Dreaming
in Daoist practices 
and conscious sleep cultivation

Explore the meaning of dreams 
and experience conscious sleep meditation

With guest lecturer Johan Hausen 

1 bilingual seminar (English-French) x 4h
+ Downloadable PDF course material 

Access duration 1 month

Course content

The following talk covers the origins of dream divination (called oneiromancy) dating back to the oracle bones inscription of the Shang Dynasty (trad. 1766-1123 BCE), the earliest textual era, and the succeeding Zhou Dynasty (ca. 1050–221 BCE). Dream divination or dream omens are discussed with the assistance of two famous stories from the classical literature of the Zhou Dynasty.

Furthermore, the talk delves into the Daoist perspectives on dreams as well as its role for cultivation purposes. References are drawn to quotes from Zhuangzi, Laozi and the three corpses (sanshi 三尸). The lecture is rounded off by an explication on how to utilize dreams for diagnostic purposes, and healing (called iatromancy) through the lens of the famous physician Zhang Jingyue in his commentary on the Yellow Emperor Internal Classic (Huang Di Nei Jing 黃帝內經). 

The seminar then introduces the practice of cultivating conscious sleep, called Shui Gong 睡功, and the study and transmission of two short and beautiful incantations of the Dragon Gate lineage to prepare for lying down for sleep, and to rise upon waking.

Finally, the seminar concludes with a period for question-and-answer, and sharing.

Guest lecturer :
Johan Hausen

To introduce this special topic, we have invited Johan Hausen 誠材, lineage brother in the 24th generation of the Dragon Gate, long-term Daoist and Chinese medicine practitioner, and translator at the Five Immortals Temple. He is the co-founder of the Purple Cloud Institute and the affiliated publishing house Purple Cloud Press, dedicated to the dissemination of various forms of traditional Chinese culture including medicine and healing, martial arts, Tai Ji Quan and Qigong, philosophy, spiritual practice and art.

The first part of the seminar is a lecture offered by Johan in English, with a live-translation to French by LoAn. The second part is offered in both languages simultaneously by LoAn, and includes a guided practice of conscious sleep meditation.