I have been working with this as a daytime exercise off and on for a few months now. When I find my mind getting crowded with that never ending flow of thoughts that we are all familiar with…I consciously (and out loud often) say “STOP THE FLOW”. In that moment of pure awareness I concentrate on whatever is in my field of vision, taking it completely in non-dually.
My hope has been that eventually that will translate into the dream and I will be able to stop the constant flow of samsaric dream images.
So…last night that happened and the result was quite surprising. It was as if somebody had turned off the projector. In an instant I went from the crystal clear and colorful dream scene that I was engaged in to looking at an opaque and featureless ground. I had been about to pick up a ball from vivid green grass and was bent over studying the grass intently when this happened.
It was, by far, the most intensely conscious I have ever been in the dream state. It was as if there was suddenly no dream at all and instead I was surrounded by open and spacious ground…I tried to rise and look around but there were no legs anymore. I told myself to hold on…I looked for my hands but there were no hands. It was so disconcerting that I, of course, woke up.
Tonight I will remember to recognize the dream state, stop the flow…and seek the open ground.
Just sharing and wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience.