Discussion post I submitted for my Atlantic University TP6100 Course – January 22, 2020.
Last week, I described an exchange with my father where, without any foreknowledge, I accurately declared the outcome of the Sugar Ray Leonard-Roberto Duran fight in November 1980. Since this is nearly 40 years ago, I don’t have a great deal of information to go on regarding the state of my consciousness. I do have a few clues on my likely state, however, based on the fact I recall my best friend was there, it was in the morning so he stayed over (which always meant trouble!), and we had been out late the night before drinking beers.
In his Week 3 mini lecture, Auerbach discusses the fact that drugs and alcohol can be a catalyst for an Altered State of Consciousness (ASC), which are then more conducive for the occurrence of psi experiences (2017, p. 10). He doesn’t indicate, however, whether alcohol, once it’s worn off and the individual is in a hangover state, can produce an ASC. From my own experience, I know that my critical mind is in a more relaxed state, not wanting to do anything too taxing except to find the nearest greasy-spoon diner, so maybe there’s something to it.
In the same lecture, Auerbach also discusses how our dreams can create ASC, and he specifically covers telepathic, clairvoyant, OBE, and past life dreams (2017, p. 7). This is an issue that’s much fresher in my mind compared to my 1980 psi experience. I am also currently enrolled in TP6000: Becoming a Teacher of Dreamwork/Dream Interpretation, and we are employing many of the techniques Auerbach outlines in his Fate Magazine article (1992, p. 2).
One of his suggestions is to make “the intention to dream and to remember your dreams a part of your daily routine” (1992, p. 2). I have done this since the course began on January 6, and my recall of dreams has skyrocketed. I kept a dream journal prior to the course, and on average, I would remember 2-3 a week. Since setting my intention each night before going to sleep to remember my dreams, my recall is closer to 2-3 dreams or fragments a night. From the morning of January 7th through today, I’ve recorded a total of 27 dreams or fragments.
I’ve also started trying to steer my dreams towards more psi experiences. Specifically, I’m attempting to create a situation where while I’m dreaming, I understand that I’m in the dream state and I can thus direct my actions. This is known as lucid dreaming and Charles Tart describes it as “a special type of dream in which there is a pronounced shift in the way their consciousness functions, such that they know while dreaming that they are dreaming, feel much more in control of their mental functioning, and are able to exercise much more control over subsequent dream events while they are lucid” (1983, p. 1).
I’m starting to show some progress. For example, the other day as I was in the middle of a dream, and I suddenly thought to myself, “Hey, this is a dream, I need to write it down.” In my dream, I was on a golf course at the time, and I looked around for something to write on. All I could find was one of the placards that restaurants put out front announcing their daily specials. I grabbed a marker and attempted to scribble down what was happening.
And last night, before going to sleep, I attempted to narrow my intention and asked my dreams to show me some type of psi experience, either a lucid dream or the others identified by Auerbach and presented above. In the middle of a dream about being in New York City with two other people, we suddenly encountered a very spiritual woman.
She looked at our group and said if you want to access the power of the Universe, you must use the energy of the Sun. She pointed up to the sky, and I didn’t see the Sun at first but instead, I saw a huge mandala, similar to the one pictured below. I scanned the sky more and off on the horizon I saw a solar eclipse occurring. She said I must “triangulate” between the mandala and the eclipse to realize its power. Suddenly, the man I was with started levitating and he reached the height of the buildings.
I’ll leave the dream analysis for my other class, but I found it amazing that my requested intention was answered in this way. Particularly since most of my dreams tend to consist of largely “day residue.” It’s also interesting to note that I’m taking a course in the spring titled, Mandalas as a Transformative Practice. Twilight Zone, here I come!
References
Auerbach, L. (2017, May 29). “ESP and altered states.” Principles of Parapsychology Week 3 mini lecture [slides handout].
Auerbach, L. (1992, February). “Working with psychic dreams.” Fate Magazine, p. 1-6.
Tart, C. (1983, July). “Lucid dreams: entering the inner world (Part I).” The Open Mind, 1(1), p. 1-8.