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Yoda
USA
284 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 11 2006 : 11:33:55 PM
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So sometimes my dreams are very spiritually charged with lots of symbolism, gods, energy, etc but they can be almost too intense to be enjoyable...
I'm thinking that dreams like that (if it starts to be a regular thing) may be considered to be a signal to back off on practice a bit, or at least the pranayama part.
Any thoughts? |
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Lili
Netherlands
372 Posts |
Posted - Jan 12 2006 : 06:19:49 AM
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| I don't know the 'right' answer but I have the same impression. For instance yesterday I dreamed that my fingers radiate violet light and my palms radiate white light. However I admit that this is not enough to make me reduce practice time - I only reduce it if I feel crabby or something during the day. |
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sadhak
India
604 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2006 : 08:05:12 AM
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I really don't know about your dream Yoda... seems to be part of your aspiration and spiritual growth. But am seeking some sort of an explanation to mine (and am posting it here since this thread is already on dreams)... maybe yours will get answered too.
I have these two very unspiritual, very repetetive themes: One of missing the train, getting off at the wrong station, getting of the train at a station and missing it, leaving the luggage behind. And another of seeing pretty disgusting fecal matter in various kinds of public loos. Last night after long, both these themes combined for me to first get off my train at a station and then miss it. And then, illogically, as dreams are wont to be, find myself on the train; open a door to the loo and find a fecal deposit there! Any experts on dreams?
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NagoyaSea
424 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2006 : 12:09:51 PM
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Yoda, have you thought of keeping a dream journal to look for common threads? I am going to begin journalling again. Did it years ago and found it enlightening.
I can relate to your spiritually charged dreams. There was a time when I had spiritual dreams so intense I'd wake in a sweat... In one I stood on top of a craggy mountain, walking staff in hand, overlooking a cliff, wild wind roaring and whipping through my hair, lightening flashing and a fierce battle of light and dark was being fought for my spirit... it was fearfully awesome. I can only imagine that I was struggling with choices regarding the path I was following and the life I was leading at that point. The battle reflected the turmoil within.
light and love,
Kathy |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2006 : 12:42:03 PM
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| Hi Sadhak - In my own mind I am an expert at dream interpretation, only b'c I've been reading about it for so long, and have been recording and interpreting my dreams for many years. (Btw, no one else thinks of me as an expert, but that's fine). One thing to keep in mind when you're analyzing your dreams is that objects or substances which you encounter in the dream do not necessarily have the same meaning as they do in waking life. So encountering a pile of poo may be a very positive thing, depending on the context. It's helpful to try to remember exactly how you felt when you saw the fecal matter in the dream, or got off at the wrong station, etc. Getting off at the wrong station could represent the beginning of a new and exciting adventure, and so forth. Leaving your luggage behind sounds fantastic! |
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Richard
United Kingdom
857 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2006 : 1:03:25 PM
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I agree with Kathy dream journals are excellent. I kept one for years and looking back on it can be sometimes funny and sometimes very rewarding. I have let that particular practice slip lately but I think I will start again its fun if nothing else, Its also the first step in learning to lucid dream which is a whole new ballgame all on its own. 
RICHARD |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2006 : 1:26:55 PM
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| Yoda - in response to your original question, I like it when my dreams get really intense, and wouldn't think of backing off practices to tone things down. But if it gets to the point where you dread bed and wake up feeling tense and unrested, then definitely back off. I find that the more creepy or disturbing the dream, the more information or enjoyment I get out of them later. |
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Yoda
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - Jun 09 2006 : 2:40:39 PM
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quote:
I find that the more creepy or disturbing the dream, the more information or enjoyment I get out of them later.
Meg,
I totally agree... edgy dreams do have a fun/informative factor to them. And that's why I'm of two minds on this subject.
A typical edgy dream for me is that I find myself fighting with various gods of the better known pantheons. Usually, I would get beat up pretty savagely. When I was sungazing I'd be fighting against various Egyptian gods quite often in dreamville. If I sungazed over 30 minutes in a day, I was certain to have a showdown. And I did feel like these dreams were imparting knowledge to me, but too much too fast.
My current setting is that if I have an edgy dream, I might as well have fun with it as long as it hangs out with me, but for the most part I want to keep my practice life and waking life mellow enough that I avoid anything "challenging" in dreamville.
Backing off all the energy practices and upping the meditation has soothed the situation considerably. Not only have my dreams mellowed, but my waking life is more smooth/less exciting (in a good way) as well.
-Yoda |
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sadhak
India
604 Posts |
Posted - Jun 13 2006 : 11:35:48 PM
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Hi Meg,
I'll try and cue in on what I feel in the dreams... but these have come so often that I think I am more like, ah I've been here before. I thought the poo was merely a case of constipation... but I'm not so sure now. But thanks for pointing out that leaving behind luggage can actually be great... I didn't see that at all! Maybe something in what Yoda says... back of the practices a bit. Because I'm suddenly sleeping less, even when I want to sleep a bit more, and my eyes keep burning all the time. Think I need food... I'm weak... food! food! food!(flailing arms around and sinking to the floor in a graceful heap, and falling asleep instantly, only to dream of.... what else, trains and poo!) |
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Manipura
USA
870 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2006 : 01:47:00 AM
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| Poo dreams can be good. (Sorry, folks - can't seem to let this subject go). When we think of poo we think of - well, poo. Bad stuff, dirty, naughty, taboo, etc. But not so in dreams. Poo can be a positive thing, like fertilizer; a sign of growth, or potential for growth. Holding onto one's poo, as in constipation, is often associated (in dreams as well as waking life) with holding onto one's sh*t; 'nother words, holding onto a belief that is ready to be released, clinging to an old pattern of behaviour, etc. There are no formulae for dream interpretation, but there are symbols and archetypes which frequently appear, and the dreamer is the only one who will know if an association feels right or not. Maybe you need a spiritual enema. :) |
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Yoda
USA
284 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2006 : 4:16:39 PM
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| I just learned that the average American spends 6 years of their life dreaming. |
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alan
USA
235 Posts |
Posted - Jun 14 2006 : 5:16:13 PM
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Six years isn't so much. I've spent my entire life dreaming |
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sadhak
India
604 Posts |
Posted - Jun 15 2006 : 12:00:04 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by meg
Poo dreams can be good. (Sorry, folks - can't seem to let this subject go).
Hi Meg,
I'm mightily awed by anyone who can talk about poo dreams... normally everyone laughs, shifts about, and tells me to shut up. I really can't say that they leave a bad feeling... at least now when I wake up from one I feel disturbed, but more because I think, "Oh here it is again." I try to find some correlation with something that's happening in life... but even if I do, I think it is contrived. A spiritual enema sounds good. A 10-day Vipassana kind of thing maybe? But right now I don't want to mix practices. Guess all I can do is monitor the dream, the happenings in real life, and the feel I get in the dream and after I come out of it. Sigh! More hard work. |
Edited by - sadhak on Jun 15 2006 12:32:39 AM |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 11:28:42 AM
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Namaste All.....
Resurrecting an old thread instead of starting a new one....
Lately I have been having some intensely vivid and slightly disturbing dreams. Not disturbing as in grotesque or morbid or anything, just disturbing as in mentally disturbing for me personally. For instance I had a dream a week or so ago about having no clothes on, and nowhere to get clothes from. Everyone else was clothed in my dreams and I felt very segregated and different from everyone else. THEN I realized that my genitals were about a 1/10th the size of normal. Shrinkage to the max I would say . This really caused the dream to take on an embarrassing tone and made me really feel the need to explain my "stature" in the dream. Noone would listen to me though and assumed that I was generally this small. Waking up from this dream I did not have the emotional feelings stay, but instead I woke up feeling perplexed as to why I would have this dream. I am secure in my "manhood" in real life. I have had a few other dreams recently with varying themes, but I am unable to remember them at this moment. Anyways, is there some sort of corrolation between dreams and an ongoing spiritual transformation? Is it important to analyze our dreams for instructions?
Love,
Carson |
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miguel
Spain
1197 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 11:43:59 AM
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Hi Carson,
I was working with dreams some years ago and found it very interesting and helping for my personal development.
When you dream you are naked,it means that you are passing troght a phase in your life in wich you need to show or are showing to others an aspect of your personality like it really is,without excuses or filters.Yo are tired of running away from one aspect of you that you dont accept.Now you want to acept it and show it to other persons,but you feel vulnerable and fear can be a constant factor.
If you see your genitals much more small than they really are,i think its related with your male side.How you feel respect other men (inferior/superior).It could be related with your relationship with authority (you rule in your life/others rule your life).
Im sure i can be not accurated in some points,but im sure you understand the main tread.
Dreams have lot of symbols from our subconscious mind that can help us to understand where we are now.There are lot of books and info in the web about meaning of the dreams and technics. |
Edited by - miguel on Jul 02 2009 11:46:19 AM |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 2:44:26 PM
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Namaste Brother Miguel....thank you for your input.....
quote:
Originally posted by miguel
When you dream you are naked,it means that you are passing troght a phase in your life in wich you need to show or are showing to others an aspect of your personality like it really is,without excuses or filters.Yo are tired of running away from one aspect of you that you dont accept.Now you want to acept it and show it to other persons,but you feel vulnerable and fear can be a constant factor.
Weird....same interpretation as has been given to me in regards to a totally different dream....I used to have a reoccuring dream in which I am standing in front of the bathroom mirror when I notice that one of my front teeth is loose. I wiggle it a little and accidentally pull it out. I start to freak out at this point. Then I notice that there is another loose tooth and I am unable to stop myself from pulling that one out as well. By the end of the dream I am toothless and staring into a bloody sink filled with teeth (and hair, but I don't know where the hair comes from) and am quite distraught. The same basic interpretation you just gave me for my "small weenie" dream was given as an interpretation for my "loosing teeth" dream. Interesting.
quote:
Originally posted by miguel
If you see your genitals much more small than they really are,i think its related with your male side.How you feel respect other men (inferior/superior).It could be related with your relationship with authority (you rule in your life/others rule your life).
Well I have never had much use for authority figures in my life. I have always much prefered to go my own way and learn my own lessons....however painful they may be.
quote:
Originally posted by miguel
Dreams have lot of symbols from our subconscious mind that can help us to understand where we are now.There are lot of books and info in the web about meaning of the dreams and technics.
Yes I have a few dream interpretation books, but the interpretations are often different depending on the book/author/perspective. My main question I think is in regards to how important it is to analyze our dreams for instructions. Thanks for chiming in.
Love,
Carson |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 3:16:35 PM
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Oh yeah....I've been trying to remember the other dream I had that was similar to the "loosing teeth" and the "small genitals" dream but couldn't before....I just remembered....
I don't remember the context of the dream at this time, but what I do remember is that I was at my landlord's house (they are friends of mine) and my ex-girlfriend was there....with her husband. I have never met her husband in person before, but I have had email conversations and have seen pictures of him.....In this dream I was standing below a balcony on which stood my ex having a smoke (she doesn't smoke). I wanted to talk to her or something and did a pull-up on the balcony so I could get closer to talk to her...as I did so I realized her husband was right there, with his shirt off and he was super tanned and buff. He just gave me a menacing stare to which I proceeded to retreat post haste (FYI her husband is neither super tanned nor buff).
All these dreams seem to have a common theme, but how to interpret that theme in regards to my spiritual journey I don't really know. And I don't really know how important it is to interpret them. Are dreams just scenery to be acknowledged and let go of?
Love,
Carson |
Edited by - CarsonZi on Jul 02 2009 4:41:29 PM |
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miguel
Spain
1197 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 4:12:18 PM
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quote:
"The same basic interpretation you just gave me for my "small weenie" dream was given as an interpretation for my "loosing teeth" dream. "
Yes,it has a simmilar meaning.Its related to security in your self and appearances.I have dreamed it also sometimes.The hair meaning is simmilar also,security or be worried about getting older.
quote:
"Well I have never had much use for authority figures in my life. I have always much prefered to go my own way and learn my own lessons....however painful they may be."
Great!
quote:
"Yes I have a few dream interpretation books, but the interpretations are often different depending on the book/author/perspective"
Yes,there are good and bad books.I have observed that the good books give the same interpretations of different dreams.Dreams have a meaning and can help you a lot.
A good idea is going to bed and leave a notebook beside you.When you wake up try to remember the dreams.Or a better aproach is before falling sleep repeat to your self "wake up every time the dream ends" several times until you fall asleep (there are gaps of no dreams between dreams and you will wake up before the gaps,it works for sure ,but you need some days of practice(or not)).But i recommend you to get a good book for working with dreams.There are plenty of them.
If you are involved in spiritual practics you will notice you have lot of sopiritual dreams,altought you dont remeber them during the day.
I think your dreams can help you to understand your life,your self,and thats spiritual journey also.
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Edited by - miguel on Jul 02 2009 4:20:28 PM |
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cosmic
USA
821 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 5:58:30 PM
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Hey there Carson
I think it can be useful to examine your dreams, since they can bring a lot of subconscious information from your psyche into the light. Although I wouldn't recommend analyzing them in the usual sense because the analytical/logical mind doesn't understand this sort of thing very well.
I find it helps to immerse yourself in symbolism (looking into Jungian archetypes, reading mythology, etc.). Examining personal symbols is powerful as well. Keeping in this frame of mind, eventually things will start to click together on their own, through intuition rather than logic.
Funny about the "loose teeth" dreams. I often have dreams where all my teeth are loose and falling out or I'm grinding them into powder. I hate those dreams 
Peace brother
cosmic |
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miguel
Spain
1197 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 6:29:15 PM
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And also you can explore the posibilities of lucid dreams carson.Its an amazing experience. |
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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 9:38:21 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by CarsonZi
Are dreams just scenery to be acknowledged and let go of?
Love,
Carson
Hey Carson,
Is there anything that *isn't* like that?
I'm just askin' ....
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Suryakant
USA
259 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 10:05:05 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Kirtanman
quote:
Originally posted by CarsonZi
Are dreams just scenery to be acknowledged and let go of?
Love,
Carson
Hey Carson,
Is there anything that *isn't* like that?
I'm just askin' ....
all forms are like that |
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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 10:26:30 PM
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Hey Carson & All,
Okay - "but seriously now" ... or as serious as it's ever useful to be ....
The issue with *any* analyzing - with respect to so-called "spiritual" things/views, is that it tends to (create and) hold the "idea me" in place ... the "idea me" who has something to understand.
That's why (literally) ... immediately after stating "Caitanyamatma" - Self is Awareness Unbound .... the Shiva Sutras tell us "Jnanam Bandhah" - Knowledge is Bondage.
Yet ... the highest state a yogi or yogini can attain, is that of a Jnani ... a Knower ... or more accurately ... One Knowing.
So .... what's up with that?
Just This:
Knowledge is Bondage; Knowing is Liberation.
If there's a sense of something to know, and something to know it about ... *especially* if the "something" is "me" .... it perpetuates the cycle of limited subject chasing limited knowledge about limited objects (even if the object is thought to be oneself, by the thought thought of as "me" or "I").
Essentially, seeking to interpret dreams is simply the dream-self in collective awareness dreaming that there is understanding to be had about the dream-self in apparently individual awareness.
If there's any actual value in dreams ..... it's seeing that you dream of a "me", experiencing objects, situations, "other people" .... and yet, cycling into the so-called waking state, and "remembering your dream" .... and understanding that the *entire* dream was generated by your *own mind* ... everything, everyone ..... subject-perception-object .... in your dream .... was/is generated by mind-stuff .... *your* mind-stuff.
And then going .... "HMM ...."
("It occurs to me, that at this very moment .... it seems that I am a me .... experiencing objects, situations, other people ..... HMM ....!")
... And thereby noticing that this dynamic (me->perceiving->stuff) happens in just two states of consciousness .... Dreaming and the Dreaming-Called-Waking.
Yet, in Deep Sleep ... there is no content.
No me, no perceiving ... no stuff.
And .. in Turiya/Samadhi ... there is no content.
And then ... one fine moment, it clicks:
Ah! Form *requires* formlessness!
Formlessness comes *first*.
All form is appearing in, and to, formlessness.
Now - do appearances have *relative* reality?? Of course they do.
To sit around an say "None of this is real!" - When the boss is in a bad mood, and you have a headache and your butt itches ...... is just ego-mind trying its volleys from another angle.
And so, what of the relative realities of dreaming .... either this one, or the ones at night?
Essentially: meaning only matters to the illusory self; forget it; keep flowing.
However, in the dream of being at the effect of causes .... causing meaning can be useful, as long as ego-mind isn't allowed to run with it.
Simply put: two ways of relating to dreams, have been shown to be useful to sadhana, in my awareness:
1. Sophian Gnosticism teaches that *all* dreams are to be released upon waking with gratitude, and a positive interpretation. For instance, if one has a dream of having cancer, one might say, "Wow! I'm glad I had the cancer in a dream, and not in the waking-dream!" .... And let it go.
2. There's also deity yoga, practiced by Tantric yogis and yoginis .. which basically has two forms:
A. Creating the "deity mandala" .... ultra-detailed imagination of self-as-deity ... which tends to show up energetically, or in form, in dreams (complete with clothing and adornments, mantras, weapons, and so on) --- effectively, it's a way to concentrate the mind on a form that helps to transcend form ... as opposed to a form which further enslaves to form.
B. Creating *deep* bhakti as you go to sleep .... holding awareness of self as formless awareness ... and/or holding deepest, authentic desire for enlightenment (one teaching literally uses the phrase "let the tears flow" --- *that* level of authentic desire) -- which, somehow .... literally creates the space ... the container .... for enlightenment to fill.
Basically: if you're going to use thought-as-dream ... you might as well apply the energies toward highest awareness .... it's a better use of thought-form than dreaming we're a separate self "at effect" of dreams or anything else.
In reality, there's no cause and no effect ... but since there sure seems to be ... might as well use the hammer to chip our way to freedom ... (if we can't just set it down) .... rather than to continue to bonk ourselves on the head with it ... as we continue to wonder when and how the suffering might end.
Hope this helps!
And to paraphrase Aerosmith:
"Dream On ... Dream On ..... Dream Until The Dream Is You ...!!"
Intending Dream-Free Reality For All,
Kirtanman
PS- Did you know that thought-constructs (aka *thinking*) is created by the same parts of the mind as dreaming (when asleep)? There's a fascinating book that contains the actual dialog from roundtable discussions between the Dalai Lama, neuroscientists, psychologists and philosophers .... and they *all* agree on this point; so do I -- it's not that remarkable a thing to experience; pure awareness has no content; dream awareness has fluctuating/vacillating content -- whether it's called "a dream" or "thinking", "waking" awareness is direct perception of a given moment, without conceptual overlay --- we all experience all three of these, every moment ... contained within this pure being we are, now.
The book, if anyone is interested, is called Sleeping, Dreaming & Dying by The Dalai Lama.
Also: http://www.mindandlife.org/conf92.html |
Edited by - Kirtanman on Jul 02 2009 10:35:51 PM |
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Kirtanman
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - Jul 02 2009 : 10:32:07 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Suryakant
quote:
Originally posted by Kirtanman
quote:
Originally posted by CarsonZi
Are dreams just scenery to be acknowledged and let go of?
Love,
Carson
Hey Carson,
Is there anything that *isn't* like that?
I'm just askin' ....
all forms are like that
Exactly what my post (quoted above) is intended to highlight, as well!
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Dreams
