Dudjom Rinpoche warns us of another pitfall—drowsiness, which is also difficult to deal with: “On the other hand, in meditation practice, you might experience a muddy, semiconscious, drifting state, like having a hood over your head: a dreamy dullness. This is really nothing more than a kind of blurred and mindless stagnation.
How do you get out of this state? Alert yourself, straighten your back, breathe the stale air out of your lungs, and direct your awareness into clear space to freshen your mind. When you feel drowsy, straighten your back, take deep breaths, open your eyes, and gaze into the clear space. If you remain in this stagnant state, you will not evolve; so whenever this setback arises, clear it again and again. It is important to be as watchful as possible, and to stay as vigilant as you can.” If you feel really drowsy while sitting, it’s better to take a short break. If the problem is not genuine fatigue but rather a habit of drowsiness, you can stand up and wash your face, do some physical exercises or a few jumps, and then sit down again in an upright position. Especially, you need to sit upright, as failing to do so will likely result in drowsiness and may quickly lead to a semiconscious state. Whatever method you use, drop it or simply let it dissolve on its own, when you find you have arrived naturally at a state of alert, expansive, and vibrant peace. At that moment, you are very alert, expansive, and especially peaceful. Your mind is in a state of vibrant peace. Then continue to remain there quietly, undistracted, without necessarily using any particular method. The method has already achieved its purpose. At this moment, you can engage in analytical meditation with mindfulness. We advocate practicing analytical meditation rather than clinging to this state. When some people experience this state, they stop using methods and dwell in that state, which is pure, expansive, and peaceful. They enjoy the peace and purity there, but this is not right either. We can temporarily dwell in this state for a period, but we shouldn’t stay in it for too long as it can lead to attachment. When you enter this state, you can temporarily stay in it for a while, but you cannot linger in it for too long as it can lead to attachment. However, if you do stray or become distracted, then return to whatever technique is most appropriate to call you back to the right state of peace, purity, and expansiveness.