visualize the five mantric syllables OM

AH NU TA RA standing at the throat

chakra on a four-petalled lotus, with OM
in the center and the remaining four
syllables
on
the
four
petals.
Alternatively, one may simply use a
solitary syllable, either OM or AH, at
the center, and dispense with the
remaining four. The scripture comments
that using the four extra syllables does
not bring any added power to the
practice.
Many Tibetan scholars question the
authenticity of the above scripture.
However, if it is inauthentic then the
instruction is likewise inauthentic. There
are numerous other sources for the

dream yoga instruction, but this text is

quite important. It would seem that if
Tsongkhapa had confidence in it, it
probably is reliable. Moreover, no solid
logic for rejecting it has been
forthcoming. Tsongkhapa regards The
Five Stages and The Four Seats as the
most important sources of the dream
yoga teaching.
The dream yoga should be practiced in
a solitary place. If one is unable to
accomplish lucid dreaming at night, then
one should attempt the practice between
early dawn and sunrise. This will
encourage especially clear dreams. As
dreams are linked to the throat chakra,
this is the chakra most commonly used in

the training.
Should one find one's sleep to be too
light, or if one repeatedly awakens, one
should meditate on the mantric syllable
[or syllables] as being less bright. When
sleep is too heavy and as a result one
cannot notice or clearly remember one's
dreams, one should apply the methods
called "cutting the obstacle of
heaviness." Should sleep come but no
dreams occur, one should apply the
methods called "cutting the obstacle of
nothingness." If sleep comes but one
quickly awakens from it, one should
apply the methods called "cutting the
obstacle of awakening." These terms
were used by the lineage masters of old.

Tsongkhapa accepts them

reinterpretation or adaptation.

without

It is said that the inner heat yoga is the

foundation stone of all Six Yogas. Thus
it is also the foundation stone of dream
yoga. Through the inner heat yoga one
gains control over the vital energies of
the body; one then applies this control
when going to sleep in order to conduct
the dream yoga practice. Dream yoga
can also be engaged through the force of
conscious resolution, yet this is not the
primary method. The primary method is
energy control born from the inner heat
yoga. Conscious resolution is only
intended as a supplement.

After stability in the practice of lucid

dreaming has been established one takes
up the dream practice known as "the
illusory dream deeds." These are of two
types: worldly and para-worldly. Both
involve projecting one's dream body to
special realms from within the dream
state. The difference between the two is
the purity of the realms to which one
projects oneself. The latter refers to
projecting oneself to the buddhafields,
such as Sukhavati and so forth.
By engaging in the technique of illusory
dream deeds one projects oneself in the
dream state to a buddhafield and
meditates there. But is this a reliable
experience? Can one really project