Lucid dreaming

Paulgar

Hi, I'm not really sure if you would class lucid dreaming as paranormal, but I suppose most people would. Here is an article I wrote about it;

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1998188/lucid_dreaming.html?cat=68

What do you guys think?
Have you experienced it?

smithcity

It's not paranormal. It's a well documented natural phenomena.

The Monroe Institute has some excellent information available online, documenting studies they've done and guides for trying to induce lucid dreaming.

It varies for different people, some find it easy, some find it almost impossible.

I've had a few spontaneous lucid dreams, I also spent some time trying to train myself to do it at will.
I found it very difficult to do but I can confirm that the methods do work. It's basically a case of training your subconscious mind to recognise the difference between dreams and reality. I had limited success with the techniques, I managed to become lucid during dreams a few times but would usually wake up shortly afterwards.

A quick google of Monroe Institute should find all the information you need.

Paulgar

Thanks smithcity, I will check them out.

busymum1

We can all have lucid dreams in my family, my sister is better at it than I am. It's a very cool thing to be able to do.
My preferred thing is to go flying, I had just started in my last one and DH woke me up snoring I was so cross! It happens about once a year or so.

The down side is vivid nightmares where you know you are awake and unable to move. My sister gets these again much worse than I do. It's truely horrible but you can train yourself to wake up by counting to ten.

I usually have lucid dreams when I've had a really busy stressful time and then catch up on rest..
It's not paranormal though just physiology.

Paulgar

I have experienced the lucid nightmares; lying there unable to move. I hadn't really associated these with lucid dreaming before but of course they are.

Happynappy

Paulgar wrote: »

I have experienced the lucid nightmares; lying there unable to move. I hadn't really associated these with lucid dreaming before but of course they are.

I'm think these are different things, waking up but unable to move is sleep paralysis. I used to experience it years ago , It used to happen when I tried to sleep at unusual times, hasn't happened for about 4 years.

Paulgar

I wonder if there is any connection between lucid dreaming and having these horrible sleep paralysis episodes?

smithcity

As I've said, I've experienced Lucid Dreaming.
I doubt there is any connection between it and sleep paralysis. My mother, sister, one aunt and a cousin of mine (also female), are plagued with sleep paralysis.
They all find it to be a horrifying experience. I believe it is a phenomenon in which one becomes fully conscious during the hypnogogic state, whereas Lucid Dreaming is often brought about by remaining conscious while entering the hypnogogic state and then through to actual sleep.

It's in the same ball park, but I don't think one is directly related to the other

fintonie

I have had the flying dreams quite a few times there brilliant, also I have been in that state you guys were talking about, not being able to move its not nice, I have to try to move a finger or utter the smallest sound to come out of it,

I have had 5/6 dreams which came true, I told the people who were in them what happened and then it did.

I was talking to a pastor from Nigeria who said the flying dreams were black magic he said this was not good and if in Nigeria could get me killed (but I would just fly away).

I have had some very vivid dreams about car and bus crashes and that earthquake in Italy. But I have never met anybody who have had similar dreams.

ntlbell

for lucid dreams

wear a nicotine patch.

awesome.

busymum1

I see what you mean about the sleep paralysis being different from lucid dreams.. I occasionally have lucid dreams well nightmares where something bad is happening and I know that I'm dreaming but cannot control the dream or will myself to wake up.. These are very disturbing. Often with a sensation of falling and landing into my body on the bed..sometimes associated with dying in the dream. Really nasty.. Still it's worth it for all the good ones..

fintonie

just thinking about it there I have had some great dreams meeting family members who were dead, in the dream I knew they were dead so it was like a reunion,

And when the dream was coming to an end we would say goodbye, at a certain stage in the dream they would say that this was as far as they could go and then we would part ways,

But the feeling was brilliant of real happiness.

Overblood

Yeah as smithcity said, this isn't paranormal. There's a dream forum here with some info on lucid dreaming.

If you're interested, check out Stephen Laberge's work on lucid dreaming. He's written a few books.

Or google for the dreamviews forum.

Fuzzy Clam

I wonder if Lucid dreaming is hereditary. I used to have regular dreams about 10-15 years ago, at least 1 every week or 2. Now only a couple a year.
I've only just found out that both my parents have had them. My late father had them a lot but they weren't aware of what those dreams were known as.
It seems that mine are of the DILD type.

cjbh

fintonie wrote: »

just thinking about it there I have had some great dreams meeting family members who were dead, in the dream I knew they were dead so it was like a reunion,

And when the dream was coming to an end we would say goodbye, at a certain stage in the dream they would say that this was as far as they could go and then we would part ways,

But the feeling was brilliant of real happiness.

Strange, I have had the dreams of dead family members, yet in those dreams I never cop it and it just ends up being a regular dream.

What it takes for me is a nightmare. When I was young I used to have nightmares about being possessed by evil demons (I was religious then so I believed it could really happen, in fact once I had that sleeping paralysis episode and I thought that's what was happening! Terrifying at the time!). Nowadays, I have noticed that when that type of dream starts, where I feel an invisible, insidious presence, I get scared at first but then realise, "hey, I don't believe in anything supernatural anymore, this can't be real".

at this point, the dream becomes lucid. This is great for 2 reasons:
1. end of nightmare
2. get to fly! Interesting how many people fantasise about doing that in their dreams...I also do somersaults and things because that's something that I can't do IRL that I would like to be able to do

sudzy

ntlbell wrote: »

for lucid dreams

wear a nicotine patch.

awesome.

Do you mean wear one when you've reached lucidity?
Or put one on before you go to sleep? Does in induce lucidity or what??!

fintonie

cjbh wrote: »

Strange, I have had the dreams of dead family members, yet in those dreams I never cop it and it just ends up being a regular dream.

What it takes for me is a nightmare. When I was young I used to have nightmares about being possessed by evil demons (I was religious then so I believed it could really happen, in fact once I had that sleeping paralysis episode and I thought that's what was happening! Terrifying at the time!). Nowadays, I have noticed that when that type of dream starts, where I feel an invisible, insidious presence, I get scared at first but then realise, "hey, I don't believe in anything supernatural anymore, this can't be real".

at this point, the dream becomes lucid. This is great for 2 reasons:
1. end of nightmare
2. get to fly! Interesting how many people fantasise about doing that in their dreams...I also do somersaults and things because that's something that I can't do IRL that I would like to be able to do

I havent had a drink in about 2 weeks the longest in the last 10yrs id say,,, and true to form the dreaming started about 2 nights ago,,, so it will be interesting to see what happens,,,

ntlbell

sudzy wrote: »

Do you mean wear one when you've reached lucidity?
Or put one on before you go to sleep? Does in induce lucidity or what??!

before you go to bed.

makes for some night!

o1s1n

ntlbell wrote: »

for lucid dreams

wear a nicotine patch.

awesome.

I've never heard of that before. Did a bit of googling and it seems to work alright. Must give it a go sometime!