The Art of Lucid Dreaming

[Lavazza]

Hello friends,

Although we have a few threads about dreams already, I don't think we have one for lucid dreaming specifically. I am new to this, and am interested in learning your techniques for encouraging the lucid state, what you think about them, or anything else you may have to offer.

I am aware of the powerful symbolism that dreams can offer. Do you think this power is lessened since, upon entering a lucid state, we have more conscious control over the contents? (I.e. the higher self is not "as involved"?)

As for techniques, I found this: http://www.wikihow.com/Lucid-Dream One I am trying already is the "Am I Dreaming?" question at various points in my day. I just started yesterday, so it might be a while before anything happens.

A friend at random, out of the blue, suggested that I use this to encourage lucid dreaming: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H7H...d_i=507846 They're dietary supplements for vegetarians, which may also be good since I'm a new veggie. Anyone have experience in that area? Endorse, condemn, indifferent?

Lastly I wanted to offer a question on the nature of lucid dreaming and the "Out of Body Experience" (OBE). I have read a little about how to have out of body experiences, and one common way is to imagine yourself floating towards an object in your home while you are in the process of going to sleep. Are OBEs lucid dreams?

[Eddie]

Dreams are a precious gift. Your dreaming reality is more real than your "waking" reality, in some cases; and you may learn to cultivate and discipline your perception, to make dreaming your default reality. In DreamTime, you are not constrained by the impositions of 3rd-density "waking" reality.

Any material treasure you may acquire in this plane will crumble to dust. Your experiences will last forever, captured by your larger self.

The experiences you may assemble in DreamTime are unlimited. No limitation is placed on your abilities there, beyond the capacity of your own creativity.

Pursue, with all vigor, the discipline of lucid dreaming. The rewards surpass anything material.

[Cyclops]

I am currently attempting to ask for a lucid state before I go off to sleep, yesterday it was quiet strange.. I have a kind of fearful dream, but not of anything negative.. just the fear of grandness, height and giant unknowing. And as I was gazing down on this dark and large landscape I seen a human.. and right then inside my own dream I was aware of infinity. I don't know if this was lucid or not but I was aware of this instantly.

On your question on lucid dreaming, I don't think it's an OBE, becuase when I had an OBE it was a very real traumatic physical experience.

[Light]

I am currently attempting to ask for a lucid state before I go off to sleep, yesterday it was quiet strange.. I have a kind of fearful dream, but not of anything negative.. just the fear of grandness, height and giant unknowing. And as I was gazing down on this dark and large landscape I seen a human.. and right then inside my own dream I was aware of infinity. I don't know if this was lucid or not but I was aware of this instantly.

On your question on lucid dreaming, I don't think it's an OBE, becuase when I had an OBE it was a very real traumatic physical experience.

Interesting, I will try asking for the lucid state before I go to bed as well.

Also I agree, I have had both lucid dreams and OBEs and there is a difference, even when comparing to a very vivid dream. Amazing dream by the way Cyclops! In your dream did the fear go away when you saw the human?

[AnthroHeart]

Keeping a dream journal, doing reality checks, and looking for dream signs can go a long way in helping one become lucid. I'm just getting back into it, and have been writing down my dreams for a few weeks now. It's taking some effort.

[Cyclops]

Interesting, I will try asking for the lucid state before I go to bed as well.

Also I agree, I have had both lucid dreams and OBEs and there is a difference, even when comparing to a very vivid dream. Amazing dream by the way Cyclops! In your dream did the fear go away when you saw the human?

Not right away but it made me actually think inside my dream, usually I only act on impulse and the story continues.. but that time I stopped to think. What made the fear leave was the dream skipping to a whole new scene where I was in a diner on the ground level of a huge future metropolis city. I and 2 others were creating a scheme about something.. not sure what it was.

[Brittany]

I've had a few strange OBE experiences that I think may have actually been lucid dreams...when you get to that fine line between sleep and waking the difference can get really blurred. The other night I perceived myself to pop out of my body and then start climbing up the walls and across the ceiling of my room. I then crawled back down and into my body. It was a strange feeling...Once I was sure I had lifted off of the bed and was floating toward the closet. I have stuff like that every once in a while but I'm not sure what's actually going on there.

[Light]

I've had a few strange OBE experiences that I think may have actually been lucid dreams...when you get to that fine line between sleep and waking the difference can get really blurred. The other night I perceived myself to pop out of my body and then start climbing up the walls and across the ceiling of my room. I then crawled back down and into my body. It was a strange feeling...Once I was sure I had lifted off of the bed and was floating toward the closet. I have stuff like that every once in a while but I'm not sure what's actually going on there.

Very common experience actually!

You might want to look into stuff by Robert Monroe(he discovered OBEs-or whatever it is-the same way you did) and other authors. It is very interesting to read about their experiences although many of their theories about OBEs are off (as in they mix up inner planes with outer planes and dimensions etc. etc.. in short most of them do not seem to be aware of a lot of what you find in the the LOO material) but they do mix in some truths(about the higher self)

Extensive study of OBEs(of what I could read about them because I had very few of my own), lucid dreams, and related fields gave me an excellent ground work for understanding many of the concepts in LOO. In fact, when I look back at all of my studies that led up to LOO(not just about OBEs and dreams), it seems perfectly planned, I guess I was guided or maybe it was memories from past lives.