Acharya Prashant addresses the guilt associated with sleeping for long durations and the societal pressure to be constantly productive. He explains that the body is capable of self-regulation and one should allow it to rest without unnecessary mental interference. He points out that humans have been conditioned to believe that labor is essential for self-worth and that the ego thrives on the idea that achievements are solely the result of hard work. In contrast, nature—including animals, rivers, and mountains—operates with a natural, effortless flow rather than through laborious struggle. He suggests that the inability to rest is a deep-seated psychological ailment, noting that while people feel proud of working twelve hours, they feel ashamed of sleeping for the same duration. He further argues that many global crises, such as climate change and the extinction of species, are driven by excessive human activity. If humans were more inclined toward rest and less toward constant production, the environment would benefit significantly. He references the Industrial Revolution, noting that despite increased productivity through machines, human leisure did not increase because people lack inner peace and cannot bear to sit quietly with themselves. Citing Ashtavakra, he mentions that a wise person is often described as being as 'lazy' as a python—moving only when necessary and remaining in deep repose otherwise. Acharya Prashant concludes that true action or struggle for the world can only arise from a state of deep internal rest, and one should not feel guilty for sleeping.
