Lucid Dreaming: Part 3

Out-of-body experiences are relatively common in shamanic and yogic cultures; in many cases practitioners receive instruction from teachers in dreams, which then translates into the reality of the waking world as well. From a Tibetan perspective, a single transmission of knowledge within a dream can represent a lifetime's achievement. In our own culture, Einstein's thought-experiments represent a direct experiential method of visualization, which has resulted in many aspects of modern science, such as the theory of relativity and quantum physics. It could be assumed that if the greatest scientists of the West used hypnosis, as well as shamanic and yogic methods of subtle body activation, greater discoveries than Einstein’s would be readily available. Similarly, tai chi, which is a direct means of enhancing the body's energy and health, and is practiced by millions of people globally, is said to be based on a dream of its founder, Zhang San Feng.

Fundamentally, the shaman uses an altered state of consciousness to travel outside of the body to affect the physical world. It is important to remember that the shaman does not act for his or her own benefit but for the tribe or the nation. Their journeying, as terrifying and even painful as it can be, is done for the healing of others.