American novelist Truman Capote said: “I can’t think unless I’m lying down.” Do you know the importance of sleeping, lying down, and the deep philosophy involved in these actions that you think are ordinary? The German writer Bernd Brunner analyzes the philosophy of sleep and lying down, to recount the history of sleep and its various traditions throughout human history, as well as the various myths that occur when sleeping.
These questions extend to analyzing the impact of these actions on a person’s thought and life, whether lying down, which gives a person an opportunity to contemplate what is around him and rethinking things, or sleeping, which renews his activity and motivation, and perhaps his outlook on life, and how these actions can increase our emotional feelings. The bed It is not only the place we lie down and sleep on, but it is where we sleep, dream, meditate, succumb to sad moods, fantasize, and even suffer on it.
Bernd Brunner confirms in his book “The Art of Lying Down Why Do We Sleep… Why Do We Wake Up… And Why Do We Live?”, published by Dar Al-Arabi for Publishing and Distribution (translated by Dr. Samar Mounir), that our bodies are qualified to perform beyond the limited movements that we ask of them today. We sit for a very long time, and move much less than our ancestors, who lived a few generations ago. We were born to perform variable forms of movement, from walking, to lying down, standing, sitting, and more, thanks to our genetic makeup and physical predispositions.
As for remaining in a lying position, it is only one of these forms. However, the temptation to surrender to the force of gravity is strong, as it attracts us towards the Earth, and we are in a constant struggle with this force. We use a large amount of our energy against gravity, even if we are not fully aware of it. Absolutely, as we are accustomed to that, and we do it automatically.
The author believes that walking and lying down are two sides of the same coin, as the presence of one necessitates the presence of the other in some way. Whoever walks, walks, runs, or practices rowing to the point of exhaustion is the only person who knows the endless sense of relaxation that lying down can bring, while Others remain deprived of this experience, and some in turn see lying down from a different perspective, as they consider lying down an escape, when our bodies become burdened and things become very difficult, as lying down represents returning to point zero.
- Smart strategy
The book explains that we tend to consider the person lying down passive, unable to move, or submissive to others, and this often, of course, has no relation at all to the motives of the person lying down. Perhaps he wants to fan his body, relax, and unwind, or perhaps he wants to capture He takes his breath for his next step, and lying down can be part of a smart strategy, when a person is in a state of ambush or anticipation.
It can also be rebellion, as when many people suddenly gather, lie down and block the movement of passers-by and vehicles, in order to protest to demand something, or to object to something. In addition, lying down also represents the preferred position of a lazy person, absolute laziness. He seeks nothing, no joy, not even satisfaction, and it does not occur to a lazy person to make the slightest effort to enjoy. Fatigue is often the only acceptable reason to lie down, so why is this not appreciated? We are often constantly surrounded by warnings that we must remain in motion at every moment, and that anything otherwise is a sign of lack of discipline, weakness, and lack of ambition. In a world where activity and making the best possible use of time fall within… Basic principles, and some people are filled with pride when work is finished in the office late at night. The time in which a person lies down must be considered definitely wasted time, and it is not permissible to remain in a horizontal position except in order to replenish energy, and that is for the least possible time.
Bernd Brunner was born on May 27, 1964 in Berlin. He is an author of non-fiction books, famous for his exploration of the relationship between man and everything that seems simple on the surface, such as the moon, lying down, pears, and pomegranates. He graduated from the Faculty of Economics at the University of Berlin. His works are characterized by a style that combines literature, science, and history, and his books are among the most widely read among readers, and have been translated into more than ten languages.