Preliminary Practices for Working with Dreams
I would like to share some of my recent experiences and reflections on the Yoga of Dreams.
This is a practice that requires commitment and I am not always as commited as I would like to be.
However setting a realistic goal is important for all of us.
I often fall asleep early on winters nights so any regular practice needs to be done ideally on nights when I am less tired.
Choosing days when I know I have less work commitments and selecting those nights for regular practice makes sense even if that means that I only practice two or three nights a week.
I have found with Yoga practice that when I attempt to do too much I end up doing nothing at all, so I would rather do what fits comfortably into my life and get the benefits of a regular Dream Yoga practice.
To start with it is vital to undertand the potential that dream holds for the spiritual journey.
From previous quotes in this section we have questioned this idea of reality. (Chuang Tse)
Are dreams real?
Is waking life real?
If we dream the same dream every night for five hours then what is more real?
Wakefulness or Dream state?
To begin working with dreams we must realize that wakefulness is as unreal as dream.
Preparation and creating good foundations for practice is important because it means that you can always come back to the basics especially when the more advanced practices become challenging.
The initial practice can also be a used as a home base or somewhere to come back to for processing and calm reflection.
Sit with your thoughts for five minutes and begin to distance yourself from them by gradually turning your attention to the ebb and flow of the breath.
Feel that ebb and flow as it moves your whole body.
Notice any parts of the body that feel disconnected from the ebb and flow of the breath, and consciously relax them until the movement of breath can be sensed in the whole body.
Abide in this experience for a while until your mind is peaceful and your body is relaxed.
Tratak
The sanskrit word Tratak means to gaze steadily.
Select an object (The object can be anything that will help to calm and steady the mind such as a Yantra or Mandala, a candle flame, a devotional symbol, the moon, a star, a picture etc)
Place the selected object in front of the eyes and gaze steadily without blinking.
Avoid all distractions. Keep the gaze steady throughout.
Set a time for practice which is no longer than twenty minutes to start with.
After the gazing, proceed to the next stage which is internal (antar) Tratak in which the eyes are closed and the image is held clearly in the mind's eye.
This practice is used in Yoga and affects many levels of our being.
In Dream Yoga it is an essential preliminary practice and opens the doorway to our Dream state.
Published by liz on Monday, 11 November 2013,
last updated on Monday, 11 November 2013 at 3:28PM
Categories:
Yoga of Dreams