FIVE CHARACTER SECRET

FIVE CHARACTER SECRET

by Li I-yu
as researched by Lee N. Scheele

CALM

The hsin [mind-and-heart] should be calm. If the hsin is not calm, one cannot concentrate, and when the arm is raised, whether forward or back, left or right, it is completely without certain direction. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain a calm mind. In beginning to move, you cannot control (it) by yourself. The entire mind must also experience and comprehend the movements of the opponent. Accordingly, when the movement bends, it then straightens, without disconnecting or resisting. Do not extend or retreat by yourself. If my opponent has li [external strength], I also have li, but my li is previous in exact anticipation of his. If the opponent does not have li, I am also without li, but my I [mind-intent] is still previous. It is necessary to be continually mindful; to whatever part of the body is touched the mind should go. You must discover the information by non-discrimination and non-resistance. Follow this method, and in one year, or a half-year, you will instinctively find it in your body. All of this means you use I, not chin [intrinsic force]. After a practicing for a long time, the opponent will be controlled by me and I will not be controlled by him.

AGILITY

If the body is clumsy, then in advancing or retreating it cannot be free; therefore, it must be agile. Once you raise your arm, you cannot appear clumsy. The moment the force of my opponent touches my skin and hair, my mind is already penetrating his bones. When holding up the arms, the ch'i [vital life energy] is threaded together continuously. When the left side is heavy, it then empties, and the right side is already countering. When the right is heavy, it empties, and the left is already countering. The ch'i is like a wheel, and the whole body must mutually coordinate. If there is any uncoordinated place, the body becomes disordered and weak. The defect is to be found in the waist and legs. First the mind is used to order the body. Follow the opponent and not your own inclination. Later your body can follow your mind, and you can control yourself and still follow the opponent. When you only follow your own inclination, you are clumsy, but when you follow the opponent, then your hands can distinguish and weigh accurately the amount of his force, and measure the distance of his approach with no mistake. Advancing and retreating, everywhere the coordination is perfect. After studying for a long time, your technique will become skillful.

BREATH
To Gather the Ch'i

If the ch'i is dispersed, then it is not stored and is easy to scatter. Let the ch'i penetrate the spine and the inhalation and exhalation be smooth and unimpeded throughout the entire body. The inhalation closes and gathers, the exhalation opens and discharges. Because the inhalation can naturally raise and also uproot the opponent, the exhalation can naturally sink down and also fa-chin [discharge energy] him. This is by means of the I, not the li mobilizing the ch'i.

INTERNAL FORCE
The Complete Chin

The chin of the whole body, through practice, becomes one unit. Distinguish clearly between substantial and insubstantial. To fa-chin it is necessary to have root. Thechin starts from the foot, is commanded by the waist, and manifested in the fingers, and discharged through the spine and back. One must completely raise the shen[spirit of vitality] at the moment when the opponent's chin is about to manifest, but has not yet been released. My chin has then already met his, not late, not early. It is like using a leather (tinder) to start a fire, or like a fountain gushing forth. In going forward or stepping back, there is not even the slightest disorder. In the curve seek the straight, store, then discharge; then you are able to follow your hands and achieve a beautiful result. This is called borrowing force to strike the opponent or using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds.

SPIRITShen Concentrated

Having the above four, then you can return to concentrated spirit: if the spirit is concentrated, then it is continuous and uninterrupted, and the practice of ch'i returns to the shen [spirit of vitality]. The manifestation of ch'i moves with agility. When the shen is concentrated, opening and closing occur appropriately, and the differentiation of substantial and insubstantial is clear. If the left is insubstantial, the right is substantial, and vice-versa. Insubstantial does not mean completely without strength. The manifestation of ch'i must be agile. Substantial does not mean completely limited. The spirit must be completely concentrated. It is important to be completely in the mind [I] and the waist, and not outside. Not being outside or separated, force is borrowed from the opponent, and the ch'i is released from the spine. How can the ch'i discharge from the spine? It sinks downward from the two shoulders, gathers to the spine, and pours to the waist. This is ch'i from up to down and is called closed. From the waist the ch'i mobilizes to the spine, spreads to the two arms and flows to the fingers. This is ch'i from down to up and is called opened. Closed is gathering, and opened is discharging. When you know opening and closing, then you know yin and yang. Reaching this level your skill will progress with the days and you can do as you wish.

Tai Chi is All Feeling

As you progress past the point of learning the postures and how they flow together creating the form, you must feel the Unity of your Body-Being and let your calm Mind direct your Chi. Your relaxed body will effortlessly follow your Chi. Proper Tai Chi Practice will eventually have your entire body breathing in the Yin, exhaling the Yang, and feeling like a ball of pure energy. It is a feeling of Oneness, Power, and unbelievable Bliss. 

Namaste'



Feeling the connection between the movements. Feel the openings and closings, the contractions and expansions, the separations and joinings.
  The whole body is connected as it moves through the form. Feel the connection between the hands stretch as they move apart, and condense again as they circle back together.
  The movement begins in the belly, and propagates outward. If you feel the form in the abdomen, you’re on the right track.

The 13 Principles of Tai Chi:

Sinking of Shoulders and Dropping of Elbows

Relaxing of Chest and Rounding of Back

Sinking Chi down to Dan Tien

Lightly Pointing Up the Head

Relaxation of Waist and Hip

Differentiate Between Empty and Full: Yin and Yang

Coordination of Upper and Lower Parts of the Body

Using the Mind Instead of Force

Harmony Between Internal and External

Connecting the Mind and the Chi

Find Stillness Within Movement

Movement and Stillness Present at Once

Continuity and Evenness Throughout the Form

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Letting Go by Gil Fronsdal

Learning to let go of frustrating events, mistakes we all make, and even catastrophic and traumatic events like I experienced many years ago is something we all must learn to do if we are to ever be truly happy. Meditation in one form or another is the only way to achieve this. There are countless forms from ancient times and newer mindful techniques used today in psychological therapies but they all have one purpose - to learn to live in the Present. Below is an article from The Insight Meditation Center by Gil Fronsdal, a teacher there who received his training under the direction of Jack Kornfield, that pertains to this "letting go". Enjoy!

Namaste'

Letting Go by Gil Fronsdal

Letting go is an important practice in everyday life, as well as on the path of liberation.  Daily life provides innumerable small and large occasions for letting go of plans, desires, preferences, and opinions. It can be as simple as when the weather changes, and we abandon plans we had for the day. Or it can be as complex as deciding what to sacrifice, when pulled between the needs of family, friends, career, community, or spiritual practice.  Daily life provides many situations where letting go is appropriate, or even required.  Learning how to do so skillfully, is essential to a happy life.

Buddhist practice leads to a letting go that is more demanding than what ordinary life usually requires. Beyond relinquishing particular desires and opinions, we practice letting go of the underlying compulsion to cling to desires and opinions. The liberation of Buddhism is not just letting go of outdated and inaccurate self-concepts; it also involves giving up a core conceit that causes us to cling to ideas of who we are or aren’t.  Liberation is releasing the deepest attachments we have.

The practice of letting go is often mistrusted. One good reason for this mistrust is because, without wisdom, it is easy to let go of the wrong things; for example, when we let go of such healthy pursuits as exercising or eating well, instead of our clinging to those pursuits.  Another reason for mistrust, is that letting go or renunciation, can suggest deprivation, weakness, and personal diminishment if we think we have to abandon our views and wishes in favor of the views and wishes of others.

It is possible to let go either of a thing or of the grasping we have to that thing.  In some circumstances, it is appropriate to give something up. In others, it is more important to let go of the grasping.  When someone is addicted to alcohol, it is necessary to renounce alcohol.  However, when someone is clinging to the past, it is not the past that needs to be abandoned, rather it is the clinging. If the past is rejected, it can’t be a source of understanding.  When there is no clinging to it, it is easier to learn the lessons the past provides.

At times, it is important to understand the shortcomings of what we are clinging to before we are able to let go.  This may require investigation into the nature of what we are holding on to. For example, many people have found it easier to let go of arrogance when they see clearly the effect it has on one’s relationships with others.  When we see clearly what money can and can’t do for us, it can be easier to let go of the idea that money will give us a meaningful life.

Sometimes it is more important to understand the shortcomings of the grasping itself rather than the object of grasping.  Grasping always hurts. It is the primary source of suffering.  It limits how well we can see what is happening.  When it is strong, clinging can cause us to lose touch with ourselves. It interferes with our ability to be flexible and creative and it can be a trigger for afflictive emotions.

By investigating both the grasping itself and the object of our grasping, it becomes possible to know which of these we need to let go of.  If the object of grasping is harmful, then we let go of that.  If the object of grasping is beneficial, then we can let go of the grasping so that what is beneficial remains.  Helping a neighbor, caring for your own health and welfare, or enjoying nature can be done with or without clinging.  It is accomplished much better without the clinging.

The Buddhist practice of letting go, has two important sides that fit together like the front and back of one’s hand. The first side, which is the better known, is letting go of something.  The second side is letting go into something.  The two sides work together like letting go of the diving board while dropping into the pool, or giving up impatience and then relaxing into the resulting ease.

While letting go can be extremely beneficial, the practice can be even more significant when we also learn to let go into something valuable. From this side, letting go is more about what is gained than what is lost.  When we let go of fear, it may also be possible to let go into a sense of safety or a sense of relaxation.  Forsaking the need to be right or to have one’s opinions justified can allow a person to settle into a feeling of peace.  Letting go of thoughts might allow us to open to a calmer mind.  By letting go into something beneficial, it can be easier to let go of something harmful.  At times, people don’t want to let go because they don’t see the alternative as better than what they are holding on to.  When something is clearly gained by letting go, it can be easier to do so.

We can see the Buddhist emphasis on what is gained through letting go by how the tradition understands renunciation.  While the English word implies giving something up, the Buddhist analogy for renunciation, is to go out from a place that is confined and dusty, into a wide open, clear space. It is as if you have been in a one room cabin with your relatives, snowed in for an entire winter.  While you may love your relatives, what is gained when you open the door and get out into the spring, probably feels exquisite.

One of the nice things about letting go into something is that it has less to do with willing something or creating something than it does with allowing or relaxing. Once we know how to swim, it can be relaxing to float by allowing the water to hold us up.  Once we know how to have compassion, there may be times when we not only let go of ill-will, but also let go into a sense of empathy.  Letting go of fear, may then also be resting back into a sense of calm.

A wonderful result of letting go is to experience each moment as being enough, just as it is.  It allows us to be present for our experience here and now with such clarity and freedom that this very moment stands out as something profound and significant.  We can let go of the headlong rush into the future, as well as the various, imaginative ways we think, “I’m not enough” or “this moment is not good enough”, so we can discover a well-being and peace not dependent on what we want or believe.

A fruit of Buddhist practice is to have available a greater range of wholesome, beautiful and meaningful inner states to let go into.  In particular, one can come to know a pervasive peace, accessible through both letting go and letting go into.  The full maturity of this peace is when we let go of our self as the person experiencing the peace.  With no self, there is just peace.

The Heart and the Tao by Glenn Berger, Ph.D.

 Finding this blog is a real treat for me. I have always seen the contrasts between the social teachings of Confucius and the spiritual teachings of Lao-tse but have never seen the intersection of the two until now. This is of great interest to me and quite a find indeed! It has been obvious to me forever that you can not separate the two because when we are acting in accordance with our True Nature, the social and spiritual aspects of man are identical. Dr. Berger is a student of Confucius and, therefore, has studied the teachings of Mencius too. Mencius lived about one hundred fifty or so years after Confucius and Lao-tse and infused Taoist thought in his studies and teachings of Confucius. He is highly revered by Neo-Confucians as the teacher of orthodox Confucianism. I admit to knowing very little about his teachings though. In this essay by Dr. Berger, you will understand why I have always said that when we are One with our True Nature, we are always at the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. It is not a conscious act but is the "perfect" act that naturally occurs when we are "in the flow" of Tao.  When Lao-tse and Confucius reportedly met, Confucius left their conversation completely puzzled. He basically said when ask about Lao-tse, "I have no idea what he said but he is the wisest man I have ever met!". It is obvious from this essay, though, that Mencius' Taoist influence made it possible for him see a connection.

This is a double delight for me because Dr. Berger is trained in Gestalt Theory - the only theory I studied in Psychology that explained a greater power in excess of all of the parts - ie; God, Tao, Self, etc. I have always been fascinated with Gestalt and it has played an important role in my understanding of Reality and Truth. I hope this article helps you in your understanding why it is so important to stop trying to control everything(Ego) because Everything is already in perfect control when we completely let go(Faith) and just Be our True Nature. Enjoy!

Namaste'

The Heart and the Tao

by Glenn Berger, Ph.D.

In the culminating vision of the Sage, Mencius, heart, theHeavenly Mandate, and flood-like ch’i are combined with theTao, or the Way. One accomplishes an alignment with the Heavenly Mandate, or universal law, by manifesting the heart, the faculty of goodness, resulting in flood-like ch’i or fully embodied vitality and courage. The method for living in such alignment is called the Tao, or Way. To quote from “On the Practice of the Mean,” one of the four canonized books of Chinese wisdom, “by ‘the ‘Way’ we mean that path which is in conformance with the intrinsic nature of man and things.”  By following the Tao, or Way, we achieve the moral life by living in accordance with natural principles and we become the profound person. We achieve jen, or authentic human-ness.

It is in the natural order of the universe to have manifested a compassionate heart in humankind. We are also given the faculty of cultivating ourselves. What this means is that we can advance our own evolution. By developing ourselves, we participate in the perfecting of nature. The purpose, telos, or entelechy of the universe is love, where love is the ultimate realization of compassion and harmonic relationship. We are each given a capacity for goodness through our inherent compassion and it is our task to develop this capacity optimally in order to play our part in the realization of the universe. Cultivating the compassionate heart is fulfilling the mandate of heaven. This is what it means to live according to the Tao. As the furthest extension of universal development, humankind finds its optimal harmony with the purpose of the universe when we self-cultivate toward the realization of heart.

We come to an alignment with heart through living according to the Tao. The Tao is the heart in time. The heart is the Tao in us. The heart is the faculty that can comprehend and practice living according to the Way.

When we live according to universal principle, our inner conflict ends: what we should do finds harmony with what we want to do. As Mencius put it,

“The profound person steeps himself in the Way because he wishes to find it in himself. When he finds it in himself, he will be at ease in it; when he is at ease in it, he can draw deeply upon it; when he can draw deeply upon it, he finds its source wherever he turns. That is why a profound person wishes to find the Way in himself.”

In this sense, to develop morally is not to learn moral rules, though these provide a framework for the real learning. Instead, we want to cultivate our hearts, the capacity for knowing right from wrong within. In this way we do not obediently follow some rule imposed from without, but intrinsically do the right thing in any circumstance, as the circumstance dictates.  As Confucius put it, “The profound person, in the world, does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.”

Self-cultivation, or the process of developing our human potentials, is accomplished by living according to the Tao. It is through the realization of our human potentials that we embody the Heavenly Mandate, or universal principle. This embodiment of universal principle is our purpose, what we are meant to be, or our entelechy. The full realization of our potentials is to fulfill our human nature and is the way we come to know the universal law. The full manifestation of our human nature, which is an embodiment of universal principle, is compassion. Compassion is the purpose of the universe. To realize loving compassion is to manifest the entelechy of the universe. When we manifest the potential of the universe, we are at one with the energy of the universe.

For the Confucians, we get “close enough” to the Tao by having optimal relationships in each domain of being. We cultivate these relationships by developing our empathy through practicing the virtues of benevolence, respect, and compassion and we do this by accessing the heart.

The Confucian conception of the personal heart and its interconnection to all other hearts, the heart of the universe and the transcendent spiritual heart, is best explicated in the monumental work, “The Highest Order of Cultivation.” Here is my interpretation of the core of this text.

•    Only once one has an embodied experience of the interconnectedness of all, can one integrate all aspects of the psyche, leading to integration and wholeness; where the parts of the self exist in cooperative relation.

•    Only when we are whole can the potentials of the heart be realized. Only when we are whole can we realize our potentials for perceiving, thinking, feeling, imagining, acting and connecting.

•    Only when we have realized our potentials do we manifest virtuous moral being. Only when we have manifested virtuous moral centeredness can we put our relationships right, having harmonious relationships, meeting the needs of our partners and growing optimally.

•    Only when we can put our relationships right can we have happy, good children and flourishing families.

•    Only when we have balanced families can society be at peace and harmony.

•    Only when society is in order are we living according to the Heavenly Mandate, or the laws of the universe.

•    By cultivating ourselves, we fulfill the purpose of the universe.

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My First Lucid Dream

I had been religiously training myself every night to awaken in my dreams. This involved raising my right hand up in front of my face and studying every single detail for five minutes before lights out. It took a few weeks before anything happened but that was actually fairly quick. It can sometimes take much longer but you must not stop for even one night. I remember walking down a sidewalk next to a downtown street in my hometown. You probably have many dreams too that occur in your hometown. Anyway, for some reason, I stopped walking and raised my right hand up to my face and also looked down at the bricks in the street. I do not remember which began first but I noticed that the bricks were aligned in the wrong direction and my hand at about the same time. I immediately knew I was in a dream and Bam! Here we go!




The next thing I knew I was floating in ecstasy right above the tree tops in the most beautiful park. It was a perfect Summer's day and I could hear the sounds of children laughing. I started looking around and saw families having picnics and playing games in this park. The colors of everything were so sharp and vivid. It was breathtaking! Next, I began checking out my self. I was so peaceful and beyond happy. I felt very fluid-like as I moved at will slowly floating above the trees. It kind of felt like being in water but without the resistance. I had always loved to do somersaults in the shallow end of the swimming pool so I started doing somersaults above the park. It felt incredible! Now, I had read an old book on astral projection by Oliver Fox where he described the "rules" you must observe in this state so you do not lose it. In fact, he awoke to his first lucid dream when he noticed the street stones were running in the opposite way. It is possible that knowing of his experience also influenced mine. One rule I learned from him was not to get emotional so I enjoyed but kept my cool. After enjoying that thrill, I started checking out my abilities. I could move effortlessly in any position - lying out with my back down, on my side, stomach, any way was fine. I swear I could look in any direction without moving my "head". Strangely wonderful! I became curious about the people below now. Could they see me? No one seemed to be looking at me. I watched some boys running around and thought one of them looked right at me. Then Bam! Everything changed!




It was night time  and I was hovering outside of the entrance to a school. There were wide steps leading up from the sidewalk to the open doors and the lights were on. I need to preface this next scene with a little background information. Like I said in my previous post, I had begun studying everything I could find to help me understand this Awakening. A well-known parapsychologist had come to the local college to do a presentation so my brother and a close friend helped me go to it. We sat on the front row right in front of him. He was brilliant and the presentation was fascinating. It blew me away, in fact. It alone deserves it's own post so I may do that in the future. For now though, it is meeting him that applies to my lucid dream.When it was over, I went up to meet him. As we shook hands, he looked me in the eyes very intently as if he was seeing something. It felt strange like he somehow knew me. I left but the way he looked at me stayed in my memory. Anyway, back to the dream now. So there I was floating in front of this place of education. I felt like going in so I began to slowly float up the stair towards the open doors. There was a man in a suit coming down the stairs to my left and somewhat lower than me. Our eyes met and he stopped. It was that parapsychologist and he recognized me! His eyes were locked with mine with the same intense look as he turned to watch me enter the building. My "body" just kept moving slowly up the stairs as my "head" turned completely around looking back at him as I entered the doors. 




I was floating near the high ceiling looking around. It was an old school with lockers for the student's books and such. As I started cruising along, I encountered students walking in groups talking to each other. Every now and then a student would look up, point at me, and say, "did you see that?"! I really believe some of them could see me or see something. I remember just continuing on at ceiling level when I came to a wall. My "body" just passed right through it into a whole new environment. This gets pretty weird - in a nice kind of way. It seems like I am now in a two-story open pole barn. There are no walls or floors, just large wooden beams framing the open interior. I am still at about the same height just floating slowly in the same direction when I see the most beautiful, sexy, and completely naked girl reclining on the cross beam and leaning up against the vertical post. Wow! Hubba Hubba! She was definitely poring on the seduction as I approached her. Oh, was she something! I was taking it all in, every little detail, as I slowly, very slowly, floated by. My head effortlessly turned completely around as I kept enjoying the view. Not sure why I kept going but it seemed like this was just a sight-seeing venture. As I was still watching her making goo-goo eyes, etc at me, I floated right through the outer wall into the night. 




This part is important! Dream control has been taught throughout history for a reason to students of Elders, Shaman, Medicine Men - Men of Wisdom in every culture. While in your "dream body", you are not confined to that material form that you see in a mirror. As I said early on, I felt very fluid and movement had no limitations so I call it "soul travel". It is a way to test drive your soul. You can see what "she" can do on the open road, so to speak. So for one, you have no material limitations. The next thing I am fixing to tell you is demonstrated by what happened after I found myself outside of the pole barn in the night. I was just hovering in one spot surveying the environment. I began to "feel" a breeze and found myself looking at the gabled roof of some building. For some reason, the desire to go see one of my best friends hit me. Bam! Before it even became clear to me, I was hovering in the street looking right at his house! I could see every single detail including a light on in his living room. All of a sudden a big wind hit and pushed me back to where I had been. I fought and fought and fought this now cold wind but it was too powerful. Then I made a mistake. I started to get angry, an emotion, and the next thing I knew, I woke up freezing to death with no covers, naked, of course, and my air conditioner on high blowing cold air on me. Bummer!!




That was the end of my first lucid dream. Wow! How is that for entertainment and I never went anywhere. Or did I? Here is what you need to know from this dream. The way you realize you are in a dream is by training yourself to be critical of things in your dream. We have what is called, our "critical faculty" in our brains that keeps our definition of reality intact during our waking hours. If you saw someone walk on water, it would really get your attention. In regular dreams, though, our critical faculty is not working so seeing that would not seem unusual. In other words, you are not being critical, or judgmental, of anything. When you finally raise your hand in your dream, though, your critical faculty becomes active in your dream. Next, your Being is not confined to a rigid form and flows effortlessly without limitations. Next, once you awaken in your dream, you Must remain unattached and calm. Just enjoy it. When I got frustrated by the wind, I began losing control and coming out of my dream. Your physical environment where you are asleep can influence your dream so be sure everything is comfortable and quiet when you lie down to sleep. I was experiencing dual-consciousness near the end of my dream and the cold air won. Now, I saved this one for last because it is one of the most important characteristics of our True Nature. As soon as the initial spark of intent occurs, it is already done. We are Quantum in Nature! I wrote about it in this previous post:


Our Quantum Reality


The instant that spark of intent to go to my friend's house occurred, I was there! It could have been Alpha Centauri just as easily and I would have been there just as quick. Quantum Reality is extremely complex and will be studied by the smartest quantum physicists for ages to come. The really cool thing, though, is we just are and It is so there is nothing more to know!




I hope you have enjoyed my first lucid dream and, more importantly, gained some important insight into our True Nature. I will write about another one when I get the time. I live to share the Wisdom I have gained on my Path with Heart. It is my calling to learn, teach, and help. Please be patient though. A post like this literally takes me several hours to write because I only have one good hand to type with and it's dexterity is greatly lacking(ie; lots of proofreading and corrections). However, there are very few things as personally satisfying as doing this for you. Be well!


Namaste'

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My First Lucid Dream Will Be Here Very Soon

It is a very busy time right now but I am over half way finished with this post. Sorry for the delay but one's Path is never straight. Thank you for your patience.


Namaste'

Lucid Dreams

After I became disabled back in the 1970's, I was Awakened and, as soon as I was able, began reading everything spiritually philosophical I could find. I needed answers and explanations for the events I had experienced and to the new realizations that were coming to me almost daily. I was meditating for about an hour each day and had completed the four-book "Teachings of don Juan: A Yaqui Indian Sorcerer" by Carlos Castaneda. In one of the books, he taught Carlos how to gain control of his dreams. The technique was simple but required dedication and focus. Every night in bed right before falling asleep, he said to raise your hand until it was right in front of your face where you could see it clearly. You were to study every single detail of your hand intensely for five minutes and then go to sleep. Just the act of raising your hand up to your face was part of the training. After a period of time, you would stop in a dream, raise your hand up to your face, and it would hit you that you were in a dream. The lights would literally come on, everything would become so beautifully vivid, and the magic would begin! 

Mine began this way with a big bang! Wow! This technique has probably been used for thousands of years by Meso-American shaman to initiate dream control. There is no trick to it. In a normal dream, you witness many bizarre things but just pay them no mind because you are unable to think critically. This technique causes your mind's critical faculty to become active when you raise your hand and realize why it is there. I can not speak to the techniques covered below but Stephen LaBerge is world-renown for his research of lucid dreams. I suggest you look into these but highly recommend using the simple technique above first. 

This is my introduction to lucid dreaming to familiarize you with dream control before I share some of my incredible experiences controlling mine with you. I like to call it an introduction to travel in your ethereal body, or "soul travel". I hope you enjoy this and look into it further.

Namaste' 

LUCID DREAMING 

by David Town

     Most people don't  realize  they've  been  dreaming  until  after
they've awakened  and  the  dream  has  come  to an end.  Some people,
however, are conscious that they're dreaming.  These  lucid  dreamers,
scientists  have  discovered,  can  literally direct their actions and
change the content of a dream, deciding perhaps to talk  physics  with
Einstein,  woo  and  marry  a  movie  star,  or  assume  the powers of
Superman.

     After nearly a decade of piloting these daring nocturnal flights,
two psychologists - Stephen LaBerge of Stanford University, author  of
LUCID DREAMING (Ballentine), and Jayne Gackenbach of the University of
Northern  Iowa - have begun to develop a series of techniques aimed at
helping ordinary  dreamers  "turn"  lucid,  and  lucid  dreamers  gain
greater control  over  the wooly behemoth of the night.  These special
techniques, still under development, have never before been  presented
in a public forum.

     For  those  who  have aquired the knack of lucidity, the benefits
can be enormous.  Lucid dreaming gives one the  chance  to  experience
adventures rarely  surpassed elsewhere in life.  These experiences can
enhance   self-confidence   and   promote    personal    growth    and
self-development.   By  facing  fears and learning to make the best of
the  worst  situation  imaginable,   lucid   dreamers   can   overcome
nightmares.   Because  recent  scientific  studies have demonstrated a
strong connection between dreams and the biological functioning of the
body, lucid dreams might facilitate physical as well as mental health.
And finally, because lucid dreaming allows us to tap the power of  the
unconscious, it may also be useful for creative problem solving.

     To  direct  your  own  nightly dream-time show, attempt exercises
one, two, three and four as outlined below.   LaBerge  and  Gackenbach
suggest that  you  do the tasks as often as possible.  Some people may
succeed in having a lucid dream the very  first  night  they  use  the
techniques;  others,  the  researchers  note  may need to practice for
several weeks before getting results.

               EXERCISE ONE

     A number of techniques facilitate lucid dreaming.    One  of  the
simplest  is asking yourself many times during the day whether you are
dreaming.  Each time  you  ask  the  question,  you  should  look  for
evidence proving  you  are not dreaming.  The most reliable test: Read
something, look away for a moment, and then read  it  again.    If  it
reads the same way twice, it is unlikely that you are dreaming.  After
you  have  proved  to  yourself  that  you are not presently dreaming,
visualize yourself doing whatever  it  is  you'd  like.    Also,  tell
yourself that you want to recognize a nighttime dream the next time it
occurs.   The  mechanism at work here is simple; it's much the same as
picking up milk at the grocery store after reminding yourself to do so
an hour before.

     At night people usually  realize  they  are  dreaming  when  they
experience unusual  or bizarre occurrences.  For instance, if you find
yourself flying with no visible means of support, you  should  realize
that  this  only  happens  in  dreams  and  that you must therefore be
dreaming.

     If you awaken from a dream in the middle of the night, it is very
helpful to return to the dream immediately, in your imagination.   Now
envision yourself  recognizing the dream as such.  Tell yourself, "The
next time I am dreaming, I want to remember to  recognize  that  I  am
dreaming."  If your intention is strong and clear enough, you may find
yourself in a lucid dream when you return to sleep.

               EXERCISE TWO

     Many lucid dreamers report dreams in which they fly unaided, much
like Superman.    Some  lucid  dreamers say that flying is a thrilling
means of travel; others, that it has helped them return  from  one  of
the more harrowing dream experiences --- the endless fall.

     Why is  dream flying so important ?  It's a form of dream control
that's fairly easy to master.  It gives the  dreamer  an  exhilarating
sense of  freedom.    And  it's  a  basic means of travel in the dream
world.

     How do you make a dream flight happen at all ?  We  suggest  that
before  you  retire for bed, you simply repeat these words: "Tonight I
fly !"  Then while still awake, imagine that journey.

     If you find yourself flying, it will be a clear sign that you are
in a dream.  In any case, when you realize you're  dreaming,  remember
that you  want  to  fly.  When you actually feel yourself flying, say,
"This is a dream."  Make sure  that  you  start  modestly,  by  simply
floating above  the  surface  of  your  dream  ground.    As  you gain
confidence, both in the notion that  you  are  dreaming  and  in  your
ability to control that experience, you might experiment with flying a
bit more.    Run,  taking  big  leaps,  and  then stay aloft for a few
seconds so that you resemble an astronaut walking on the  moon.    Try
sustained floating,  and  then  flying  at  low  altitudes.    As your
confidence increases, so will your flying skills.  While asleep,  work
on increasing  your  altitude,  maneuverability,  and  speed.  As with
speed sports, you should perfect  height  and  maneuverability  before
speed.   Of  course, you couldn't really hurt yourself --- it's only a
dream.  But you could get scared.

     After you  get  proficient  in  dream  flying,  remember  to  ask
yourself these questions : "How high can I fly ?  Can I view the earth
from outer  space  ?  Can I travel so fast that I lose awareness of my
surroundings and experience the sensation of pure speed ?"

     Throughout your efforts in dream  flight,  please  remember  that
you're in a dream.  With this in mind, your fears will be held at bay,
and your control over your dream will be greatly enhanced.

               EXERCISE THREE

     Even  if  you're a frequent lucid dreamer, you may not be able to
stop your- self from waking up in mid-dream.  And even if your  dreams
do  reach  a satisfying end, you may not be able to focus them exactly
as you please.  During our years of research, however, we  have  found
that spinning your dream body can sustain the period of sleep and give
you greater  dream  control.    In  fact,  many  subjects  at Stanford
University have used the spinning technique as an effective  means  of
staying in  a  lucid dream.  The task outlines below will help you use
spinning as a means of staying asleep and, more exciting, as  a  means
of traveling to whatever dream world you desire.

     As  with  dream flying, the dream spinning task starts before you
go to bed.  Before retiring, decide on a person, time, and  place  you
would like  to visit in your lucid dream.  The target person and place
can be either real  or  imaginary,  past,  present  or  future.    For
instance,  Sigmund Freud, Vienna, 1900; Stephen LaBerge, Stanford, the
present; or the president of the  solar  system,  Galaxy  Base,  2900.
Write  down  and memorize your target person and place, then visualize
yourself visiting your target and firmly resolve to do so in  a  dream
that night.

     When following this procedure, it is possible that you might find
yourself  visiting your target in a non-lucid dream; you will be aware
that this happened only after you awaken.   Nevertheless,  you  should
strive for lucidity by following the techniques in exercise one.  Then
proceed to your goal.

     To do so, repeat the phrase describing your target in your dream,
and  spin  your whole dream body in a standing position with your arms
outstretched.  You can pirouette or spin like a top, as  long  as  you
vividly feel your body in motion.

     The  same  spinning  technique will help when, in the middle of a
lucid dream, you feel the dream imagery beginning to fade.   To  avoid
waking  up,  spin  as  you  repeat your target phrase again and again.
With practice, you'll return to your target person, time, and place.

               EXERCISE FOUR

     Up until now we have had little control over  the  occurrence  of
creative dreams.    But  with  lucid  dreaming  it  may be possible to
intentionally access the creativity of the dream state.  You can  help
determine  the  feasibility  of  this  idea  by  attempting to solve a
problem in a lucid dream.  Before bed, decide on a problem  you  would
like to solve.    Frame  your  problem in the form of a question.  For
example : "What is the topic of me next book ?" "How can I become less
shy ?"  If you have an illness, you might consider  the  problem  "How
can I regain my health ?"

     Once  you  have  selected  a  problem question, write it down and
memorize it.  When doing the lucid-dream-induction exercises, remember
your question and see yourself looking for the  answer  in  your  next
lucid dream.   Then, when in a lucid dream, ask the question, and seek
the solution.

     You might be most successful at problem solving if you  take  the
direct approach.  For instance if your problem is shyness, be less shy
in your dream.  If your problem is health, try to heal yourself in the
dream.   Then reflect on how your dream solution relates to the waking
problem.  It may help to question other dream  characters,  especially
if they  represent  people  who  you think might know the answer.  For
example, if you  were  trying  to  solve  a  physics  problem,  Albert
Einstein might  be  a  good  dream  character  to query.  You can even
combine this task with the dream spinning and flying  tasks,  visiting
an expert on your problem.  You can also just explore your dream world
with  your  question in mind, looking for any clues that might suggest
an answer.

  ---Stephen LaBerge and Jayne Gackenbach, OMNI Magazine

     For those of you who have made it this far, I have just a  couple
of comments.    Lucid dreaming is the absolute MOST fun I've ever had,
and that's saying a lot, since I've  had  some  terrific  times  while
awake.   I  can't  dream  lucidly  every  night,  and  if  I  stop the
exercises, it takes a couple of days to get things lucid  again.    If
you do try lucid dreaming, don't expect results the first night.  Give
it a few  days,  and  keep  up the exercises.  They really work.  I've
found that it helps me to write down every detail I can recall from  a
dream as  soon  as  I get up in the morning.  Then before bed the next
night, I read those details, making them fresh in my mind.   It  seems
to help bring on dreams that night.

     If  you  have  questions  or comments about this article, you can
leave a message on MENHIR BBS at (609)-263-2861.  Just leave a comment
to the sysop.

    PLEASANT DREAMS !

    DAVID TOWN