upon him be peace, when he realized he had erred, felt distressed and hopeless. But he shook off the hopelessness and revived when he said: ‘I wronged myself’ Satan on the other hand faltered irrecoverably and sinks forever in the void of his despair.

All courageous men who set out with the torch of hope in their hearts have weathered storms and battled against odds that once seemed impossible. In some of them, hope is like the promise of survival and safety when the ark of the Prophet Noah, upon him be peace, came to rest on Judi1: And it was said: O earth, swallow your water! And o sky, be cleared of clouds! And the water was made to subside. And the commandment was fulfilled. And it (the ark) came to rest on al-Judi. And it was said: gone are the evil-doers (Hud, 11.18). Or the hope is a dream of the lovely gardens of many-pillared Iram before indulgence wrecked its people2: Hast thou considered how thy Lord dealt with the (people) Aad, with many-columned Iram… (al-Fajr, 89.6-8). Or it is the hope of a wide transmutation – like that of a township of doubters, hypocrites or pagans become a great city of believing men and women – the hope of Yathrib become Madina.

Hope and resolution inspiring the heart of a Berber slave led him to give to the rocks of Gibraltar their name, whereby he is always remembered. Through hope, a young commander transformed himself into lightning and cut a bright change through the course of history. He attained heights few have achieved since. Such individuals, so resolved and so filled with hope, have risen to become beloved in the sight of Truth and, to their people, are like a vivid flag, an emblem of what is possible.

Even at a time when the people are cowed down in their humiliation, their pride wounded or broken, an individual who has gained faith and hope can challenge the whole order of the world as it is. He continues in his struggle even if he suffers setbacks. And as he survives through whatever disasters befall and persists in his purpose, so he brings to life those whose spirits had been all but dead before.

It is by means of hope that journeys are undertaken, and rivers of blood and pain are crossed. Only those are defeated who fail in the realm of hope. Many are those who set out, proud of their accomplishments, and then find themselves detained or diverted halfway, because of the weakness of their faith and hope. A little earthquake, a storm or flood, takes their will and resolution away. As for those who begin in hope and then, after some setback, become bogged down in despair-their condition is truly heart-breaking. But it is in fact impossible for those unable to see the truth to do otherwise when their purposes are not realized. For those who set their hearts upon wealth and position, though always mightily cheered by transient successes, are certain, sooner or later, to be utterly disappointed.

The daytime for one who, has enduring hope is as colourful as the garden of Paradise, for his heart is set upon a brightness as unfailing as the sun. His night is no less luminous. Since people of such calibre are never in the dark, the sun is always shining even when it does not appear. Those with enduring hope are rooted as solidly as great, ancient trees which neither hail or snow or freezing blizzard can cause to wither or deter from bearing fruit. Souls with hope of this quality, who have dedicated themselves to eternity, are never barren; rather, they are, in every season, fruitful, provided, ready to do what it is necessary to do.

What we need more than food, water or air, is patient, determined guides who resist corruption and hardships and never become daunted. We can derive little benefit from those who start this journey on a whim and abandon it in despair when they do not quickly attain what they are looking for, and become engaged in disputes with the Creator. The wheel of Destiny will never turn according to their corrupted way of thinking and their misguided calculations.

Now, as many buds of hope begin to appear, multitudes of seeds are waiting under the soil for the first sign of spring: may Allah give hope to the despairing.

The Fountain

1. Judi is the hill upon which the ark of the Prophet Noah, upon him be peace, came to rest; it is the name of one of the hills of the mountain called Ararat.

2. Muslim historians and interpreters of the Qur’an, from what is in the Qur’an and from historical evidence, have said that the people of Aad founded two civilizations, one in the north of the Arabian peninsula the other in the south, present-day Yemen. The latter was the civilization referred to as Iram and particularly renowned for its rich gardens. It was the most advanced of the ancient civilizations in the Middle East. The people led a luxurious, indulgent life and did not heed the warning of their prophet; iniquities and corruption so multiplied in their domains that, finally, Allah poured on them the disaster of his punishment.