Dreamography

13 JAN 2011

Nearing the apparent conclusion of a lengthy and dramatic dream, I find myself running through narrow streets and building sites in an attempt to reach 'safety'. I recognise this as a fear-based situation and gradually become lucid. Scaffolding poles begin to fall around me, and I instinctively cover my head with my arm, even as I am beginning to sense that I cannot actually be harmed.

As I consider my options, I realise that the first thing I should do is simply step out of the narrative; an option available to anyone, at any time, whether dreaming or awake (for only then can other options be clearly considered). And, sure enough, the moment I stop running everything around me becomes totally quiet and serene - eerily so, in fact.

Looking into the distance, I see a huge metallic monolith blocking my way. Then I focus on what's immediately around me (rubble, a digger truck, wasteland) and feel this to be one of the most solid and 'realistic' dream environments I've ever experienced. So much so, in fact, that the prospect of flying or manipulating objects seems as unlikely as it does in waking reality. As an experiment, therefore, I resort to verbal commands (which have worked in the past).... "Take me up there," I demand, looking at the giant monolith. But nothing happens.

Of course, there was no compelling reason to go onwards, since I had stepped outside of the narrative. Indeed, there was nowhere to go at all, nor anything to achieve, in the absence of a linear context of some kind. [In the absence of the ego?] And this realisation filled me with a profound sense of bliss and freedom. As I contemplated the matter further, I felt that I was being given a valuable insight into the subtle nature of the prison (the egoic auto-pilot) which keeps most people enslaved. And it really is 'subtle', at the end of the day... Freedom itself being nothing more than a shift in one's perspective.

Notes

In light of the above dream, I would like to refine my description of OILD. Specifically, I would like to introduce the concept of a get out of jail free card (or 'option') which exists permanently in one's back pocket, so to speak, regardless of whether one is awake or asleep. In other words, it's not merely that one has other options to consider, in any given situation (context based), but that one [always] has the option to 'play the card' and transcend the context altogether. Indeed, this is the first option that one should utilise when 'triggered' to do so by obstacles, conflicts or fear-based situations, etc.

Needless to say, it's not as easy as it sounds, because emotions, fear and ego tend to prevail. This is because we are totally identified with the 'narrative' of own waking lives and the resulting sense of identity. I suppose what I'm ultimately referring to here is detachment, clarity of mind, and the dissolution of the apparent self (if only temporarily)... Which is, of course, the goal of many spiritual traditions, which also happen to see "lucid dreaming" as an indication of one's progress.

"Use your perceived enemy to destroy your real enemy."

OILD - Because there's ALWAYS another option!

12 Jan 2011

My [deceased] parents and I are on a clifftop overlooking a local beach. It's night time and the moon is very low in the sky, illuminating the whole scene. We discuss how beautiful it is. Then I find myself swimming in the ocean below with lots of other people. It's now a warm and sunny day. Suddenly, a lifeguard on the beach gets a radio call and dives into the ocean. He swims toward a young boy who appears to be drowning, and drags him back to safety. At this point I start to feel lighter and, pushing the boundaries of what seems possible, I find that by kicking my legs furiously I can rise up out of the water. Soon I am virtually walking on it, having only my feet below the surface.

Interpretation: This seems to be about gaining mastery over my emotions (the low moon, for example, followed by a rising up from the sea (of emotion?). If both the drowning boy and the lifeguard are aspects of myself, then it makes sense that I should feel 'lighter', once the boy had been rescued.

Notes: The dream also had a feeling of OILD about it (Options Induced Lucid Dream). It's a technique that I've been developing and experimenting with for a couple of weeks now. It basically works on the premise that 99% of our reactions in life (and assumptions about it) are entirely robotic (conditioned responses), and that there are, therefore, ALWAYS other options available - only we don't usually consider them. The technique, then, involves constantly observing - and, most importantly, questioning - one's reactions, especially when confronted by apparent obstacles, conflicts, limitations or fear-based situations. Inherent to this, of course, is discerning where one is. However, unlike a basic RC, the value of actually questioning one's programmed reactions (and breaking free of those reactions in daily life) is becoming increasingly apparent to me. Whilst people may not have limitless options in waking reality, in terms of being able to walk on water, etc, we certainly do have many more options than our 'auto-pilot' permits us to realise.

Needless to say, the constant questioning of one's reactions and limitations, in the pursuit of greater freedom, carries over into dreams. And this is what I got a sense of as I was flapping about in the water.

For some people, automatic and uncontrolled aggression is an aspect of their programming; their auto-pilot. For most, however, I feel that timidity is the 'problem' - that we simply go along to get along. The degree to which one may want to substitute timidity for boldness obviously depends upon the situation (and crucially, whether one is dreaming or not). But it's precisely in the establishing of this fact that greater freedom and lucidity are achieved, not only in dreams, but in waking reality as well.

A recent (unrecorded) dream went something like this:

I was back in school and the teacher began handing out packets of crisps, which we weren't allowed to eat until break-time. He then issued a stern reminder not to secretly eat them in class, which I recognized as a conflict (a limitation of my freedom), and so began considering other options. This led to the realisation that I was dreaming. And so, standing up, I confidently uttered the following words: "Not only will I eat my crisps now, but I'll also eat yours, and I'll do so right in front of your face."

Had I been using this technique during my actual school days (instead of merely going through the motions on auto-pilot), I would surely have been a lot less timid. In fact, after receiving an unjust detention (for example), I may, having questioned my options, have said something to the effect of: "Not only will I not be coming to your detention, sir, but if you ever issue me one again, I'll tell my parents that you've been touching me inappropriately." (Whilst I wouldn't have actually made any false accusations, it would surely have put the fear of God into the teacher).

OILD - Because there's ALWAYS another option!