Dream Yoga: Awakening Through Lucid Dreaming with Andrew Holecek

In this illuminating 2.5-hour workshop, Buddhist teacher and author Andrew Holecek introduces dream yoga — the Tibetan practice of awakening within the dream and sleep states as a profound path to spiritual realization. Drawing from both ancient wisdom and modern science, Andrew guides participants through practical methods for lucid dreaming, dream recall, and transforming the night into a field of awakening.

Together, we’ll explore how to navigate nightmares, work skillfully with obstacles, and integrate insights from the dream state into daily life. Whether you’re a seasoned meditator or simply curious about consciousness, this session will offer accessible techniques to expand awareness, deepen rest, and recognize the nature of mind—day and night.

Understand the foundations of Tibetan dream yoga and its roots in Buddhist philosophy.
Develop techniques for lucid dreaming and conscious awareness during sleep.
Strengthen dream recall through pre-sleep intentions and post-waking practices.
Work skillfully with nightmares and emotional content as opportunities for growth.
Explore the interrelationship between waking, dreaming, and deep sleep states.
Apply mindfulness and visualization practices that prepare the mind for lucid awareness.
Integrate insights from dreams into daytime meditation, creativity, and self-inquiry.
Recognize sleep as a spiritual laboratory for awakening—a direct practice of non-dual awareness.
Learn the daytime practice of Illusory Form.
Understand the importance of democratizing consciousness.
How to use dream yoga to prepare for death, the “dream at the end of time.”

Andrew Holecek is an interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner in Tibetan Buddhism and other nondual wisdom traditions. He is the Resident Contemplative Scholar at the Institute for Advanced Consciousness Studies, and a research consultant for the Cognitive Neuroscience Program at Northwestern University. His work involves studies on dream yoga and the practice of dark retreat. Dr. Holecek is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the author of nine books, and a concert pianist. He has completed the Tibetan Buddhist three-year retreat and is a frequent subject in scientific studies on meditation and lucid dreaming. His work integrates ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary perspectives, aiming to help individuals navigate spiritual challenges and end-of-life experiences. Holecek holds degrees in classical music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery. He is the founder of the international community called Night Club, that supports all the nocturnal meditations; and the Preparing to Die community, that supports people in their ultimate dark retreat. Holecek is an avid skier and professed fitness fanatic. He lives in Boulder, Colorado. Learn more at andrewholecek.com.