Hello from New York

Hi all. I’m Matt from upstate NY. I’ve been a Tibetan Buddhist practitioner for almost 25 years now. I’ve long had an interest in the bardo teachings, phowa, and related topics. I fairly recently read Andrew’s book, Preparing to Die, which I thought was truly excellent–really helpful in clarifying my understanding of the bardos. I then read his Dream Yoga (also excellent), which led me to revive my past attempts at the practice. I’m still struggling with dream yoga a bit, but am more convinced than ever of its importance and intend to persevere with it. In continuing my program of all-Andrew- all-the-time, I quite recently finished listening to his recorded online teaching Pure Lands, Hidden Lands, Sacred Lands. Again, amazing stuff–a lot of it material I have never heard before despite many years of receiving teachings in India and Nepal. Perhaps here I could sneak in a question for Alyssa (or whomever): I notice that Part II of the Pure Land Teachings is available online for registration but the teachings were given last October. Is it possible for me to buy the recorded teachings, as with Part I? I very much want to listen to Part II.

Anyhow, I am excited about joining this community and taking part in discussions about dream yoga, the bardos, etc. I look forward to it!

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Welcome Matt! I’m also Matt :grin:.

Regarding your struggles with dream yoga, there’s a nifty Q+A session with Andrew twice a month. Definitely recommend using that opportunity to get some clarity on whatever issues you are having.

Glad to have you here Matt, and hope to see you around these forums!

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Hey @Matthew welcome to NC!

I think you are in the right place. I have no doubt Andrew will be able to help you advance your LD and DY practices.

Appreciate you reminding me about this, have not listened to either, but been meaning to. I think @AlyssaModerator will be able to answer that.

How often do you have Lucid Dreams?

What do you do for your meditation practice?

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Thanks for the kind words Matt!

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Thanks for the warm welcome, Night Hawk. As to your questions: my main practice is Mahamudra. I do some other practices too, including Phowa. (In fact, I am leaving tomorrow for Kathmandu to do a Phowa retreat!) In the past, I have not put in as much effort with Dream Yoga, though recently I have been putting in more. It does not seem as if I have a great natural aptitude for it, as I only have very occasional lucid dreams. But no matter. I hope with more concerted effort and some help from Andrew and others in this community that that will change!

And by the way I really do recommend Andrew’s teachings on the Pure Lands. Very important but little known (at least in the Western Tibetan Buddhist community) stuff.

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Great place to do it. Where will the retreat be held? FYI. Phakchok Rinpoche will be giving a Phowa retreat in Cooperstown NY in late September. Not as exotic as Nepal, but an easier drive from Massachusetts.

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That’s awesome you are heading over to Nepal for a retreat. Safe travels and when you come back I’m definitely interested to hear what you got out of it. Phowa is a part of the vajarayana teaching I don’t have much familiarity with.

What kind of induction techniques have you been using for lucid dreaming? I read somewhere Andrew recommending incorporating Western induction techniques such as MILD and reality checks to the traditional induction techniques such as the red lotus visualization at the the throat. So maybe something to look into if you haven’t already. The method of getting lucid doesn’t matter as long as you can get lucid.

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Both Tibetan practices and Andrew’s “western” methods cite intention as a key factor for gaining lucidity. This morning, after a non-lucid but vivid dream, I decided wouldn’t take “NO” for an answer and indeed get lucid. Happened once before, so I hope to repeat that before too long. I don’t get discouraged when it doesn’t happen, just wash, rinse and repeat the cycle.

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Hi Barry. Thank you for the Phowa tip—I will look into it. The teachings in Nepal will be given by Ayang Rinpoche, who is definitely a Phowa master. I’ve had the so-called “course” from him before, but it’s recommended to do it as many times as possible. (My aim is to become effective in doing it for others at the time of death, if I can possibly manage that.)

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I usually do the red lotus visualization together with the setting of an intention when going to sleep. I have been a little reluctant to try MILD (or waking up two hours before getting up and taking galantamine) because I already have some difficulty falling back asleep if I wake up in the middle of the night. I do find it important to try and get enough sleep. But I want results as well so I may end up trying MILD.

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This concern is what kept me from practicing he WBTB menhod for a long time. Also initially any time I tired to do it with Galantamine, it over stimulated me and I could not go back to bed.

After close to year of trying to develop a tolerance to Galantamine, I have had 2 minor successful attempts at WBTB. However, I made sure to do it on weekend nights when I was extremely sleep deprived and woke up 5-6 hours into the sleep sycle naturally. After taking the galantamine, it took me 2-3 hours to get back to bed, and I spent that time saturating my mind with books or material on Lucid dreaming.

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I am a newb to much of the Buddhist teachings, so definitely looking forward to learning more about Phowa and the Mahamudra tradition and practices.

That is very cool. Have great trip, and stay safe. I definitely think there is a power in learning sacred teachings at sacred sites.

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I apologize for the delay, I was double checking on this for you. Pure Lands II is not available for purchase, but will be held as a future event!
Hope this helps.

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Having a daily reality check practice helps too, and if you are consistent enough you may not even need MILD or WBTB, just the habit of doing reality checks will work. I’ve had similar thoughts about the more invasive techniques like WBTB or that one where you totally change up your sleeping schedule (forget what it’s called). As for MILD I usually wake up once or twice in the middle of the night anyways, so it’s a perfect time to do it then as I’m already up. If you also usually wake up in the middle of the night, that’d be a good time to try it. It doesn’t keep you up, you just imagine yourself in the dream you were just in but this time lucid.

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Thanks Alyssa! I will be on the lookout for Pure Lands II.

Thanks Matt—all good suggestions. As for reality checks, I’ve been doing illusory form practice pretty regularly (taught by Andrew in his Dream Yoga if I recall) the last couple months. A key part of it is throughout the day reminding yourself that this is all a dream, a manifestation of mind. Hopefully the effect is the same as with reality checks. But maybe not?

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This is the practice I carry a lot. When I was originally trying to induce lucid dreams I did tons of reality checks while I believed fully this world was a dream. I would pinch my nose and try to breathe in almost every situation I could.

An in-between way would be using looking at text looking away and looking back to act as a trigger to remember your illusory form practice. Text is very stable in my dreams but I associate this reality check with lucidity and illusory form.

IMO while trying to start your practices use all techniques you can to your advantage. Hope you enjoy your retreat!

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I started to do the nose hold test religiously about 3 weeks ago, and it has started to show up in dreams. With 2 successful minor lucid dreams.

I have also heard multiple skilled lucid dreamers say that the nose hold is their go to method for reality checks, becuase its so highly,effective. Based off my limited but quick success with it, I can see why they feel this way.

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This. I went through and made a point while I was having a lot more frequent lucid dreams to thoroughly test reality checks. The main reason was to provide my mom with the best one and the nose pinch is the only reality check that has never failed in my dreams.

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Yes illusory form helps a lot. If you are always questioning your reality in waking life you will do it in dreams too. My personal practice though is to add reality checks to this (or “status checks” as Andrew likes to call them). I find they go very well with each other. The phrase I like to use for illusory form practice is “Is this a dream?” and I find this naturally flows right into a reality check whenever I see something anomalous.

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