Thread: Can't change light levels.

Most of the time I've used spinning in an LD I've gone somewhere where there's daylight. (I stopped using spinning because I started to wake up when using it and heard that others find this too).

One method I saw on here was to imagine you are wearing dark glasses and take them off. I tried this once and it didn't work but maybe it will work for you.

I've tried messing about with light levels a few times, but I've only ever once got it to work. I flipped a lightswitch without even thinking about it and the room lit up, simple. But other times it can be really tricky to make the place light up. Thankfully not too many of my dreams are full of darkness. I'm not really sure what to say that could help, but I like Bobblehat's dark glasses one, I might try it.

Say out loud "INCREASE BRIGHTNESS".

Or if you are outside, look at the horizon and use your hand and "the force" to make the sun, or a bright moon rise.

I have personally never had any trouble adjusting the lights in a dream. Whether it's as complex as a day/night transition or as simple as a light switch it's absolutely no problem. Everything looks as it should with no exceptions that I can think of.

This is just a theory, but I attribute this (as well as other similar dream control things) to my extensive computer background. I do 3D stuff (games included), special effects, and photo post-processing, all of which requires a detailed attention to lighting. So I think it makes it easier for my mind to affect how something is lit, because I can think through what all the major lighting changes should look like so easily.

You can change the light level in dreams.
I hate when my LD's are dark, but when I tried to make it brighter I made the sun rise just by thinking about it. Passive control like this is easier then trying to force the sun to rise, like with your hands.
Be confident!

Originally Posted by vacant

So many of my ld's consist of me messing around in the dark, trying to brighten things up. Its really annoying.

I heard from the movie waking life that you cant change light levels in dreams. what does this even mean? is it true? I feel like if i never heard this i'd have a lot more fun in ld's.

You're probably right. Don't ever believe you can't whatever in a dream, it's silly. Even if you don't get it right away it's just a matter of letting you mind work its way around it. This is so true that I often acomplish dream goals in non-lucids - my mind knows what I'm after, so it just does it.

Originally Posted by LiveInTheDream

I have personally never had any trouble adjusting the lights in a dream. Whether it's as complex as a day/night transition or as simple as a light switch it's absolutely no problem. Everything looks as it should with no exceptions that I can think of.

This is just a theory, but I attribute this (as well as other similar dream control things) to my extensive computer background. I do 3D stuff (games included), special effects, and photo post-processing, all of which requires a detailed attention to lighting. So I think it makes it easier for my mind to affect how something is lit, because I can think through what all the major lighting changes should look like so easily.

I totally agree. It's the same for me. I think visual artists have it easier with light, color and textures, just as I assume musicians will have an easier time with sound and chefs an easier time with flavours.
And it's not just what your brain is wired to do, it's what you do in daily life. If you see details while awake, you'll see them in your sleep.

If you are in dark room, imagine there is bright daylight outside and then look for a window/curtain and open it. This should work indoors. Or if you are outside then imagine the sun rising up, but do it SLOWLY if you are beginning to adjust light levels. Because if you take it too fast you will just end up waking or in a FA. Either method takes about 7-10 tries to get good at it, so keep practicing.

Originally Posted by Emkinator

Be confident!

^This.

And just think...have you ever had a non-lucid dream where the lighting changed? Chances are you have at some point or another. So why should it be hard in a lucid dream?

In fact, that would apply to just about any struggle with dream control. If you've done it in a non-lucid, it should be no problem in a lucid dream. It's a confidence issue, not a 'can' or 'can't' or 'I need to know some secret to do it'.

Originally Posted by yumester

Say out loud "INCREASE BRIGHTNESS".

Or if you are outside, look at the horizon and use your hand and "the force" to make the sun, or a bright moon rise.

Yeah I've tried the thing with the hand, but every time I try, something always wakes me up.

But yeah, it definitely is possible to control light levels. It can be tricky.

I tried the rising sun trick once and I think it worked. I came up with an idea to increase light and vividness aswell. You get a tv remote control that you tell yourself controls your whole dream and find the setting on it that controls the contrast or brightness and increase the brightness on the remote to 100%-same with clarity to increase the vividness. (You would probably need a tv on for this to work)

I only tried it once and it didn't work but that was because I was having a complete blackout and then I woke-up. It seems like a good idea in theory, you could try it anyway and see if it works! I will try it next time I get lucid although I'm not having such great lucids lately

I command the dream (it's sort of funny, actually ;P) to 'brighten up'! Or, if I am outside, I say 'sun up' or similiar.

If I'm inside, I can always just open a door and expect that room/area to be bright.

One technique I tried worked but I wouldn't say it's the best. I actually hit the light switch and lost my vision in the dream. I became unstable. I grabbed things near me and listened. I used my other senses. Then the vision came back... but the walls were like green and black
Perhaps this technique can be used like if you close your eyes until you "see through" your eyelids. If you know what I mean.

I think you're just obsessing about it in your dreams, try doing other stuff, light levels are boring.

Originally Posted by Jonny the Nameless

I think you're just obsessing about it in your dreams, try doing other stuff, light levels are boring.

Well alot of time in my dreams it will be too dark to see anything except basic shapes. Im pretty sure most people would want to be able to see

I use the Clapper.

CLAP ON! CLAP OFF! CLAP ON CLAP OFF CLAP ON!

(Singing is optional.)

Originally Posted by yumester

Well alot of time in my dreams it will be too dark to see anything except basic shapes. Im pretty sure most people would want to be able to see

Things just seem crazy in the dream world when you haven't experienced them for yourself. Too right I'd want to see, good luck with it

Will the sun to rise. Really brightens the dream world and you'll get to see some spectacular fantastical sun rises.

I liked waking life, but it really set a lot of people back with all of the myths they perpetuated. Its only true if you believe it.

try sleeping with your light on, maybe your dreams will be light too.

I remember I had an LD once, but I didn't have good control and it was nighttime. I tried turning it into daytime, but it didn't work... So I yelled at the sky and then lost Lucidity... Strange dream...
But I have bad control anyway, so...

I would say, just expect it to be sunny or bright. I always wake up in a lucid when it's dark. But when I walk out through a door, I just visualize the place being lit up.

Has anyone here tried studying how lightbulbs work and then turning them on/off in dreams?

For me, this is the easiest solution to duplicate something from real life in a dream.

I spend a lot of time with electronics and I know a good deal about how they work, so I've never had a problem getting them to work in dreams. Similar thing with light. Like I already said, I work a lot with light for photography, so I know how it should work on the environment around me for the light to change. I could go on...bottom line seems to be that if you can somewhat grasp how something is supposed to work, you'll be able to duplicate it in your dreams.

Last time I wanted more light, I started singing AC/DC's Let there be Rock. And when it got the part "Let there be light", there was light!

Originally Posted by The Cusp

Last time I wanted more light, I started singing AC/DC's Let there be Rock. And when it got the part "Let there be light", there was light!

LOVE IT!

actually i've had kinda a similar problem.
see most of my dreams are in black and white or everything is just shades of grey and a couple times once i've woken up i've wished that there was color thinking it would make the dreams more interesting. I haven't been able to change the light levels in the actual dreams.