Time is an illusion. What we perceive as time is the movement of energy, which is why the amount of our conscious perception seems to alter time. When we awaken consciousness, we perceive more of nature and of the processes occurring in our own psychology, so we are able to comprehend more from our experience of life. As we are interested in achieving greater self-cognizance, we should strive to be as consciously awake as possible in each moment, including when we are physically asleep.
"If thou canst not make thine own self what thou desireth, how shalt thou be able to fashion another to thine own liking. We are ready to see others made perfect, and yet we do not amend our own shortcomings."
—Thomas à Kempis