The Sutra
"At the point of sleep, when the sleep has not yet come and the external wakefulness vanishes, at this point Being is revealed."
Paul Reps translation, Zen Flesh, Zen Bones (1957)
Understanding
The threshold between waking and sleep is one of the most powerful moments for meditation. When wakefulness is fading but sleep has not yet arrived, there is a crack in consciousness. In this crack, Being - your essential nature, undisguised by either waking activity or sleep unconsciousness - reveals itself. This is the same state yogis call Turiya - the fourth state beyond waking, dreaming, and sleeping.
Original Sanskrit
मायाविमोहनी नाम कलायाः कलनं स्थितम् ॥
mayavimohani nama kalayah kalanam sthitam ||
Vijnanabhairava Verse 78 (Technique 55 of 112)
How to Practice
Lie down as if to sleep. Let the body relax completely.
Keep a thread of awareness active even as drowsiness approaches.
Watch the moment when the external world begins to fade - sounds become distant, the body feels heavy.
But sleep has not come yet. You are in between. Neither awake nor asleep.
In this gap, do not try to stay awake or fall asleep. Simply BE in the gap.
Being itself - your fundamental nature - reveals itself here, unmasked by either state.
This is the doorway to Turiya - the fourth state of consciousness.
Duration
10-15 minutes at bedtime
Best Time
Bedtime
Related Techniques
Begin Your Meditation Journey
Receive a 7-day dharana practice guide and weekly meditation teachings
Free 7-day practice guide delivered to your inbox
Discover Which Bhairava Guides Your Path
Take the free 2-minute Ashta Bhairava Quiz to find your guiding form
Take the Quiz