Surprise Buddhism
FleaMarket
Veteran
I had an interesting mindful dream last night. I was to die.
The preceding events took place quickly and I found myself being pursued in a situation I understood to be inescapable and would be met with my death. It was here that I experienced something new.
I became aware of myself and I observed.
The panic sets in, desperate for escape eyes darting, any way out.
Fear, heart rate increase, pleas, willful ignorance of the realization laid before me.
And when nothing works for me, finally I remember how to find stillness.
I step through my chain of fear-vomit thought, between the mental images and into the present moment.
If what is to be is to be, and in my dream I knew it was, then I am now collected and ready. I have arrived just in time to go.
As I turn to face my pursuers, I look them in the eye, mind still, and I wake up.
I am no stranger to dreams of dying, however I had read of practicing even in ones sleep. Silently I laughed out of suspicion at this concept. Having now experienced this glimpse of surprise awareness in my dream, I am no longer laughing.
I mean aside from laughing at having escaped the panicked mind of one about to die and being able to wake up feeling refreshed instead of anxiety ridden. For that, I laugh full-bellied.
Where have teachings and practices sprouted in your lives that were unexpected?
Comments
That’s a very detailed dream @FleaMarket. I kept a dream journal for some three years, but I didn’t have many in which the practice featured so strongly. It sounds like a good portent.
I have had a lot of experiences on the edge of sleep which weren’t always pleasant and would sometimes drag me away into samsaric illusion, but lately I have been realising these things too are an opportunity to practice. There are a lot of situations which we don’t often encounter in real life, and these kind of encounters are a chance for us to extend ourselves.
Perhaps your dream is of the same stuff as my edge-of-sleep experiences.
ahhh Phowa!
just yesterday I published the first part of this text in my networks...just to terrify my readers.
"There is no way of your escaping!
You have no power, no freedom.
We have come to take your life, your soul, and spirit;
To stop your breath and take consciousness from
your body,
To drink your blood and eat your flesh and Skandhas. 4
Now your life has come to its final ending-
Your Karma and all your merits are exhausted.
Now the Lord of Death will eat you,
And the black rope of Karma bind you fast."