Dream yoga

Samding Dorje Phagmo Dream yoga or milam (Tibetan: རྨི་ལམ་རྣལ་འབྱོར་, Wylie: rmi lam rnal 'byor, THL: milam naljor; Sanskrit: स्वप्नदर्शनयोग, svapnadarśanayoga)[a]—the Yoga of the Dream State—is a suite of advanced tantric sadhana of the entwined Mantrayana lineages of Dzogchen (Nyingmapa, Ngagpa, Mahasiddha, Kagyu and Bönpo).

In the tradition of the tantra, the dream yoga method is usually passed on by a qualified teacher to his/her students after necessary initiation.

One transmission type particularly emphasized in relation to dream yoga, symbolism and iconography, and trance states, is that of 'pure vision' (Tibetan: dag snang[5]) and the perception of Sambhogakaya thoughtforms and yidam simulacrum.

The Nyingma tradition views itself as the fruit of three streams of transmission, one of which is the 'pure vision' which includes dream yoga and trance visions within its auspice: In the Kagyu 'Lineage of the Four Commissioners' (Tibetan: Ka-bab-shi-gyu-pa), the lineage stream of dream yoga is identified as originating from the Dharmakaya Buddha Vajradhara.

From Caryapa, Tilopa (988 – 1069 CE) of the Dzogchen Kham lineage, "received the oral instructions on Dream yoga according to the method of the Mahamaya-tantra.

[16] One can also practice the visualization meditations on the throat and forehead chakras during the day so as to enhance one's ability at night.

One may also meditate upon oneself as the deity, and on guru yoga, offering prayers so that one may experience clear dreams.

Then one visualizes a small red four petaled lotus in the throat chakra, with an Ah or Om in the center.

He mentions that in another tradition, it is taught that one meditates on five syllables (OM, AH, NU, TA, RA), with one at the center and the other four around it.

[18] The second method is to pray as before, and meditate on a white radiant drop the size of a mustard seed between the eyebrows.

According to Tsongkhapa, if one finds it too difficult to recognize one is dreaming, then this means one is a deep sleeper, and thus one should switch to the crown chakra.

[20] If this makes sleep difficult however, then one can focus on the chakra at the tip of the penis and unites the vital winds there 21 times through kumbhaka.

[21] The next step is training in becoming fearless by doing anything that might kill a person in the non-dream world, such as jumping into water or fire.

Finally, in the sixth stage, the images of deities (Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, or Dakinis) should be visualized in the lucid dream state.

[25] and adds that: People who have practised dream yoga have been able to visit teachers they missed and travel to lands they never managed to get to in the waking state.

[26] Namkhai Norbu advises that the realization that life is only a big dream can help liberate from the chains of emotions, attachments, and ego, opening up the possibility of ultimately becoming enlightened.