Author Topic: lucid dreams  (Read 5252 times)

Wesley

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lucid dreams
« on: January 31, 2008, 03:21:44 PM »
I' ve heard a few methods,any more suggestions?

I know it's not DS related,but it is related to my practice...

Thank you.
BLessings,
Wesley
« Last Edit: February 22, 2008, 07:16:22 AM by Admin »

Alexis

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Re: lucid dreams
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2008, 05:10:13 PM »
Wesley,

You will find the main methods in Guide to Dakiniland.


yours,
« Last Edit: February 22, 2008, 07:16:42 AM by Admin »

Mohani

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Re: lucid dreams
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2008, 11:26:27 PM »

Im not very experienced. I think lucid dreaming is being aware that you are dreaming and being able to take control of what happens, is this right?
I have not come across explicit methods for accomplishing this in the Ganden tradition. I did read a book some years ago by Namkha Norbu (a popular Dzogchen teacher) called  'Dream yoga and the practice of natural light' which I think was dealing with this.
The practice in Guide to Dakini Land that was mentioned, the yoga of sleep, has 2 methods. Without going into too much detail, one is according to Generation stage the other is according to Completion stage. The latter is more interested in the proccesses that take place before dreaming (and it functions to prevent dreaming), and the former is a method for improving our experience of Generation stage and helping us with the second yoga, the yoga of rising.
I guess any practice of trying to be mindful when falling asleep may help us to be aware of our dreams.
As always, its probably good to check with your teacher about such things.

Thanks
x



hope rainbow

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Re: lucid dreams
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2012, 08:36:27 AM »
Are "lucid dreams" and "out-of-body" experiences actually the same?

Big Uncle

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Re: lucid dreams
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2012, 03:39:54 PM »
Actually this thread doesn't belong here and it should be in the Buddhism section but the thread was posted way before its inception. I first heard about lucid dreaming many years ago when a friend of mine told me about it. He told me that he had dream-like states in which he was somehow aware that he's dreaming and he could control the situation in his dream. I was shocked and fascinated. I wondered why it had never happened to me before.

However, it did happen to me once not too long ago. I was shocked because I dreamed I was talking to a person in this dream. I don't recognize this person but I was engaged in a friendly conversation. Suddenly, it dawned on me that I was in a dream and I got angry. I shouted at the person, "Who are you?" The person responded with a vague answer and that infuriated me and I shouted to go away. Before I knew it, I woke up and I was frozen in sleep paralysis with a buzzing sound in my ear. I struggled for awhile before I was released from the paralysis.

I don't really know what that meant but I think the person in my dream was a spirit that was trying to influence me negatively and the reason why I suddenly realized it and shouted to chase it away was because of the blessings of my Lama and Dorje Shugden. I can't think of a better answer and it still sends shivers when I think of this. I never had another lucid dream experience again after that.

Ensapa

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Re: lucid dreams
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2012, 06:32:02 PM »
Some of my dreams are lucid, and i actually do not dream a lot. Sometimes things happen after i dream and more often than not, it is a sign of something happening or that something will happen. There was actually a few times where I dreamt of my own Lama in a number of different ways. My dreams about my Lama are always extremely lucid.  Some of them are quite auspicious, while some of them were not auspicious and were actually a sneak preview of what is to come. The sad part is sometimes it always happens in the way where the situation turns out to be what the dream has indicated and nothing can be done about it prior to the dream. Lucid dreams can come in 2 forms: it's either that it is a result of having very strong craving for something until it gets stuck in the mind to the point that it dominates the mind, basically, the will of the dreamer, and a dream where the protector or a Buddha shows signs.  People who are often in denial have many and continuous dreams non stop because they are suppressing what they know is wrong but they wish to believe that it is right despite everything telling them that it is wrong and they knowing it, and their dreams can be pretty lucid and real too because they have been suppressing themselves too much during the day.

In general however, dreams are usually just an expression of the subconscious mind. It is just another way of how the mind deals with extra energy and emotions. It does not represent anything much unless of course the dream gave a vision of the Dharma center that you need to go to and all the directions to there. At our level, it is very impossible for dreams to actually benefit us.