Lucid Dreaming

[Rosbjerg]

I had the most disturbing and thought provoking dream ever a few nights ago, I'm still trying to fully understand it - but I've become very interested in lucid dreams (which this was)..

 

Have any of you ever had a lucid dream? and if so, how was it?

 

Also, anyone is more than welcome to share a strange dream they've had - I thought this could be like a "what you did today" just with sleep activity instead.

[Gorgon]

The most recent one I remember involved a fleet segment deciding to desert from an upcoming battle. A lot of time was spent deciding the weapons and tech suite load-outs and communications between captains (space ships naturally) and deciding who could be trusted to be let in on the plan. There was an acute tenseness owing to the fact that they would have to leave their families behind, but there was not much choice as they believed they would not have been able to do more than briefly delay the enemy. The big battle, or escape as it were, never happened, but the characters were remarkably clearly fleshed out when I woke up.

[Raithe]

I think one of the freakiest one I've had was years ago, when I was around 12 or so.

 

One of those zooming about as if flying, just that first-person viewpoint with no real feel of a body, but going at rapid pace through these dark, claustrophic tunnels where the flaw was hidden by piles of skinned bodies. The bit that's always stuck with me is how well-lit the bodies were while the rest of the tunnels were creepily dark.

 

Never had any clue what was behind that dream.

[Malcador]

Had one recently although this isn't particularly fancy - just one where I was aware I was dreaming. I had dreamed there was a large ventilation fan in the ceiling of my room taking all the hot air out. I had spend the night before wondering on how to improve ventilation in the house to get rid of hot air on the upper floor. Dull dream, but was amusing how in the dream my dream-self kept thinking "Riiiight, this isn't real. I know why I'm seeing that fan there..". At least it's better than the "Oh ****, I failed an exam I wrote 6 years ago!!" dream

[Krookie]

When I was in high school it would happen all the time, maybe like 3 nights a week. Now it happens every so often. I've heard of people being able to do it any time they want but for me, I'd be dreaming and just kind of wake up and say "hey, i'm dreaming!" It's a very weird experience but wasn't anything like Inception for me.

 

I'm never able to change where I am, but I can consciously make decisions, manipulate and create things wherever I am. First one I ever had I still remember pretty vividly. I was standing in my school's hallway, and looked down but couldn't see my feet, and that's when I guess I realized I was dreaming.

 

It's strange, because apparently it's pretty common to be able to lucid dream but whenever I tell anyone they seem so surprised.

[Hurlshort]

I have recurring dreams where I'm trying to get my hockey gear on and the game has already started, but I can't get dressed fast enough. I also have dreams that I'm trying to get to work on time and there are all these obstacles to overcome.

[Gorgon]

You are stressed. Drink a warm glass of milk with honey before you go to sleep. That will be 500$

Edited July 24, 2011 by Gorgon

[Rosbjerg]

The most recent one I remember involved a fleet segment deciding to desert from an upcoming battle. A lot of time was spent deciding the weapons and tech suite load-outs and communications between captains (space ships naturally) and deciding who could be trusted to be let in on the plan. There was an acute tenseness owing to the fact that they would have to leave their families behind, but there was not much choice as they believed they would not have been able to do more than briefly delay the enemy. The big battle, or escape as it were, never happened, but the characters were remarkably clearly fleshed out when I woke up.

 

Were you a part of the fleet or did you witness it like a film?

 

Most of my dreams have a pretty strong narrative and a very logical progression, which often fools me into thinking that it's real - it's only when it gets a little too sci-fi or there like a leap of faith that I get suspicious.

 

I actually had a very beautiful dream about 28th century technology, which was 50/50 biological and mechanical.. It all seemed to fit so perfect in the world.

[Nepenthe]

I've been having lucid dreams almost on a daily basis for the past couple of weeks when I take a short nap break in the middle of my workday. Normally I'm working in the dreams, which is kind of surreal, when you know you are asleep.

[Gorgon]

The most recent one I remember involved a fleet segment deciding to desert from an upcoming battle. A lot of time was spent deciding the weapons and tech suite load-outs and communications between captains (space ships naturally) and deciding who could be trusted to be let in on the plan. There was an acute tenseness owing to the fact that they would have to leave their families behind, but there was not much choice as they believed they would not have been able to do more than briefly delay the enemy. The big battle, or escape as it were, never happened, but the characters were remarkably clearly fleshed out when I woke up.

 

Were you a part of the fleet or did you witness it like a film?

 

Most of my dreams have a pretty strong narrative and a very logical progression, which often fools me into thinking that it's real - it's only when it gets a little too sci-fi or there like a leap of faith that I get suspicious.

 

I actually had a very beautiful dream about 28th century technology, which was 50/50 biological and mechanical.. It all seemed to fit so perfect in the world.

I was creating the experience, which was real enough. Not really concerned about where the self was in relation to all of it. I went back and changed details several times.

[Prosper]

The most recent one I remember involved a fleet segment deciding to desert from an upcoming battle. A lot of time was spent deciding the weapons and tech suite load-outs and communications between captains (space ships naturally) and deciding who could be trusted to be let in on the plan. There was an acute tenseness owing to the fact that they would have to leave their families behind, but there was not much choice as they believed they would not have been able to do more than briefly delay the enemy. The big battle, or escape as it were, never happened, but the characters were remarkably clearly fleshed out when I woke up.

 

Were you a part of the fleet or did you witness it like a film?

 

Most of my dreams have a pretty strong narrative and a very logical progression, which often fools me into thinking that it's real - it's only when it gets a little too sci-fi or there like a leap of faith that I get suspicious.

 

I actually had a very beautiful dream about 28th century technology, which was 50/50 biological and mechanical.. It all seemed to fit so perfect in the world.

I was creating the experience, which was real enough. Not really concerned about where the self was in relation to all of it. I went back and changed details several times.

 

My dreams are monologues with myself. But some things work together.

 

Acquisition of facts lay in notes and references.

 

Keen minds must be biological or psychological, affected only.

Our Biology gives rise to emotional capacity.

That clouds are judgment.

And hamper our decisions.

 

Facts, or things presented as such, neuters our assumption.

 

When detected, we feel obligated to make up for it.

 

Our guard is raised or lowered.

 

Elaborate answers or elaborate responses tend to activate a fear within us that our ability to counter a personal attack successfully is reduced.

 

And our options in vocabulary tend to also "feel" reduced.

[Syraxis]

I don't remember ever having a lucid dream. What's wrong with me?

[Rosbjerg]

I don't remember ever having a lucid dream. What's wrong with me?

 

Nothing, you've probably had a few, but as you say you don't remember.. Dream recall is very important, I have a good recall because I've spent a lot of time remembering my dreams, so now it comes naturally. Without recall the dream will just whither away.

[Maria Caliban]

I've had many, many lucid dreams.

 

The first one I recall having started with a giant, shadowy monster chasing me. I reached the edge of a cliff and stared down into pit below me, knowing it was either jump or be devoured. Then I thought to myself, "This is a dream," and I realized that if it was a dream, I could control events. So I whipped out an Uzi and riddled the monster with bullets.

 

Very satisfying.

[Rosbjerg]

Haha nice.. I had a similar experience, where a monster was chasing me - I became lucid and just waved my hand at it, which made it disappear. I spend the rest of the dream in awe of the fact that I could see, smell and touch the imaginary objects. I can vividly remember touching a concrete wall and feeling the rugged surface, while being keenly aware that all of it was being imagined - it's a great experience.

[GreasyDogMeat]

I've only had one in my life, but it was amazing. I was in a dark forest and it FELT like I was there. I knew I was dreaming but I could reach out and TOUCH and SMELL things. All I did was walk through the forest touching and smelling the plants.

 

Ahem, yeah it sounds odd... but I could FEEL everything! I'd always thought that shamans and seers was just a bunch of rubbish, but I think many of these people in the past were able to bring about these lucid dreams and believed them to be divine inspiration. I know I certainly felt great after the dream. I've always wished it would happen again.

 

I take it back, I've actually had lucid dreams before. None has ever felt as real as the above. Just moments in dreams where I've realized, 'oh I'm dreaming'.

Edited July 25, 2011 by GreasyDogMeat

[Gorth]

Twice that I can remember. One was kind of pleasant (in a teenage boy kind of dreamy way) and the other was scary beyond belief (I knew was partially asleep, yet my surroundings looked like the static noise on an empty tv channel, very loud and worst of all, I was completely paralyzed, unable to even twitch a finger).

 

Otherwise I remember very few dreams. Apart from the above, only two nightmares still cling to my memory... One of them so amusing in hindsight that I feel silly being scared by it in the first place, but such is the power of deams and imagination: I started losing my teeth, them falling down into my pillow. Then I tried desperately to stuff them back in my mouth, just to have them trickle through my fingers in larger and larger numbers, to become a surreal stream of teeth seeping through the hands I tried to cover my mouth with. It still reminds me that I need to go see a dentist some day

 

The other one is not for sharing.

[GreasyDogMeat]

Otherwise I remember very few dreams. Apart from the above, only two nightmares still cling to my memory... One of them so amusing in hindsight that I feel silly being scared by it in the first place, but such is the power of deams and imagination: I started losing my teeth, them falling down into my pillow. Then I tried desperately to stuff them back in my mouth, just to have them trickle through my fingers in larger and larger numbers, to become a surreal stream of teeth seeping through the hands I tried to cover my mouth with. It still reminds me that I need to go see a dentist some day

I think loss of teeth is almost a primal fear. No teeth = death in the wild. I've had a nightmare similar to that. Maybe it is the brains way of saying: Hey! Brush your teeth!

 

As far as lucid dreams go, I've never really have them in nightmares because once a nightmare becomes lucid I realize there is nothing to fear. I remember one, and remember is a loose term here, where I was being chased/harassed by something and I realized I was dreaming. So I stopped running and had a conversation with my pursuer where I reminded them they weren't real... because I was dreaming and to bugger off.

[Bos_hybrid]

The other one is not for sharing.

 

I believe the term for them is wet.

 

Can't say I've ever had a Lucid dream that I remember. The strangest dream I've ever had, was one where my friends and I were in a huge house running from some sort of spirit monster. What made it strange was in my dream was I gave up and let the spirit get me, when it did my vision went red and I felt like I was dead. Then spent the rest of the dream watching it get my friends, like some sort of spectator mode.

 

I also have this regular one where I'm on a swing at the edge of a cliff, and you guessed it I fall off and down the cliff, waking up before I hit the rocks. I hate that dream, ruins a perfectly fine sleep.

[Gorth]

The other one is not for sharing.

I believe the term for them is wet.

That was the lucid one

[GreasyDogMeat]

The other one is not for sharing.

 

I believe the term for them is wet.

The problem with those for me is they don't become lucid until the very... ending. At which point I realize clean up on aisle 3 which spoils the fun.

[Walsingham]

I've had plenty of lucid dreams, from the one where I spent five minutes in a warzone before being shot in the thigh and medevac'd, to the one where I discussed order vs chaos with the Lord Buddha, to getting trapped at an incredibly boring tea party.

 

The more you do it, the more you do it, is what I heard.

[Lexx]

Twice that I can remember. One was kind of pleasant (in a teenage boy kind of dreamy way) and the other was scary beyond belief (I knew was partially asleep, yet my surroundings looked like the static noise on an empty tv channel, very loud and worst of all, I was completely paralyzed, unable to even twitch a finger).

 

 

Got similar stuff every once in a while. I feel awake and realize my surroundings, but I can't move, can't scream, can't do anything. It's very unpleasant. After a while I can get myself to wake up and it's over, with my heart beating super fast.

 

 

Sounds like a big thing, but it's not so much. After such uh... dream..., I feel pretty normal again (I don't have it often, it's actually very unusual anyway). What I remember is, that I once tried to talk / scream for help so that someone wakes me up, but it didn't worked. *This* is the worst bad thing, which is also the reason why I will never ever intoxicate / deafen me fully if I'll have to undergo some operation. My fear is just way too big that I would be awaken, but just can't move. :> (There have been cases like that already)

Edited July 26, 2011 by Lexx

[Rosbjerg]

Twice that I can remember. One was kind of pleasant (in a teenage boy kind of dreamy way) and the other was scary beyond belief (I knew was partially asleep, yet my surroundings looked like the static noise on an empty tv channel, very loud and worst of all, I was completely paralyzed, unable to even twitch a finger).

 

Got similar stuff every once in a while. I feel awake and realize my surroundings, but I can't move, can't scream, can't do anything. It's very unpleasant. After a while I can get myself to wake up and it's over, with my heart beating super fast.

 

It sounds like sleep paralysis.. Being concious while the body goes through the sleep cycles - I've had a friend who said it was like falling and then hitting water as the body entered REM. He entered a lucid dream immediately (although he didn't know that) and woke up because he had a panic attack.

[Hurlshort]

I get that too, usually when I'm asleep on my stomach. I wake up and feel like I can't move and I have trouble breathing. It's gotten to the point where I can kick my legs in my sleep and my wife will wake me up.