Tag: dreaming

Dream Yoga: Illuminating Your Life Through Lucid Dreaming and the Tibetan Yogas of Sleep by Andrew Holecek

Dream Yoga: Illuminating Your Life Through Lucid Dreaming and the Tibetan Yogas of Sleep by Andrew Holecek

“Just as my experience joined day and night, this book will continue the theme of unity as I join the wisdom of the East with the knowledge of the West in an attempt to bring this wonderous world of the night into the crisp light of day.” pg 17, ebook

Andrew Holecek utilizes techniques from both the Western traditions and Eastern Buddhist traditions in this book about how to lucid dream.

“This book is like a tour into your innermost self.” pg 24

It’s been awhile since I read a non-fiction book about dreaming. Years ago I read: A Field Guide to Lucid Dreaming: Mastering the Art of Oneironautics, which introduced me to practices that assist the dreamer in becoming lucid.

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Some of those appear in this book like doing dream checks where you jump up and down and if you float that obviously means you’re dreaming.

I’ve had mild success with those techniques. But because of my prior reading, the most interesting parts of this book were the Eastern techniques which I’d never been exposed to.

“In this book we’re going to talk about how to strengthen the world of dreaming as a way to weaken the world of daily appearance, so that worldly things don’t have as much power over us.” pg 33, ebook

In addition to meditations and visualizations into lucid dreaming, Holecek shares some practices that can be done while dying. I thought that was fascinating.

I haven’t had much success with either the Western or Eastern practices… yet. I’m hopeful that progress will come in time. Holecek suggests using techniques for weeks before going on to something else, which gives you time to master whatever you’re trying.

So, we’ll see. Until then, friends, happy dreaming!

Dreams 1-2-3: Remember, Interpret, and Live Your Dreams by J.M. DeBord

dreams

J.M. DeBord starts his book about dreams with the idea that dream interpretation used to be the job of a wise man or woman in the community. Dreams were an integral part of living a fully conscious and realized life.

Now, dream interpretation experts charge for their services and not everyone has access to their skills.

This clever little book opens the doors of dream interpretation so that average people can again know the meaning of their dreams. It doesn’t stop there- J.M. DeBord also provides suggestions for integrating the dreams into your daily life.

Finally, in Dreams 1-2-3, DeBord empowers readers by reminding us that no matter how expert the dream interpreter, the final meaning for any dream really rests in the hands of the dreamer herself. Only she can feel the “ringing of truth” in the interpretation.

This is by far the best book that I have ever read on dream symbolism. DeBord doesn’t provide lists of animals/colors/scenarios and their most common meanings. He ties whatever shows up in the dream to the rest of its contents and the dreamer’s own internal and external world.

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In this way, each dream can be understood and applied in as unique a way as the dream itself.

My one critique of Dreams 1-2-3 is that DeBord made the process seem so simple. I’d read the dream example and think, I have absolutely no clue what that one means, and then DeBord would go on to provide a crystal clear interpretation.

See how simple it is?… he seems to say. Perhaps not.

DeBord may have a gift for it, honed by practice, and he doesn’t realize that what he is doing is rather amazing. I suppose he gives me a goal to strive towards.

I have had a few dreams since completing this book and, with DeBord’s method, have been able to wring some meaning from what I otherwise would have assumed to be nonsense. Dreams 1-2-3 has already changed my life. Read it if you want to change yours too.

Thanks for reading!