Dream yoga

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dharmagreg
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Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 5:33 am

Dream yoga

Post by dharmagreg »

I have been practicing from a Vipassana retreat manual called "The Experience of Insight", written by Joseph Goldstein.

I have been able to observe the knowing factor as consciousness transitions from waking to dreaming, and know that I am dreaming when it happens, by doing big mind meditation as I go to sleep. The logic factor appears to still go to sleep much more in the dream state though. If I pay close attention to the arising of the ongoing experience, the dream dissolves.

The manual does not address dreaming or sleeping. I do not have a teacher to inquire.

Is dream yoga just applying the eightfold path to the dream state? Should the dreams dissolve? I dont believe I am sleeping anymore when that happens. I tend to just lay there for hours after and stay wakeful into the next day. I read that heat yoga is needed to be learned before dream yoga. My body puts off a lot of heat while doing big mind, is that also tummo? I don't know much about Tibetan buddhism, other than the names of a few practices. I would like to investigate further while dreaming.

I am curious, do all of the teachings unfold naturally through a continuous cultivation of the eightfold path, whether Tibetan or Theravadan?
Vasana
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Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 11:22 am

Re: Dream yoga

Post by Vasana »

dharmagreg wrote:I have been practicing from a Vipassana retreat manual called "The Experience of Insight", written by Joseph Goldstein.

I have been able to observe the knowing factor as consciousness transitions from waking to dreaming, and know that I am dreaming when it happens, by doing big mind meditation as I go to sleep. The logic factor appears to still go to sleep much more in the dream state though. If I pay close attention to the arising of the ongoing experience, the dream dissolves.

The manual does not address dreaming or sleeping. I do not have a teacher to inquire.

Is dream yoga just applying the eightfold path to the dream state? Should the dreams dissolve? I dont believe I am sleeping anymore when that happens. I tend to just lay there for hours after and stay wakeful into the next day. I read that heat yoga is needed to be learned before dream yoga. My body puts off a lot of heat while doing big mind, is that also tummo? I don't know much about Tibetan buddhism, other than the names of a few practices. I would like to investigate further while dreaming.

I am curious, do all of the teachings unfold naturally through a continuous cultivation of the eightfold path, whether Tibetan or Theravadan?
For dream and sleep yoga, Check out Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's book on the topic and Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche's book too. They are pretty concise. More concise than a few forum posts will be.

Just so you know, terms like " the logic factor " and "big mind meditation" are not really universally used terms so most of us won't know what you're refering to there.

Dream yoga is much more than just applying the 8 fold path to dreams. You can learn a lot about the nature and expressions of mind through such practice but again, the books mentioned will give you the full low-down on why such practices exist and how they can be utilized for insight and realization.

Tummo and heat is something different to what you're mentioning here. It's probably best not to worry about that stuff for now as you really can't learn or practice it from books. You can still practice a multitude of dream and enhancement practices without having mastered tummo.
'When thoughts arise, recognise them clearly as your teacher'— Gampopa
'When alone, examine your mind, when among others, examine your speech'.— Atisha
dharmagreg
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 5:33 am

Re: Dream yoga

Post by dharmagreg »

The logic factor is just a term I called it. It is the factor of mind that rationalizes logically. I do not know what the buddha called it. The first time I went to sleep observing awareness slipping in and out of the knowing, I was confronted with fear that manifested into a being that represented me. The logic, or rational thinking that took place was unknowingly being influenced by fear, causing the decision to be made to end the dream. The logical thinking aspect of mind was sleeping a bit.

The big mind meditation is the practice of noticing the arising contents of the senses, as well as noticing thoughts as they arise. The meditation progresses then by noticing that the arising phenomena of the categories I mentioned are being known in the open space of the mind. Then the meditation is to experience the mind directly, noticing that by looking for it, it can not be found. It does not exist, and yet it knows. It lacks colour, shape, it has no features. It is "clear", empty. Un-born. Objects are known, but do not compose it. The arising and passing of objects are empty in the open space of the big, spatious, empty mind.

I am interested in learning tummo and other yogas from a master that is transmitting the teachings orally,(Although I am finding it difficult to find someone to teach me). I suppose the teachings are secret to keep Tibetan buddhism from dissolving, and to discourage false enlightenment. But are the yogic teachings just different paths to the same outcome of buddhahood that other traditions share? Did the buddha practice the yogas? Or are the yogas developed as to appeal to a certain audience as a way to reveal the same contents that Gautama Buddha had discovered?

Thank you for the book suggestions. I will be reading those.
crazy-man
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Re: Dream yoga

Post by crazy-man »

no one knows whether shakyamuni also practiced these exercises of yoga.
If you really want to perform these exercises, it is necessary to have experience with the yoga tantra and especially the anuttara yoga tantra.
meanwhile there are some interesting comments for these exercises at amazon.

yoga of naropa books
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... +of+naropa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Yogas_of_Naropa

yoga of niguma books
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... +of+niguma
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niguma#Th ... _Niguma.3F

events
http://vajrapani.org/event/six-yogas-of-naropa/
http://www.naropa2016.org/about.php
http://gampoabbey.org/sopa-choling-6-yogas-of-naropa/
https://www.planetdharma.com/event/retr ... as-naropa/
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kirtu
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Re: Dream yoga

Post by kirtu »

crazy-man wrote: If you really want to perform these exercises, it is necessary to have experience with the yoga tantra and especially the anuttara yoga tantra.
Actually there is a dream yoga that can be practiced without empowerment, etc. although this is really more a sleep yoga than dream yoga per se. OTOH it is necessary that it be taught by a qualified lama so it seems to not be very openly taught. It involves going to sleep dissolving everything into Amitabha Buddha.

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
dharmagreg
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2016 5:33 am

Re: Dream yoga

Post by dharmagreg »

crazy-man wrote:no one knows whether shakyamuni also practiced these exercises of yoga.
If you really want to perform these exercises, it is necessary to have experience with the yoga tantra and especially the anuttara yoga tantra.
meanwhile there are some interesting comments for these exercises at amazon.

yoga of naropa books
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... +of+naropa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Yogas_of_Naropa

yoga of niguma books
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss ... +of+niguma
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niguma#Th ... _Niguma.3F

events
http://vajrapani.org/event/six-yogas-of-naropa/
http://www.naropa2016.org/about.php
http://gampoabbey.org/sopa-choling-6-yogas-of-naropa/
https://www.planetdharma.com/event/retr ... as-naropa/

Thank you for the book recommendations..

I dont have much money, which is why I have relied on writting to transmit teachings, instead of through auditory reception. While books are cheaper, they're still out of my spending ability for the most part. Do any temples exist that would share the knowledge of all of the teachings without requirring a fee? I remember everything after hearing it and reading it once, I could apply the knowledge to the practice while experimenting, while knowing the warning signs of wrong ways of practice. Becoming a monk would be fine with me, but if a fee is charged I would be unable to.
philji
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Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 2:26 pm

Re: Dream yoga

Post by philji »

Here is a link to an in depth teaching on Dream Yoga by the Nyingma Teacher, Chamtrul Rinpoche.
https://youtu.be/HkMhAOPtlIw
pemachophel
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Location: Lafayette, CO

Re: Dream yoga

Post by pemachophel »

Dharmagreg,

In this Kaliyuga, it's a fact of life that of the three ways to repay the Teacher for the teachings (putting the Teachings into practice, serving the Teacher physically, and making monetary or physical offerings), monetary offerings are necessary in order for Teachers to have the resources in order to be able to Teach. That's just the world we live in. It's our shared karma in this time and place.

So my suggestion is that you try to generate more merit. Then you will have the resources you want and need to receive the Teachings from authentic Teachers in the authentic way. The Buddhas and Bodhisatvas have taught a vast number of ways to generate merit regardless of whether you have money or not. These can be as cheap and simple as sprinkling sugar, grains of rice, wheat, barley, bulgar, etc. or bread crumbs around an ant-hill. Offering grain or bread crumbs to birds or fish. Offering cups of clean water. Using plastic cups, you offer them and refill them over and over again. Offering flowers (including wild flowers), candles, and incense in front of images of the Buddhas and Bodhisatvas, etc. All accompanied by the mental intention to practice generosity in order to make merit for the sake of all sentient beings. You can also read, reread, chant, and chant again the sutras. For instance, there is the Maha Shri Sutra, the Ganapati Hridaya Sutra, and the Manibhadra Dharani that are specifically taught by the Buddha to remedy lack of resources for practicing the Dharma. These can be found on-line. None of these require transmission (although transmission is always beneficial and multiplies the effects even more). When finished, dedicate the merit you have just earned to the Enlightenment and welfare of all sentient beings. Then you have made inconceivable amounts of merit. Keep doing this over and over again and eventually you will have the resources to request and receive the Teachings in an authentic way.

Good luck & best wishes.
Pema Chophel པདྨ་ཆོས་འཕེལ
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