Sleep-Wake, Wake-Sleep Inversion
Meditationtime Forum Post
Date: Posted 3 years before May 12, 2016
MiBeloved 3 years ago
If you are doing kriya yoga or any type of really advanced meditation, then consider taking some time off to study the sleep-to-wake and wake-to-sleep inversion.
How would it sound if I told you that I could operate 707 aircraft and then someone explained to you that I could not operate a motor car?
So this is the situation of many of us who say that we meditate and that we reach higher states of consciousness and merge into the Absolute. If you asked a room of 100 of us meditators, to explain in detail, either the sleep-to-wake or wake-to-sleep operations, how many of us would give you a comprehensive explanation with supportive experiences of our own?
The idea that just as the physical body dies, one will leave behind the sleep-wake cycle and will be in pure awareness or absolute consciousness forever is a fantasy proposal that only satisfies childish minds. If now that we have this physical body, we cannot remain in the pure awareness or absolute consciousness by our particular definitions, then it is only likely that the same thing will continue beyond death of the individual physical systems.
In fact when considered, the subtle body will be the place where that sleep-wake cycle will continue to operate. What evidence is there that the subtle body will suddenly disappear forever when the physical system dies and if it will be around, then it is only sensible to assume that the sleep-wake, wake-sleep system will continue in it unabated.
Within twenty-four hours each of us transits through the wake-sleep and then sleep-wake process at least once. But have any of us stopped to tap into it, to increase our objectivity during the transit period.
Are we only doing meditation at other times, and never stopping during the transit to gain more objectivity and perhaps to realize the system which operates it?
Alfredo 3 years ago
Paul Brunton in his book "Wisdom of the Overself" (1943) wrote a meditation for this specific transition. I have it copied in word file, in case someone is interested. He called them "meditation on dream" and "meditation on sleep".
Do you propose any specific meditation for that, or is it perhaps covered in one of your books that you can point out to it?
MiBeloved 3 years ago
Some methods are explained:
Stall when arising from sleep, especially if you awaken and realize that you were in a subtle dimension acting. Stall the mind at the phase just when you become aware that you are aware of the physical side or aware that you will become aware of the physical side in a matter of seconds.
Then gradually you will notice the sleep-wake transition taking place. But this has to be done repeatedly over time to get a handle on the subjectivity.
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Fall into sleep when falling into sleep as if you are agreeing to the mystic shift of consciousness. Instead of fighting sleep by thinking or by trying to escape from the impending stupor, go along voluntarily with it as you maintain a tiny bit, a very tiny, bit of objectivity.
By cooperating with the process you will reserve some of your observational self-perspective and that will increase the minute percentage of objectivity that nature usually permits on such occasions.
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Make an effort to rest silently during the day at times when there is no need to sleep, when you are properly rested. At this time, there will be an increase of objectivity because the mind is charged and is not exhausted.
Alfredo 3 years ago
Thanks!
Paul Brunton: Usually a man falls asleep when occupied with a train of feeble-held thoughts or with a movement of erratic imagination, either of which may fitfully continue its interrupted existence through the merely mechanical activity of its related brain center...
The student settles himself at night for sleep and then direct his thoughts forward into the future, seeking first to imprint powerfully upon his consciousness the suggestion that his forthcoming dreams shall rationalize themselves and then to picture himself passing through certain definite experiences during them. He should pre-determine to introduce rational order and logical unity into them. He should aspire to see himself forcefully waking up in his sleep enough to be fully aware that he is still dreaming but not enough to be aware of the physical world which has been left behind. The mind must be utterly intent when giving the nightly self-suggestion and nothing else should be permitted to gain a mental foothold. He will assist the development if he takes particular note of the most vivid and most lucid dreams which leave a sharp impression in the mind and keeps a brief written record of them. If therefore he wishes to remember more of any dream he must take the utmost care not to get out of bed abruptly. The transition to waking activity should be of the slowest, gentlest and most spontaneous kind. He should lie utterly still and inwardly attentive immediately on awakening, permitting no other thought to intrude and break his concentration than the thought of the last moment of dream...
MiBeloved 3 years ago
Now there is a person who knows what he is talking about and who has tried and tested his advice before giving it out.
Tremendous detail of what one must do if one wants to master the sleep-wake circle.
No guru can help here. It is you and your mental process, your ability to stop and pay attention to what happens by automatic process in the psyche.
