Lucid Dream? Ever Have one?
 

Loosely defined, a Lucid Dream is when you know you are dreaming but are still in the dream itself.

They can range from as little as being aware you are dreaming and waking yourself up . . . all the way to being able to manipulate the very fabric of your dreams.

Some highlights from my experiences:

I taught myself to control my dreams by six years old in response to the "Scaries". I noticed that the pattern of fear in the dream far exceeded anything I experienced in real life. I thought about it when awake, and then learned to wake myself up if the fear escalated to high.

Later I was able to end the nightmare and stay asleep with a limited amount of control. I hunted Freddy Cougar all through my dreams lol. We ended up 3-2-1. I ended up killing him 3 times he got me twice (once very convincingly, I thought there was going to be blood on the ceiling, damn that hurt) and once we drew.

Another odd encounter in a lucid dream(I think I was 16): I was wandering around(in the dream) and a friend gave me a lift home. At the end of the ride I turn to him and say:

"You realize that you don't exist, I'm dreaming, you're just a figment of my imagination." He looked at me and replied, "How do you know we are not both dreaming and sharing an experience on an unconscious level".

Well . . . we agree to call each other about it, and when I brought it up to him again, he didn't remember it lol.

I'd be interested in seeing any of your experiences . . .

Here is a basic FAQ:

http://www.lucidity.com/LucidDreamingFAQ2.html

That's interesting - I did the same thing from an early age. I was able to wake myself from dreams by at least age 8, and by adolescence I was able to 'return' to a dream (sometimes) after waking up. Definitely I was conscious of being in 'dream state' very early in life.

I've had it happen before, and I must say that I find it enjoyable to control where the dream is going.

I've also had dreams that i've re-entered or brought back up at later dates. But it is very random as to when it happens...sometimes I'll try very hard to get back to a dream and never re-dream it.

The one thing I have learned, is how to prevent nightmares...just make sure your bladder is empty and that you aren't cold...often times that seems to be the case and by remedying the situation often prevents later nightmares that night.

That link I put that the bottom of my 1st post actually had some good advice . . .on doing it.

http://www.lucidity.com/LucidDreamingFAQ2.html

this is my life....
 

I also have lucid dreams--and have had them from a very early age. I love having them--it makes dreaming so much more enjoyable. I don't have them everynight--just once in awhile. I actaully had one about 2 weeks ago. I knew I was dreaming--manipulated the dream, woke up (as the dream was a bit intense) and then went back to sleep to continue the dream.

My family thinks I am nuts-- they know I do this, they cannot--and think I am just plain looney!!! :rolleyes:

I use to be able to self-hypnotize---which was great!!! Wish I could still do it-- but I think since I have grown-up and had kids--my mind is not a clear as it once was--when I try I am overwhlemed with thoughts running thru my head.

My self-hynotized state was often simaliar to the state of my lucid dreams.

-wendi

James, your experience is almost a reflection of mine. I had to find SOME way out of a reoccurring childhood nightmare.

Then, I too started reading and learning about dream manipulation. This led to my (life long) interest in other "New Age" concepts I, AM A NUT CASE. As early as 6th grade, I found some magazine that had an article on OBEs and tried it. It freaked me out, but boy did it really grab me. Lost interest for a while, (11th grade revisited) but it really blossomed when I had the kids and escalated when I lived in a house with a gas leak. Now, they are less frequent and I can't induce them as I once could.

In college I had one HIDEOUS experience that I swear was straight from Amityville-flies and all. (I am SOOO convinced we lived in a really "bad" place.) That's when I decided there was far more to this world than what we see with our eyes and what we are taught/told to believe by others. It also convinced me there are some areas where one should not venture if one is inexperienced or unprepared! :eek:

When it comes to dreams like this I have never been able to "control" what happens in the dream... only able to recognize when I'm dreaming...

.. my biological older sister however can *control* her dreams. She told me this one about how you can *fly* in your dream and it feels really cool, but you have to be able to control it.

I don't know how to control dreams!

I've always been a super-deep sleeper and rarely remember my dreams, much less have the ability to control them.
I have a friend who frequently has lucid dreams, and he says he *loves* to fly in them. That was the first I heard of them. James, I'll have to read through that link you posted when I have more time.

I have the craziest dreams! Very colorful, lots of intricate plot twists and turns, reaccuring themes, places, and situations, and yes, even some lucid dreaming. With some of the reaccuring situations I'll sometimes chuckle to myself and say "I know how to deal with this - I've dreamt it before!" I also tend to solve problems in my dreams. If there's something that's really boggling me, or if I need just an extra push of inspiration, chances are I'll get it in my sleep.

There's been a few times where I'll realize that I'm dreaming. I tend to realize I'm dreaming during nightmares especially; I will then knowingly fight off what is scaring me. But, most of the time, I will wake myself up.

I think when I have dreams about something that I want, I am more likely to do the whole lucid dream thing and realize I'm dreaming.

I vividly remember as a child dreaming that I got this really cool toy that I had always wanted, but I somehow *knew* it was a dream, so I would try to hug the toy tighter thinking it might still be with me when I woke up.. but it never was :p

Yeah. I do that alot. Sometimes I know I'm dreaming but can't control it though. Its not like I chose to have sex with the chex cereal that decided to walk around in the shave of a woman. Then the two sides of the frosted mini wheats got a divorce. then me and my rice grain girlfriend reconciled them. It was quite touching.

Allen Ginsberg wants his metaphor back.


PS - you're still cool duder

i've had dreams where i've known i was dreaming but i've yet to figure out how to stop them...!!

I have lucid dreams quite a bit... It's a mixed bag, though. Sometimes I wake up as soon as I realize I'm dreaming... sometimes I can't control the plot... sometimes I can. On occasion I've been able to put myself back into a dream.

Anyone dream in black and white? I have always dreamt in color - never realized that might be weird until I mentioned it to someone who accused me of lying because "everyone dreams in black and white" :confused: