"Everything is of the substance of dreams" technique?

**Bharmo** · 01-04-2014 08:59 PM

I've been doing some research on "lucid living" techniques, things like ADA, 24/7 RCs, etc (sorry if not using "lucid living" 100% correctly), and I realized there is one of such techniques in EWOLD. I've read it several times but never payed much attention to it, I felt like LaBerge himself thought that technique was not going to be taking seriously by much readers,and didn't go too much into it. He says it comes from dream yoga, and you can have a look in chapter 3 "Waking up in the dream world", under "Power of resolution" for the full version. Here's only a summary:

1. Day practice:
During the day, “under all conditions” think continuously that “all things are of the substance of dreams” and resolve that you will realize their true nature.
2. Night practice:
At night, when about to go to sleep, “firmly resolve” that you will comprehend the dream state — that is, realize that it is not real, but a dream.

I know a lot of people has tried things like ADA, but my question is: Do you know if anyone has tried this, and with what results? Do you think this technique would really be effective?

**Laurelindo** · 01-05-2014 01:35 PM

I haven't really heard of anyone's results with this technique, but the fact is that waking life is in many ways very similar to dreaming, because everything you experience in waking life is constructed just like dreams - you receive sensory input, and your brain makes a model of the world.
The only real difference in dreaming is that you have no external stimuli, so your brain makes a model based on your feelings, desires, expectations etc.
So you never actually see or experience things directly, you just experience your brain's representation of it.
If you realize this in the waking state, and think of waking life as a form of dreaming, then you should theoretically become more observant of the dreams as well.

**Bharmo** · 01-05-2014 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Laurelindo

I haven't really heard of anyone's results with this technique, but the fact is that waking life is in many ways very similar to dreaming, because everything you experience in waking life is constructed just like dreams - you receive sensory input, and your brain makes a model of the world.
The only real difference in dreaming is that you have no external stimuli, so your brain makes a model based on your feelings, desires, expectations etc.
So you never actually see or experience things directly, you just experience your brain's representation of it.
If you realize this in the waking state, and think of waking life as a form of dreaming, then you should theoretically become more observant of the dreams as well.

Thanks for your answer, Laurelindo.
I'm familiar with that line of thought, although I don't agree with it 100%. I agree with you that theoretically that "technique" should work, but never knew of anyone who claimed have used it... And no one answered to this thread saying they do.
I personally do not feel comfortable with the idea of going around IWL thinking everything is a dream, I would rather do SAT, ADA or something similar, but I was wondering if anyone had tried and with what results.

**LouaiB** · 01-06-2014 09:54 AM

I wouldn't recommend it.
Self-awareness exercises are much better.

**Bharmo** · 01-06-2014 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by LouaiB

I wouldn't recommend it.
Self-awareness exercises are much better.

Most of LaBerge's techniques have been thoroughly tested by thousands of people, so I was wondering about this one... But yes, you are probably right.
Thanks!

**Laurelindo** · 01-06-2014 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by dreambh

Thanks for your answer, Laurelindo.
I'm familiar with that line of thought, although I don't agree with it 100%. I agree with you that theoretically that "technique" should work, but never knew of anyone who claimed have used it... And no one answered to this thread saying they do.
I personally do not feel comfortable with the idea of going around IWL thinking everything is a dream, I would rather do SAT, ADA or something similar, but I was wondering if anyone had tried and with what results.

You are not supposed to believe that waking life is a dream either, the point of this technique is to realize that waking life and dreams are constructed the same way - from sensory input.
One piece of very strong proof that waking life is not experienced directly is the fact that you can hallucinate - hallucinations don't exist in the physical world, it is your brain that creates them - and the same is true for everything you see in waking life.
It is a model by your brain, not the physical world itself.

**LouaiB** · 01-06-2014 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by Laurelindo

You are not supposed to believe that waking life is a dream either, the point of this technique is to realize that waking life and dreams are constructed the same way - from sensory input.
One piece of very strong proof that waking life is not experienced directly is the fact that you can hallucinate - hallucinations don't exist in the physical world, it is your brain that creates them - and the same is true for everything you see in waking life.
It is a model by your brain, not the physical world itself.

True. This technique, I think, we actually do now, since we all know that concept(the one just explained by Laurelindo.

**Bharmo** · 01-06-2014 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Laurelindo

You are not supposed to believe that waking life is a dream either, the point of this technique is to realize that waking life and dreams are constructed the same way - from sensory input.

Thanks for clarifying that, Laurelindo, I get it better now.
I don't agree with things like "waking life is also a dream" or "another form of dreaming", although I totally respect others view points, I feel I actually learn a lot around here. But I personally feel more comfortable saying "we perceive waking life in a subjective way just as we do dreams".

**LouaiB** · 01-06-2014 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by dreambh

Thanks for clarifying that, Laurelindo, I get it better now.
I don't agree with things like "waking life is also a dream" or "another form of dreaming", although I totally respect others view points, I feel I actually learn a lot around here. But I personally feel more comfortable saying "we perceive waking life in a subjective way just as we do dreams".

True, it's all the same thing. We process what we experience through our brains, and the only difference is using sensory input or memory, but the experience is the same. As you also said, we perceive waking life in a subjective way just as we do dreams.