Transcript → Q+A w/Andrew |#78|
Andrew started this session answering questions submitted in advance, and followed a with discussion about psilocybin and it’s place on the meditative path, how to work with subtle energies in the unconscious mind, and a sweet gesture by a member looking for a home for a stray cat.
Submitted questions
-Regarding dream signs… I’ve been brought into lucidity twice by dream elements that were ‘too outrageous’ to accept, shocking me into lucidity. As I begin to dream journal and look for ‘signs’, should i consider dream signs to be 1) any element that recurs in my dreams; 2) outrageous elements that recur in my dreams; or 3) can i focus my intent to be on the look out for any outrageous element, even if non-recurring?
-I took Galantamine for the first time 2 nights ago. I had trouble falling asleep, and was frustrated that I was not falling asleep as fast as usual. The Liminal State was much more vivid than usual, I could manipulate the images and semi pre dreams with much more ease than usual. That night though, I did not dream (usually I can remember my dreams very well and have been journaling too. The frustration/Anxiety carried over into the blackness of dreamless sleep, I am wondering if I experienced Lucid Sleep? I could feel the mild nervous energy that I think I incubated unknowingly and I was focusing my awareness on the awareness itself. Was this lucid sleep? Can the anxious feelings (mild dis-ease) carry over into lucid sleep, even if all thoughts images, and emotions are not there, or is the body completely numb to the nervous system in this state? I woke thinking I had only slept for 2 hours, when in reality it was closer to 6.
-I am very worried about being in the bardo after death. Concerned about going into a dark realm and being born into a harsh life like the one I came into. Many years of my life were filled with emotional suffering because of childhood trauma.
-I’ve had some success with lucid dreaming previously. I’m currently in the second month of rededicating myself to the practice, hoping to progress to practicing dream yoga. In this time I’ve been keeping a dream journal and have gone from a few fragmentary recollections to 3-6 complex and interesting dreams each night. In some of these I recognize dreamsigns like a lessening of gravity or other anomalous phenomena, and realize that I am dreaming - but I have no dream superpowers! In my previous experiences with lucid dreaming I’ve gone directly from the realization that I’m in a dream, to (for example) the ability to fly (my favorite!) However my current experience is that I’ll realize that I’m dreaming, but be unable to “do anything” with that realization and remain non-lucidly in the reified dream reality. A few examples may suffice:
*I’m with some friends in a large abandoned factory, and when they pass through a wall, I realize “this is a dream”. However when I attempt to pass through the wall - it is solid and I am unable to do so, and I have to deal with the “dream reality” where I am.
*I’m in a seminar and have no shirt on. No shirt, no problem - but then I realize that I’m in a dream, and I should be able to manifest one if I wish to. I attempt to manifest a green shirt, but instead find that now my pants have gone missing as well!
As I write these examples I can provide psychological explanations for each, basically having the message “be here now”. Not a bad message at any time. However, I wonder if you have any suggestions for moving beyond what seems like a plateau?
