This thread has really brought up some interesting points. Turq's point about lucid dreaming and Vaj's description of different varieties of sleep witnessing were especially fascinating for me.
I think it is time to clear the whole thing up from the perspective of an enlightened master. And you'll notice that the Yogananda people use the same video "expert" as TMO. BTW you have all been sleeping "wrong" so far so listen up: http://youtube.com/watch?v=feh3wPk3oCo&feature=related --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > On Feb 25, 2008, at 6:51 PM, ruthsimplicity wrote: > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Vaj <vajranatha@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > On Feb 25, 2008, at 3:01 PM, ruthsimplicity wrote: > > > > > > > I still want someone to tell me what they believe are the signs of > > > > "witnessing" sleep. Whatever the stage of the sleep. > > > > > > > > Vaj? > > > > > > > > > The witnessing of waking, sleeping and dreaming parallel the > > > meditative states of the calm state (no thought, dreamless > > > witnessing), movement of thought (dream state fabricating itself > > from > > > thought forms) and collapse of dream/dreamless back to waking (or > > the > > > death of waking into sleep). There are "sandhis" or "gaps" in the > > > transitions between these and very similar or the same as "dying". > > The > > > witnessing in deep sleep is like awareness witnessing a void, > > although > > > that dualistic witnessing can be further relaxed and it unifies > > into a > > > kind of 'luminous vacuity' where you simply rest, awake, aware. If > > you > > > can relax even further, you can see thoughts begin to shatter the > > > surface of the calm and dreams emerge into existence. If you relax > > > enough the state of luminous vacuity or clear light, the state of > > > unification pervades all the states and you watch thoughts emerge, > > > come and then go. Dreams become very under control--if you want to > > > meditate for hours, you can--and only a couple of minutes will > > pass in > > > "waking time". Some people will use it to gain tomes of knowledge or > > > simply to get answers to pressing questions or situations. If you > > are > > > able to relax enough to actually go through the "death" of falling > > > asleep and embrace the spheres of dreaming and deep sleep by > > expanding > > > beyond them, you remain aware, seamlessly enjoying the whole cycle. > > > The added advantage is resting in the bliss sheath of deep sleep is > > > somehow miraculously healing and rejuvenating. You awake as if > > cleaned > > > from the inside out, clean and clear. > > > > > > And the interesting thing? You know that grogginess of emerging > > from a > > > nights sleep? Not only is it totally gone, there's no gap or seam at > > > all between sleeping and arising. > > > > > > Some styles of witness, those associated with the head chakras can > > be > > > too "bright" for some people. If they fall into this type of > > witness, > > > it can develop into a sleep disturbance as it doesn't keep you wide > > > awake, but it doesn't let you fall into real deep sleep either. In a > > > case like that, I just place awareness in the hridayam and gently > > fall > > > asleep as I was taught. Not nearly as "bright" and supports deep > > sleep > > > easier. Once I get some rejuvenation, then I can raise it to the > > head > > > centers again and you can integrate the motion aspect (of thought > > > energy). The heart center tends to habituate for the calm state and > > > deep sleep, the head centers for "movement" of thought. > > > > > > > > > I can't grok this. Can you recommend a reading? > > If you dig a more Hindu trip, try Enlightenment Without God by Swami > Rama. If a more Buddhist slant hits you, I liked The Tibetan Yogas of > Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Swami Rama's Yoga and > Psychotherapy: The Evolution of Consciousness explains a lot of what > I'm touching on from a Hindu POV. But be open to the possibility that > maybe of receiving some teaching on it and driving it for yourself > might be the only way to grok it. >
