Sleep is a strange thing, isn't it Alchemist? While laying in our beds, experiencing waking consciousness, we slowly start drifting away into other worlds. Once fully asleep, we become a new person in a completely different life. One that feels just as real as our waking reality.
To make matters even more unusual, we seldom remember all of what we dream of after awakening. The dream world has gripped humanity with curiosity about its symbolic meaning and the purpose of dreams for our waking psyche. Yet, for some reason, it seems like we go through sleep with very little of our conscious self intact. Some mediation practitioners believe that we lose a bit of our cultivation during sleep. We toss and turn, struggling in the pit of our unconscious, feeding our energy to a fake reality.
For this reason, many Yogis advocate for a practice known as conscious sleeping. They believe that by harnessing our tranquil, meditative state before going to bed, we will remain somewhat aware during sleep. Not in the same sense of having a lucid dream, but simply being whole within the unconscious and not slipping too deeply into sleep.
Avid meditators claim to wake up more refreshed and well-rested when meditating before sleeping. To do this, simply do what you usually would before going to bed, and instead of sleeping, sit upright and comfortably. Begin by shifting your focus on your body, starting with your toes while slowly moving upward to your head. At the same time, imagine a bright light emanating from whatever body part you're focusing on until your consciousness lights up your whole body.
While the sensation of brightness is intense, remind yourself that you are a being of light and pure consciousness; that the mind and body do not limit or define you.
Doing this will send a powerful connection between your unconscious and conscious mind, releasing you from the need for deep, exhausting sleep.
