Waking, Dreaming, Emptiness
It has been said that long time meditators can stay conscious not only in the waking state, but also through dreaming sleep (such as lucid dreaming) and deep, dream-less sleep.
One might wonder why you would even attempt such a feat.
The reason is, once again, identifying yourself with the Witness within - the essence of YOU that is not confined to your body, mind, personality, etc. It is not just saying, but truly realizing that "it is not I, but Christ that lives in me."
I had my first glimpse of that this week. I was dreaming about driving down the road and watching a tornado come toward my car. At this point the car started to shake, everything got weird and scary - and then... I woke up.
But it was interesting because - and it's really hard to put into words (like any nondual experience) - but it's like there was no 'shift' between dreaming and waking. There was this "I AM" base to both experiences. It was the first time I'd had this experience and was fairly fascinating.
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Remember that "Ed" episode about him learning how to "lucid dream".... well even if you don't, I do and it was a very good episode. I miss that show and I know you miss Carol Vessy. The end.
I had a somewhat similar dream this week. When I woke up and started going about my day, I had a feeling it was about New Orleans. Do you suppose it is possible you were helping folks out down there?
Amy-
Heck yes, I remember. In fact, during Ed's lucid dream, Hall and Oats were playing in the bowling lanes. Hilarious.
Mark-
Wow. Interesting. I hadn't put 2+2 together.
I find the idea of lucid dreaming very interesting because of a problem I periodically have called "sleep paralysis". This is when your body is still in the sleep/paralysed state but your mind has come awake. It's so weird - not able to move or wake up, seeing and hearing stuff you know damn well aren't there.
Lucid dreaming helps with that because it teaches you how to guide yourself through a dream - or to actually change the course of a dream. Just the awareness of a dream while dreaming seems amazing to me.
I imagine your dream and experience was fascinating.
"The reason is, once again, identifying yourself with the Witness within - "
I'm learning slowly, and at my own pace this aknowleding and then identifying with the Witness. It is a very persoanl experience and no two souls learn at the same pace, so I'm exercising patience.
Your dreaming is a blessing- occassionally when dreaming I have the ability to tell myself I'm only dreaming and continue on.
"It is not just saying, but truly realizing that 'it is not I, but Christ that lives in me.'"
Again, this takes a lot of courage to come to realize- would you agree?
This is interesting. I think my only experience was back in July. The line about no shift between dreaming and waking sounds about right. The most amazing part for me was the sound. It was completely different from any other dream. Of course I was 30 some hours out of surgery and probably still had lots of drugs in my system. Nonetheless, good post, I will have to look into the subject.
I had a very lucid dream last night where I was walking up a deserted path up into the mountains, and looking down at the red clay dirt mixed with the rocks and then gazing up into the blue sky and the crystal clear horizon- and I had a conversation with myself. I reminded myself that I was the Witness- I was not the dirt, the rocks, the sky or even these thoughts or this dream. I told myself to rest in the Witness...and I proceeded to the top of the mountain and disappeared.
Granted, the Ken Wilber book you gave me is worn well now and your words regarding Witnessing have always resonated with me, even before discovering Wilber- it was a most incredible experience, one that will last with me forever.
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