Sorry for anyone who follows this but I can't remember any dreams from last night, instead I'll give you a
YouTube clip on Lucid Dreams from the Discovery channel.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Lucid Bound
Well last nights dream was quite unique, I had a very disturbed sleep and slept on and off from about 11pm till 9am. I had a very lucid experience just before 2am which I'll explain below then my other dream would've happened around 8pm.
--Dream 1--
I remember going to sleep trying to keep my conscious thoughts open to the thought of being lucid from within my dream, I woke up several times in this dream and continued to go back to sleep into the same dream. Also varying parts I was well aware I was lucid and controlling things but tried to not get excited as I struggled not to wake up, the dream would fade from being full real and vivid to just being blank images at times so its hard for me to recall some of it.
The starting point of it was in a wetlands area, it seemed like it was far back in the past from when Dinosaurs apparently roamed the Earth with no signs of civilization anywhere, in-front of me was a lake which had a teal kind of color too it, beneath me was pure sand which went back onto a kind of greeny grass with wetlands to the side and back further.
There were birds flying around and the moon was out and also the sun(sounds kind of familiar to the other dream that I had the night before) If I remember right it was daytime just the moon could be seen. Faint sounds in the background were of birds and wildlife, just the kind of sounds you'd expect being in the middle of a jungle/forest/wetlands environment.
As I stood here looking into the lake I was somewhat lucid but at the same time I only had a faint idea of what I was doing here, for some reason I thought it was a test (maybe this was my subconscious testing me). What happened next was a small wave appeared from the lake out of nowhere, I was fully aware I was in a dream and decided what to do, I put out my front hand and focused as hard as I could as I wanted to stop this wall of water.
When the water came it stopped as I told it too and then I realized I was completely lucid in this dream, I told the water to go away and it did, the sun and moon to move and they did also. At times I got fairly excited as I could do whatever I wanted in this dream but at the same time if I got too excited the dream would slowly go blank unless I tried to concentrate then it would return to being vivid.
I tried something complex, I wanted to change the scene around me to that of the destroyed city from the end of the movie Inception. It worked to a certain extent to where the whole scene around me changed and formed into a city being destroyed by someones dream ending, the sky was red mixed with yellow and alot of things swirling around. At this point I was too excited to be able to control my dreams to the extent of creating a city and everything slowly went blank, I tried to concentrate but my body woke up in reality.
It took me a while to think about what just happened but I eventually went back to sleep to try again, however this time I difted on and on till about 6am which my next dream happened.
--Dream 2--
I knew this was just a dream at first and was partly in control of what was happening around me, I was in a city (quite possibly the one I had formed in my mind earlier) But it looked similar to where I live now Christchurch, New Zealand, with the addition of a few large architecturally beautiful buildings near the center of the city.
I started off on a motorbike that I'd just bought, the following parts may be boring but I remember them vividly and I enjoy driving and find it relaxing. From what I remember I was just racing around different streets viewing this city and everything that was in it, there was other people/cars/fully working restaurants and everything. But at the same time I knew it was a dream and was trying to figure out how my brain could make all this up and compare it to reality.
I continued to race around then trying to bring into the dream some of my friends on bikes so that they could race around also, eventually about 2 other bikers appeared. I can't really recall what type of bike they were but all I know is that it was a Yamaha and black, the noise it made when accelerating was beautiful. I continued to race around with my friends but eventually became not so lucid when I woke up once then fell back asleep into the dream.
I was suddenly in a suburban area and my friends were gone, I was still on the Yamaha but whenever I accelerated the bike would sound as if it was going really fast but it would have delayed torque. So I'd accelerate and it would do like a massive lag as if it had some kind of disastrous turbo in it. I remember going down an alley way dodging a few people walking along as I was trying to find my friends. At this point in the dream I don't remember what happened but I most likely woke up.
--Dream 3--
This dream was in a gym, I was going to it with my girlfriend. It wasn't the same layout as the gym that I go to in reality but it was fairly similar with the exception of the changing rooms to the right of the main entrance. This dream was partly lucid to the point of the dream where I felt a strong jealous emotion in part which I'll try to explain.
As me and my girlfriend were working out we walked over to another area to see what was going on, in it was small trampolines at various heights off the ground with ropes going between each one. The trampolines were circle ones maybe 1m and circumference, the people practicing on them ranged from female to male from aged 6 to 19 I think? I believe they were all getting ready for an event, it was interesting to watch (not in a pervert way) but there was music in the background to which they were all moving to the beat or doing tricks to the beat.
A guy came out of nowhere and started working out on a machine near us, we walked over to a fly machine. This guy was trouble when I first saw him in my dream as he kept staring at my girlfriend in that bad kind of way, he also said hi to us and started talking to her a fair bit but kept me out to the side. (For the following part I may get slapped but its just a dream, my girlfriend is loyal and faithful in reality so I have no idea who she was in my dream)
My girlfriend and this guy were talking alot and also flirting, I started getting jealous at this point in the dream but for some reason I didn't do anything about it. Its not like he was much of a challenge if I wanted to take him on but I was trying to figure out why my girlfriend was acting this way and paying all this attention to him. (I'm sure alot of people have had these kind of dreams where you feel real emotion then wake up feeling a bit emo until you wake up properly).
All I remember is me being on this machine and it breaking, I told my girlfriend to please come over and help me and she did for a little bit but kept staring at this other guy. At this point I walked into the changing rooms ready to just leave and walkout, in the changing rooms it was strange because when I walked in I saw my towel on the ground laying everywhere, this towel must've been about 5m long so I couldn't have a shower. At this point I decided I'd had enough and walked out into the gym only with my shorts on grabbed my girlfriend and punched the guy in the face and left.
The dream ended here, the third part of the dream I considered a dream killer as it nearly ruined my thoughts of the previous two dreams. I'm still remembering parts from the first two at the moment and may add to them later.
--Dream 1--
I remember going to sleep trying to keep my conscious thoughts open to the thought of being lucid from within my dream, I woke up several times in this dream and continued to go back to sleep into the same dream. Also varying parts I was well aware I was lucid and controlling things but tried to not get excited as I struggled not to wake up, the dream would fade from being full real and vivid to just being blank images at times so its hard for me to recall some of it.
The starting point of it was in a wetlands area, it seemed like it was far back in the past from when Dinosaurs apparently roamed the Earth with no signs of civilization anywhere, in-front of me was a lake which had a teal kind of color too it, beneath me was pure sand which went back onto a kind of greeny grass with wetlands to the side and back further.
There were birds flying around and the moon was out and also the sun(sounds kind of familiar to the other dream that I had the night before) If I remember right it was daytime just the moon could be seen. Faint sounds in the background were of birds and wildlife, just the kind of sounds you'd expect being in the middle of a jungle/forest/wetlands environment.
As I stood here looking into the lake I was somewhat lucid but at the same time I only had a faint idea of what I was doing here, for some reason I thought it was a test (maybe this was my subconscious testing me). What happened next was a small wave appeared from the lake out of nowhere, I was fully aware I was in a dream and decided what to do, I put out my front hand and focused as hard as I could as I wanted to stop this wall of water.
When the water came it stopped as I told it too and then I realized I was completely lucid in this dream, I told the water to go away and it did, the sun and moon to move and they did also. At times I got fairly excited as I could do whatever I wanted in this dream but at the same time if I got too excited the dream would slowly go blank unless I tried to concentrate then it would return to being vivid.
I tried something complex, I wanted to change the scene around me to that of the destroyed city from the end of the movie Inception. It worked to a certain extent to where the whole scene around me changed and formed into a city being destroyed by someones dream ending, the sky was red mixed with yellow and alot of things swirling around. At this point I was too excited to be able to control my dreams to the extent of creating a city and everything slowly went blank, I tried to concentrate but my body woke up in reality.
It took me a while to think about what just happened but I eventually went back to sleep to try again, however this time I difted on and on till about 6am which my next dream happened.
--Dream 2--
I knew this was just a dream at first and was partly in control of what was happening around me, I was in a city (quite possibly the one I had formed in my mind earlier) But it looked similar to where I live now Christchurch, New Zealand, with the addition of a few large architecturally beautiful buildings near the center of the city.
I started off on a motorbike that I'd just bought, the following parts may be boring but I remember them vividly and I enjoy driving and find it relaxing. From what I remember I was just racing around different streets viewing this city and everything that was in it, there was other people/cars/fully working restaurants and everything. But at the same time I knew it was a dream and was trying to figure out how my brain could make all this up and compare it to reality.
I continued to race around then trying to bring into the dream some of my friends on bikes so that they could race around also, eventually about 2 other bikers appeared. I can't really recall what type of bike they were but all I know is that it was a Yamaha and black, the noise it made when accelerating was beautiful. I continued to race around with my friends but eventually became not so lucid when I woke up once then fell back asleep into the dream.
I was suddenly in a suburban area and my friends were gone, I was still on the Yamaha but whenever I accelerated the bike would sound as if it was going really fast but it would have delayed torque. So I'd accelerate and it would do like a massive lag as if it had some kind of disastrous turbo in it. I remember going down an alley way dodging a few people walking along as I was trying to find my friends. At this point in the dream I don't remember what happened but I most likely woke up.
--Dream 3--
This dream was in a gym, I was going to it with my girlfriend. It wasn't the same layout as the gym that I go to in reality but it was fairly similar with the exception of the changing rooms to the right of the main entrance. This dream was partly lucid to the point of the dream where I felt a strong jealous emotion in part which I'll try to explain.
As me and my girlfriend were working out we walked over to another area to see what was going on, in it was small trampolines at various heights off the ground with ropes going between each one. The trampolines were circle ones maybe 1m and circumference, the people practicing on them ranged from female to male from aged 6 to 19 I think? I believe they were all getting ready for an event, it was interesting to watch (not in a pervert way) but there was music in the background to which they were all moving to the beat or doing tricks to the beat.
A guy came out of nowhere and started working out on a machine near us, we walked over to a fly machine. This guy was trouble when I first saw him in my dream as he kept staring at my girlfriend in that bad kind of way, he also said hi to us and started talking to her a fair bit but kept me out to the side. (For the following part I may get slapped but its just a dream, my girlfriend is loyal and faithful in reality so I have no idea who she was in my dream)
My girlfriend and this guy were talking alot and also flirting, I started getting jealous at this point in the dream but for some reason I didn't do anything about it. Its not like he was much of a challenge if I wanted to take him on but I was trying to figure out why my girlfriend was acting this way and paying all this attention to him. (I'm sure alot of people have had these kind of dreams where you feel real emotion then wake up feeling a bit emo until you wake up properly).
All I remember is me being on this machine and it breaking, I told my girlfriend to please come over and help me and she did for a little bit but kept staring at this other guy. At this point I walked into the changing rooms ready to just leave and walkout, in the changing rooms it was strange because when I walked in I saw my towel on the ground laying everywhere, this towel must've been about 5m long so I couldn't have a shower. At this point I decided I'd had enough and walked out into the gym only with my shorts on grabbed my girlfriend and punched the guy in the face and left.
The dream ended here, the third part of the dream I considered a dream killer as it nearly ruined my thoughts of the previous two dreams. I'm still remembering parts from the first two at the moment and may add to them later.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Mystical cliff
This dream is only a small fragment of last nights dream...I'm having trouble remembering them at the moment but mainly because of stress in real life.
This all start in a big open field area, with two wooden buildings on each side. It may have even been a place the computer game World of Warcraft (Warsong Gulch) to be exact, but regardless it hard cartoonish/graphic sky, and game style grass/trees/walls/cliffs. I kind of switched between a view of looking down and a view of looking first pirst.
As I started in this little wooden building the plan was to engage in a battle in the middle of the open field, Infront of me was a kind of console looking thing where I could touch to make people appear or get reinforcements. I myself jumped out of the wooden building down into the battlefield and went beside a trebuchet that was being constructed.
It had been damaged and our team were surrounding it to try repair it so we could win, if I remember right their wooden place had turned into a kind of castle stone tower with wooden walls. Eventually we fixed it with people left and right of me (I didn't know who they were), the dream kind changed here from a trebuchet to an entrance of one of those seige weapons "Towers" that have entrances in the bottom.
I entered this "Tower" and got to the top of it, at the top the scenery changed and everyone went from cartoon/graphic to reality type. Climbing up this tower it turned out that it was wedged inbetween 2 olden ruined walls (at this point i have no idea where the battle had gone...), it was about 10m tall at least and wooden beams every 1.5m that I could climb on.
At the top of I could see out over the field that had obviously moved positions in the landscape as we were now in a corner. People fighting turned into futuristic looking with hightech armor and guns, also one team were releasing large dinosaurs to attack the other team who had a Tricerotops mounted with something.
I really really hate dinosaurs in my dream as they freak me out and I always know the next thing that comes is veliceraptors which I've hated since I first watch jurrasic park.
Raptors eventually appeared and I decided it was time for me to leave the top of the wall, to the side of the wooden part of the old trebuchet there was a stone opening which I went through. It lead onto a long cliff like rock path into a house in which a mystic lived, all I remember from this was that the ocean below us and around. The cliff was perfectly rounded shaped with overgrowth from above. The cliff above us kind of went up and was smooth off but then protruded back into the ocean.
A I was ahead there were small bright stars appearing up from the ground...that went into this mystics house.
Upon entering the mystics house the dream ended.... Again I'm sorry I can't draw or I'd be painting the exact scenes...
This all start in a big open field area, with two wooden buildings on each side. It may have even been a place the computer game World of Warcraft (Warsong Gulch) to be exact, but regardless it hard cartoonish/graphic sky, and game style grass/trees/walls/cliffs. I kind of switched between a view of looking down and a view of looking first pirst.
As I started in this little wooden building the plan was to engage in a battle in the middle of the open field, Infront of me was a kind of console looking thing where I could touch to make people appear or get reinforcements. I myself jumped out of the wooden building down into the battlefield and went beside a trebuchet that was being constructed.
It had been damaged and our team were surrounding it to try repair it so we could win, if I remember right their wooden place had turned into a kind of castle stone tower with wooden walls. Eventually we fixed it with people left and right of me (I didn't know who they were), the dream kind changed here from a trebuchet to an entrance of one of those seige weapons "Towers" that have entrances in the bottom.
I entered this "Tower" and got to the top of it, at the top the scenery changed and everyone went from cartoon/graphic to reality type. Climbing up this tower it turned out that it was wedged inbetween 2 olden ruined walls (at this point i have no idea where the battle had gone...), it was about 10m tall at least and wooden beams every 1.5m that I could climb on.
At the top of I could see out over the field that had obviously moved positions in the landscape as we were now in a corner. People fighting turned into futuristic looking with hightech armor and guns, also one team were releasing large dinosaurs to attack the other team who had a Tricerotops mounted with something.
I really really hate dinosaurs in my dream as they freak me out and I always know the next thing that comes is veliceraptors which I've hated since I first watch jurrasic park.
Raptors eventually appeared and I decided it was time for me to leave the top of the wall, to the side of the wooden part of the old trebuchet there was a stone opening which I went through. It lead onto a long cliff like rock path into a house in which a mystic lived, all I remember from this was that the ocean below us and around. The cliff was perfectly rounded shaped with overgrowth from above. The cliff above us kind of went up and was smooth off but then protruded back into the ocean.
A I was ahead there were small bright stars appearing up from the ground...that went into this mystics house.
Upon entering the mystics house the dream ended.... Again I'm sorry I can't draw or I'd be painting the exact scenes...
Monday, September 27, 2010
Lucid Dreaming FAQ's
1.1 WHAT IS LUCID DREAMING?
Lucid dreaming means dreaming while knowing that you are dreaming. The term was coined by Frederik van Eeden who used the word "lucid" in the sense of mental clarity. Lucidity usually begins in the midst of a dream when the dreamer realizes that the experience is not occurring in physical reality, but is a dream. Often this realization is triggered by the dreamer noticing some impossible or unlikely occurrence in the dream, such as flying or meeting the deceased. Sometimes people become lucid without noticing any particular clue in the dream; they just suddenly realize they are in a dream. A minority of lucid dreams (according to the research of LaBerge and colleagues, about 10 percent) are the result of returning to REM (dreaming) sleep directly from an awakening with unbroken reflective consciousness.
The basic definition of lucid dreaming requires nothing more than becoming aware that you are dreaming. However, the quality of lucidity can vary greatly. When lucidity is at a high level, you are aware that everything experienced in the dream is occurring in your mind, that there is no real danger, and that you are asleep in bed and will awaken shortly. With low-level lucidity you may be aware to a certain extent that you are dreaming, perhaps enough to fly or alter what you are doing, but not enough to realize that the people are dream representations, or that you can suffer no physical damage, or that you are actually in bed.
1.2 IS LUCID DREAMING THE SAME AS DREAM CONTROL?
Lucidity is not synonymous with dream control. It is possible to be lucid and have little control over dream content, and conversely, to have a great deal of control without being explicitly aware that you are dreaming. However, becoming lucid in a dream is likely to increase the extent to which you can deliberately influence the course of events. Once lucid, dreamers usually choose to do something permitted only by the extraordinary freedom of the dream state, such as flying.
You always have the choice of how much control you want to exert. For example, you could continue with whatever you were doing when you became lucid, with the added knowledge that you are dreaming. Or you could try to change everything--the dream scene, yourself, other dream characters. It is not always possible to perform "magic" in dreams, like changing one object into another or transforming scenes. A dreamer's ability to succeed at this seems to depend a lot on the dreamer's confidence. As Henry Ford said, "Believe you can, believe you can't; either way, you're right." On the other hand, it appears there are some constraints on dream control that may be independent of belief. See "Testing the Limits of Dream Control: The Light and Mirror Experiment" for more on this.
1.3 HOW ARE LUCID DREAMS RELATED TO OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCES (OBEs)?
A mysterious and highly controversial phenomenon sometimes occurs in which people experience the compelling sensation that they have somehow "left their bodies." The "out-of-body experience" or "OBE", as this fascinating phenomenon is usually termed, takes a variety of forms. In the most typical, you are lying in bed, apparently awake, when suddenly you experience a range of primarily somatic sensations, often including vibrations, heaviness, and paralysis. Then you experience the vivid sensation of separating from your "physical body" in what feels like a second body, often floating above the bed.
It is important to note the distinction between the phenomenal reality of the OBE and the various interpretations of the experience. What is really happening when you feel yourself "leaving your body"? According to one school of thought, what is actually happening is just what it feels like: you are moving in a second body out of and away from your physical body--in physical space. But this "explanation" doesn't hold up very well under examination. After all, the body we ordinarily feel ourselves to be (or if you like, to inhabit) is a phenomenal or mental body rather than a physical body. The space we see around us is not physical space as "common sense" tells us, but as modern psychology makes clear, a phenomenal or mental space. In general, our consciousness is a mental model of the world.
OBE enthusiasts promote lucid dreaming as a "stepping stone" to the OBE. Conversely, many lucid dreamers have had the experience of feeling themselves "leave the body" at the onset of a lucid dream. From a laboratory study, we have concluded that OBEs can occur in the same physiological state as lucid dreams. Wake-initiated lucid dreams (WILDs) were three times more likely to be labeled "OBEs" than dream initiated lucid dreams. If you believe yourself to have been awake, then you are more likely to take the experience at face value and believe yourself to have literally left your physical body in some sort of mental or "astral" body floating around in the "real" physical world. If, on the other hand, you think of the experience as a dream, then you are likely to identify the OBE body as a dream body image and the environment of the experience as a dream world. The validity of the latter interpretation is supported by observations and research on these phenomena.
2.1 WHY HAVE LUCID DREAMS?
Upon hearing about lucid dreaming for the first time, people often ask, "Why should I want to have lucid dreams? What are they good for?" If you consider that once you know you are dreaming, you are restricted only by your ability to imagine and conceive, not by laws of physics or society, then the answer to what lucid dreaming is good for is either extremely simple (anything!) or extraordinarily complex (everything!). It is easier to provide a sample of what some people have done with lucid dreaming than to give a definitive answer of its potential uses.
2.1.1 Adventure and Fantasy
Often, the first thing that attracts people to lucid dreaming is the potential for wild adventure and fantasy fulfillment. Flying is a favorite lucid dream delight, as is sex. Many people have said that their first lucid dream was the most wonderful experience of their lives. A large part of the extraordinary pleasure of lucid dreaming comes from the exhilarating feeling of utter freedom that accompanies the realization that you are in a dream and there will be no social or physical consequences of your actions. One might think that this is a rather intellectual concept, but an ecstatic "rush" frequently arises with the first realization that one is dreaming.
2.1.2 Overcoming Nightmares
Unfortunately for many people, instead of providing an outlet for unlimited fantasy and delight, dreams can be dreaded episodes of limitless terror. As is discussed in the books Lucid Dreaming (LaBerge, 1985) and Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (EWLD) (LaBerge & Rheingold, 1990), lucid dreaming may well be the basis of the most effective therapy for nightmares. If you know you are dreaming, it is a simple logical step to realizing that nothing in your current experience, however unpleasant, can cause you physical harm. There is no need to run from or fight with dream monsters. In fact, it is often pointless to try, because the horror pursuing you was conceived in your own mind, and as long as you continue to fear it, it can pursue you wherever you dream yourself to be. The only way to really "escape" is to end your fear. (For a discussion of reasons for recurrent nightmares, see Overcoming Nightmares from EWLD.) The fear you feel in a nightmare is completely real; it is the danger that is not.
Unreasonable fear can be defused by facing up to the source, or going through with the frightening activity, so that you observe that no harm comes to you. In a nightmare, this act of courage can take any form that involves facing the "threat" rather than avoiding it. For example, one young man dreamt of being pursued by a lion. When he had no place left to run, he realized he was dreaming and called to the lion to "come and get him." The challenge turned into a playful wrestling match, and the lion became a sexy woman (NightLight 1.4, 1989, p. 13). Monsters often transform into benign creatures, friends, or empty shells when courageously confronted in lucid dreams. This is an extremely empowering experience. It teaches you in a very visceral manner that you can conquer fear and thereby become stronger.
2.1.3 Rehearsal
Lucid dreaming is an extraordinarily vivid form of mental imagery, so realistic that the trick is to realize it is a mental construct. It is no surprise, therefore, that many people use lucid dreaming to rehearse for success in waking life. Examples of such applications include public speaking, difficult confrontations, artistic performance and athletic prowess. Because the activity of the brain during a dreamed activity is the same as during the real event, neuronal patterns of activation required for a skill (like a ski jump or pirouette) can be established in the dream state in preparation for performance in the waking world. See EWLD for examples.
2.1.4 Creativity and Problem Solving
The creative potential of dreams is legendary. The brain is highly active in REM sleep and unconstrained by sensory input, which together may contribute to the novel combinations of events and objects we experience as dream bizarreness. This same novelty allows thought to take on forms that are rare in waking life, manifesting as enhanced creativity, or defective thinking depending on one's point of view (As Roland Fisher put it, "One man's creativity is another's brain damage."). The claim of enhanced creativity of the dream state is supported by LI research: One study found word associations immediately after awakening from a dream to be 29% more likely to be uncommon compared to word associations later in the day (NightLight, 6.4, 1994). Another study comparing a variety of kinds of experience including daydreams, memories of actual events, and dreams, found that dreams were judged as being significantly more creative than both daydreams and memories (NL, 4.1, 1992). In any case, many lucid dreamers report using dreams for problem solving and artistic inspiration; see EWLD for a variety of examples.
2.1.5 Healing
The effects of visual imagery on the body are well-established. Just as skill practice in a dream can enhance waking performance, healing dream imagery may improve physical health. Medical patients have often used soothing and positive imagery to alleviate pain, and the dream world offers the most vivid form of imagery. Thus, some people have use lucid dreams in overcoming phobias, working with grief, decreasing social and sexual anxieties, achieving greater self-confidence and by directing the body image in the dream to facilitate physical healing. The applications, which are described in greater detail in EWLD, deserve clinical study, as they may be the greatest boon that lucid dreaming has to offer. Other potential healing applications of lucid dreaming include: practice of physical skills by stroke and spinal cord injury patients to encourage recovery of neuromuscular function, enjoyment of sexual satisfaction by people with lower body sensory loss (fully satisfying dream sex requires only mental stimulation!), more rapid recovery from injury or disease through the use of lucid dream imagery, and an increased sense of freedom for anyone who feels limited by disability or circumstance.
2.1.6 Transcendence
The experience of being in a lucid dream clearly demonstrates the astonishing fact that the world we see is a construct of our minds. This concept, so elusive when sought in waking life, is the cornerstone of spiritual teachings. It forces us to look beyond everyday experience and ask, "If this is not real, what is?" Lucid dreaming, by so baldly baring a truth that many spend lives seeking, often triggers spiritual questioning in people who try it for far more mundane purposes. Not only does lucid dreaming lead to questioning the nature of reality, but for many it also has been a source of transcendent experience. Exalted and ecstatic states are common in lucid dreams. EWLD presents several cases of individuals achieving states of union with the Highest, great peace and a new sense of their roles in life.
2.2 CAN LUCID DREAMING BE DANGEROUS?
The overwhelming majority of lucid dreams are positive, rewarding experiences. Moreover, lucidity in unpleasant dreams or nightmares can transform habitual fear into conscious courage. The simple state of lucidity is frequently enough to elevate the mood of a dreamer in a nightmare. In a study of the effect of lucid dreams on mood, college students reported that realizing they were dreaming in a nightmare helped them feel better about 60 percent of the time. Lucidity was seven times more likely to make nightmares better than worse.
A parallel concern is that dying in a dream can cause death in reality. If this were true, how would we know? Anyone who died from a dream could not tell us about its content. Many people, after awakening alive, report having died in their dreams with no ill effect. Dreams of death can actually be insightful experiences about life, rebirth, and transcendence.
Some people believe that dreams are messages from the unconscious mind and should not be consciously altered. Modern research on dreaming, discussed further in chapter 5 of EWLD, suggests that dreams are not messages, but models of the world. While awake, sensory and perceptual information governs our model. While dreaming, our bodies are paralyzed and our brain builds a world model based on a secondary source; namely, our assumptions, motivations, and expectations. These biases are difficult to identify while awake, so a world based entirely on such biases, the world of dreams, can help us to recognize them. Thus, dreams are not messages, but are more like clues into the inner workings of our minds. The conscious and critical awareness that accompanies lucid dreams allows dreamers to thoughtfully interpret their dreams while they happen.
Finally, some people worry that lucid dreams are so exciting and pleasurable that they will become addicted and "sleep their life away." There is a biological obstacle to living in lucid dreams: we have a limited amount of REM sleep. More importantly, lucid dreams can be inspirations for how to act and improve in reality. Your behavior strongly influences your experience in both worlds. Lucid dreams can be signposts for how you can make your waking reality more exciting and enjoyable.
3.1 CAN EVERYONE LEARN TO HAVE LUCID DREAMS?
Lucid dreaming is a skill you can develop, like learning a new language. A few individuals may have an innate talent for achieving lucidity, yet even they can benefit from instruction and practice in making the most of their lucid dreams. Many more people experience lucidity as a rare spontaneous event, but need training to enjoy lucid dreams at will. The best predictor of success with lucid dreaming is the ability to remember dreams. This, too, is a skill you can develop. With specific techniques, you can increase the quantity and quality of your dream recall, which will in turn greatly increase your ability to have lucid dreams.
3.2 HOW DO I LEARN TO HAVE LUCID DREAMS?
The two essentials to learning lucid dreaming are motivation and effort. Although most people report occasional spontaneous lucid dreams, they rarely occur without our intending it. Lucid dream induction techniques help focus intention and prepare a critical mind. They range from millennium-old Tibetan exercises to modern methods developed by dream researchers. Try the following techniques and feel free to use personal variants. Experiment, observe, and persevere - lucid dreaming is easier than you may think.
3.2.1 Dream Recall
The most important prerequisite for learning lucid dreaming is excellent dream recall. There are two likely reasons for this. First, when you remember your dreams well, you can become familiar with their features and patterns. This helps you to recognize them as dreams while they are still happening. Second, it is possible that with poor dream recall, you may actually have lucid dreams that you do not remember!
The procedure for improving your dream recall is fully detailed in EWLD and A Course in Lucid Dreaming in addition to many other books on dreams. A brief discussion of the methods involved is available on the Lucidity Institute web site. The core exercise is writing down everything you recall about your dreams in a dream journal immediately after waking from the dream, no matter how fragmentary your recall. Record what you recall immediately upon waking from the dream; if you wait until morning you are likely to forget most, if not all, of the dream. In A Course in Lucid Dreaming we advise that people build their dream recall to at least one dream recalled per night before proceeding with lucid dream induction techniques.
3.2.2 Reality Testing
This is a good technique for beginners. Assign yourself several times a day to perform the following exercise. Also do it anytime you think of it, especially when something odd occurs or when you are reminded of dreams. It helps to choose specific occasions like: when you see your face in the mirror, look at your watch, arrive at work or home, pick up your NovaDreamer, etc. The more frequently and thoroughly you practice this technique, the better it will work.
Do a reality test.
Carry some text with you or wear a digital watch throughout the day. To do a reality test, read the words or the numbers on the watch. Then, look away and look back, observing the letters or numbers to see if they change. Try to make them change while watching them. Research shows that text changes 75% of the time it is re-read once and changes 95% it is re-read twice. If the characters do change, or are not normal, or do not make sense, then you are most probably dreaming. Enjoy! If the characters are normal, stable, and sensible, then you probably aren't dreaming. Go on to step 2.
Imagine that your surroundings are a dream.
If you are fairly certain you are awake (you can never be 100% sure!), then say to yourself, "I may not be dreaming now, but if I were, what would it be like?" Visualize as vividly as possible that you are dreaming. Intently imagine that what you are seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling is all a dream. Imagine instabilities in your environment, words changing, scenes transforming, perhaps you floating off the ground. Create in yourself the feeling that you are in a dream. Holding that feeling, go on to step 3.
Visualize yourself enjoying a dream activity.
Decide on something you would like to do in your next lucid dream, perhaps flying, talking to particular dream characters, or just exploring the dream world. Continue to imagine that you are dreaming now, and visualize yourself enjoying your chosen activity.
3.2.3 Dreamsigns
Another dream-recall related exercise introduced in EWLD and further developed in A Course in Lucid Dreaming is identifying "dreamsigns." This term, coined by LaBerge, refers to elements of dreams that indicate that you are dreaming. (Examples: miraculous flight, purple cats, malfunctioning devices, and meeting deceased people.) By studying your dreams you can become familiar with your own personal dreamsigns and set your mind to recognize them and become lucid in future dreams. The Course also provides exercises for noticing dreamsigns while you are awake, so that the skill carries over into your dreams. This exercise also applies to lucid dream induction devices, which give sensory cues--special, artificially-produced dreamsigns--while you are dreaming. To succeed at recognizing these cues in dreams, you need to practice looking for them and recognizing them while you are awake.
3.2.4 Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD)
The MILD technique employs prospective memory, remembering to do something (notice you're dreaming) in the future. Dr. LaBerge developed this technique for his doctoral dissertation and used it to achieve lucid dreaming at will. The proper time to practice MILD is after awakening from a dream, before returning to sleep. (Modified from EWLD, p. 78)
Setup dream recall.
Set your mind to awaken from dreams and recall them. When you awaken from a dream, recall it as completely as you can.
Focus your intent.
While returning to sleep, concentrate single-mindedly on your intention to remember to recognize that you're dreaming. Tell yourself: "Next time I'm dreaming, I will remember I'm dreaming," repeatedly, like a mantra. Put real meaning into the words and focus on this idea alone. If you find yourself thinking about anything else, let it go and bring your mind back to your intention.
See yourself becoming lucid.
As you continue to focus on your intention to remember when you're dreaming, imagine that you are back in the dream from which you just awakened (or another one you have had recently if you didn't remember a dream on awakening). Imagine that this time you recognize that you are dreaming. Look for a dreamsign--something in the dream that demonstrates plainly that it is a dream. When you see it say to yourself: "I'm dreaming!" and continue your fantasy. Imagine yourself carrying out your plans for your next lucid dream. For example, if you want to fly in your lucid dream, imagine yourself flying after you come to the point in your fantasy when you become lucid.
Repeat until your intention is set.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until either you fall asleep or are sure that your intention is set. If, while falling asleep, you find yourself thinking of anything else, repeat the procedure so that the last thing in your mind before falling asleep is your intention to remember to recognize the next time you are dreaming.
3.2.5 Napping
Two observations led LaBerge in the late 1970s to develop morning napping as a method of lucid dream induction. First, he noticed that lucidity seemed to come easier in afternoon naps. The second suggestion same from several lucid dreamers who noted that certain activities during the night appeared to induce lucid dreaming. The diverse qualities of these interruptions: sex, vomiting, and pure meditation, piqued LaBerge's curiosity regarding what feature each might possess conducive to lucidity. The answer proved to be quite simple: wakefulness interjected during sleep increases the likelihood of lucidity. In fact, the nap technique, refined through several NightLight experiments, is an extremely powerful method of stimulating lucid dreams. The technique requires you to awaken one hour earlier than usual, stay awake for 30 to 60 minutes, then go back to sleep. One study showed a 15 to 20 times increased likelihood of lucid dreaming for those practicing the nap technique over no technique. During the wakeful period, read about lucid dreaming, practice reality checks and then do MILD as you are falling asleep. The Lucidity Institute's training programs include this technique as an essential part of the schedule, one of the reasons why most participants have lucid dreams during the session.
3.3 HOW QUICKLY CAN I LEARN LUCID DREAMING?
The speed with which you develop the skill of lucid dreaming depends on many individual factors. How well do you recall dreams? How much time can you give to practicing mental exercises? Do you use a lucid dream induction device? Do you practice diligently? Do you have a well developed critical thinking faculty? And so on.
Case histories may provide a more tangible picture of the process of learning lucid dreaming. Dr. LaBerge increased his frequency of lucid dreaming from about one per month to up to four a night (at which point he could have lucid dreams at will) over the course of three years. He was studying lucid dreaming for his doctoral dissertation and therefore needed to learn to have them on demand as quickly as possible. On the other hand, he had to invent techniques for improving lucid dreaming skills. Thus, people starting now, although they may not be as strongly motivated as LaBerge or have the same quantity of time to devote to it, have the advantage of the tested techniques, training programs, and electronic biofeedback aids that have been created in the two decades since LaBerge began his studies.
Lynne Levitan, staff writer for the Lucidity Institute, describes her experiences with learning lucid dreaming as follows:
"I first heard of lucid dreaming in April of 1982, when I took a course from Dr. LaBerge at Stanford University. I had had the experience many years before and was very interested to learn to do it again, as well as to get involved in the research. First I had to develop my dream recall, because at the time I only remembered two or three dreams per week. In a couple of months I was recalling 3 to 4 or more per night, and in July (about three months after starting) I had my first lucid dream since adolescence. I worked at it on and off for the next four years (not sleeping much as a student) and reached the level of 3 to 4 lucid dreams per week. Along the way, I tested several prototypes of the DreamLight lucid dream induction device and they clearly helped me to become more proficient at realizing when I was dreaming. During the first two years that we were developing the DreamLight, I had lucid dreams on half of the nights I used one of these devices, compared to once a week or less without. In considering how long it took me to get really good at lucid dreaming, note that I did not have the benefit of the thoroughly studied and explained techniques now available either, because the research had not yet been done nor the material written. Therefore, people now should be able to accomplish the same learning in far less time given, of course, sufficient motivation."
3.4 WHAT TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST LUCID DREAMING TRAINING?
The Lucidity Institute offers electronic devices that help people have lucid dreams. They were developed through laboratory research at Stanford University by LaBerge, Levitan, and others. The basic principle behind these devices is as follows: the primary task confronting someone who wishes to have a lucid dream is to remember that intention while in a dream. One of the best ways to increase a person's chances of having a lucid dream is to give a reminder to the person during REM sleep. In the lab, we found that flashing light cues worked well in that they tended to incorporate into ongoing dreams without causing awakening. You may have noticed that occasional bits of sensory information are filtered into your dreams in disguised form, like a clock radio as supermarket music or a chain saw as the sound of a thunderstorm. This is the same principle used by our lucid dream induction devices: the lights or sounds from the device filter into the user's dreams. In cases of very deep sleepers, we found that it was sometimes necessary to use sound as well as light to get the cues into dreams. The dreamer's task is to notice the flashing lights in the dream and remember that they are cues to become lucid. Because we could not possibly accommodate everyone who wants to come into the sleep lab for a lucid dream induction session and most people would rather sleep at home anyway, we worked for several years to develop a comfortable, portable device that would detect REM sleep and deliver a cue tailored to the individual user's needs.
3.4.1 The NovaDreamer
The NovaDreamer lucid dream induction device works by giving flashing light or sound cues when the user is dreaming. Users modify the device settings to find a cue with the right intensity and length to enter their dreams without causing awakening. In addition, device users practice mental exercises while awake to enhance their ability to recognize the light cues when they appear in dreams. The NovaDreamer includes a soft, comfortable sleep mask, which contains the flashing lights, a speaker, and an eye movement detection apparatus. The NovaDreamer's electronics are all inside the sleep mask. The NovaDreamer uses REM detection to time the delivery of lucidity cue and provides feedback on the number of cues given. It includes the "Dream Alarm" feature to boost dream recall. Users have a choice of a wide selection of cues and receive feedback on the number of cues they receive during a sleep period.
The lucidity cues of the NovaDreamer are intended to enter into ongoing dreams. This can occur in several ways. Cues can be superimposed over the dream scene, like a light flashing in one's face, or they can briefly interrupt the dream scene. The most common (and most difficult to identify) incorporation of cues is into dream stories. Little brother flashing the room lights, flash bulbs, lightning, traffic signals, police car lights: all are real examples of incorporations of NovaDreamer cues. The trickiness of cue appearances underscores the need to thoroughly prepare one's mind to recognize cues via waking practice.
The NovaDreamer offers a second method of lucid dream stimulation. This method arose out of the discovery that while sleeping with the NovaDreamer, people frequently dreamed that they awakened wearing the device, and pressed the button on the front of the mask to start the "delay," a feature that disables cues while you are drifting off to sleep. Ordinarily, a button press would cause a beep to tell you that you had successfully pressed it. However, people were reporting that the button was not working in the middle of the night. Actually, they were dreaming that they were awakening and pressing the button, and the button did not work because it was a dream version of the NovaDreamer. Dream versions of devices are notorious for not working normally. Once people were advised that failure of the button in the middle of the night was a sign that they were probably dreaming, they were able to use this "dreamsign" reliably to become lucid during "false awakenings" with the NovaDreamer. Research suggests that about half of the lucid dreams stimulated by the devices result from using the button for reality tests. Available from the LI. For details, see the NovaDreamer manual (in html format), or in Acrobat PDF format.
3.5 HOW WELL DO LUCID DREAM INDUCTION DEVICES WORK?
The Lucidity Institute's lucid dream induction devices are designed to help people achieve lucidity by giving them cues while they are dreaming and also by providing a reliable means of testing one's state of consciousness. They do not make people have lucid dreams any more than exercise machines make people develop strong muscles. In both cases the goal, strength or lucid dreams, results from practice. The machines accelerate the process. Several factors enter into success with one of these devices. One is how accurately the cues are coordinated with the user's REM sleep. The devices' REM detection systems are adjustable to individual variables. Another success factor is how well the cues enter into the dream without awakening the sleeper. A third factor is how prepared the user is for recognizing cues in dreams and becoming lucid. Finally, the user's commitment to performing a reality test on each awakening with the device influences success. All four of these factors are, to some extent, controllable by the device user: adjustment of eye movement sensitivity to catch REM sleep, selecting a cue that enters dreams without causing awakenings, mental preparation to recognize cues in dreams, and resolution to do reality tests. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain a truly accurate measurement of the effectiveness of the devices. Nonetheless, research with various versions of the DreamLight (previous lucid dream induction device that is no longer in production) have shown that it definitely helps people have more frequent lucid dreams.
Because expectation makes lucid dreaming more likely, one might wonder whether the DreamLight is any more effective than a placebo. A study recently published in Dreaming proved that it is. In brief, fourteen experienced DreamLight users were exposed to two conditions: light cues or no light cues. Subjects thought they were testing two different light cues and did not know their nightly condition (making motivation and expectations constant). Thus, the study examined how much the DreamLight's light cues specifically contributed to the achievement of lucid dreams. More people had lucid dreams on nights when they received light cues (73% versus 27%). Lucid dream frequency was three times greater on nights with cues (one lucid dream every three nights versus one in eleven nights without cues).
An earlier study with a different version of the DreamLight showed a five-fold increase in lucid dreaming frequency when people used the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreaming (MILD) mental technique in conjunction with the device, compared with using no device and no mental technique. Using the device without mental techniques worked about as well as just using the mental technique; both cases were an improvement over using nothing.
In summary, at this stage the lucid dream induction devices can definitely help people to have lucid dreams, or to have more of them. Important factors contributing to success are good dream recall (the DreamLight and NovaDreamer also can be used to boost dream recall with the "Dream Alarm feature"), diligent mental preparation, and careful adjustment of the device to meet individual needs for cueing and REM detection. No device yet exists that will make a person have a lucid dream.
3.6 ARE THERE ANY DRUGS OR NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS THAT STIMULATE LUCID DREAMS?
A number of substances have been suggested to enhance the likelihood of lucid dreaming, from vitamins to prescription drugs. There are few good scientific studies to test such claims. Lucid dreaming is highly subject to the placebo effect; the belief that something will stimulate a lucid dream is very effective! This is not to say that there are not substances that do, in fact, promote lucid dreaming. We are interested in discovering such and welcome observations from fellow dreamers. At this time, however, we do not endorse any substances for inducing lucid dreams. Many prescription drugs as well as marijuana and alcohol alter the sleep cycle, usually by suppressing REM sleep. This leads to a phenomenon called "REM rebound," in which a person experiences intense, long REM periods after the drug has worn off. This can manifest as nightmares or, possibly, as lucid dreaming, since the brain is highly active. Drugs in the LSD family, including psilocybin and tryptamines actually stimulate REM sleep (in doses small enough to allow sleep), leading to longer REM periods. We do not recommend the use of drugs without proper guidance nor do we urge the breaking of laws.
3.7 HOW CAN I PREVENT WAKING UP AS SOON AS I BECOME LUCID?
Beginning lucid dreamers often have the problem of waking up right after becoming lucid. This obstacle may prevent some people from realizing the value of lucid dreaming. Fortunately there are ways to overcome this problem.
The first is to remain calm in the dream. Becoming lucid is exciting, but expressing the excitement can awaken you. It is possible to enjoy the thrill that accompanies the dawning of lucidity without allowing the activation to overwhelm you. Be like a poker player with an ideal hand. Relax and engage with the dream rather than withdrawing into your inner joy of accomplishment.
Then, if the dream shows signs of ending, such as a loss of detail, vividness, and apparent reality of the imagery, the technique of "spinning" can often restore the dream. You spin your dream body around like a child trying to get dizzy. LaBerge developed this technique after experimenting with the idea that relaxing completely might help prevent awakening from a dream. When in a lucid dream that was fading, he stopped and dropped backwards to the floor, and had a false awakening in bed! After a few trials he determined that the essential element was the sensation of motion, not relaxation. The best way to create a feeling of movement, especially in the dream scene has vanished, leaving nowhere to move to, is to create angular momentum (or the sensation of it), by spinning around your axis. You are not really doing it, but your brain is well familiar with the experience of spinning and duplicates the experience quite well. In the process the vestibular and kinesthetic senses are engaged. Presumably, this sensory engagement with the dream discourages the brain from changing state from dreaming to waking. Note that dream spinning does not usually lead to dizziness. Be aware that the expectation of possible awakening sometimes leads to a "false awakening" in which you dream of waking. The vividness of the spinning sensation may cause you to feel your spinning arm hit the bed. You think, "Oops, I'm awake in bed now." Think now--your physical body wasn't really spinning, it was your dream body--therefore, the arm is a dream arm hitting a dream bed! To avoid being deceived, recite, "The next scene will be a dream," until a scene appears. If you are in doubt about your status, perform a thorough reality test.
Source - :Lucidity
Lucid dreaming means dreaming while knowing that you are dreaming. The term was coined by Frederik van Eeden who used the word "lucid" in the sense of mental clarity. Lucidity usually begins in the midst of a dream when the dreamer realizes that the experience is not occurring in physical reality, but is a dream. Often this realization is triggered by the dreamer noticing some impossible or unlikely occurrence in the dream, such as flying or meeting the deceased. Sometimes people become lucid without noticing any particular clue in the dream; they just suddenly realize they are in a dream. A minority of lucid dreams (according to the research of LaBerge and colleagues, about 10 percent) are the result of returning to REM (dreaming) sleep directly from an awakening with unbroken reflective consciousness.
The basic definition of lucid dreaming requires nothing more than becoming aware that you are dreaming. However, the quality of lucidity can vary greatly. When lucidity is at a high level, you are aware that everything experienced in the dream is occurring in your mind, that there is no real danger, and that you are asleep in bed and will awaken shortly. With low-level lucidity you may be aware to a certain extent that you are dreaming, perhaps enough to fly or alter what you are doing, but not enough to realize that the people are dream representations, or that you can suffer no physical damage, or that you are actually in bed.
1.2 IS LUCID DREAMING THE SAME AS DREAM CONTROL?
Lucidity is not synonymous with dream control. It is possible to be lucid and have little control over dream content, and conversely, to have a great deal of control without being explicitly aware that you are dreaming. However, becoming lucid in a dream is likely to increase the extent to which you can deliberately influence the course of events. Once lucid, dreamers usually choose to do something permitted only by the extraordinary freedom of the dream state, such as flying.
You always have the choice of how much control you want to exert. For example, you could continue with whatever you were doing when you became lucid, with the added knowledge that you are dreaming. Or you could try to change everything--the dream scene, yourself, other dream characters. It is not always possible to perform "magic" in dreams, like changing one object into another or transforming scenes. A dreamer's ability to succeed at this seems to depend a lot on the dreamer's confidence. As Henry Ford said, "Believe you can, believe you can't; either way, you're right." On the other hand, it appears there are some constraints on dream control that may be independent of belief. See "Testing the Limits of Dream Control: The Light and Mirror Experiment" for more on this.
1.3 HOW ARE LUCID DREAMS RELATED TO OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCES (OBEs)?
A mysterious and highly controversial phenomenon sometimes occurs in which people experience the compelling sensation that they have somehow "left their bodies." The "out-of-body experience" or "OBE", as this fascinating phenomenon is usually termed, takes a variety of forms. In the most typical, you are lying in bed, apparently awake, when suddenly you experience a range of primarily somatic sensations, often including vibrations, heaviness, and paralysis. Then you experience the vivid sensation of separating from your "physical body" in what feels like a second body, often floating above the bed.
It is important to note the distinction between the phenomenal reality of the OBE and the various interpretations of the experience. What is really happening when you feel yourself "leaving your body"? According to one school of thought, what is actually happening is just what it feels like: you are moving in a second body out of and away from your physical body--in physical space. But this "explanation" doesn't hold up very well under examination. After all, the body we ordinarily feel ourselves to be (or if you like, to inhabit) is a phenomenal or mental body rather than a physical body. The space we see around us is not physical space as "common sense" tells us, but as modern psychology makes clear, a phenomenal or mental space. In general, our consciousness is a mental model of the world.
OBE enthusiasts promote lucid dreaming as a "stepping stone" to the OBE. Conversely, many lucid dreamers have had the experience of feeling themselves "leave the body" at the onset of a lucid dream. From a laboratory study, we have concluded that OBEs can occur in the same physiological state as lucid dreams. Wake-initiated lucid dreams (WILDs) were three times more likely to be labeled "OBEs" than dream initiated lucid dreams. If you believe yourself to have been awake, then you are more likely to take the experience at face value and believe yourself to have literally left your physical body in some sort of mental or "astral" body floating around in the "real" physical world. If, on the other hand, you think of the experience as a dream, then you are likely to identify the OBE body as a dream body image and the environment of the experience as a dream world. The validity of the latter interpretation is supported by observations and research on these phenomena.
2.1 WHY HAVE LUCID DREAMS?
Upon hearing about lucid dreaming for the first time, people often ask, "Why should I want to have lucid dreams? What are they good for?" If you consider that once you know you are dreaming, you are restricted only by your ability to imagine and conceive, not by laws of physics or society, then the answer to what lucid dreaming is good for is either extremely simple (anything!) or extraordinarily complex (everything!). It is easier to provide a sample of what some people have done with lucid dreaming than to give a definitive answer of its potential uses.
2.1.1 Adventure and Fantasy
Often, the first thing that attracts people to lucid dreaming is the potential for wild adventure and fantasy fulfillment. Flying is a favorite lucid dream delight, as is sex. Many people have said that their first lucid dream was the most wonderful experience of their lives. A large part of the extraordinary pleasure of lucid dreaming comes from the exhilarating feeling of utter freedom that accompanies the realization that you are in a dream and there will be no social or physical consequences of your actions. One might think that this is a rather intellectual concept, but an ecstatic "rush" frequently arises with the first realization that one is dreaming.
2.1.2 Overcoming Nightmares
Unfortunately for many people, instead of providing an outlet for unlimited fantasy and delight, dreams can be dreaded episodes of limitless terror. As is discussed in the books Lucid Dreaming (LaBerge, 1985) and Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (EWLD) (LaBerge & Rheingold, 1990), lucid dreaming may well be the basis of the most effective therapy for nightmares. If you know you are dreaming, it is a simple logical step to realizing that nothing in your current experience, however unpleasant, can cause you physical harm. There is no need to run from or fight with dream monsters. In fact, it is often pointless to try, because the horror pursuing you was conceived in your own mind, and as long as you continue to fear it, it can pursue you wherever you dream yourself to be. The only way to really "escape" is to end your fear. (For a discussion of reasons for recurrent nightmares, see Overcoming Nightmares from EWLD.) The fear you feel in a nightmare is completely real; it is the danger that is not.
Unreasonable fear can be defused by facing up to the source, or going through with the frightening activity, so that you observe that no harm comes to you. In a nightmare, this act of courage can take any form that involves facing the "threat" rather than avoiding it. For example, one young man dreamt of being pursued by a lion. When he had no place left to run, he realized he was dreaming and called to the lion to "come and get him." The challenge turned into a playful wrestling match, and the lion became a sexy woman (NightLight 1.4, 1989, p. 13). Monsters often transform into benign creatures, friends, or empty shells when courageously confronted in lucid dreams. This is an extremely empowering experience. It teaches you in a very visceral manner that you can conquer fear and thereby become stronger.
2.1.3 Rehearsal
Lucid dreaming is an extraordinarily vivid form of mental imagery, so realistic that the trick is to realize it is a mental construct. It is no surprise, therefore, that many people use lucid dreaming to rehearse for success in waking life. Examples of such applications include public speaking, difficult confrontations, artistic performance and athletic prowess. Because the activity of the brain during a dreamed activity is the same as during the real event, neuronal patterns of activation required for a skill (like a ski jump or pirouette) can be established in the dream state in preparation for performance in the waking world. See EWLD for examples.
2.1.4 Creativity and Problem Solving
The creative potential of dreams is legendary. The brain is highly active in REM sleep and unconstrained by sensory input, which together may contribute to the novel combinations of events and objects we experience as dream bizarreness. This same novelty allows thought to take on forms that are rare in waking life, manifesting as enhanced creativity, or defective thinking depending on one's point of view (As Roland Fisher put it, "One man's creativity is another's brain damage."). The claim of enhanced creativity of the dream state is supported by LI research: One study found word associations immediately after awakening from a dream to be 29% more likely to be uncommon compared to word associations later in the day (NightLight, 6.4, 1994). Another study comparing a variety of kinds of experience including daydreams, memories of actual events, and dreams, found that dreams were judged as being significantly more creative than both daydreams and memories (NL, 4.1, 1992). In any case, many lucid dreamers report using dreams for problem solving and artistic inspiration; see EWLD for a variety of examples.
2.1.5 Healing
The effects of visual imagery on the body are well-established. Just as skill practice in a dream can enhance waking performance, healing dream imagery may improve physical health. Medical patients have often used soothing and positive imagery to alleviate pain, and the dream world offers the most vivid form of imagery. Thus, some people have use lucid dreams in overcoming phobias, working with grief, decreasing social and sexual anxieties, achieving greater self-confidence and by directing the body image in the dream to facilitate physical healing. The applications, which are described in greater detail in EWLD, deserve clinical study, as they may be the greatest boon that lucid dreaming has to offer. Other potential healing applications of lucid dreaming include: practice of physical skills by stroke and spinal cord injury patients to encourage recovery of neuromuscular function, enjoyment of sexual satisfaction by people with lower body sensory loss (fully satisfying dream sex requires only mental stimulation!), more rapid recovery from injury or disease through the use of lucid dream imagery, and an increased sense of freedom for anyone who feels limited by disability or circumstance.
2.1.6 Transcendence
The experience of being in a lucid dream clearly demonstrates the astonishing fact that the world we see is a construct of our minds. This concept, so elusive when sought in waking life, is the cornerstone of spiritual teachings. It forces us to look beyond everyday experience and ask, "If this is not real, what is?" Lucid dreaming, by so baldly baring a truth that many spend lives seeking, often triggers spiritual questioning in people who try it for far more mundane purposes. Not only does lucid dreaming lead to questioning the nature of reality, but for many it also has been a source of transcendent experience. Exalted and ecstatic states are common in lucid dreams. EWLD presents several cases of individuals achieving states of union with the Highest, great peace and a new sense of their roles in life.
2.2 CAN LUCID DREAMING BE DANGEROUS?
The overwhelming majority of lucid dreams are positive, rewarding experiences. Moreover, lucidity in unpleasant dreams or nightmares can transform habitual fear into conscious courage. The simple state of lucidity is frequently enough to elevate the mood of a dreamer in a nightmare. In a study of the effect of lucid dreams on mood, college students reported that realizing they were dreaming in a nightmare helped them feel better about 60 percent of the time. Lucidity was seven times more likely to make nightmares better than worse.
A parallel concern is that dying in a dream can cause death in reality. If this were true, how would we know? Anyone who died from a dream could not tell us about its content. Many people, after awakening alive, report having died in their dreams with no ill effect. Dreams of death can actually be insightful experiences about life, rebirth, and transcendence.
Some people believe that dreams are messages from the unconscious mind and should not be consciously altered. Modern research on dreaming, discussed further in chapter 5 of EWLD, suggests that dreams are not messages, but models of the world. While awake, sensory and perceptual information governs our model. While dreaming, our bodies are paralyzed and our brain builds a world model based on a secondary source; namely, our assumptions, motivations, and expectations. These biases are difficult to identify while awake, so a world based entirely on such biases, the world of dreams, can help us to recognize them. Thus, dreams are not messages, but are more like clues into the inner workings of our minds. The conscious and critical awareness that accompanies lucid dreams allows dreamers to thoughtfully interpret their dreams while they happen.
Finally, some people worry that lucid dreams are so exciting and pleasurable that they will become addicted and "sleep their life away." There is a biological obstacle to living in lucid dreams: we have a limited amount of REM sleep. More importantly, lucid dreams can be inspirations for how to act and improve in reality. Your behavior strongly influences your experience in both worlds. Lucid dreams can be signposts for how you can make your waking reality more exciting and enjoyable.
3.1 CAN EVERYONE LEARN TO HAVE LUCID DREAMS?
Lucid dreaming is a skill you can develop, like learning a new language. A few individuals may have an innate talent for achieving lucidity, yet even they can benefit from instruction and practice in making the most of their lucid dreams. Many more people experience lucidity as a rare spontaneous event, but need training to enjoy lucid dreams at will. The best predictor of success with lucid dreaming is the ability to remember dreams. This, too, is a skill you can develop. With specific techniques, you can increase the quantity and quality of your dream recall, which will in turn greatly increase your ability to have lucid dreams.
3.2 HOW DO I LEARN TO HAVE LUCID DREAMS?
The two essentials to learning lucid dreaming are motivation and effort. Although most people report occasional spontaneous lucid dreams, they rarely occur without our intending it. Lucid dream induction techniques help focus intention and prepare a critical mind. They range from millennium-old Tibetan exercises to modern methods developed by dream researchers. Try the following techniques and feel free to use personal variants. Experiment, observe, and persevere - lucid dreaming is easier than you may think.
3.2.1 Dream Recall
The most important prerequisite for learning lucid dreaming is excellent dream recall. There are two likely reasons for this. First, when you remember your dreams well, you can become familiar with their features and patterns. This helps you to recognize them as dreams while they are still happening. Second, it is possible that with poor dream recall, you may actually have lucid dreams that you do not remember!
The procedure for improving your dream recall is fully detailed in EWLD and A Course in Lucid Dreaming in addition to many other books on dreams. A brief discussion of the methods involved is available on the Lucidity Institute web site. The core exercise is writing down everything you recall about your dreams in a dream journal immediately after waking from the dream, no matter how fragmentary your recall. Record what you recall immediately upon waking from the dream; if you wait until morning you are likely to forget most, if not all, of the dream. In A Course in Lucid Dreaming we advise that people build their dream recall to at least one dream recalled per night before proceeding with lucid dream induction techniques.
3.2.2 Reality Testing
This is a good technique for beginners. Assign yourself several times a day to perform the following exercise. Also do it anytime you think of it, especially when something odd occurs or when you are reminded of dreams. It helps to choose specific occasions like: when you see your face in the mirror, look at your watch, arrive at work or home, pick up your NovaDreamer, etc. The more frequently and thoroughly you practice this technique, the better it will work.
Do a reality test.
Carry some text with you or wear a digital watch throughout the day. To do a reality test, read the words or the numbers on the watch. Then, look away and look back, observing the letters or numbers to see if they change. Try to make them change while watching them. Research shows that text changes 75% of the time it is re-read once and changes 95% it is re-read twice. If the characters do change, or are not normal, or do not make sense, then you are most probably dreaming. Enjoy! If the characters are normal, stable, and sensible, then you probably aren't dreaming. Go on to step 2.
Imagine that your surroundings are a dream.
If you are fairly certain you are awake (you can never be 100% sure!), then say to yourself, "I may not be dreaming now, but if I were, what would it be like?" Visualize as vividly as possible that you are dreaming. Intently imagine that what you are seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling is all a dream. Imagine instabilities in your environment, words changing, scenes transforming, perhaps you floating off the ground. Create in yourself the feeling that you are in a dream. Holding that feeling, go on to step 3.
Visualize yourself enjoying a dream activity.
Decide on something you would like to do in your next lucid dream, perhaps flying, talking to particular dream characters, or just exploring the dream world. Continue to imagine that you are dreaming now, and visualize yourself enjoying your chosen activity.
3.2.3 Dreamsigns
Another dream-recall related exercise introduced in EWLD and further developed in A Course in Lucid Dreaming is identifying "dreamsigns." This term, coined by LaBerge, refers to elements of dreams that indicate that you are dreaming. (Examples: miraculous flight, purple cats, malfunctioning devices, and meeting deceased people.) By studying your dreams you can become familiar with your own personal dreamsigns and set your mind to recognize them and become lucid in future dreams. The Course also provides exercises for noticing dreamsigns while you are awake, so that the skill carries over into your dreams. This exercise also applies to lucid dream induction devices, which give sensory cues--special, artificially-produced dreamsigns--while you are dreaming. To succeed at recognizing these cues in dreams, you need to practice looking for them and recognizing them while you are awake.
3.2.4 Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD)
The MILD technique employs prospective memory, remembering to do something (notice you're dreaming) in the future. Dr. LaBerge developed this technique for his doctoral dissertation and used it to achieve lucid dreaming at will. The proper time to practice MILD is after awakening from a dream, before returning to sleep. (Modified from EWLD, p. 78)
Setup dream recall.
Set your mind to awaken from dreams and recall them. When you awaken from a dream, recall it as completely as you can.
Focus your intent.
While returning to sleep, concentrate single-mindedly on your intention to remember to recognize that you're dreaming. Tell yourself: "Next time I'm dreaming, I will remember I'm dreaming," repeatedly, like a mantra. Put real meaning into the words and focus on this idea alone. If you find yourself thinking about anything else, let it go and bring your mind back to your intention.
See yourself becoming lucid.
As you continue to focus on your intention to remember when you're dreaming, imagine that you are back in the dream from which you just awakened (or another one you have had recently if you didn't remember a dream on awakening). Imagine that this time you recognize that you are dreaming. Look for a dreamsign--something in the dream that demonstrates plainly that it is a dream. When you see it say to yourself: "I'm dreaming!" and continue your fantasy. Imagine yourself carrying out your plans for your next lucid dream. For example, if you want to fly in your lucid dream, imagine yourself flying after you come to the point in your fantasy when you become lucid.
Repeat until your intention is set.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until either you fall asleep or are sure that your intention is set. If, while falling asleep, you find yourself thinking of anything else, repeat the procedure so that the last thing in your mind before falling asleep is your intention to remember to recognize the next time you are dreaming.
3.2.5 Napping
Two observations led LaBerge in the late 1970s to develop morning napping as a method of lucid dream induction. First, he noticed that lucidity seemed to come easier in afternoon naps. The second suggestion same from several lucid dreamers who noted that certain activities during the night appeared to induce lucid dreaming. The diverse qualities of these interruptions: sex, vomiting, and pure meditation, piqued LaBerge's curiosity regarding what feature each might possess conducive to lucidity. The answer proved to be quite simple: wakefulness interjected during sleep increases the likelihood of lucidity. In fact, the nap technique, refined through several NightLight experiments, is an extremely powerful method of stimulating lucid dreams. The technique requires you to awaken one hour earlier than usual, stay awake for 30 to 60 minutes, then go back to sleep. One study showed a 15 to 20 times increased likelihood of lucid dreaming for those practicing the nap technique over no technique. During the wakeful period, read about lucid dreaming, practice reality checks and then do MILD as you are falling asleep. The Lucidity Institute's training programs include this technique as an essential part of the schedule, one of the reasons why most participants have lucid dreams during the session.
3.3 HOW QUICKLY CAN I LEARN LUCID DREAMING?
The speed with which you develop the skill of lucid dreaming depends on many individual factors. How well do you recall dreams? How much time can you give to practicing mental exercises? Do you use a lucid dream induction device? Do you practice diligently? Do you have a well developed critical thinking faculty? And so on.
Case histories may provide a more tangible picture of the process of learning lucid dreaming. Dr. LaBerge increased his frequency of lucid dreaming from about one per month to up to four a night (at which point he could have lucid dreams at will) over the course of three years. He was studying lucid dreaming for his doctoral dissertation and therefore needed to learn to have them on demand as quickly as possible. On the other hand, he had to invent techniques for improving lucid dreaming skills. Thus, people starting now, although they may not be as strongly motivated as LaBerge or have the same quantity of time to devote to it, have the advantage of the tested techniques, training programs, and electronic biofeedback aids that have been created in the two decades since LaBerge began his studies.
Lynne Levitan, staff writer for the Lucidity Institute, describes her experiences with learning lucid dreaming as follows:
"I first heard of lucid dreaming in April of 1982, when I took a course from Dr. LaBerge at Stanford University. I had had the experience many years before and was very interested to learn to do it again, as well as to get involved in the research. First I had to develop my dream recall, because at the time I only remembered two or three dreams per week. In a couple of months I was recalling 3 to 4 or more per night, and in July (about three months after starting) I had my first lucid dream since adolescence. I worked at it on and off for the next four years (not sleeping much as a student) and reached the level of 3 to 4 lucid dreams per week. Along the way, I tested several prototypes of the DreamLight lucid dream induction device and they clearly helped me to become more proficient at realizing when I was dreaming. During the first two years that we were developing the DreamLight, I had lucid dreams on half of the nights I used one of these devices, compared to once a week or less without. In considering how long it took me to get really good at lucid dreaming, note that I did not have the benefit of the thoroughly studied and explained techniques now available either, because the research had not yet been done nor the material written. Therefore, people now should be able to accomplish the same learning in far less time given, of course, sufficient motivation."
3.4 WHAT TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST LUCID DREAMING TRAINING?
The Lucidity Institute offers electronic devices that help people have lucid dreams. They were developed through laboratory research at Stanford University by LaBerge, Levitan, and others. The basic principle behind these devices is as follows: the primary task confronting someone who wishes to have a lucid dream is to remember that intention while in a dream. One of the best ways to increase a person's chances of having a lucid dream is to give a reminder to the person during REM sleep. In the lab, we found that flashing light cues worked well in that they tended to incorporate into ongoing dreams without causing awakening. You may have noticed that occasional bits of sensory information are filtered into your dreams in disguised form, like a clock radio as supermarket music or a chain saw as the sound of a thunderstorm. This is the same principle used by our lucid dream induction devices: the lights or sounds from the device filter into the user's dreams. In cases of very deep sleepers, we found that it was sometimes necessary to use sound as well as light to get the cues into dreams. The dreamer's task is to notice the flashing lights in the dream and remember that they are cues to become lucid. Because we could not possibly accommodate everyone who wants to come into the sleep lab for a lucid dream induction session and most people would rather sleep at home anyway, we worked for several years to develop a comfortable, portable device that would detect REM sleep and deliver a cue tailored to the individual user's needs.
3.4.1 The NovaDreamer
The NovaDreamer lucid dream induction device works by giving flashing light or sound cues when the user is dreaming. Users modify the device settings to find a cue with the right intensity and length to enter their dreams without causing awakening. In addition, device users practice mental exercises while awake to enhance their ability to recognize the light cues when they appear in dreams. The NovaDreamer includes a soft, comfortable sleep mask, which contains the flashing lights, a speaker, and an eye movement detection apparatus. The NovaDreamer's electronics are all inside the sleep mask. The NovaDreamer uses REM detection to time the delivery of lucidity cue and provides feedback on the number of cues given. It includes the "Dream Alarm" feature to boost dream recall. Users have a choice of a wide selection of cues and receive feedback on the number of cues they receive during a sleep period.
The lucidity cues of the NovaDreamer are intended to enter into ongoing dreams. This can occur in several ways. Cues can be superimposed over the dream scene, like a light flashing in one's face, or they can briefly interrupt the dream scene. The most common (and most difficult to identify) incorporation of cues is into dream stories. Little brother flashing the room lights, flash bulbs, lightning, traffic signals, police car lights: all are real examples of incorporations of NovaDreamer cues. The trickiness of cue appearances underscores the need to thoroughly prepare one's mind to recognize cues via waking practice.
The NovaDreamer offers a second method of lucid dream stimulation. This method arose out of the discovery that while sleeping with the NovaDreamer, people frequently dreamed that they awakened wearing the device, and pressed the button on the front of the mask to start the "delay," a feature that disables cues while you are drifting off to sleep. Ordinarily, a button press would cause a beep to tell you that you had successfully pressed it. However, people were reporting that the button was not working in the middle of the night. Actually, they were dreaming that they were awakening and pressing the button, and the button did not work because it was a dream version of the NovaDreamer. Dream versions of devices are notorious for not working normally. Once people were advised that failure of the button in the middle of the night was a sign that they were probably dreaming, they were able to use this "dreamsign" reliably to become lucid during "false awakenings" with the NovaDreamer. Research suggests that about half of the lucid dreams stimulated by the devices result from using the button for reality tests. Available from the LI. For details, see the NovaDreamer manual (in html format), or in Acrobat PDF format.
3.5 HOW WELL DO LUCID DREAM INDUCTION DEVICES WORK?
The Lucidity Institute's lucid dream induction devices are designed to help people achieve lucidity by giving them cues while they are dreaming and also by providing a reliable means of testing one's state of consciousness. They do not make people have lucid dreams any more than exercise machines make people develop strong muscles. In both cases the goal, strength or lucid dreams, results from practice. The machines accelerate the process. Several factors enter into success with one of these devices. One is how accurately the cues are coordinated with the user's REM sleep. The devices' REM detection systems are adjustable to individual variables. Another success factor is how well the cues enter into the dream without awakening the sleeper. A third factor is how prepared the user is for recognizing cues in dreams and becoming lucid. Finally, the user's commitment to performing a reality test on each awakening with the device influences success. All four of these factors are, to some extent, controllable by the device user: adjustment of eye movement sensitivity to catch REM sleep, selecting a cue that enters dreams without causing awakenings, mental preparation to recognize cues in dreams, and resolution to do reality tests. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain a truly accurate measurement of the effectiveness of the devices. Nonetheless, research with various versions of the DreamLight (previous lucid dream induction device that is no longer in production) have shown that it definitely helps people have more frequent lucid dreams.
Because expectation makes lucid dreaming more likely, one might wonder whether the DreamLight is any more effective than a placebo. A study recently published in Dreaming proved that it is. In brief, fourteen experienced DreamLight users were exposed to two conditions: light cues or no light cues. Subjects thought they were testing two different light cues and did not know their nightly condition (making motivation and expectations constant). Thus, the study examined how much the DreamLight's light cues specifically contributed to the achievement of lucid dreams. More people had lucid dreams on nights when they received light cues (73% versus 27%). Lucid dream frequency was three times greater on nights with cues (one lucid dream every three nights versus one in eleven nights without cues).
An earlier study with a different version of the DreamLight showed a five-fold increase in lucid dreaming frequency when people used the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreaming (MILD) mental technique in conjunction with the device, compared with using no device and no mental technique. Using the device without mental techniques worked about as well as just using the mental technique; both cases were an improvement over using nothing.
In summary, at this stage the lucid dream induction devices can definitely help people to have lucid dreams, or to have more of them. Important factors contributing to success are good dream recall (the DreamLight and NovaDreamer also can be used to boost dream recall with the "Dream Alarm feature"), diligent mental preparation, and careful adjustment of the device to meet individual needs for cueing and REM detection. No device yet exists that will make a person have a lucid dream.
3.6 ARE THERE ANY DRUGS OR NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS THAT STIMULATE LUCID DREAMS?
A number of substances have been suggested to enhance the likelihood of lucid dreaming, from vitamins to prescription drugs. There are few good scientific studies to test such claims. Lucid dreaming is highly subject to the placebo effect; the belief that something will stimulate a lucid dream is very effective! This is not to say that there are not substances that do, in fact, promote lucid dreaming. We are interested in discovering such and welcome observations from fellow dreamers. At this time, however, we do not endorse any substances for inducing lucid dreams. Many prescription drugs as well as marijuana and alcohol alter the sleep cycle, usually by suppressing REM sleep. This leads to a phenomenon called "REM rebound," in which a person experiences intense, long REM periods after the drug has worn off. This can manifest as nightmares or, possibly, as lucid dreaming, since the brain is highly active. Drugs in the LSD family, including psilocybin and tryptamines actually stimulate REM sleep (in doses small enough to allow sleep), leading to longer REM periods. We do not recommend the use of drugs without proper guidance nor do we urge the breaking of laws.
3.7 HOW CAN I PREVENT WAKING UP AS SOON AS I BECOME LUCID?
Beginning lucid dreamers often have the problem of waking up right after becoming lucid. This obstacle may prevent some people from realizing the value of lucid dreaming. Fortunately there are ways to overcome this problem.
The first is to remain calm in the dream. Becoming lucid is exciting, but expressing the excitement can awaken you. It is possible to enjoy the thrill that accompanies the dawning of lucidity without allowing the activation to overwhelm you. Be like a poker player with an ideal hand. Relax and engage with the dream rather than withdrawing into your inner joy of accomplishment.
Then, if the dream shows signs of ending, such as a loss of detail, vividness, and apparent reality of the imagery, the technique of "spinning" can often restore the dream. You spin your dream body around like a child trying to get dizzy. LaBerge developed this technique after experimenting with the idea that relaxing completely might help prevent awakening from a dream. When in a lucid dream that was fading, he stopped and dropped backwards to the floor, and had a false awakening in bed! After a few trials he determined that the essential element was the sensation of motion, not relaxation. The best way to create a feeling of movement, especially in the dream scene has vanished, leaving nowhere to move to, is to create angular momentum (or the sensation of it), by spinning around your axis. You are not really doing it, but your brain is well familiar with the experience of spinning and duplicates the experience quite well. In the process the vestibular and kinesthetic senses are engaged. Presumably, this sensory engagement with the dream discourages the brain from changing state from dreaming to waking. Note that dream spinning does not usually lead to dizziness. Be aware that the expectation of possible awakening sometimes leads to a "false awakening" in which you dream of waking. The vividness of the spinning sensation may cause you to feel your spinning arm hit the bed. You think, "Oops, I'm awake in bed now." Think now--your physical body wasn't really spinning, it was your dream body--therefore, the arm is a dream arm hitting a dream bed! To avoid being deceived, recite, "The next scene will be a dream," until a scene appears. If you are in doubt about your status, perform a thorough reality test.
Source - :Lucidity
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Heavenly Bliss
This dream I will never forget as it was the most amazing experience in a dream that I've had, its not very long but if you can imagine yourself in it...you may be moved. It was the only one I could remember for the night but so far has made my dream to say the least..."awesome".
This dream started off with me at my old house (I used to live in Sumner, New Zealand) its right next to the beach. I started off at the main door to the house where the plants/trees/bushes around me were full and bright colored with a small tannish/blue color surrounding the air and anything visible.
As I was exiting the house I walked down to the beach, at which point I didn't know where I was as it was only a beach and houses/sea wall behind me. There's usually a rock far off in the distance along the beach towards the main part of the township but it wasn't there in my dream.
I continued to walk down the beach and ended up running along it, this run was so filled with energy and joy for some reason. I felt like I was running on clouds or nothing at all because I wouldn't get tired....it was just a joyful experience running along the beach towards the township. I can see the picture of it perfectly in my head right now but unfortunately I'm not an artist so I can't express it in a drawing.
As I arrived down at the main township I looked back towards the ocean to see the rock appear out of nowhere and massive big wave/swell happening out at sea and coming closer. It was almost like a Tsunami kind of wave but it would break then stop at the sand.
I stood there for a while watching these waves come in with what seemed a few other people around me but I didn't recognize anyone or anything like that. At this point I walked over towards the beach more and many others appeared near me, everyone had their significant other with them. The sand was nice and pure with nothing bad in it but fine different shaded colors of golden sand.
As I was standing on the waterfront I looked towards the south, the sky turned a beautiful color of blue and there was a full moon. The water changed to a calming medium shaded blue and there was a sunrise coming from the East (so there was dark blue one side and the sun shining on the water on the other side).
I decided I needed to get my girlfriend to come see this so I set off running back along the beach as this was completely unreal and she had to experience it with me as everyone else had their significant others with them. At this point in the dream I experienced COMPLETE serenity/bliss...whatever you like to call it, for a moment I thought I was in heaven as I was running along the beach back to my house with the sun shining down on this perfect ocean and the dark blue sky behind with a full moon.
Was it an experience of heaven or some concept of what happens when we leave this world? I honestly don't have a clue but its changed the way I think of the world for today and I'd loved to dream this dream again.
On my way running back to my house the dream ended and I woke up, during the moment of bliss I heard a song playing somewhere...it was the following song.
I hope you enjoy it and please share you thoughts :)
This dream started off with me at my old house (I used to live in Sumner, New Zealand) its right next to the beach. I started off at the main door to the house where the plants/trees/bushes around me were full and bright colored with a small tannish/blue color surrounding the air and anything visible.
As I was exiting the house I walked down to the beach, at which point I didn't know where I was as it was only a beach and houses/sea wall behind me. There's usually a rock far off in the distance along the beach towards the main part of the township but it wasn't there in my dream.
I continued to walk down the beach and ended up running along it, this run was so filled with energy and joy for some reason. I felt like I was running on clouds or nothing at all because I wouldn't get tired....it was just a joyful experience running along the beach towards the township. I can see the picture of it perfectly in my head right now but unfortunately I'm not an artist so I can't express it in a drawing.
As I arrived down at the main township I looked back towards the ocean to see the rock appear out of nowhere and massive big wave/swell happening out at sea and coming closer. It was almost like a Tsunami kind of wave but it would break then stop at the sand.
I stood there for a while watching these waves come in with what seemed a few other people around me but I didn't recognize anyone or anything like that. At this point I walked over towards the beach more and many others appeared near me, everyone had their significant other with them. The sand was nice and pure with nothing bad in it but fine different shaded colors of golden sand.
As I was standing on the waterfront I looked towards the south, the sky turned a beautiful color of blue and there was a full moon. The water changed to a calming medium shaded blue and there was a sunrise coming from the East (so there was dark blue one side and the sun shining on the water on the other side).
I decided I needed to get my girlfriend to come see this so I set off running back along the beach as this was completely unreal and she had to experience it with me as everyone else had their significant others with them. At this point in the dream I experienced COMPLETE serenity/bliss...whatever you like to call it, for a moment I thought I was in heaven as I was running along the beach back to my house with the sun shining down on this perfect ocean and the dark blue sky behind with a full moon.
Was it an experience of heaven or some concept of what happens when we leave this world? I honestly don't have a clue but its changed the way I think of the world for today and I'd loved to dream this dream again.
On my way running back to my house the dream ended and I woke up, during the moment of bliss I heard a song playing somewhere...it was the following song.
I hope you enjoy it and please share you thoughts :)
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Lucid Dreaming???
“It’s the only way to fly.”
Lucid dreaming is the experience of being completely aware within a dream that you are, in fact, in a dream. This realization leads to complete power for the dreamer, allowing him/her to go anywhere and do anything in their dream. You might have had this happen to you once or twice in your life, but chances are the dream didn’t last very long. This is because as soon as people get excited from realizing they have achieved lucidity, they tend to wake up. So how does one avoid this problem, or even have more consistently lucid dreams in the first place? It is a rather long process before one can get good at lucid dreaming, but there is definitely a way to do it if you are committed. After all, why not have fun after you fall asleep too? Make your entire day on continuous adventure!
1) Master Dream Re-Call
Before you can lucid dream, you have to be able to remember that dreams that you have so that you can improve your technique. First, tell yourself before you go to sleep that you WILL remember your dreams. Recite something like “I will remember my dreams tomorrow morning.” This will put the idea in your mind and make recalling easier.
Second, figure out your method for recording your dreams when you do remember them. Whether it be a journal, blog, or podcast, record the entirety of your dream in some concrete way. Documenting your dreams will force you to remember every little detail of the dream and will train your mind to automatically remember. Make sure that you write down your dream immediately after waking up from them or you WILL forget them. The dream record will also allow you to go back and remember dreams from weeks and months ago so that you can look for patterns (which will help you attain consistent lucidity).
If you are having trouble remembering dreams even with these methods, you can set alarms to wake you up during your REM sleep cycle so that you will always wake up during your dream. Sleep cycles are 90 minutes long on average and REM sleep occurs at the end of the cycle. So if you set your alarm for any 90 minute interval after you fall asleep, you will most likely end up waking up during a dream, making it easier to remember.
2) Carry Over Some Consciousness
Pick a night when you are so tired that you will fall asleep as soon as you hit the bed…but don’t. Lie on your back with your arms at your side and keep your eyes open for as long as possible. Don’t jerk them open; you’re not trying to stay awake, only to keep your eyes open. Eventually you will fall asleep without even realizing it. For some reason this will make you more conscious when you begin to dream, making it easier to go lucid. Do this over and over and you will get results soon enough. After all, what better things do you have to do when trying to fall asleep?
3) Reality Checks
If step 2 isn’t allowing you to go lucid, try reality checks. This is accomplished by establishing a pattern of reality checks throughout your day (yes, when you are awake) so that you will naturally check if you are dreaming when you are asleep. You can check if you are dreaming in countless ways ranging from pinching yourself, checking if your watch is on or even checking how high you can jump. As stupid as this sounds when you are awake, you have to take it seriously or you will not take your reality check seriously in your dreams either. Check if you are dreaming at regular intervals to keep yourself in check until it becomes part of your routine. At that point, you will almost be ready to lucid dream.
4) Final Tips
- Practice meditation so that you can get used to being in an altered state of mind and become more comfortable with lucid
- If you can feel yourself losing the dream, start to spin around and the dream will usually become clear again. This also works to get out of nightmares because spinning around can reset the surroundings of your dream.
- Know what you want to do first when you begin lucid dreaming so that you will not waste your lucidity thinking of what you want to try ex. flying, visiting other planets, time travel, etc.
- 5-HTP, a natural dietary supplement that aids in serotonin production, has been proven to make lucid dreams more common and more vivid
- There are some binaural beats that assist in inducing lucidity by bringing your brain to the lucid frequency that you can download for free via torrents. Just search “lucid dreaming” in the audio section of your preferred torrent search engine. There are also step-by-step walkthroughs available if you are having exceptional trouble achieving lucidity
Stuff To Do In Your Dreams
** Remember that you can do ANYTHING in your dreams and that dreams are directly linked with your subconscious, so lucid dreaming can lead you to some crazy discoveries about yourself **
- Fly through the sky, to another planet, to another dimension
- Spend a night with your favorite celebrity, past or present
- Call yourself from your cell phone and ask important questions, you will get answers
- Go to heaven or hell and have a look around
- Be a superhero and save the world from Hilary Clinton!
Lucid dreaming is the experience of being completely aware within a dream that you are, in fact, in a dream. This realization leads to complete power for the dreamer, allowing him/her to go anywhere and do anything in their dream. You might have had this happen to you once or twice in your life, but chances are the dream didn’t last very long. This is because as soon as people get excited from realizing they have achieved lucidity, they tend to wake up. So how does one avoid this problem, or even have more consistently lucid dreams in the first place? It is a rather long process before one can get good at lucid dreaming, but there is definitely a way to do it if you are committed. After all, why not have fun after you fall asleep too? Make your entire day on continuous adventure!
1) Master Dream Re-Call
Before you can lucid dream, you have to be able to remember that dreams that you have so that you can improve your technique. First, tell yourself before you go to sleep that you WILL remember your dreams. Recite something like “I will remember my dreams tomorrow morning.” This will put the idea in your mind and make recalling easier.
Second, figure out your method for recording your dreams when you do remember them. Whether it be a journal, blog, or podcast, record the entirety of your dream in some concrete way. Documenting your dreams will force you to remember every little detail of the dream and will train your mind to automatically remember. Make sure that you write down your dream immediately after waking up from them or you WILL forget them. The dream record will also allow you to go back and remember dreams from weeks and months ago so that you can look for patterns (which will help you attain consistent lucidity).
If you are having trouble remembering dreams even with these methods, you can set alarms to wake you up during your REM sleep cycle so that you will always wake up during your dream. Sleep cycles are 90 minutes long on average and REM sleep occurs at the end of the cycle. So if you set your alarm for any 90 minute interval after you fall asleep, you will most likely end up waking up during a dream, making it easier to remember.
2) Carry Over Some Consciousness
Pick a night when you are so tired that you will fall asleep as soon as you hit the bed…but don’t. Lie on your back with your arms at your side and keep your eyes open for as long as possible. Don’t jerk them open; you’re not trying to stay awake, only to keep your eyes open. Eventually you will fall asleep without even realizing it. For some reason this will make you more conscious when you begin to dream, making it easier to go lucid. Do this over and over and you will get results soon enough. After all, what better things do you have to do when trying to fall asleep?
3) Reality Checks
If step 2 isn’t allowing you to go lucid, try reality checks. This is accomplished by establishing a pattern of reality checks throughout your day (yes, when you are awake) so that you will naturally check if you are dreaming when you are asleep. You can check if you are dreaming in countless ways ranging from pinching yourself, checking if your watch is on or even checking how high you can jump. As stupid as this sounds when you are awake, you have to take it seriously or you will not take your reality check seriously in your dreams either. Check if you are dreaming at regular intervals to keep yourself in check until it becomes part of your routine. At that point, you will almost be ready to lucid dream.
4) Final Tips
- Practice meditation so that you can get used to being in an altered state of mind and become more comfortable with lucid
- If you can feel yourself losing the dream, start to spin around and the dream will usually become clear again. This also works to get out of nightmares because spinning around can reset the surroundings of your dream.
- Know what you want to do first when you begin lucid dreaming so that you will not waste your lucidity thinking of what you want to try ex. flying, visiting other planets, time travel, etc.
- 5-HTP, a natural dietary supplement that aids in serotonin production, has been proven to make lucid dreams more common and more vivid
- There are some binaural beats that assist in inducing lucidity by bringing your brain to the lucid frequency that you can download for free via torrents. Just search “lucid dreaming” in the audio section of your preferred torrent search engine. There are also step-by-step walkthroughs available if you are having exceptional trouble achieving lucidity
Stuff To Do In Your Dreams
** Remember that you can do ANYTHING in your dreams and that dreams are directly linked with your subconscious, so lucid dreaming can lead you to some crazy discoveries about yourself **
- Fly through the sky, to another planet, to another dimension
- Spend a night with your favorite celebrity, past or present
- Call yourself from your cell phone and ask important questions, you will get answers
- Go to heaven or hell and have a look around
- Be a superhero and save the world from Hilary Clinton!
Friday, September 24, 2010
Undreaming?
Today I'm unsure what happened, I'm remembering parts from dreams from all over the place. For now I'll just leave this post saying sorry for anyone that's following.
I'll try to get my thoughts together and put it into the proper order, but as I recall last night only had one dream. Something to do with a house, people in it that I used to live with, driving a car around and alot of other stuff which I'll detail later.
Sorrry <3
I'll try to get my thoughts together and put it into the proper order, but as I recall last night only had one dream. Something to do with a house, people in it that I used to live with, driving a car around and alot of other stuff which I'll detail later.
Sorrry <3
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