AMA: I've been lucid dreaming recently

[boost]

Haven't been doing it long, so I'm not sure how many answers I'll have, but I'd imagine there is interest in this, so why not do an AMA. Also, this doesn't have to be focused on me, if there are any others out there that have been able to do this, feel free to chime in.

[OngBonga]

What shape is the universe?

[bikes]

how did you manage to do it? i spent a month trying and gave up.

which wimmens have you had sex with?

and how many people have you killed?

[wufwugy]

Normally I would just look it up, but since this is AMA I'll ask

What is lucid dreaming?

Why do it?

[pocketfours]

How frequently are you able to LD?

[boost]

What shape is the universe?

I don't have an answer for this, but I really like this question.

how did you manage to do it? i spent a month trying and gave up.

which wimmens have you had sex with?

and how many people have you killed?

You aren't going to like this, but I never really tried. I've read briefly about it.. I actually think there is a forum on reddit that I browsed or something. Obviously I was really interested, but never followed through on doing the research to find out how to increase my chances of it working.

I just sort of realized I was dreaming, and instead of waking up, like normal, I stayed. From memory I'd say that it is usually when I'm taking a mid-day nap, so I'm not exhausted, but just sorta lethargic and want to enjoy a little shut eye. It's like a pleasure sleep, if that makes sense.

I've made out and groped a few women, but none have been a particular person, but instead just women who have been conjured up in my brain. I have to say, once I realize I'm lucid dreaming this has always been my focus. So you might find it strange that I haven't done much more than kiss a few chicks, but having complete control is kinda weird. For example, most of the time the chick starts to morph into an ugly chick, or the dream gets hazy and I start to lose it, or I just snap into a different place with no chicks, and I have to find them again. It's like I'm trolling my own dreams. I strangely find this amusing.

I haven't killed anyone. As a matter of fact, I can't think of any violent lucid dreams I've had so far.

[boost]

Normally I would just look it up, but since this is AMA I'll ask

What is lucid dreaming?

Why do it?

Sure, it's when you are aware you are dreaming, and therefore have control of your dream. For me, as I was saying to bikes, my conscious does not have complete control, so my subconscious trolls me.

Why do it? Pretty sure this doesn't need answering once you realize what it is.

How frequently are you able to LD?

I kind of want to start "trying" now... so far it's just been that I realize I'm dreaming, and am able to win the fight to stay in the dream.

edit: I've done it maybe five times over the past month, with varying degrees of success.

[wufwugy]

Apparently I've had some whiffs of lucid dreaming, but it never really lasts because I'm the lightest sleeper this side of the Milky Way and I always wake up whenever something interesting happens

[rong]

What's the difference between ld and me staring out the window at work day dreaming about w/e? It's still a controlled fantasy. It can last quite a while, is pretty much controllable and can be quite vivid.

[Chelle]

I've found when the dream feels like it's getting out of control, looking down at the tops of your hands, or palms, seems to bring back the control you have over the dream.

I've had many lucid dreams, many false awakenings, many times where I'd be stuck in dream land, but unable to move, was aware I couldn't move, and in my head I'd be screaming, still couldn't move.

My grandfather visited me in my dreams many times, latest visit is my birthday, I haven't thought of him in a month or more, and he sang happy birthday to me. I only remember what he looks like because of pictures and dreams.

Had a dream of a huge-ass light that I couldn't scare at directly, with a lot of other what-nots around huge-ass bright light, that I won't go into detail with, but, the only thing I remember from all that was the bright light, and the fact that the only thing I heard was " Love others though they may cause you harm"

I have some trippy dreams. I've died in a few, but not irl, soooo, that's all fake about when you die in a dream you die irl.

[rpm]

many times where I'd be stuck in dream land, but unable to move, was aware I couldn't move, and in my head I'd be screaming, still couldn't move.

i've had this happen to me before. isn't it called "sleep paralysis" or somethiong?"

[wufwugy]

that's all fake about when you die in a dream you die irl.

my entire world view has been shattered.

[rong]

<3 wufwugy

[Chelle]

i've had this happen to me before. isn't it called "sleep paralysis" or somethiong?"

Yeah, I think so.

my entire world view has been shattered.

shad up.

[bikes]

i actually have lost count of all the times ive been killed in my dreams its atleast 50+ by now

[boost]

What's the difference between ld and me staring out the window at work day dreaming about w/e? It's still a controlled fantasy. It can last quite a while, is pretty much controllable and can be quite vivid.

Maybe for some there wouldn't be a difference, or some people are able to experience the intensity of a dream while awake, but I can assure you that would not be a common ability. Try to imagine how real a dream feels, despite how absurd it may be. Now imagine that you can actually control that. You can essentially alter reality through shear act of will. Sure you can sort of do this while day dreaming, but when lucid dreaming you don't have reality to contend with the attention of your conscious and subconscious mind. Obviously you have to be aware that it is a dream, and therefore not real, but it sort of becomes an alternate reality.

The best analogy I could make is that day dreaming is like writing a book-- you can get extremely detailed and stop and pick it back up at anytime, while lucid dreaming is like watching a movie in the theater-- but you're also directing and staring in the movie in real time.

[boost]

i've had this happen to me before. isn't it called "sleep paralysis" or somethiong?"

I've experienced this half a dozen plus times in my life. At first it was absolutely terrifying, because for me there is an entity that is through a doorway that is controlling my paralysis. It's a disembodied being, but it has a fiercely antagonistic presence. After reading about it, and catching a show about it on National Geographic, I became for more comfortable with it, and I kind of welcome it when it happens now.

[rpm]

yeah similar experience. some weird kind of incorporeal, omnipresent entity tortures me while i kick and swing my arms trying to get myself out of the dream/fend it off. wouldn't say i welcome it yet though.

[rong]

Can you combine LSD and ld?

[pocketfours]

Remee - The REM enhancing lucid dreaming mask

[Numbr2intheWorld]

Pretty cool that you're lucid dreaming without trying. I used to be into trying to lucid dream and accomplished it a few times before just sort of stopping. Here's my quick guide from what I remember. It's all about training yourself to question whether things are real:

1) Dream signs. While you're in waking life, look for things that are strange. Maybe there's a sign with a strange color or a situation that is strange. Just try to notice these things.

2) Ask yourself whenever you remember, "Am I dreaming?" Do this after you see a dream sign or just whenever. A good way to check is look at something like a clock, look away, then look at it again. Supposedly in dreams we have a really hard time keeping images and images will change constantly. Or just logic things out, "Does it make sense that I'm here?"

3) Keep a dream journal. Everytime you wake up write down what you remember from the dream. I never did this but it's supposed to help make your dreams more vivid.

4) I also never did this, but if you keep a watch that beeps softly every hour it can be helpful. Everytime it beeps, ask yourself if you're dreaming. Eventually you'll hear the beep in your dream.

[boost]

Nice, thanks for the tips!

[OngBonga]

I don't have an answer for this, but I really like this question.

This is getting some discussion in Pascal's thread.

[kiwiMark]

When I was trying to do this I also kept a little bit of paper in my pocket with a sentence on it that I got into the habit of pulling out and reading every now and then IRL, in the hopes that when I then got it out and read it in a dream and the words wouldn't make sense or would say something different (this happens), it'd act as a sort of trigger/reminder that I'm dreaming. It only ended up doing the job for me once or twice to be honest, but others found it way more helpful.

There's more disruptive stuff you can do like set alarms for after one REM cycle because as you've already noticed it's easier to slip into a lucid dream (and more importantly remember it) if you're only sleeping lightly. But you gotta ask yourself what you want to sacrifice in the pursuit of lucidity.

Also yeah as has been mentioned a dream journal is supposed to be key to help strengthen your memory of all dreams (no point lucid dreaming if you can not/barely remember it etc.)

Oh and watch "Waking Life" one night before bed - cool movie IIRC, and nothing like dreaming about a movie about lucid dreams to raise the question in your sleep "wait am I dreaming right now then?"

[givememyleg]

the commune has been sexy lately. here are some questions:

what's the most lucid you've been?

neatest thing you've done?

any tips on how to not wake up instantly when you become lucid?

have you been able to push yourself through a block? for example, in my first LD i knew i was dreaming and walked through a wall, but for some reason i couldn't fly.

[givememyleg]

i've also been into LDing for years. a good recommended reading for those interested is Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming

i haven't given it as much effort lately, but i have a lucid dream randomly probably once every few weeks. at one point it was about 1-2 per week.

some random tips that aren't as well known:

- nicotine increases the vividness of your dreams and for me makes it easier to become lucid. (and nicotine by itself is quite safe).

- for your dream journal, i found it much easier to keep a small notebook nearby so i could just jot down random notes upon waking up, rather than writing down entire dreams. if i dreamt about a purple fox singing opera, i would write "purple fox singing". as most dreams are forgotten minutes after waking up this really helps recall. then if you want, later you can go back and expand, it's much easier to remember with little tid bit you jotted down.

- the easiest way i've ever become lucid is a multi-step process. not exactly practical for every day but for those who want a "jump start" it's easier.

before you fall asleep, set your alarm for about 5 hours. when your alarm goes off, you will have most likely been in rem sleep. stay awake for at least 30-45 minutes, but don't do anything too physically demanding. when you lay back down, really focus on keeping yourself conscious as you drift back into sleep. you should find this relatively simple as you will most likely still be pretty tired. and since your brain was in rem sleep not that long ago, that is most likely where you will return.

the trick here is to remain conscious as you fall asleep. i've had some really amazing experiences with this, the best one was actually seeing a dream form right in front of my eyes. it started with small hypnagogic imagery, then turned into a spiral of colors, which started to take shape, then detail, then i was looking out into my backyard and was able to "walk into the picture". from there i was lucid able to do whatever i wanted. for those who want to learn more on this it's called a WILD, or wake induced lucid dream.

[boost]

what's the most lucid you've been?

I'm not quite sure how to gauge this?

neatest thing you've done?

Just walk around and make out with chicks before my subconcious trolls me pretty much. Then I sort of teleport to a new instance, if you will. I'm not very good at controlling the dreams yet, but it's pretty fucking cool just realizing you are dreaming and not waking up, then exerting even the smallest amount of omnipotent influence on your dream world.

any tips on how to not wake up instantly when you become lucid?

Not really man. When I'm waking up it's kinda like the reverse of your WILD thing, where I can see the slits of light coming in as my eyes start to open. This could just be a mental effect, but I like to think that I am actually seeing the real world superimposed over my dream in the lower field of my vision. When this is happening, I'm pretty much just like "nah, dude... nah.. I'ma stick around, kthx."

have you been able to push yourself through a block? for example, in my first LD i knew i was dreaming and walked through a wall, but for some reason i couldn't fly.

Nah, I haven't tried yet. Theres quite a few things I want to try, just gotta get back there one of these days (nights). Just been really busy with IRL in he past few days.

[BennyLaRue]

I've been lucid dreaming since I was a kid. Really didn't realize I was a freak but this thread makes me think maybe it's less common than I thought.

As a result, sometimes I have trouble distinguishing between things that happened in dreams and in reality and there's been more than one occasion where I've been speaking to someone about an interaction I've had with them and then realized that shit didn't happen for reals.