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Wrote to Nafis:
Btw john also said dream practice is important in 2011 when commenting on nai min who was at I AM stage and nai min told me dream practice is unimportant:
“Below is the text with updated annotations reflecting your corrections:
14/08/2011
Yes. Putting practice in mundane activities (理事 [principle and matters/events]) is key of practice. And that is what you should do too. His advices are very good too.
There are 2 points one needs to be aware of:
1. Dreams should not be treated as less important than all mundane practices. His mindset of skewing towards (理事 [principle and matters/events]) and dreams become less crucial. He must see both are equally important so that his 觉 [awareness] will become more mature. Knowing the workings of the mind in mundane activities, in 理事 [principle and matters/events] and in the 3 states (waking, dreaming and sleeping) are all equally important, 平等 [equality] and 同味 [same taste].
2. The explanation on the practice of “自觉 [self awareness]，觉他 [awareness of others]，觉行 [awareness in action]” is correct. It is using what “view” and “realization” to approach the 理 [principle] and 事 [matters/events].
For example, Christians must also practice 自觉 [self awareness]，觉他 [awareness of others]，觉行 [awareness in action] but the way to cope and manage 理事 [principle and matters/events] is to base on the faith on God, but for Buddhists it is different. Similarly how to put the realization of non-dual, anatta and emptiness is most important.
At present what is being expressed on the practice of 理事 [principle and matters/events] is still very much at the level of “I Am” understanding.
Sent from my iPhone” - john tan
But it is not through sustaining conscious state of I AM or witnessing that is considered practice
But rather it should be like what the upadesha of vajrasattva said
And also:
[29/5/22, 11:16:28 PM] John Tan: What Malcolm meant is not this [remaining conscious in sleep], what he meant is before sleep remain in that state of anatta and visualize the letter A and then sleep and deep sleep till u wake up. If dreams of clarity arises, practice naturally. Not remain like 似睡非睡。
[29/5/22, 11:16:38 PM] Soh Wei Yu: oic..
[29/5/22, 11:17:22 PM] John Tan: only when elements are imbalance u dream.
[29/5/22, 11:17:48 PM] Soh Wei Yu: ic..
[29/5/22, 11:20:31 PM] John Tan: Unless u r already mature this then the practice can turn naturally into 3 states but it will be like what Malcolm meant and should not be practiced like what ur grand master said, 似睡非睡. Try not to practice that way, maybe monk like your grand master can.
——
Nafis replied me:
Agreed. There's an excerpt in the Dalai Lama's latest book where he talks about accessing [example clear light] by dissolving the winds into the heart chakra while lucid dreaming:
The main purpose of dream yoga in the context of tantric practice is to first recognize the dream state as dream state. Then, in the next stage of the practice you focus your attention on the heart center of your dream body and try to withdraw the vital energy into that center. That leads to an experience of the clear light of sleep, which arises when the dream state ceases.
The experience of clear light that you have during sleep is not very subtle. As you progress in your practice of dream yoga, the first experience of the clear light occurs as a result of focusing your attention at the heart center of the dream body. Although the clear light state during sleep at the beginning is not very subtle, through practice you’ll be able to make it subtler and also prolong its duration. Also, a secondary benefit of this dream body is that you can be a perfect spy.
Soh replied:
Yes i think i said before in my journal
In sleep, it is super intense bliss like over ten times when one is clear light absorbed in heart chakra
For further reading, see https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/search/label/Sleep
