By Alexandra Enns © 2017
“Emotionally challenging” best describes this past year. Beset by worries about the aftermath of my grandmother’s massive stroke and relationship problems concerning my child, I started to meditate to achieve consolation and joy by singing Tibetan healing sounds. As usual, after a while, I set up the intention to also incorporate these sessions of meditation practice in my lucid dreams to analyze the effect in both states of consciousness. The subsequent pair of dreams illustrates the results of my efforts:
‘Ah’ and ‘Om’
I carry out the SSILD (Senses Initiated Lucid Dream) technique and turn lucid within the dream. To confirm my lucidity, I briefly examine my right hand. Remembering my goal, I start walking on the cobbled pavement of an abandoned marketplace, forming the Granthita mudra to untie the knots (i.e. troubles or blockages) of my heart. While alternating between the syllables “Ah” and “Om,” I concentrate on the corresponding crown and throat chakras. Nothing happens except the prompt transformation of my voice, sounding manly and determined. I continue to sing until the dream scene dissolves, causing awakening.
‘Hung’
I re-enter a similar dream scene. The silent marketplace is now overcrowded with hurrying people. To proceed with my next experiment, I assume the prechosen Udana mudra, focus on my heart chakra and begin reciting “Hung.” Not only do I possess the same baritone voice this time, each time I pronounce the syllable, the dream figures in front of me are pushed upwards and then placed to the side, as being manipulated by an invisible hand playing chess. Walking straight through the marketplace, I watch the pavement being “swept free” for me without interruption, then wake in amazement.
Although I had not witnessed extraordinary changes within my dreaming self, the next day brought about unexpected understanding from my environment. As a result of this, my sorrow vanished by the end of the day, as if through magic, underlining the effect of the sound ‘Ah’ to ‘clear the mind and remove obscurations’. It felt incredible—had the lucid dream helped me to take the right decision to solve my problems? In any case, the possible connection of the Udana mudra as the ‘upward flying gesture’ with the literal effect on dream figures made sense to me!
The dream below shows my results of making the sound of the remaining seed syllables:
Ram’ and ‘Dza’
Hearing an intense beeping sound, I wake, swing myself out of bed and into a new dream scene. A glimpse of my hands convinces me of dreaming. Quickly I leave the common sleeping environment, wearing a peculiar floor-length white dressing gown. I marvel at the snow in July, feeling oddly unfrozen. When repeating my chanting technique with “Ram” and “Dza,” I discover once more an ‘energetic influence’ on the dream figures. As I sing “Ram” or “Dza,” directing my attention to either the navel or secret chakras, the strollers facing me with direct eye contact follow my rhythm by moving their heads or hips sideways, as in a traditional Indian folk dance.
Upon awakening, I assume that the purpose of the meditation in physical reality—striving to gain more feelings of joy while awake—transfers automatically in the dreaming state. The dream mirrored my aims by manifesting a dance, radiating happiness and leading to emotional healing.
References:
Swami Saradananda, 2015, Mudras for Modern Life: Boost your health, re-energize your life, enhance your yoga and deepen your meditation, Watkins Publishing.
Tenzin Wangyal-Rinpoche, 2011, Tibetan Sound Healing: Seven Guided Practices to Activate the Power of Sacred Sound, Sounds True.