09-06-2011, 12:00 AM
I just add these for reference, but personally I really like Lone Wolf's take on the gates of dreaming ( gates = shifts between types of dreams, places etc...). In any case, one view does not go against the other.
Castaneda 's Gates of Dreaming (by Wikipedia, not sure these are exactly as in the books)
1st Gate of Dreaming (stabilization of the dreaming body): Arrived at when one perceives one's hands in a dream. Solved when one is able to shift the focus from the hands to another dream object and return it to the hands, all repeated a few times. Crossed when one is able to induce a state of darkness and a feeling of increased weight while falling asleep. Location in the body – in the area at the base of the V formed by pulling the big and second toes of one foot to the sides.
2nd Gate of Dreaming (utilizing the dreaming body): Arrived at when one's dream objects start changing into something else. Solved when one is able to isolate a Scout and follow it to the realm of Inorganic Beings. Crossed when one is able to fall asleep without losing consciousness. It is also referred to the activity of dreaming together with other practitioners. Location in the body – in the inside area of the calf.
3rd Gate of Dreaming (traveling): Arrived at when one dreams of looking at oneself. Solved when the dreaming and physical bodies become one. Crossed when one is able to control the Dreaming Emissary. Location in the body – at the lowest part of the spinal column.
4th Gate of Dreaming (seeing): Arrived at when one is able to perceive the energetic essence of every dream item. Solved when one falls asleep in a dream, in the same position in which one has gone to sleep. Crossed when one wakes up in this reality, located not only in the physical but in the energy body.
I was always surprised that Castaneda describes four gates to be crossed in a sequence but in my experience, I seemed to have have performed tasks (drills) from further gates before properly having crossed previous gates. For Instance, I saw energy in dreams very soon after the first gate (1st gate is more or less Lucidity). Also the 'travelling' of the energy body, and from dream to dream or just being energy, doing the 'twins position 'before crossing the second gate.
It is possible that IBs have kept me unaware that I was with them the whole time, therefore already at the second gate..not sure.
Castaneda 's Gates of Dreaming (by Wikipedia, not sure these are exactly as in the books)
1st Gate of Dreaming (stabilization of the dreaming body): Arrived at when one perceives one's hands in a dream. Solved when one is able to shift the focus from the hands to another dream object and return it to the hands, all repeated a few times. Crossed when one is able to induce a state of darkness and a feeling of increased weight while falling asleep. Location in the body – in the area at the base of the V formed by pulling the big and second toes of one foot to the sides.
2nd Gate of Dreaming (utilizing the dreaming body): Arrived at when one's dream objects start changing into something else. Solved when one is able to isolate a Scout and follow it to the realm of Inorganic Beings. Crossed when one is able to fall asleep without losing consciousness. It is also referred to the activity of dreaming together with other practitioners. Location in the body – in the inside area of the calf.
3rd Gate of Dreaming (traveling): Arrived at when one dreams of looking at oneself. Solved when the dreaming and physical bodies become one. Crossed when one is able to control the Dreaming Emissary. Location in the body – at the lowest part of the spinal column.
4th Gate of Dreaming (seeing): Arrived at when one is able to perceive the energetic essence of every dream item. Solved when one falls asleep in a dream, in the same position in which one has gone to sleep. Crossed when one wakes up in this reality, located not only in the physical but in the energy body.
I was always surprised that Castaneda describes four gates to be crossed in a sequence but in my experience, I seemed to have have performed tasks (drills) from further gates before properly having crossed previous gates. For Instance, I saw energy in dreams very soon after the first gate (1st gate is more or less Lucidity). Also the 'travelling' of the energy body, and from dream to dream or just being energy, doing the 'twins position 'before crossing the second gate.
It is possible that IBs have kept me unaware that I was with them the whole time, therefore already at the second gate..not sure.