Our own plain rendering: Or, the mind can be stabilized by focusing on the insights gained during dream or deep sleep states.

Utilizing the States of Consciousness

Patanjali now suggests a very subtle method: using the experiences of dream (svapna) and deep sleep (nidrā) as anchors for concentration. This might seem counterintuitive since sleep is usually considered a state of dullness (tamas). However, Vyasa explains that this refers to the recollection of a particularly serene or significant dream, or the peaceful "void" experienced during deep, dreamless sleep. When we wake up and remember a state of profound peace or a vivid encounter with a divine figure in a dream, that "knowledge" (jñāna) can be used as a support (ālambana) for meditation.

The Peace of Deep Sleep

The mention of nidrā is particularly interesting. In deep sleep, the vṛttis (fluctuations) of the waking and dreaming mind are absent, leaving only the "impression of nothingness." Vachaspati Mishra notes that when we wake up and say, "I slept well, I knew nothing," there is a subtle memory of a state that was free from the usual mental clutter. By focusing on that quality of peaceful "non-knowing," the practitioner can train the mind to enter a similar state while awake—a state of samādhi. Edwin Bryant points out that this is an advanced form of psychology, recognizing that the mind maintains a continuity of experience across different states.

Insights from the Dream State

Similarly, the dream state (svapna) can provide "luminous" objects for meditation. If a practitioner has a dream of a sacred place, a sage, or a profound truth, the mind is naturally attracted to that memory. I.K. Taimni suggests that these dreams are often reflections of the higher mind (buddhi) filtering down. Instead of dismissing them as "just dreams," classical yoga invites us to use the jñāna (knowledge/feeling) of that dream as a stable point to bind the mind. This helps in overcoming the obstacle of saṃśaya (doubt), as the dream provides a personal, internal proof of a reality beyond the physical.

Tapping into Subconscious Peace

This practice involves using the transition between states of consciousness as a tool for meditative focus.

The Six-Step Practice of Conscious Recall

1. Morning Reflection: Upon waking, before moving or engaging with the world, lie still for a few moments.
2. Recalling the Peace: If you had a deep, restful sleep, try to "feel" that quality of emptiness and peace that you just emerged from. Where does that peace reside?
3. Dream Selection: If you had a dream that felt particularly significant, clear, or peaceful, bring the primary image or feeling of that dream to mind.
4. Seated Concentration: Sit for your meditation and use that specific feeling—the peace of sleep or the clarity of the dream—as your object.
5. Holding the Support: When the mind starts to drift into waking-world anxieties, return to the jñāna (knowledge) of the sleep/dream state. Let it be your anchor.
6. Integration: Recognize that the peace you felt in sleep is not external; it is a quality of your own mind when the vṛttis are suspended.

Misunderstanding Dreams as Prophecies

A common misreading is that Patanjali is encouraging dream interpretation or the search for "messages" from the universe. In classical yoga, the dream is merely an ālambana (support) for stabilization. The content of the dream is less important than its ability to provide a clear, attractive object for the mind to focus on. Georg Feuerstein warned against getting lost in the "glamour" of dream analysis, which is just more mental activity (vikalpa).

Confusing Sleep with Samadhi

Another error is to think that deep sleep is samādhi. While they share the quality of the suspension of most vṛttis, sleep is characterized by tamas (dullness) and a lack of awareness, whereas samādhi is characterized by sattva (clarity) and full awareness. Shankara's vivarana clarifies that we use the memory of the peace of sleep to reach a conscious state of peace, not to simply try and fall asleep during meditation.