Why Pursue Dreaming?

Dreaming article continued from previous page

After that, I stopped paying much attention to the labels of meditation, visualization, lucid, waking, dreaming, etc. In my experience, I found that these planes of consciousness were all fluidly connected, as I moved from one seemingly distinct state of awareness to another. I'm not saying that they are all the same state - they're not. What I'm suggesting is that they are very close to your everyday reality. In fact, they are as close as your next thought, body sensation, or emotion, and they are all accessible through dreams - both night dreams and the waking practices of lucid dreaming.

Later, I studied with four Tibetan Lamas: two brothers, Khempo Palden and Khempo Tsewang; Lama Rinchen; and H.E. Chogdud. They could move fluidly through different states of consciousness with the ease of a child and the skill of a master. They taught that through the practice of Tibetan Dream Yoga, our ordinary waking can be experienced as it really is - a dream -taking lucid dreaming to the next level. Their invitation was to follow along and to learn the most important lesson of all - love and compassion.

Love and compassion are inclusion; the more we love, the more we include everything within and around us. Through my Tibetan teachers and lucid dreaming experiences, I learned that love really is the answer and dreaming can be a doorway to experiencing all levels of love. No matter how we block some parts of our experience, our dreams keep bringing up images, characters, and emotions that demand attention and acceptance. You can't fool your dreaming mind, and that's very good news.

So remember, everybody dreams. With a few simple instructions and a little intention, almost everyone can begin to remember their dreams and record them in the morning. With more instructions and feedback (i.e. dream group), almost everyone can discover the meaning in their dreams. With instruction, patience, and practice you will begin to wake up in your night dreams and the waking dream of life - and you'll do it sooner than you imagine.

As this happens, you will be transformed. You will begin to include everything and everyone that you sought to exclude. The yuckie emotions and people in your life simply become another opportunity to love, accept, and move on. There's not a lot more to learn - you are already hardwired with all the software you need for the biggest adventure of your life - transformation through dreaming.

Dr. Steve Whiteman, DCH, combines bodywork,
neuro linguistics and hypnotherapy
to facilitate healing and spiritual awakening.
He also hosts a weekly Lucid Dream Group in Atlanta.
For information call 706-754-9478.