To achieve the Four-Goals of Life with the Four-Integral Powers of Soul through Samadhi of the Dream State we approach life empowered by soul, under guidance of soul, and with the attitude that when we follow soul-direction, life purpose, we are given abundance and the universe comes to our aid, our assistance.
Dreaming the Five Directions
Based on Eastern Philosophy of Ancient & Modern Sages and Dream Shamanism. Applied for everyday life by Paul Overman, PhD
I become what I see in myself. All that thought suggests to me, I can do; all that thought reveals to me, I can become. This should be man’s unshakable faith in himself, because God dwells in him. – Sri Aurobindo, Thoughts and Glimpses, 1950
Healing-Wisdom • Visioning-Power • Creative-Transformation• Universal-Harmony Integral Dream Yoga is a dream yoga for the New Millennium, inspired by the work of ancient and modern yogi masters and dream shamans. At its core, it is based on “samadhi of the dream state of the Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo, and a synthesis of the collective yoga tradition of the East, as well as indigenous healing traditions.
Deep dreaming, or Samadhi of the Dream, is for manifesting powers of soul. It is through the powers of soul that ancient and modern advanced dreamers, yogis and shamans rose in consciousness into the mid-regions and heavens while dreaming, or while meditating – in a-dream trance state. It is through powers of soul – and mastery of the breath – that healers, yogis and shamans in meditation, awake-dreams and night dreams have the potency to serve and look over humankind and creation, and work towards harmonizing heaven and earth. It is through powers of soul that we heal ourselves, others and mother earth in dreaming – assisted by nature’s intelligence and elements, and humankind’s spiritual guides and guardians.
Yoga of the Dream Body The ancients teach we dream in a dream body, a subtle body that experiences the universal dream world.
It can be trained and consciously developed. When we train our dream body to be flexible in dreaming, to be open to receiving or giving greater qualities of life, feeling, thought and energy, it is similar to hatha yoga in goal and effect. Hatha yoga, though, is for the physical body, and Dream Yoga is for the subtle body we dream in and with in deep states of rejuvenation and trance states exploring the inner worlds. Hatha yoga and the Integral form of dream yoga both give us greater energy, and greater peace of mind. Both prepare us for deeper experience, deeper capacity and expanded work in the world. In fact, both can be integrated and taught in synergy.
Paul began systematically developing ways to develop the dream body almost twenty-five years ago, and teach the methods for others to expand and explore their inner consciousness, with guided consciousness-expanding meditations - integrated with physical movement or postures, and breathing disciplines.
When physical postures such as special contemplation postures, and proper sleep postures are integrated with meditation and mindfulness, or more potently "soulfulness", there is then an Integral Dream Yoga for mastering life and dreams. An Integral Dream Yoga, such as Shamana Dream Yoga, has the goals of: physical-well being; deeper connection with the inner soul for receiving deeper inspired dreams, higher-creative dreams, empowerment, self-healing, deeper self-awareness and understanding. The rewards can be clearer life direction; greater connection with all of life inspiring us to true service; and self-healing for wellness and longevity so we can acquire the power and time to achieve our life's goals.
Integral Dream Yoga integrates the breath, with focus and intention for entering sleep and higher dreams. The "center" of the breath is the subtle-heart space, which meditators experience within the chest wall and outside of the chest wall. In Samana Dream Yoga individuals are instructed to breathe with a gentle flowing breath in the feeling-heart center, and to use this form of meditation or concentration to create sleep and enter dreams.
The breath aligns the individual to the true inner-pulses of soul or Self. When putting the body to sleep and entering dreams on the power of a gentle, rhythmic breath, and rising in consciousness, the inner self can have a more active role in guiding the individual and infusing the individual with its qualities and unique powers. This is a key principle for transformational dreaming – to learn to raise the consciousness to higher levels of the feeling nature and mind, into the intuitive nature to receive inspiration; and into true deep sleep for nightly rejuvenation.
Integral Dream Yoga is for:
every-day serious dream workers.
those having extraordinary dreams
parents and grandparents guiding children in the children's extraordinary dreams
creative individuals, including the artist, performer, or scientist
healers, therapists or counselors
min-body practitioners of various disciplines
the ecologist seeking deeper connection to nature and the environment through dreams
meditators
spiritual seekers
yoga practitioners
mindfulness practitioners
The mandala above, designed by Paul Overman, PhD, is a symbol of his work.
Integral Dreaming Principles: Balancing Breath, Meditation and Harmony In this Dream Yoga, Paul calls deep dreams, dreams of higher dream states that heal, harmonize and transform life, "shamana dreams" – soulful dreams. We also call meditations that seek to heal or transform life, and align us with higher dreams, soulful meditation, "shamana meditations" – harmonizing meditations.
Shamana Dreaming is seeing things hidden, but secretly affecting and guiding us.
Shamana Dreaming is dreaming for and with others – to have peace and harmony.
Shamana Dreaming is exploring life and nature around you for self-discovery.
Shamana Dreaming is dreaming "under guidance of soul" –seeking and listening to your Soul.