If the practice of the Light of the Sleeping State can be done through holding the Light of Sleeping State by prana, which is the prerequisite practice of Dream Yoga, it accords with the instructions of many gurus. For holding the dream through prana is itself a very good method of practising the Light. At first, one should eat well and abundantly, and dress in very warm clothes (or cover oneself with a warm quilt). Depending on the needs and time the yogi should abandon sleep for two or three days, or sleep as usual (literally, do not abandon sleep). If he abandons sleep for two to three days, he will become too sleepy, and it will be difficult for him to recognize the Light of Sleep. Therefore, for the beginners, it is preferable to practice the Light Yoga in a comparatively light sleeping state. For the advanced yogi, whose meditation has already become steady, it is not necessary to abandon sleep; however, in order to test one's ability to recognize the Light in very deep sleeping state, he may abandon sleep for some days.

In the practice of the Light Yoga, the yogi should render offerings and pray to the Precious Ones, present the Gtor-mas to the Guards, and pray them to assist him in recognizing the Light of Sleep and in subduing all hindrances. He should visualize the Yidam's body, practise the Guru Yoga, and pray earnestly many times that his guru assist him to recognize the Light. The yogi should also repeatedly remind himself not to fall into dreams but to recognize the Voidness-of-Sleep when sleep comes.

The sleeping-posture should be as follows: Lie down on the right side, with the head to the north, the feet pointing south; the back, east; and the mouth, toward the west. Place the left foot on the right foot. This position is called

the Lion-Sleep-Posture. Then, the yogi should visualize the self-Yidam body and also visualize a blue Hum word standing in the center of a lotus, with four green leaves extending in each direction, situated at the Heart Center in the Central Channel. On the four leaves there are four words--Ah, Nu, Da, Ra. (In some other instructions no word is visualized on the four leaves). The Ah word sits on the leaf in the east; the Nu word; in the south; the Da, in the west; the Ra, north. When one feels sleepy, he concentrates on the Ah word; when he feels very sleepy or insensible, he should concentrate on the Nu word; thus the First Voidness will appear. When the yogi concentrates on the Da word, the Second Voidness or the Extreme Voidness will emerge; when he concentrates on the Ra word, the Third Voidness or the Voidness of Attainment will emerge. Thereupon, when the yogi concentrates on the Hum word in the center, the Fourth Voidness or the Universal Voidness will emerge.