Spring 2012 Shamatha Retreat

Tonight we begin with a primer on lucid dreaming with techniques from modern oneironaut Stephen LaBerge and dream yoga from the Indo-Tibetan tradition. Then we proceed deeper into the practice of awareness of awareness. Alan reiterates the importance for the six prerequisites for shamatha training and describes the process of "rolling back the carpet" of the eight consciousnesses: past the five senses and the ruminating mind, past the obscured mind (manas), greeting our sense of self or "I" (ahamkara), and finally arriving at the alayavijnana. Meditation begins 34.26 Q&A 58:29 * Different practices, same shamatha? * Semantics: bhavanga versus alayavijnana. * The far side of dullness and tiredness. * Morning and night people, and entering into practice like a helicopter. * The bashful maiden as a metaphor for thoughts that vanish with the light of awareness.