I am recently in a dream like state. I forget thinks very quickly and it takes al long time before I remember them.
I had this same dream like state more then a Year ago and I think this is my 'dissolution' fase.
I read Daniel's MCTB on dissolution, but I still want to ask you about your experiences with this dream like state.
This state is not optimal for my school and work, but I can accept it and have almost no aversion towards it. I am okay with it but It is just that it is not optimal because I am in my final year of my education. Can you tell me what you did during this stage and how you get past it?
For more information you can look at my practice log: http://www.dharmaoverground.org/web/guest/discussion/-/message_boards/message/5333256

Thanks in advance for your comments. May you all be peacfull and well in your practice.

Pinch yourself?

No, seriously, being in a dream implies you are disconnected from reality. If you want to snap out of the dream you need to wake up to reality, which means your physical sensate reality. Have a cold shower! Do some intensive exercise! Go dancing!

John thats one of the ways I have described my experience with the DN. Some days it's better and some days its worse. Like you said, I have recently come to accept this reality which has lessened the suffering dramatically. I don't really have any tips for you because I haven't figured it out yet

Sawfoot, those things that you mentioned do help, especially intense exercise. It somewhat grounds me, but not to the point where I can look around and say 'ah, everything is better now'. This is definitely an internal 'issue' and cannot be fixed by anything except for meditation. This is how I feel anyway.

That's how Dissolution felt for me. I wouldn't necessarily call it dream-like though, more of a haze. When people start talking about dream-like realities I usually think of shamanic stuff, which doesn't seem to be happening in this case.

@Jake WM: Keep me posted on your progress and let me know if you have any insights in the territory

@Eric MW: Yes it is just like a haze. It is just a matter of words. How have you progressed in this territory?

I would consider my progress atypical... I kicked around the DN pretty hardcore for about a year. I was looking at a Huichol mandala in a book about shamanism that had white and black faces around a circle. I somehow felt that the white faces were living and the black faces were dead, but they were on the same circle. Then I thought "Well, of course they are, life and death are different forms of the same thing." A knot immediately untied in my chest, a fog lifted, and I was quite clearly in Equanimity.

I dropped off the progress of insight after that, because I wasn't actively meditating and didn't know the maps. I'm still in the same spot, hoping to cross A&P again sometime soon.