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I noticed the dramatic shiift in my dream life, when I began practising. Prior to that I had a dream diary and studied dreams and had a therapist with whom I worked on my dreams. Once I started doing qi gong. boof! no dreams. I dream a handful of times a year now, usually abut moving into a bigger space!

Hello, I have been quite the avid lucid dreamer for about 18 years now. I keep a dream journal. I was just wondering if any other tao bums here that have experienced a dream only to see it come to fruition in real life? Just interested in pretty much any input, personal experience or anything of that ilk. I put this here because i am new here and don't want to waste space in the main forums.

Birth memories revisited... A tunnel dream, a train dream, a highway dream, darkening, raining, being unable to see -- then light at the end of it -- these are all very typical memory dreams that tell you a lot about the way you were born. The plot is symbolic, and doesn't mean much, but the feeling is real, and means you've been there done that. Everything you are remembers -- except for the neocortex, whose job it is to forget the real and come up with a symbolic representation using the context of the present, the context of adulthood, to make sense of the feeling that is not current, is very early, and was experienced before you even had a neocortex. When you sleep, the neocortex, which normally, in your waking state, thoroughly silences the lower parts of your brain (the ones that remember), gets partially silenced in its own right, and as soon as it happens, the lower parts get activated -- and that's how you get to experience the feeling memories of things that went before the neocortex was there. If you were able to silence it completely rather than partially, you would get "what is, as is," in the context of real events you experienced instead of their re-interpreted symbolic shadows.

Fear that you won't even be taken to the world of afterlife, but you wait long time with others similar to you who have nothing to pay for the boatman who would cross you over. You can only dream of grimreaper coming by personally...high hopes. It would be much easier to make Kim Jong Un bow to you.

Ok, update on my dream life: Last night I had a dream combining "John Chang" and the LOA, lol. As best as I could recollect: We were riding in my vehicle again...this time just down a regular highway. The sky became a beautiful yellow ochre color and I tried to snap a pic...but it quickly changed back to blue and started lightly raining. So, we continued driving as the rain got harder. We finally pulled over as it poured down so hard we could barely see. After a bit it stopped and we (there was also a big White dude in the back) all got out. I took some loose change out of my pocket and laid it on the roof of my car. There were a few dimes and pennies. John pointed to the dimes and told me the secret was to imagine those were $10,000 each instead and to suck energy up through my feet. Then as I was slumped up against the side of the car, he started pressing on my back starting from my tailbone all the way up to my crown. Sometimes he was using slight circular movements as if working on my chakras, other times he'd jab a finger in my side. After he was done, he asked me if I had felt anything. I said I had felt a little. And then we continued on down the road... (I wouldn't take this dream too seriously though, seemed to be more a mish-mash of regular waking thoughts.)

for reassurance living in the lucid dream wake up to the Now

Hello Goldisheavy, from a purely psychological point of view, dream analysis is entirely subjective. I would however attempt to discuss this dream from a spiritual point of view. The rat, from my understanding, has killed more people than any other creature on the face of the earth, aside from man himself (actually it was the ticks on the rats, but lets not quibble). The idea that the creature that comes to you is a rat probably has little to do with that, but I thought it was worth mentioning. For me the rat is the trickster, the thief, the pest, essentially the critter that embodies all those devious qualities we've come to look at as bad. When you view it as that, then the creature that's coming to you over and over is a devious little trickster, one that just one go away. Now the fact that you can't get rid of it, no matter how hard you try, and that you're unwilling to kill it, tells me that you haven't come to terms with it. Is the rat your shadow? Is the rat someone else? I couldn't tell you, nor will I advise you on how to approach it. You can make that decision for yourself. Aaron

Wow, an enjoyable GIH post Sorry GIH I'm kidding. I enjoy most of yours. Anyway, it's your subconscious, isn't it? So this rat business is your own to sort out. Or maybe if those dream dictionaries have any sway then it might prove the existence of 'collective (sub) consciousness which would throw a handy argument your way for the Mind being elsewhere - and in which case it's not your rat as such, but a rat you've been given. Or have you been inspired by TaoMeow's post ? I was! I dreamt about strange flying objects last night. One type was an entirely new design and another was just 'too stupid looking to fly'. I suspect it was the future but I can't be sure. I've had a few 'flying saucer' and 'earth invasion' dreams over the years. In most, I wake up after trying to tell people (in vain) what's going on. I'm trying to figure out whether dream interpretation ought to use symbol dictionaries and if so, which one(s) and why or whether the person should go the 'what it means to me' route. Maybe try both and see what happens?

Freud did not use logic/intellect. His patient laid there on a couch and "freely associated" meaning whatever came into their mind they talked about it. Freud used alot of dream analysis, and symbolic intrepretation based around the struggle between the id, ego, and super ego. His theory was that people are sexually driven and always in conflict with and controled by their id. He also gave his patient's Cocaine to help them. That was not a logical thing to do to their nervous system. He was a "coke" user as well.

Dear Andrei and Cheya, ​ Thank *both* of you so much for replying! I have pretty serious spinal stenosis, from (a botched) surgery damage, with resulting severe arthritis damage to my lower back. I've been in an electronic wheelchair for about 9 years now. I need more surgery, but after my experiences with surgeries gone bad, I'm *very* reluctant to try that route again. But eventually, it may not be my *choice*. Time will tell. It's funny, when I dream, I'm STILL walking, and running. This is a long ways from my former life as a backpacker, and a mountaineer..........."but when life gives you lemons"............you know the rest. I had never even THOUGHT to look on You Tube for sitting Tai Chi, and sitting Qi Gong, I so much appreciate those links and I will go find some more really soon. I had cruised through every Daoist/Taoist forum on the web, and found *nothing* about this subject! Again, thank you both so much for your help! Peace, Differently Abled Daoist P.S. I still hold out HOPE for complete healing, but each year it seems (sometimes) more distant.

Oh my God Karl. Your medical complaints are remarkable for the image of the man I communicate with. 60 sounds young to me, so I am not thinking that you could have medical problems. My wife's fear of death is the dying and the pain involved. Her plan is to commit suicide. Mine is to committ suicide. We both don't want to go through pain and loneliness. I have a client who is a Certified Nursing Assistant who recommends Helium, a hose, and a pastic bag. Painless. Forget about Nursing homes and having to wait for my wife to come up and visit me. Forget bed pans. Give me Vicodin and it will be bearable. But it is a controled substance, so you know that they will not give you more if you ask for it. My Dad kept pushing the liquid Morphine Button in the Hospital. Nothing came out. By then he wasn't the Man I knew. He was a dope fiend and dying from Metastic Prostate Cancer. I sold my Rolex to pay for part of my wife's wedding band. I bought the Rolex for 2 Grand and sold it for 2 Grand. The Rolex wasn't me. Plus I was nervous wearing in areas that I went into. Felt like I had target on my back. Now I don't wear a watch at all. That ear sound is Tinnitis. I have a mild case of it. They say it is age related and could be from a circultory problem, or ear injury. My doctor offered to give me a Rx Sedative. I refused. Did not want to become dependent on it. There is a visual test that was sent to me that can determine if there is early on-set Altzheimers. I could pass it on to you Karl, through your email address. If you are seeing a counselor, ask him to give you a Mini Mental Exam. This measures for cognitive deficits. I have border line HP and Border Line Diabetes. It runs in my family on Mom's side. I am controlling both with exercise. Fearing spiders is natural. I just had a dream about a few the other night. Creepy...one came after me after I mutilated it. It morphed into something else, and threatened me. Spiders in dreams are about being the manipulator, or being manipulated. I interpret dreams for my client(s). They think it is interesting and fun. That would suck if I could not smell. Have you tried brushing your tongue with a tooth brush. That might help you taste better.

Cat Pillar, Dreaming is a form of reality and a type of experience. Reality and experiences take on many dimensions and can be explored at many levels. Rather than worrying about a theory as to whether the reality within dreaming can affect the experience of waking, just ask yourself what it has meant in your own life. If your experiences in dreams have disturbed you than that's the important information you need to know to begin to heal yourself. Just as dreams have the power to be painful, they can also have the power to be healing. Just as your waking life is affected by dream, so can you affect your dream life through the waking life. The veil between what we call each of these states is as thin and permeable as the blink of an eye.

Just to clarify: Thusness did not ask me to preach in other forums... The only times he asked to converse with others is if he sees potential in that person to undergo a breakthrough. In fact those people he spoke too generally attain breakthrough in realizations just by conversing with him. In fact almost everyone he converses with will realize what thusness points out because their conditions are already there - just needed the right pointers. He would sit and meditate to observe that person's conditions before giving appropriate replies if he sees a positive condition there. I don't do all these and apparently not everyone attains realization just by speaking with me... And I talk to a large group of people unlike thusness. Also I don't post here to accumulate merits... I post here when I see posts that needs to be corrected. And I wonder where did lucky see that passage as I don't remember discussing about merits in this forum. But since this was mentioned, here's the post I wrote in my buddhist forum last year: I remember years ago (in fact even today) Thusness would have me explain the dharma to people from various forums. One time many years ago I thought it would be better if Thusness explained by himself to the others, so I told Thusness why don't you post yourself or something like that. Thusness suddenly appeared serious (he seldom talk in this tone) and asked me so are you going to do this or not? Then he told me the reason (not exact words now but along this line) he had me to do this was because I was lacking in merits to gain enlightenment. And then he said something like... you think I'm joking? Suddenly at that moment I realized why he was always taking the trouble and instructing me to do all those things... when he could have done it himself. Not long later I had a meditation experience... he informed me it is due to my merits ripening due to explaining the dharma to someone some time ago. He informed me there is a direct causal relation. When asked how does he know that merits is important for experience and realization, he simply says this is his experience. He says it may not make a lot of sense to a dualistic mind, but this is how it (dependent origination) works. <!--[endif]--> Khenpo Tsultrim Gyatso Rinpoche Accumulating Merit - bSod-nams-bsags-pa Translated by Ari Goldfield Before listening to Lord Buddha’s teachings, I want to ask you to give rise to supreme bodhicitta. Supreme bodhicitta is developed and increased by first thinking of one’s father and mother in this life and then extending the gratitude and love one feels for them to all sentient beings, even to one’s enemies. We want to attain the state of complete, perfect, and precious enlightenment for their sake. We know that in order to be able to benefit all sentient beings, we need to listen to, reflect, and meditate upon the genuine Dharma teachings with all the enthusiasm we can muster in our hearts. Please give rise to supreme bodhicitta when you listen attentively. We think of our parents first because our opportunity to practice the Dharma in this lifetime is due to the immense kindness they have shown us. We think of our enemies, too, because they were the ones who gave us the exceptional possibility to practice patience when they were unkind and hurt us. Furthermore, there is not a single enemy who was not our caring father or mother at one time in the past, so that is why we remember them with gratitude. We think of the nature of the minds of the people we are associated with - our friends, our enemies, and all sentient beings. We know that the nature of the mind of every single sentient being is clear light, the enlightened heart that is the Buddha nature. Since we have the Buddha nature, we can be sure that we will benefit others immensely. Just as the nature of our own mind is clear light, the nature of our parent’s mind is also clear light. Likewise, the nature of mind of all our friends and enemies is clear light. The nature of mind of every single sentient being is clear light. “Realizing the true nature of reality, Mahamudra, depends upon accumulating a vast amount of merit.” - Khenpo In order to realize the true nature of reality, Mahamudra, it is necessary to accumulate merit that accords with the teachings that Lord Buddha presented a long time ago. Arya Maitreya taught how to accumulate merit in the text entitled, Madhyantavibhanga – Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes.1 He taught that the ten ways to accumulate limitless merit are: (1) to write down the words of the Buddhadharma, (2) to make offerings to the objects of refuge, (3) to practice generosity, (4) to listen to the precious teachings, (5) to read the invaluable instructions, (6) to memorize the sacred texts, (7) to explain them to others, (8) to recite them, (9) to reflect their meaning, and (10) to meditate them. We will start accumulating merit by writing down the verses I will read to you and in that way you will purify negative actions that you have done with your hands. We have written down a lot of letters and words out of attachment and aversion, and all of that has been very negative. Now it is time to do something positive. The way to go about this is to write down the verses of the Dharma with the good motivation of faith and devotion and with a pure objective. When you write down the truth of the precious Buddhadharma, then the merit you accumulate is limitless. So do write down the verses that I will read to you. The first verse reads: “It is explained that by abandoning the belief in a self, mental afflictions, difficulties, and suffering, one can attain peace. However, since these are all primordially empty of essence, where are the fabrications of abandoning and of not abandoning?” Now that you have written down the words of the first verse, we will recite it, which is the accumulation of merit that purifies all negative words that you have spoken out of attachment and aversion, and all of that has been very negative. Please recite the following verse: “Thoughts of abandoning, non-abandoning, and so forth have never been seen to come or go. Therefore, they are said to be non-existent. Thoughts have never been seen to come or go.” Translator: I made a mistake. Khenpo Rinpoche: Mistakes don’t really exist. In the chapter entitled, An Examination of Mistakes, the Protector Nagarjuna proved that mistakes do not really exist. So: “The variety of doubts neither arises nor ceases." Please continue by reciting the next verse too: “Neither bondage nor liberation have ever been perceived with regard to it. However, like bondage and liberation in dreams, bondage and liberation are merely mind's imputations.” The next verse we want to recite is: "The essence of the self held prisoner has never been seen, and the doubts that bind are free of arising and ceasing. Therefore, bondage and liberation are dependently arisen, mere appearances. Let clinging to them as being real dissolve into the unborn expanse." We should recite the next verse three times, which is: "This life is appearance-emptiness, like a water-moon. So, past and future lives are also appearance-emptiness, like water-moons. Therefore, feelings of joy and pain are dream-like. Know this well, and your view will be profound." If you reflect the meaning of the words in the verses while reciting them, then you are practicing profound analytical meditation. We are not going to practice meditation separated from recitation because reciting and analysing is meditation - yes. Sometimes one needs to take a break and rest. So when you get tired of writing down the precious Dharma, then recite the verses, and when you get tired of reciting them, then just let go and relax. We continue reciting, reflecting, and meditating: "These are the ways that the relative is empty of a very essence and the genuine clear light, the enlightened nature of mind, is empty of the stains of relative fabrications and of all concepts of conventional terms. Therefore, this is known as ‘the empty of other,’ the great middle-way." Let us recite this verse together three times: "In essence, it is originally and perfectly pure and free of the fleeting stains of conceptual fabrications as well, and therefore the enlightened essence of the stainless result is called 'the transcendent perfection of genuine purity.'" Let us recite this verse together three times, too: "Since it is beyond the self that ego-clinging mind believes to exist and beyond the selflessness ascertained through analysis of inference, therefore it is called ‘the transcendently perfect, genuine self.’ Where are the thoughts of self’s filthy clothes?" We continue by reciting the following verses three times: "Samsara and nirvana are imagined to exist in dependence upon each other and therefore neither the one or the other has an essence. Realizing reality of samsara and nirvana’s equality is explained to be transcendently perfect, genuine permanence.” "Joy and pain are just dependently existing concepts. Their lack of an essence is the way relative things are empty. When the reality of joy and pain being equal is realized, this is called 'transcendently perfect, genuine bliss.'" "The way the relative is empty of its own essence, the way the genuine is empty of other, and the reality that is pure self, bliss, and constant - may precise knowledge realizing these three increase." Now let us recite them all and practice recitation-meditation. If you do recitation-meditation, you won’t get tired of meditation - your meditation won’t fall into dullness or stupor. Getting tired of meditating can be very dangerous. If you get tired of working, you can rest. If you get tired of studying, you can meditate. But if you get tired of meditating, that’s dangerous. That’s why analytical meditation is excellent. "It is explained that by abandoning the belief in a self, in all afflictions, difficulties, and suffering, one can attain peace. However, since these are all primordially empty of essence, where are the fabrications of abandoning and not abandoning? Thoughts of abandoning, not abandoning, and so forth have never been seen to come or go and therefore they are said to be of the nature of primordially empty space. The variety of doubts neither arises nor ceases. Neither bondage nor liberation has ever been perceived with regard to it. However, like bondage and liberation in dreams, this bondage and liberation is merely mind's imputation. The essence of the self held prisoner has never been seen, and doubts that bind are free of arising and ceasing. Therefore, bondage and liberation are dependently arisen, mere appearances. Let clinging to them as being real dissolve into the unborn expanse.” “This life is appearance-emptiness, like a water-moon. So past and future lives are also appearance-emptiness, like water-moons. Therefore, feelings of joy and pain are dream-like. Know this well and your view will be profound.” “These are the ways that the relative is empty of its very essence and the genuine clear light, the enlightened nature of mind, is empty of the stains of relative fabrications and of all concepts of conventional terms. Therefore, this is renowned as 'the empty-of-other,' the great middle-way.” “In essence, it is originally and perfectly pure and free of fleeting stains of conceptual fabrications as well. And therefore, the enlightened essence of the stainless result is called 'the transcendent perfection of genuine purity.' Since it is beyond the self that ego-clinging mind believes to exist and since it is beyond selflessness ascertained by means of analysis and inference, therefore it is called ‘the transcendently perfect, genuine self.’ Where are the thoughts of self's filthy clothes?” "Samsara and nirvana are imagined to exist in dependence upon each other and therefore neither the one or the other has an essence. Realizing the reality of samsara and nirvana's equality is said to be transcendently perfect, genuine permanence.” “Joy and pain are just dependently existing concepts. Their lack of any essence is the way relative things are empty. When the reality of joy and pain being equal is realized, this is called 'transcendently perfect, genuine bliss.'" “The way the relative is empty of its own essence, the way the genuine is empty of other, and the reality that is pure self, bliss, and permanence - may precise knowledge realizing these three increase." In the next teaching I will explain some important verses from the text called The Ocean of Definitive Meaning of Mountain Dharma by Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen.2 There will be time for questions and answers after further teachings. It is important to leave time for questions at the same time that doubts arise. If we take time for questions before doubts arise, then that doesn’t help very much. Let us continue now by singing the song called The Ultimate View, Meditation, Conduct, and Fruition by Jetsun Milarepa. In this song, Jetsun Milarepa teaches the view of Shentong, the empty-of-other school, so it is very good for us to sing. Everyone needs to analyse and judge for himself and herself, so we should reflect and ask ourselves, "Is this song really in harmony with the view of Shentong or not?"3 The Buddha himself said, "Just like a merchant examines gold by rubbing, burning, and melting it, so you should examine my speech. Accept nothing on blind faith." These are Lord Buddha’s own teachings, and we must examine the words for ourselves. Translator: I will sing one verse and then we can sing it together. “The Ultimate View, Meditation, Conduct, and Fruition” by Jetsun Milarepa "The view is original wisdom which is empty, Meditation clear light, free of fixation, Conduct continual flow without attachment, Fruition is nakedness stripped of every stain. This view, the original wisdom that is empty, Risks getting lost in just being talk and no more. If certainty which is in touch with what’s meant does not follow, The words will not manage to free you of clinging to self, And that’s why definitive certainty means so much. The meditation clear light, free of fixation, Risks getting lost in just being settling. If original wisdom does not emerge from within you, You might settle steadily, but this will not set you free. But wisdom does not come of dullness and agitation, And that’s why non-wandering mindfulness means so much. This conduct, continual flow without attachment, Risks getting lost in only being a pretence. If the view and meditation are not included, The eight worldly dharmas may mix with your yogic pursuits, And that’s why freedom from clinging and veils means so much. Fruition as nakedness stripped of every defect Risks getting clothed in the garments of attributes. If delusion is not overcome from its source on the inside, Your practice may aim very far but fall very short, And that’s why correcting delusion means so much."4 <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="_x0000_i1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='width:37.5pt;height:37.5pt'> <v:imagedata src="merit_files/image003.png" mce_src="/forums/1728/topics/merit_files/image003.png" o:title="" /> </v:shape><![endif]--> <!--[if !vml]--> <!--[endif]--> May virtue increase! Instructions presented at Vajra Vidya Thrangu House in Oxford, 2000, transcribed and edited by Gaby Hollmann <!--[if !supportFootnotes]--> <!--[endif]--> 1 See Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche, Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes by Asanga, based on the inspiration of the Buddha Maitreya. A Commentary, translated by Jules Levinson, Namo Buddha Publications, Crestone, Colorado, 2000. 2 Dol-po-pa Shes-rab Rgyal-mtshan (1292-1361), known simply as Dolpopa is often seen as the founder of the Jonangpa Tradition. However, the origins of the Jonangpa tradition in Tibet can be traced to early 12th century master Yumo Mikyo Dorje, but they became much wider known with the help of Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen. Dolpopa was one of the most influential and original Tibetan teachers. He developed the Shentong School and is considered to be one of the greatest exponents of the Kalachakra. In Mountain Doctrine: Tibet's Fundamental Treatise on Other-Emptiness and the Buddha Matrix by Dolpopa (Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, 2006) Jeffrey Hopkins wrote, „Dolpopa was one of the most influential figures of the 14th century Tibet, a dynamic period of doctrinal formulation. His works were monumental and seminal in that they present a penetrating and controversial re-formulation of doctrines on emptiness and Buddha-nature influential through to the present day.” 3 See Khenpo Tsultrim Gyatso Rinpoche, Shentong, in the last issue of Thar Lam. See especially Khenpo Tsultrim Gyatso Rinpoche, Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness, translated and arranged by Shenpen Hookham, Longchen Foundation, Oxford, 1st edition 1986, 2nd edition 1988, and Zhyisil Chokyi Ghatsal Trust Publications, Auckland, N.Z., 2000. 4 Translated by Jim Scott, in: Selected Songs of Realization, Marpa Translation Committee. Printed by AKTUELL-Copyshop, Hamburg, 1995, pages 66-68.

Hi all, I am at my wits end. I won't end my life, but I feel like it sometimes. I successfully cleared the concrete dust from my windows as per my previous sleeping issue- {http://www.thedaobums.com/topic/35061-nourishing-living-environment/}, and was sleeping better for a short period. But the only thing i've done since then is reintroduce some heavy curtains since its winter here atm and they are needed, as well as a couple natural mats to cover the pine flooring. I clean everything regularly - curtains, mats, flloor, sheets, etc. So the good news is I don't have those horrible sleeps like before, with heart racing and I also dream! But I still get wet dreams which I KNOW are based on this irritated feeling I get in my eyes and nose. I mean when I spend more than an hour outside my room I get a ton of mucus out. And I feel I can breathe again! I"m just sick of it. Why can't I just get a good sleep? Some great native american healer once told me that the person in my last life made great sacrifice to give me a great life. So then why is this occuring? My whole face and nose feels irritated and my nose is red from blowing. And its a catch-22, i can't move until i'm healthy. And nothing else in my life is majorly different to cause this. please help. I mean is there anyone psychic who can tell me exactly what it is the causing this issue and I will pay you? I realize it can also be mental thing but thats the thing: I try to be positive EXACTLY AS BEFORE when I get a good sleep. I'm sorry for having a whinge, This issue has been occuring for nearly 5 years now and that's 5 years of my life wasted and I won't stand for it anymore, even if it means I become homeless eventually lol. Final thing. I have always had weak immunity since a child since my mum's jing was weak from history of drugs and also I didn't eat meat til teenage years and also sleeping with a tonne of dust under my bed for about a year once since my mum was overworked and forgot to vaccuum. So I am sensitive to dust {maybe over-sensitive, but how do I change??}, and always like fresh air as much as possible though obviously that isn't possible here in winter. Best regards G

I have a friend who is naturally lucid dreamer like me and we are learning from each other and are about to go on expirimenting with trying to meet up in the dreams.Anyone done this succesfully?I knew somebody who did it long time ago. Latley I have been waking myself up from dreams(as my main dream practise) by remebering that I am dreaming ,but waking up into the void instead physiaclly waking up,sort of earising dreams. Catpillar,I feel that embracing my own shadow in a dream does it for me.This works on many levels ,as well on astral level in which if I am getting attacked if I 'embrace'attackers and send them love theyll melt away becouse they dont like those vibrations.

Some of my dreams must have affected me, but maybe more subconsciously. Inversely, my dreams reflect more of my waking fears now. Major themes I'm noticing are regret and procrastination. Usually, emotional dreams affect me for just a few hours after dreaming. Thankfully, I have never been prone to bad or frequent nightmares. Edit** Sometimes, I think my dreams are trying to teach me to dream lucidly. The repetetive nature of them and the fact that most of my dreams occur in the same settings has started inducing some interesting dream thoughts bordering on fully becoming aware. I'm... so... close...

An update on the noise issue: the Tao was giving me the answer right in front of me--be one with the noise by creating my own. I just threw my hands up one day and turned the volume full blast for Om Mani Padme Hum on my iPad before beginning FPQG. That dealt with 95% of all the crazy noise in Manila from my apartment and allowed full concentration free of sudden distraction or upset...and then I had a dream of meeting and having tea with Sifu Terry. Having done this now for a few days, I can definitely say the benefits of the first standing and seated meditations created a calm and healing effect that led to a presence my students and patients noticed even before treating them. (Side note: I teach other styles, definitely not FPQG). Thank you again Sifu Terry and the Doo Wai family and the spirits who bequeathed the gift of Flying Phoenix--I want to give more back because I feel I've ripped off Sifu Terry and the system by paying as low as I did for the DVDs when these are great treasures so priceless that I can't even comprehend how much I owe for this privilege of practicing it.

Your response arose due to causes and conditions. Even the experience of the unconditioned arises due to causes and conditions. The unconditioned is the realization arising from direct insight into dependent origination/emptiness. It is synonymous with untied. It is not a self existent. The Five Reasonings of Noble Nagarjuna that Point to the Essence (that is not there) by Refuting all Limits of Thoughts Since it is beyond the nature of being one or many, Suffering has no inherent essence, Like the suffering in a dream, for example. The suffering in bardo is also like this. Since it does not arise from itself, other, Both of them, or without a cause, Suffering does not arise. Present suffering is also like this. Since the result does not arise From existing at the time of the cause, From not existing, from both, or neither, Suffering therefore does not arise. From one cause, neither one nor many results arise. From many causes, neither one nor many results arise. Therefore, all things are without arising. Suffering, too, is like a dream. Since like a moon in water, a rainbow, and a movie, It is the mere appearance of interdependent arising, No phenomenon exists through possessing an essence. The extremes of samsara and nirvana, of permanence and extinction are transcended. ................. none the less... Just as the grammarian makes one study grammar, A Buddha teaches according to the tolerance of his students; Some he urges to refrain from sins, others to do good, Some to rely on dualism, other on non-dualism; And to some he teaches the profound, The terrifying, the practice of enlightenment, Whose essence is emptiness (not light, not dark) that is compassion Nagarjuna (c.100 - 200 AD) The realization of "clear light" is not an absorption nor is it making an absorption of only light a fulcrum. p.s. Vmarco is an eternalist.

Hi this is so intriguing and interesting. Yin overload? Dream state? I don't know about that. Actually the thought clearly comes into my head. Like last week as soon as the vibrations came I knew for a fact I was going to see my late father and there he was, in living detail, as real as he ever was. I never feel dreamy in fact I am wide awake and bright and clear because it is usually interesting and I don't want to miss anything. I am never foggy and in fact I feel more awake and aware. Hyperaware if you know what I mean. I have had this while awake and moving. Like when there are entities who are looking at me. I sense them and make the switch in a flash. No-one seems to notice me "going". And sure as anything the person or even possibly the moving mist/cloud, is there. Now I am starting the qi gong and want to see what happens. I don't know when it is not possible as I try not to force as a rule. If I ever do make this into a practice, I do intend documenting the calendar of ability though. Why? you have roused my curiosity. Please feel free to pm as I don't want to hijack the thread.

Yes, off topic thread wise but not off topic concept wise. And yes, the dream is realistic and doable. Such things have been done in the USA but most have failed for one reason or another. Mostly by getting government's attention. And having single ownership would be the ideal with minimum standards for all who wish to live such a life style. Most places in Aussieland get plenty of sun so solar would be a very efficient way to get energy. Water might be a problem for you depending on where you establish yourself. I'm fortunate that I live in a very conservative county here in Florida where drugs and violence are kept to a minimum. Well, If you own the house that is an asset you could use for your new place. And too, if you set it up as a corporation you could sell stock in the place as long as you remember to keep at least 51% ownership of the place. Our dreams sometimes do come true if we work hard enough for them to materialize.

My understanding of dreams is that it is largely about emotional processing of events from your waking life, so young children dream intensely because their brains are making sense of all the impressions they have taken in throughout their day. But I think some young children may take in a lot of impressions which really have nothing to do with their lives because children are so open energetically, so they may absorb the impression of another persons trauma for example and later that night have a nightmare while processing it. An example of what I mean is that there have been studies of children of Holocaust survivors who would draw pictures of death camps and suffering even though their parents had never talked about their experiences to them, so somehow the child non-verbally takes in the experience of the Holocaust into themselves just from being open around their parents even though their parents had done all they could to shield them from those horrors. Which goes to show that you need to energetically release your own traumas and anxieties or they may be passed on even if you make a conscious effort not to harm anyone, there may be traumas passed down in families energetically for generations maybe even hundreds of years until someone does the work to heal them. So personally I doubt a dream itself could harm you unless you are attacked by a Shaman in some way, but you may have picked up upon some traumatic impressions from your environment or family which then manifested in your dreams.

It has to be directly seen and realized. This is not a belief. Like you're in a dream of monsters, I ask you to investigate whether the monster is real and suddenly you wake up. Free from the dream... without adding another one.

Please don't make that association with me. As I mentioned about my chair. I can rationalize all by myself. I don't need any religion to tell me how to think. And no, I am not someone else's dream. I mean, really, who could imagine me? Too complex.

hey why to go in trance? isn't that some kind of escapism from the now? to go into another state of mind? The mind can induce a lot of things that could sound totally real... a simple example can be a dream and lucid dreams. And trance happens in consciousness while being awake and could feel totally real while it is just mind on another state of thoughts and experience. Thank you for sharing your experiences !! <3

Correct - I am, therefore I think. At least you realize you are not the thoughts. The opposite would suggest that one can rise from nothing and set into nothing, even though nothing doesn't exist. Modern western philosophy is certainly a problem, as Descartes never realized that thought was just another sense. True consciousness is conscious of true things, false consciousness if conscious of false things. True consciousness it truly existent, false consciousness is falsely existent. This is why you are not the 6th consciousness of thought, because it's not true. It's only an abstraction designed to glue thoughts together and create a sense for continuity that is required for survival in the physical world. But you are not that as you yourself asserted. Identification is not a problem, but identification with illusions is were suffering arises from. I have stated multiple times that absolute truth is inaccessible for the 6 senses, but that doesn't mean it's inexpressible. Please remember - we are not saying what is true here, we are saying what isn't true, so we can surrender the illusion bit by bit. The lower 6 senses are in the past, because everything you register as input is after the fact, thus the lower 6 senses never perceive the present, if you understand this you will understand why they are deceivers. It's not difficult to define, you just don't know what it is. Consider this - if you are your mother's information, and your mother is her mother's information and so on, where do "You" start in all this? It's not a trick question. To say that the banana is part of you, but isn't you is to say that the elements that constitute you are not you. Thus you believe that you are a combination of elements, but you are not in any of those elements which means that somehow you arise from not you which is conceptually wrong. Maybe you, like scientists, believe that you are a system that is the sum of it's components, but cannot be reduced to its components, because the components outside of the system would behave differently. This is why I gave you the example about removing fingers and hands and limbs, because that dissipative system that the body appears to be, isn't you. Ha! We Taoists are not allowed to kill our self. We leave that in the hands of Tao. Sounds like a Christian who believes he/she is a Taoist. I am, therefore I think is the core of Buddhism and Taoism. It's simply the realization that awareness doesn't arise from matter. You are completely independent of thought and feelings. This is nothing but a product of thought. It's hard to believe that a person who is so full of beliefs, actually realized "I am, therefore I think". Finally! I love my ego = I don't want to wake up. To enjoy separation is to enjoy the dream. There is no such thing as spiritual atheist - an atheist is a belief in no god, spirituality is belief free. Plus you seem to believe that Tao is God which contradicts your other belief. Lol! You certainly trust your senses. Nagarjuna is disappointed. Yes! Yes! The only part you are missing is that true consciousness is conscious of true existence and false consciousness is conscious of false existence (illusions). Is all consciousness energy? What about the still consciousness? Energy is movement, so what about stillness? Think about it