Historically, one of the most important aspects of dream practice has been the incubation of healing dreams in temples and power places.

People have incubated dreams for healing; obtaining answers to difficult problems; contacting the departed; receiving initiations and developing familiarity with a particular dimension of transcendence.

Dreams are traditionally incubated in a sacred spot such as a temple, shrine, cave or powerful tomb. At present, it is extremely difficult to sleep within a temple, church or sacred spot, as all these places do not allow overnight stays and dream incubation is best done at night. So in this level we learn to transform our sleeping place into a sacred spot where dream incubation can be done at any time.

Dream incubation is done within a ritual context, so one learns to develop the basic steps to activate the magical aspect of the mind capable of generating magical results. Magic is defined as going beyond the limits of what was believed to be possible.

In this level we examine the mysteries surrounding the process of transcendence and the crossing of interdimensional gates at the moment of death. The training for transcendence begins during life when we are still capable of taking charge of our lives.

In modern western society the greatest taboo subject is the topic of death. It is socially considered a morbid subject. Within the medical profession, death is treated as a form of illness to be fought by all means possible, even to the point of stripping the person of all dignity. In the modern circle of Daoist practitioners there is a huge blind spot concerning death. Practically all the energy practices are focused on vitality, health, physical and mental power, and emotional balance, with no knowledge on how to guide one’s own consciousness at the moment of dying or that of a dying relative.

The process of dying is the most important moment in our lives. It is the culmination of everything we have attained in terms of consciousness, emotional balance and mental clarity. It is the space where we face who we truly are with total nakedness. Ancient practitioners in all the great traditions have focused the totality of their energy work on “crossing the great water”, as the I Ching calls it. Paradoxically, the modern blind spot in this most important phase of existence, is due to the subconscious belief that we are the physical body and that the end of the physical body is the end of everything.

It is necessary to become familiar with the signs of approaching separation of consciousness from the physical, through the actual phases of dying and the orientation of consciousness toward a dimension of transcendence or reincarnation. The subject is extremely vast and the choices open are, literally, infinite.

The crossing of dimensions which takes place each time we fall asleep, is the model of transition which takes place at the moment of dying. Each time we go to sleep, a monumental portal of opportunity opens before us. The simple practices that can be done at the moment of falling asleep are learned in the branch of energy work known as the ‘dream yogas’. All the complete systems for fully developing human potential are designed for transcendence, taking into account the continuity of consciousness experienced during sleep, dream and the intermediate state of death. To develop a personal program of practices in which there is no training in crossing dimensions and no provision made for transcendence, seriously limits energy practices to short-term benefits. This shortcoming manifests as profound regret, emotional chaos and regret, at the moment of dying, when the clarity of consciousness intensifies. In this retreat we are going to develop a coherent practice for crossing dimensions, in which we train progressively in maintaining continuity of conscience, recognition of the stages of dissolution of the elements at the moment of falling asleep and the Witness mind which does not react with attachment or rejection to the projections of the mind, in dreams or the experience of dying. This workshop is a complement to the class on Death and Transcendence in which we combine and deepen our meditative experience with the dream yogas. For those who are already familiar with the introductory level of the dream yogas, this retreat is an opportunity for refining and focus the experience of sleep and dream in the specific direction of death and transcendence.

The ability to recognize that there is a higher consciousness that guides our entire process of self development is central to the proper unfolding of our potential as human beings. One of the means through which our higher consciousness communicates is through dreams. Everybody dreams even if one does not grant them any importance and are unable to remember them. Dreams are messages about our life and the direction we are supposed to move in life. They function as a compass helping correct from day to day the way we perceive situations and make decisions. Being able to remember a dream is a sign of a degree of continuity of consciousness when we are unconscious asleep. The initial way to develop such continuity is through taking the dream communications as important to our self development and happiness. The ability to interpret accurately our dreams is one of the oldest practices of humanity. No manuals of dream symbols are needed as the dream language utilized by our inner guide is personal and based on the dictionary of people, places and experiences making up our circle of life. Everyone and everything experienced represents something to us beyond the social role they play. We experience the world symbolically in a personal way that is beyond any manual of dream interpretation. The interpretation of dreams helps us further the communication with our inner guide, and at the same time is an accurate reflection of the dimension in which we are operating on a daily basis. Through dream work we develop further the foundations for guiding the consciousness at the moment of death and transcendence.

The sustained experience of the true nature of the mind, what is called in the Dao, “Original Mind”, is the ultimate purpose of the Daoist, Buddhist and Hindu practices. For western practitioners understanding, working and integrating the concept of Original Mind poses one of the greatest obstacles in self-development. Because of cultural and religious beliefs that we are born with original sin and are fundamentally bad and in need of an external source of grace to save us from ourselves, accepting the yogic concept of fundamental goodness within, faces a monumental wall of unconscious resistance. Among western practitioners a tremendous charge of unconscious guilt and self-hatred is brought to the practices because of the concept of original badness which underlies our minds, turning the practices which are supposed to benefit us and generate lasting joy, into another instrument to feel bad about ourselves by not being good enough, disciplined enough or obtain quick results in the manner we expect. In this class we develop ways and means of contacting Original Mind and gradually integrate the experience while systematically replacing the program of original badness with the fundamental truth of our intrinsic good heart and our desire to lead meaningful lives of benefit to oneself and everyone around us.

The process of transformation takes place thanks to the Creative Energy. As learned in the previous levels, Creative Energy manifests only when there is a harmonious interaction of yin and yang polarities. The place where this interaction takes place is the central channel.

The central channel is not only the cauldron of Creative Energy; the frequency at which it operates determines our level of consciousness, the scope of our personal power and the ability to accomplish what we set out to do.

In order to operate properly in the society we live with a reasonable degree of focus and clarity, the central channel has to operate within a limited range of frequencies. However that range is does not tap the complete energy potential of the central channel. The key purpose of all the yoga practices is opening the energy potential of the central channel and expand the range of frequencies it is capable of operating.

All the work done in the preceding levels, specially the work with the negative emotions in Harmonizing the Five Elements 1, creates the conditions for expanding the frequency of the central channel. The work multiplying the positive emotions in the second and third levels of Harmonizing the Five Elements, stabilizes high frequencies in the entire energy system raising expanding the vibrational range of the central channel.

The main purpose of the Union of Fire and Water practices is opening the complete potential of the central channel. This is done in a three step process called ‘Opening the Three Cauldrons’.

The first cauldron refers to the level of ordinary consciousness we start with. The focus of the practices is the central channel at the level of the navel area. As energy frequencies are raised and become stabilized-not just fluctuating, the level of consciousness is raised to the level of the second cauldron at the heart center. This is the level where the energies of love expand beyond our limited self to embrace all creation and all beings. This is not a mechanical process that can be ‘tricked’ by some energy technique. It is an expansion of perspective brought about by operating consciously at a higher level. The opening of the third cauldron takes place in the center of the brain in what is called ‘The Crystal Chamber’. The outcome of raising consciousness to operate from this center generates union with all creation and spontaneously projects the consciousness beyond the physical plane. This stage is also named ‘Union with the Dao’ or Original Mind.

A consciousness raised to the universal stage is able to transcend the physical plane without attachments or unfulfilled desires. The work on the physical plane is completed.

It would be naïve to believe that the Union of Fire and Water practices could be successfully carried out through sheer improvisation and good luck. The I Ching provides timely counsel on the different stages of the practice. More than half of the book is devoted to the Fire and Water practices.

This level is for clarifying the use of Yang and Yin perseverance in the Fire and Water stage.

In our subtle anatomy the gland system functions as the switch regulating energy flow between the subtle dimensions and the physical body. The increase in frequency spoken in the Union of Fire and Water practice is made possible through the opening of potential of the gland system.

The master glands regulating energy flow from the universe down to the physical dimension are located in the Crystal Chamber in the center of the brain. They are the pineal and the pituitary glands. Both glands work with energy as light-vibration.

The main purpose of the Stellar Practices is opening the potential of the master glands by consciously connecting with the subtle light of specific stars.

The circumpolar stars are the group of star-beings aligned with the central channel-axis of the Earth. All  conscious beings are endowed with a central channel. The Earth-being is not an exception. All beings on the Earth are in resonance with the central channel of the Earth.

The Pole Star and the stars of the Big Dipper are the focus of the Stellar Practice because of their connection with the central channel and the empowering effect they have on all beings on Earth. The stars of the Big Dipper empower the five elements, both subtle and gross and the Pole Star grants the ability to remain centered in the state of union with Original Mind.

In this level one consciously establishes the inner stars as a link to the visible outer ones. One of the insights of all the great practitioners of the past is that whatever is outside is also within. Sometimes this stage is named ‘Bringing Heaven to Earth’.

The relationship developed with the Pole Star and the Dipper becomes increasingly important in the Transcendence Practice stage. The Pole Star is the interdimensional portal through which the consciousness is projected beyond the grip of the physical dimension. This is not a process of ‘going’ somewhere but of ‘tuning’ to the frequency of a particular dimension. One is capable of doing that because there are matching stable high frequencies developed in the personal energy system.

Traditionally, the Yogas of Pilgrimage are carried out at the end of a long training to mark a transition from one state into another and to put to the test everything which has been learned and integrated. This stage is often misunderstood as just wandering from sacred place to place taking a break from ordinary routines. Nothing could be further from reality.

The Yogas of Pilgrimage begin with finishing in a graceful way all the unfinished situations in our lives. One pays all debts, clears misunderstandings with family and friends, lets go of all attachments to property, relationships and places. One prepares for death leaving all affairs in order before setting out on the journey. The pilgrimage begins when all the cords of attachment have been cut.

The goal of the Yogas of Pilgrimage is freeing all energy caught in unfinished cycles and thus experience fully conscious ultimate freedom from limitations. An important aspect of freeing energy is freeing oneself from the fear of death and dying. The pilgrim makes the decision to go on the journey even if it means dying in the process. We stand by our decision and beliefs with our whole being. Before setting out the pilgrim transcends the paralyzing fear of dying and goes forward with its plans. The fear of dying may remain, but it is no longer a deciding factor on whether we do something or not. From that moment onwards a space of limitless freedom opens and a milestone in personal development is crossed. Nothing stops the pilgrim now. This is the theme of hexagram 28 in the I Ching.

The Yogas of Pilgrimage are a preparation for death. A preparation for letting go of the familiar and venturing into the unknown regardless of the consequences. It is the practice for going from a familiar structure into no structure at all. With this perspective it can be said that the Yogas of Pilgrimage are the most difficult and demanding of all the stages of energy work. It is not a holiday vacation!

One of the ways that the Creative Energy makes itself known when it is fully active is through silence and clarity of mind. It is not difficult during a good meditation to tune to a high frequency of Creative Energy generating deep inner silence. The process of stabilizing the central channel at increasingly higher frequencies manifests as inner silence sometimes called ‘The Void’. This void is not a state of drowsiness or mental paralysis, instead it is the state of supreme bliss of contacting Original Mind.

The purpose of Silent Retreat is for stabilizing higher frequencies, strengthening the cauldron and experiencing the bliss of unobstructed Original Mind.