Flying Phoenix Chi Kung

[zen-bear]

I had a very interesting experience this past Thursday night. I had been traveling for two days starting on Wednesday and worked a 16 hour day on Thursday including a 5 hour drive from Tallahassee back to my home in Orlando. I was bushed.

 

After showering I was really tired, and decided I would do 20 minutes of stretching and then go to bed to sleep, i.e, skipping Flying Phoenix that night.

 

So, I go into my meditation room, and as I always do, I lit some candles and some incense and lowered the lights. As I sat in a chair and began my neck stretching routine, I happened to look down on the carpet to the spot where I always practice both my seated and standing Flying Phoenix mediations, and there I saw a small, bright blue ball light that was dancing around on the carpet. It was approximately 3 inches in diameter, though not perfectly spherical and with edges not clearly defined. But it was was vividly, beautifully blue and seemed to be playing, rolling and moving in an irregular but somewhat pleasing fashion. It lasted for about 30 seconds and I was able to watch in astonishment as this bright blue light played and danced. And then, as suddenly as it appeared, it vanished.

 

In the first few seconds of first seeing the blue light, I quickly remembered Sifu Terry saying on many occasions that the Flying Phoenix energy was visibly blue....but I had never seen this. I (and one other practitioner) have seen the room bathed in a gold light, but not the blue of which Sifu has spoken.

 

So, upon seeing this, I immediately connected the dots because this vividly blue ball of light was dancing on the very spot where I always do my Flying Phoenix practice. What was most interesting is I was not doing FP when this appeared. Even though I was only stretching, the energy of FP seemed to reveal itself to me in the very place where I have practiced so many times over the past 3 1/2 years.

 

Seeing this was very motivating to me, and now I wish to practice Flying Phoenix all the more! OK, that's it...thought I would share this very cool incident.

 

Good practicing,

 

Lloyd

Hi Lloyd,

 

I am so happy to read that your diligent practice has enabled you to see the distinctive Flying Phoenix energy concentrated in your area of meditation. Everyone of course first feels the distinctive FP Healing Energy very early on in practice, oftentimes immediately, but it takes dedicated longer-term practice--as well a right living-- to see the FP Healing Energy in the literal physiological sense--not the figurative "intuitive" sense.

 

"and there I saw a small, bright blue ball light that was dancing around on the carpet."

 

I too have seen that dancing blue light at certain times when I had gotten up from a seated FP meditation. Not regularly--but on occasion in the past. But not recently because I have been practicing other types of Qigong as well as FP. I see the blue energy readily (but not as a ball--but as a deep shadow above my hands) when I do healing work.

 

My path was such that I had learned the neikung of the Tao Tan Pai (Taoist Elixer) Kung Fu system by the early 1980's and the last two, most advanced yogas in that system enable/empower seeing and clairaudience. Thus I was able to see the intense blue aura around my teacher, GM Doo Wai, when he was teaching me the Flying Phoenix System and other types of auras when he was teaching me other internal systems in his Bok Fu Pai Family system. The Flying Phoenix system, you will find, enables "seeing" in its unique sublime manner--through a process that I know is totally different from the very precise, almost technical, yogic empowerment of Tao Tan Pai, which is a marvelous art as well.

 

Starting in the late 90's when I was teaching FP Chi Kung, not only was the group energy of each class wonderfully intensified and yet still sublime, but I can now say that on several occasions as I turned off the light at the upstairs Studio #7 at the ballet center in Santa Monica (where I taught for 19 years, 1992-2011) and started down the stairs, I would look back and see a lingering bright blue halo-like form on the floor where the group had been sitting while doing the "Monk Serves Wine" meditations. I took that as confirmation that I was teaching my students properly. On one of those occasions, once I got downstairs, the janitor, David (who was homeless at the time and was allowed to stay overnight at the ballet school in exchange for services) said that he was "totally blown away and knocked out" when he was sitting downstairs in the lobby of the dance studio during my class. I could see that he was more relaxed and un-stressed than I had ever seen him in the past and I could see the initial effects of the "contact healing" he had gotten. What he couldn't put accurately into words was the fact that he was deeply healed, soothed, and mind put at rest ("knocked out") by being directly underneath my circle of students doing the FP seated meditations. If you have closely observed the down-trodden, spirit-less state of homeless persons exposed to the elements night after night, and migrating on foot by day, you can imagine the effect of that poor soul being completely enveloped by FP healing energy for about a 90 minutes. He got a fortuitous blessing that night because of martial arts karma for he was acquainted with my friend Ron Chapel, a top instructor in American Kenpo Karate with whom I had produced law enforcement training videos in the early 1990's.

 

So this is to further encourage all practitioners--after they've learned the Basic FP exercises of Volumes 1, 2 and 3--to try and form groups to practice together. The FP Healing Energy's effects are already cumulative, but the health benefits become multiplied within each individual during practice by the number of practitioners in the group. And then there is the constant accelerated psychic attunement that goes on in each individual practicing in the group.

 

Even a group of two is an advantageous situation for FP meditation!

 

Thanks for the nice post, Lloyd, and keep up the great practice!

Best,

Sifu Terry

 

http://www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html

Edited May 13, 2013 by zen-bear

[Fu_doggy]

Sifu Terry - thanks for sharing your own experience in seeing the blue glow of FP.

 

Actually, I saw the blue light three nights in a row. The first time it was so bright it actually grabbed my attention....made me turn my head to look at it. The second night it was faint, and had I not been looking for it I may not have seen it. The third night it was fairly bright again, though I did not make it a point to sit and stare at it. I went on with my practice. And so yes, this was seeing it in the physiological sense, not the "intuitive" sense. It was quite beautiful, actually.

 

I will also confirm your point about "right living".... this is something I have tried very hard to do, i.e., there are certain parts of my behavior I have tried to clean up. So based on your experience, Sifu Terry, I have to believe my attempt to improve my behavior may have been a contributing factor.

 

As for your recommendation to practice in a group, that sounds good. Group practice is something I have not had the pleasure of experiencing. That said, I feel someday I will get my chance. ;-)

 

OK, time to stop typing and go practice!

 

Lloyd

 

Edited for grammar.

Edited May 11, 2013 by Fu_doggy

[ShivaShakti]

Lucky those who are into FP group practice. But I can say is, in our Tantra group meditation, it certainly does intensify our meditative state, it easy to reach more expanded consciousness. I could imagine how powerful the FP group practice is.

 

 

Anyway, I am now lifting weights again (almost a month now and no left shoulder, neuromuscular pain anymore). Yesterday after my weights exercise, I felt kind of heaviness.. and somehow exhausted (as it just normal when lifting weights). Then after like 20 minutes of me resting, I only did the MSW 90 80 50 20.. and I felt lighter and energized. I walked down our streets, and seems I was walking on air! I felt great!

[ShivaShakti]

Hi Shiva Shakti,

I'm glad to read that you've practiced the seated Flying Phoenix meditations (Monk Serves Wine) enough so as to discern which ones to do at night which ones not to. Each of the meditations have a very specific effect.

 

And yes, for even beginners, right after doing a series of seated meditations of Vol. 2 with or without the basic standing meditations, your energy is deeply and positively charged that people will be attracted by your energy/aura. I had mentioned that after qigong class on Tuesday nights for many years from 1992 onward, every time I would go to a public eatery with a couple of my students after class, our energy always preceded our physical bodies and people were always struck by the FP energy and turned to look at me/us before they saw me or us physical beings.

 

What you've reported is a good sign that the FP Chi Kung is producing good results in you.

Keep up the good practice. There are more sublime wonders ahead.

 

Sifu Terry

 

 

Thank you Sifu Terry!

 

I am looking forward on those advanced DVDs in production, of yours to be available. And that, I wonder what are the more "sublime wonders" ahead

 

Got to tell you Sifu Terry, FP has a very positive impact upon my attitude and behavior. I am becoming a dynamic individual.. and I can ascertain FP is a part of it. I am grateful.

Edited May 11, 2013 by ShivaShakti

[tao stillness]

Hello Sifu Terry,

You have made a very important suggestion about practicing FP in groups. It is now scientifically proven that the energy field produced from group practice such as meditation is more than the sum of the number of people in the group. It actually is the number of people squared. I was part of the first experiment in group energy effects conducted by the Transcendental Meditation Organization in 1979 when we had 3,000 people at the U. of Mass. doing the TM Siddhi program together at the same times for the whole summer. The largest effect was when the group after doing TM then did the "flying sutra" and levitated together. So it just makes perfect sense that the benefits to the individual doing FP chi kung in a group would be that much more because of the enhanced energy field in the room. It creates documented brain wave cohesion. Everyone's nervous system gets in synch, hence "Unified Field" is produced and radiated out. Since the FP people cannot gather like this under one roof, how about an experiment where we as individuals agree to meet at the same specific time to do FP and see what we experience from that?

Steve

[JustBHappy]

Yeah I was thinking the same thing. Lets get some healing blue light enveloping this planet!

[tao stillness]

This gives a new meaning to the Kmart blue light specials!

[ShivaShakti]

...and point ourselves to north?

[Fu_doggy]

For the FP practitioners: about a week ago I made a couple posts about Flying Phoenix keeping me awake when I practiced late at night. This turned out NOT to be the case. I went to see my acupuncture doctor this weekend, and turns out he diagnosed that I had developed hot liver energy that rose into my head from stress. And that's what was keeping me awake. After only one acupuncture treatment the problem basically went away. So I have practiced FP the last two nights, then went to bed and slept soundly. Just wanted to clarify that. Good practicing..... Lloyd

Edited May 13, 2013 by Fu_doggy

[Antares]

Lloyd, may be it was cleansing of your negative stucked qi in your liver.

Last days I was practicing FP for 2-3 hours and Sunn Yee Gung for 1 hour (two times of 30 mins each) plus Xing Yi Neikung (it is only 15-20 minutes exercises akin to 8 brocades) couple times and I was awake for 24 hours with no desire to sleep). But I think it was because I have liver stagnant qi issue too (hot turned into wind) and it may be cleansing process in the liver. I am going to visit my acupuncturist too. And there are good Chinese herbs for it too. Anyway I will continue FP for 3 hours and BFSYG for 1 hour and then I will see. I have liver wind issue which goes up and level 1 of BFSYG is good to bring energy down into lower DT. But breath meditations there 90 80... and 80 70... definitely not going to do them before sleep time as I did last days.

 

I think it's OK to do vol.2 before going to bed. Before sleep I will be doing yin yoga for the liver with slow breath in static asanas followed by vol.2 meds.

Edited May 13, 2013 by Eugene

[tao stillness]

I envy you guys that are doing hours of chi kung each day. I am just wondering, do you not work? How is anyone able to devote 3-4 hrs doing energy work if you are employed?

[Antares]

Sorry, I wont give info about myself. Only I can say that most important here is intention. As I mentioned before in the past I used to work under big stress. And I did work for 2 people and worked night shifts and my hands were jerking after work. I could not sleep... anger... anxiety.... stress.. But then I decided to change my life. I said to myself that I dont need much money and I want to practice practice and practice.

 

This is not problem to practice 1-2 hours early in the morning. If you go to bed at 10. 2 hours no problem before going to bed.

1 hour during the day. What is hard here? Of course if you have family then you are in troubles... But then you need to decide what you want from life. It's entirely your personal choice between desires and intention

Edited May 13, 2013 by Eugene

[zen-bear]

Hello Sifu Terry,

You have made a very important suggestion about practicing FP in groups. It is now scientifically proven that the energy field produced from group practice such as meditation is more than the sum of the number of people in the group. It actually is the number of people squared. I was part of the first experiment in group energy effects conducted by the Transcendental Meditation Organization in 1979 when we had 3,000 people at the U. of Mass. doing the TM Siddhi program together at the same times for the whole summer. The largest effect was when the group after doing TM then did the "flying sutra" and levitated together. So it just makes perfect sense that the benefits to the individual doing FP chi kung in a group would be that much more because of the enhanced energy field in the room. It creates documented brain wave cohesion. Everyone's nervous system gets in synch, hence "Unified Field" is produced and radiated out. Since the FP people cannot gather like this under one roof, how about an experiment where we as individuals agree to meet at the same specific time to do FP and see what we experience from that?

Steve

Hi Steve,

Thanks for posting this information about research conducted by the Transcendental Meditation Org. on group TM meditation. The observations that you described seem to be based on subjective measurements and terms. I am wondering if there was rigorous monitoring and measuring of brainwave activity and vital signs using scientific instruments on each member of a statistically significant sample as well as any sort of measuring of the unified "energy field" of the meditation group. In other words, is there hard scientific data from the U.Mass study that proves the "squared" effect of group TM meditation? Of course, based on my personal experience in practicing and teaching FP Qigong and other Chinese systems, I know for a fact that the salient effects are multiplied for each inidividual participating in group practice--but I cannot say to what degree the effects are multiplied. If I have time, I'll look into scientific studies of group of mass meditation.

 

Your suggestion of a synchronized worldwide FP Qigong practice is something that I thought about 2 years ago when this thread was starting to take off. Through TTB and Facebook, and other social media networks, it's quite possible to put out an announcement of such an event and reach all FP practitioners and other interested people with it. But it will be easier to orchestrate this the old fashion way--after I restart my FP Qigong seminars across the country and and help establish organized practice groups--"hotbeds"--of FP Qigong. When the time arrives to do this, I envision scheduling a world-wide FP practice/experiment with a specific sequence of FP meditations, each one done at a particular time-slot across all time-zones. That would be an interesting and fun experiment in FP alchemy.

Thanks for the post.

 

Best,

Sifu Terry

 

http://www.taichimania.com/chikung_catalog.html

Edited May 13, 2013 by zen-bear

[Fu_doggy]

Sifu - If you find more info on the benefits of group practice I'm hoping you will share with board. Also, a nationwide series of seminars sounds great... Looking forward to hearing more about when the time is right!

 

 

 

[tao stillness]

Sifu Terry,

I can hardly wait for those seminars to start rolling in!

The research from the brain wave coherence at Amherst, MA was done in part by checking out brainwaves of meditators in Fairfield, IA who did not know when the TMers were doing their meditation programs in Amherst. When the Amherst group did the program the Fairfield subjects showed the most brain wave coherence. There is no time and space distance barriers to the unified field of Consciousness. The TMO has pubilshed the most scientific research on this with their studies done over years in Atlanta, GA.

And in reply to Eugene. I salute your dedication. Yes, where this is a will there is a way. I wanted a more balanced lifestyle which includes dating so I have had to sacrifice my personal time to meet my social needs. But believe me, I continue to be in a conflict between my values and when I am not enjoying a date I do say to myself, "I could be home doing chi kung instead of this relationship stuff" which is really no more than going out to dinner, going home to be intimate.That too gets old. But chi kung remains fresh!

[zen-bear]

Sifu Terry,

I can hardly wait for those seminars to start rolling in!

The research from the brain wave coherence at Amherst, MA was done in part by checking out brainwaves of meditators in Fairfield, IA who did not know when the TMers were doing their meditation programs in Amherst. When the Amherst group did the program the Fairfield subjects showed the most brain wave coherence. There is no time and space distance barriers to the unified field of Consciousness. The TMO has pubilshed the most scientific research on this with their studies done over years in Atlanta, GA.

And in reply to Eugene. I salute your dedication. Yes, where this is a will there is a way. I wanted a more balanced lifestyle which includes dating so I have had to sacrifice my personal time to meet my social needs. But believe me, I continue to be in a conflict between my values and when I am not enjoying a date I do say to myself, "I could be home doing chi kung instead of this relationship stuff" which is really no more than going out to dinner, going home to be intimate.That too gets old. But chi kung remains fresh!

 

 

LOL. Steve, down the road a bit, I need you to make that comment on camera in our forthcoming infomercial selling Chi Kung For Health home study kits nationwide on TV! Visuals: scene of you on a boring date--then a silent bubble caption pops on screen showing what you're thinking:

 

"I could be home doing chi kung instead of this relationship stuff"

 

Then bubble caption changes to your visualization of yourself finishing "Wind Through Treetops", and saying "Works every time!"

 

Love it.

Best,

Sifu Terry

[zen-bear]

 

 

HAHA!

 

Just practice FP, then right after, go out.

Shiva Shakti,

I need to get you also to give an on-camera testimonial--along with Tao Stillness (Steve) -- in a future infomercial to market FP Qigong as the surefire solution to dating doldrums. It works perfectly on both ends: AFter FP practice, you go out, and you are unconsciously, effortlessly maximizing your magnetizing-mesmerizing-lovability and attractiveness. Then if what you draw is a dud, you say what Steve says: "I could be home doing chi kung instead of this relationship stuff"

 

Works every time for my L.A. students. Every time they finish FPCK class and go to a public place, they attract other positively vibrating beings. Whether they cause their new-found partners to see the blue light depends on their level of FP cultivation and to what base they slide into.

 

Sifu Terry

[zen-bear]

I envy you guys that are doing hours of chi kung each day. I am just wondering, do you not work? How is anyone able to devote 3-4 hrs doing energy work if you are employed?

Easy (for some, not all). Become self-employed!

[Antares]

And in reply to Eugene. I salute your dedication. Yes, where this is a will there is a way. I wanted a more balanced lifestyle which includes dating so I have had to sacrifice my personal time to meet my social needs. But believe me, I continue to be in a conflict between my values and when I am not enjoying a date I do say to myself, "I could be home doing chi kung instead of this relationship stuff" which is really no more than going out to dinner, going home to be intimate.That too gets old. But chi kung remains fresh!

 

I gave dating a try and wan not happy with it. Females have huge "dark" qualities in them even they are more appealing than aliens. I mean girls (espec. nice ones) like to socialize a lot and they are very much mundane. This is just reality. I dont know how it is in USA. I myself more like zen-mind person and do not like conversations about something like blah blah drinking beer. Not so easy to meet vibrant person even among men. I will "go out" when I myself have got more vibrancy. Then more chances to meet somebody vibrant but I do not care to be honest. I have few friends who have families and I see them suffering. Few of them divorced. Life is short and death is always behind left shoulder. But relationships can be spiritual but I do not believe much in it at the moment as people are people - much ego...

[ShivaShakti]

Shiva Shakti,

I need to get you also to give an on-camera testimonial--along with Tao Stillness (Steve) -- in a future infomercial to market FP Qigong as the surefire solution to dating doldrums. It works perfectly on both ends: AFter FP practice, you go out, and you are unconsciously, effortlessly maximizing your magnetizing-mesmerizing-lovability and attractiveness. Then if what you draw is a dud, you say what Steve says: "I could be home doing chi kung instead of this relationship stuff"

 

Works every time for my L.A. students. Every time they finish FPCK class and go to a public place, they attract other positively vibrating beings. Whether they cause their new-found partners to see the blue light depends on their level of FP cultivation and to what base they slide into.

 

Sifu Terry

 

 

Thanks Sifu Terry,

 

I got to get a good camcorder. As an asian guy, I think I don't look bad and no blemishes LOL!

Just tell when when you need it, I will be honored to having a great testimonial for you. But in reality FP does help change my attitude and behavior, good mood, health, keen senses, etc. Wonderful!

 

Would be great if there are FP meds that open up our psychic channels/potentials. But of course I am still in the basic FP, I planned to practice it for 6 months before going to the advanced level.

Edited May 16, 2013 by ShivaShakti

[tao stillness]

Sifu Terry,

I do enjoy your sense of humor. My people will get in touch with your people about the testimonials.

In the meantime I find that you do not even have to leave your house for the Flying Phoenix energy to have an effect on women. This week I was meeting more than my share of women online and then when I would talk to them on the phone this instant intimacy just developed that really surprised me. It was happening with each woman that I contacted and they intitiated it. I had to back out of meeting some of them because the phone calls cut into my Flying Phoenix time. We all have our priorities. I never would have thought that I would pass up a date in order to stay home! And this comes from a life long bachelor.

The Tao is not so still afterall!

[Antares]

In the meantime I find that you do not even have to leave your house for the Flying Phoenix energy to have an effect on women. This week I was meeting more than my share of women online and then when I would talk to them on the phone this instant intimacy just developed that really surprised me.

Dangerous stuff

One day Angelina Jollie will knock your door.

 

 

Edited May 16, 2013 by Eugene

[tao stillness]

She will just have to wait in line with the rest of them, I guess. LOL!

But now I do wonder just how much FP practice it would take to pull that off?

I bet Sifu Terry could drawn her in.

[zen-bear]

Aliens? Are they kind (good)? Is not it mind game? Is it spiritual to have such connections? I am reading C. Castaneda's books again after 8 years and find it very inspiring. But many authentic traditions (even taoist) stand to avoid these contacts. Do you do any special practice like lucid dreaming? I am just trying to be more aware at the day time and consider it as a dream and not to miss my practice. As for late practice meditations from DVD2 it does not make me "awake", I do not do 90 80 50 20. And sleep very well. I just wonder should we develop lucid dreaming or may be we need good rest at night time? Taoists say it dispersing much jing. And they even do some practice to avoid it. (I just have suspicion that Castaneda was taught in authentic lineage )

As I've stated early on in this thread, I highly recommend Carlos Castaneda's books as an excellent supplementary roadmap for Taoist training. I do everything to recommend developing one's ability to dream lucidly. The benefits are inestimable. Castaneda, of course, describes very effective exercises to develop lucid dreaming--from basic to advanced. I used them in the late 70's to great effect and they were pivotal in my development of dream consciousness--especially when coupled with the Tao Tan Pai neikung that I was learning at that time. I use Castaneda's lucid dreaming exercises and teach them to this day to my students who want to expand their consciousness in that manner.

 

I don't know what Taoists in particular or Taoist tradition you are referring to as to the one that says lucid dreaming disperses much jing. (And please cite the reference if you care to.) I have never experienced this to be the case. Whenever I did/do lucid dreaming, my sleep quality was/is not diminished one bit. In fact, I was/am almost always more rested and more empowered in every way upon rising from a lucid dream. In all seriousness, the only time a male would disperse much jing during sleep would be as result of a wet dream. And such a dream for the vast majority of adult males would not be lucid. I suppose one could engage in sexual congress with a dreamed entity while lucidly dreaming, but I can conceive of that only as ultra-ultra-rare situation--a near-impossibility--where that might occur. But even then, such a high-level tantric operation in the dream-state would not be enervating, but rather empowering. At any rate, your statement has caused me to meditate on this rare potential (the dispersion of jing while lucidly dreaming), and my experience tells me that that is not very likely to happen. In fact, I would come down on the side that holds such dispersion is almost impossible.

 

Remember that in Castaneda's terms, and the theme pervading all his works that of a warrior hunting power. The art of dreaming, which is such a big part of the Yaqui sorcery tradition, is by all of his accounts all lucid dreaming. Thus developing luicidity and dream powers cannot be enervating in my mind--and that is also my gut feeling based on experience.

 

Chen Hsi-I, or Chen Tuan, the sage monk and a patron saint of Huashan Taoism, to whom is attributed several great arts such is Liu He Ba Fa, the Tai Chi Ruler, and and a "sleeping yoga", was know as the "sleeping Taoist"--i.e., Chen Tuan slept in a somnabulist state where he was fully lucid doing dream operations. I know this to be true because my current mentor in all things supramundane "sleeps" in the same manner. His bodily energies seem totally at rest and there is pure calm in the room for hours on end, but his Mind is one with the Ever-Conscious and can "see" and touch anyone and everyone near or far as needed for the particular dreamwork. The beneficient energy of the dreamwork also stays and lingers on his place of rest and profoundly heals and has an enlightening effect on whoever sits or sleeps in that same place followingly--even days afterwards.

 

Chuang Tzu's dream that he was a butterfly and then wondering if it was the butterfly dreaming that it was Chuang Tzu is simply his charming celebratory ode to lucid dreaming. Thus I don't think Chuang Tzu would disavow lucid dreaming as a Taoist practice.

 

Thanks for your stimulating comment, Eugene.

 

Sifu Terry

Edited May 18, 2013 by zen-bear

[tao stillness]

Sifu Terry,

When I read about lucid dreaming I always associate it to the experience of witnessing which is having some degree of pure consciousness where the thinking part of the mind is declutched from consciousness and you are observing. It is an experience that is hard for me to put in words. I have had this in the waking state when initiated in Patanjali's yoga sutras with the missing secret simple technique that was restored by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi so that the sutras could then work. I also had this witnessing awareness once after sleeping in my pyramid tent in 1976. A plastic tent creating with the dimensions of the Pyramid of Giza but obviously scaled down! I would emit blue energy from my finger tips while in the tent with all of that chi. And when my dog was in there while I meditated I knew exactly where she was when walking around bc I could feel her energy field touching my energy field and when I opened my eyes I could see a blue aura around her paws when she walked. Anyway, one morning I was watching my brain wake up while I was asleep but sitll aware. So I think this is akin to lucid dreaming but I was not dreaming at all. If the witnessing state remains 24/7 and is permanent, in TM system this is called the first stage of Enlightenment known as Cosmic Consciousness. Lucid dreaming is brought on by doing things to make it happen, witnessing comes from purification of the nervous system thru deep meditation and it cannot be brought on by doing anything to make it happen. So there are obvious differences. Your mentor then is living?

Steve