Originally published at: http://nightclub.andrewholecek.com/webinar/webinar-questions/webinar-33-qa-session/
This webinar was devoted entirely to question and answer.
Write-in questions answered during the webinar:
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I want to become a lucid dreamer but I hardly EVER remember a dream. How the hell do I get started? Thanks.
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Have you had any experience with virtual reality? Do you have any thoughts about how virtual reality might be used to aid the practice of lucid dreaming and dream yoga?
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Can you please describe /explain âpointing toâ and ânature of mindâ practice?
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Iâm still exploring your thought experiment in both your first book and in Dream Yoga (p.252-253). Your conclusion is that objects in dreams (and thus in âwaking lifeâ) are reflexively aware. But if itâs my reification that freezes the light into appearing objects, how can that be? I understand that thereâs no dreamer, only luminosity that knows itself. But itâs not solidified into appearing objects, is it?
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Lately, when I am meditating with my eyes closed, there are flashes of light, almost like the old fashioned flash bulbs lighting up an object. The objects are pretty mundane, but brilliant in radiance. It also happens if I am mindful as I fall asleep. What are these?
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Can you speak to the variance in levels of lucidity that tends to occur across different lucid dreams? More specifically, why do some dreams have a higher level of clarity and ability to cut through to recognize the dream as a dream, and do you have any tools that you use to try to increase clarity and âcontrolâ when you find yourself in a less-clear/stable dream?
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After reading âWhy we sleepâ and understanding the immense benefits of sleep, I was wondering if there have been other studies showing some of the same benefits,( ie, memory retention, integration and consolidation,) from meditation or from dream yoga. It is a practical question for yogiâs because the choice is often, sleep vs. meditation, in terms of ones time. Intuitively, I feel the deep rest I receive from meditation is worth the lost sleep, but I donât like losing some of the many benefits expressed by Walker in âWhy We Sleep.â
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Our western sensibilities tell us that in our dreams we are essentially communicating with our deeper selves. But in the 18 months since I met a disguised dakini in a dream who blocked my path and told me that I needed to find a new one, I have had a number of dream experiences that have led me in a more expansive directionâŚâŚincluding a very powerful one that I recently spoke of in a community posting. I feel as though we may be a part of a more expansive coalescence of consciousness that we can gain access to in the stillness of a strongly lucid dream or, more specifically, in the occasional intense clarity of the liminal space between them. Can you speak to that possibility?
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How do you connect shamatha meditation practice with lucid dreaming practice?
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(1) In one of your interviews you briefly talked about the âPause Practiceâ. Would you elaborate on that practice? (2) You frequently refer to your experiences with Virtual Reality. How does one access this technology, especially in the age of social distancing?
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Over several years I built up a semi-stable lucid dream practice (it never came easy to me) but then, about 4 years ago, it suddenly went completely âdarkâ (back to not recalling even fragments of non lucid dreams â just blackness). I have tried and tried the same and different techniques to get back on course and I have thought a lot about why I should have lost ground this way. During this time I did enter a difficult life period on several fronts, which affected my âequilibriumâ, as well as starting bearing witness outside abattoirs regularly (which is like going to Auschwitz twice a month) which has had a radical impact on my spiritual practice. Have you any comments about this loss of lucidity and offer any advice to help me get back on course?
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I would be grateful if you would speak more deeply on the subject of dedicating merit, especially on whether it is possible ( or even desirable) for an non-awakened person to transfer merit to another person. My understanding on this matter is rather superficial at the moment, I canât see what you would actually be giving away, because I think if it was sincerely done, surely, it would increase your merit (as well as hopefully the other persons).
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Iâm 76yo. Just completing a book project that has taken 15 years of gut-wrenching âhouse cleaningâ about my 45 years in recovery from childhood abuse, abandonment, and neglect. I have a lot of experience over the years with dreams as part of my therapy along with many lucid dreams, clairvoyance, clairaudient, and a life-affirming very powerful OBE. According to Elaine Aron, Iâm a full-on HSP. Iâm sensing that lingering feelings of sadness and fear are holding me back from being able to consciously call out the fact that Iâm dreaming while Iâm dreaming, or âCapture the Dream Stateâ, as it were. Iâve already experienced the âtoo excitedâ experience in the lucid state, which of course, shuts it right down. I suppose I can answer my own question by simply continuing the discipline of daily practice, continue my 40+ years of meditation practice and study, and just hang in there. Any thoughts?
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My first series of lucid dreams last year were extremely vivid. Interacting with the greater awareness became easy and life changing. I was having around 3-4 lucid dreams a week and once had 7 in a week. My technique to enter lucid awareness is by practicing awareness and meditation during the day and auto-suggestion before bed and after waking that, âI am dreamingâ. Wake Induced LDâs were also regular. After focusing my hands began to decrease in effectiveness in relation to stabilizing, I began spinning, rubbing my hands or falling backwards. Soon after, dreams became fuzzy and dark. âClarity nowâ, has never worked. It should be noted that the decrease in effectiveness in dream stabilization took place shortly after I tried getting lottery numbers. Taking it as a sign, I took a break for about a month and a half which resulted in me practicing less meditation. This made life very tough. I resumed daily meditation and dealing with my life situation became a lot easier. I use TWRâs guided meditations online as well. I resumed my lucid dreaming practice, but my dreams were still dark and hazy. Even though I could become lucidly aware, I gained no response from the greater awareness and could not stabilize my dreams as I once did when I first began inducing LDâs regularly. I stopped again and resumed about a month ago and continue having the same problems. When I rub my hands, itâs super slow, and therefore ineffective. I tried falling backwards last night, with no effect on stabilizing. The only thing left is spinning, and that stopped working last yearâŚ. Could you please make any suggestions to help me get back to ultra vivid lucid dreams where I can interact with the Greater Awareness again? Lucid dreaming has become almost the opposite of what it once was for me. I know that during my first LDâs this year, I was becoming too excited, so I have been modulating my emotions after becoming lucidly aware. Please, please help!
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(1) In using Gallantamine, while I find dream recall to be excellent, the dreams themselves seem busier, more manic and stranger than usual. Have others had that experience? Any suggestions. (2) I took your class with Boulder Shambhala and found it very helpful. I am interested in the reverse meditations. Did you mention that Wangchuk Dorje taught on this? If so, where can one find these teachings? Is it in the Ocean of Definitive Meaning?
Not included in this list are the live questions asked by members during the session.