Lucid dreams (LD), in which the sleeper is aware that they are dreaming, have long been a familiar phenomenon in both Western and Eastern cultures. In the Indo-Tibetan traditions, there are meditation practices designed to develop this skill. Prakash Chandra Kavi, a researcher from Spain, described one of these techniques.
Yoga Nidra is an ancient meditation technique (possibly of Tantric origin) from India. It is performed in a state of wakefulness, but is aimed at conscious immersion in sleep. It can be practiced both in a group setting and independently.
What does it involve? The practitioner lies down and tries to come to a state of stillness. After that, they start mentally scanning all parts of the body. The process usually culminates with the meditator focusing their attention on the area of the heart and naturally going into a state of lucid dreaming.
As the researcher notes, consciously entering sleep means being in a state of Yoga Nidra, and a person who has mastered this practice is usually able to achieve lucidity every night, barring unusual circumstances.
The author adds that the tradition also talks of dreamless lucid sleep. This phenomenon is part of a classic dispute between two schools of Indian philosophy: the Advaita Vedanta and the Nyaya. The first believes that consciousness can be present in such sleep, the second—that it is not. The researcher himself supports Advaita’s point of view, noting that becoming aware during dreamless sleep is also considered Yoga Nidra.
Have you tried such techniques?
The article was published in February 2023 in the journal Progress in Brain Research.
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