From a site visitor: I\'m curious if there is a relationship between lucid dreaming (I\'ve heard it\'s also been called \"Tibetan dream yoga\") and enlightenment. There are obvious similiarities, but is there (or can there be) a direct relationship between the two? Kelly
F. Hello, Kelly. Thx for the question. The scope of this site being what it is, and understanding Maharaj’s point that Advaita is a philosophy with teaching that are supported by scientific facts, the response will be from the Advaita base and the factual base. That will provide two pointers: (1) the intent of the Advaita approach is always to use concepts to be rid of concepts, so why not discard concepts involving lucid anything and Tibetan anything and yoga anything and, yes, Advaita anything, in the end? And (2) look always, first and foremost, at the facts and look always, ultimately, to the inner resource that can reveal all.
So, first and foremost, the facts: consciousness, as with all forms of energy, is always in motion. Waves moving through the brain will always be in motion until that moment that persons call “death.” When the waves slow to the delta level, deep sleep happens (offering an opportunity once every 24 hours to practice “dying physically” and to practice "dying the death of ego or the death of the ‘I’”—when you really do forget “self” for a period). As the speed of the waves increase slightly from that delta state, the shift is to what is called “the theta level.” It is at that wave speed that dreams and visions come. Can visions result in understandings that have not yet been appreciated at the fully conscious level, if the contents are later considered at the beta brain wave level? Yes. [See http://floydhenderson.com/spiritjourney.htm .]
For example, the “enlightenment” that happened with “floyd” came after reading transcripts time and again of instances where protégés were visiting gurus and asking for the specific steps to take in order for Full Realization to happen, only to hear the gurus offer evasive or intangible responses. While searching for those exact steps to Realization, the vision came and provided the answer. Can the remembrance of dreams be enhanced? Sure. Set a pad beside the bed and condition yourself to write reminder notes about the content each time you wake. You will start remembering more and more content. All that having been said, it’s much ado about nothing. Any vision that comes that would be worth remembering will be remembered. (In fact, rather than struggling to remember all the details of the vision recounted on the CD above, the details cannot be forgotten.)
That’s the factual or scientific view. Now, for the Advaita view: this process of “attaining enlightenment” is a hoax in that there is no one to attain anything. Being Realized, however, is a simple process that requires neither lucid dreaming skills nor lucid dream analysis; rather, it involves questioning all of your programming, seeing that it’s all myth-based or self-serving and human-based, discarding it all, and then being open to receiving the truth via the inner guru that is already there. It need not be attained. You already “have” it.
All so-called "spiritual work" is useless, whether working to dream in a lucid fashion, working to recall and record dreams, or working to gain something or prevent the loss of something. Instead, keep it simple. That is the suggestion. The Original Understanding was known intuitively by humans and human-like beings that had a brain with far fewer grams of weight than yours and far less development than yours, and they did not do “work” or do “spiritual exercises” to “get” the understanding. They “experienced” it intuitively. They never verbalized it; they all just knew it. So do You. Realization does not require brain work nor physical work nor spiritual work nor religious work nor emotional work nor dream work. All of those are hindrances; in fact, all such work is a hindrance. Actually, from the Advaita view, dreams are the “problem”: persons are walking about in their dreams, taking their dreams to be that which is real.
The suggestion then? Kick back, relax, and take it easy. Read these postings, if you choose. If a vision comes, it comes. If it does not come, so it is. You can always listen to the vision on the CD at the site above or you can read a recounting of it without charge on the website at www.floydhenderson.com. For now, recall every word or phrase you have ever used after the expression “I am.” Write them all down, if you like. Then see how each of those statements is a lie. After that, if You see that You are none of those roles or labels, ask WHO (or more accurately) WHAT You Are, Truly. THAT Which “Kelly” Truly Is is not what anyone has told her she is. Tap that inner resource and find WHAT You Are now, what You have always Been, and what You shall always Be. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
[TOMORROW: No posting. Out of town to discuss “The Seven Steps to Reality” with a group.]
F. Hello, Kelly. Thx for the question. The scope of this site being what it is, and understanding Maharaj’s point that Advaita is a philosophy with teaching that are supported by scientific facts, the response will be from the Advaita base and the factual base. That will provide two pointers: (1) the intent of the Advaita approach is always to use concepts to be rid of concepts, so why not discard concepts involving lucid anything and Tibetan anything and yoga anything and, yes, Advaita anything, in the end? And (2) look always, first and foremost, at the facts and look always, ultimately, to the inner resource that can reveal all.
So, first and foremost, the facts: consciousness, as with all forms of energy, is always in motion. Waves moving through the brain will always be in motion until that moment that persons call “death.” When the waves slow to the delta level, deep sleep happens (offering an opportunity once every 24 hours to practice “dying physically” and to practice "dying the death of ego or the death of the ‘I’”—when you really do forget “self” for a period). As the speed of the waves increase slightly from that delta state, the shift is to what is called “the theta level.” It is at that wave speed that dreams and visions come. Can visions result in understandings that have not yet been appreciated at the fully conscious level, if the contents are later considered at the beta brain wave level? Yes. [See http://floydhenderson.com/spiritjourney.htm .]
For example, the “enlightenment” that happened with “floyd” came after reading transcripts time and again of instances where protégés were visiting gurus and asking for the specific steps to take in order for Full Realization to happen, only to hear the gurus offer evasive or intangible responses. While searching for those exact steps to Realization, the vision came and provided the answer. Can the remembrance of dreams be enhanced? Sure. Set a pad beside the bed and condition yourself to write reminder notes about the content each time you wake. You will start remembering more and more content. All that having been said, it’s much ado about nothing. Any vision that comes that would be worth remembering will be remembered. (In fact, rather than struggling to remember all the details of the vision recounted on the CD above, the details cannot be forgotten.)
That’s the factual or scientific view. Now, for the Advaita view: this process of “attaining enlightenment” is a hoax in that there is no one to attain anything. Being Realized, however, is a simple process that requires neither lucid dreaming skills nor lucid dream analysis; rather, it involves questioning all of your programming, seeing that it’s all myth-based or self-serving and human-based, discarding it all, and then being open to receiving the truth via the inner guru that is already there. It need not be attained. You already “have” it.
All so-called "spiritual work" is useless, whether working to dream in a lucid fashion, working to recall and record dreams, or working to gain something or prevent the loss of something. Instead, keep it simple. That is the suggestion. The Original Understanding was known intuitively by humans and human-like beings that had a brain with far fewer grams of weight than yours and far less development than yours, and they did not do “work” or do “spiritual exercises” to “get” the understanding. They “experienced” it intuitively. They never verbalized it; they all just knew it. So do You. Realization does not require brain work nor physical work nor spiritual work nor religious work nor emotional work nor dream work. All of those are hindrances; in fact, all such work is a hindrance. Actually, from the Advaita view, dreams are the “problem”: persons are walking about in their dreams, taking their dreams to be that which is real.
The suggestion then? Kick back, relax, and take it easy. Read these postings, if you choose. If a vision comes, it comes. If it does not come, so it is. You can always listen to the vision on the CD at the site above or you can read a recounting of it without charge on the website at www.floydhenderson.com. For now, recall every word or phrase you have ever used after the expression “I am.” Write them all down, if you like. Then see how each of those statements is a lie. After that, if You see that You are none of those roles or labels, ask WHO (or more accurately) WHAT You Are, Truly. THAT Which “Kelly” Truly Is is not what anyone has told her she is. Tap that inner resource and find WHAT You Are now, what You have always Been, and what You shall always Be. Please enter the silence of contemplation.
[TOMORROW: No posting. Out of town to discuss “The Seven Steps to Reality” with a group.]
