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    CanisLucidus

    El Camino Real

    by , 06-08-2013 at 04:13 PM (792 Views)
    Looks like I need to go back to my "stop falling for false awakenings" and "stop missing dreamsigns" fundamentals. Still a fun dream, and got to try out a new teleport method (with mixed results.)

    Color legend: Non-dream Dream Lucid

    Lucid #102: El Camino Real

    I'm at a lucid dreaming camp with lots of people from my past. Throughout the day, we swim and boat in the lake, walk by the lakeside, and do various crafts. I tell everyone that "it's too late for me. I took galantamine and it didn't work. Let's get the rest of you lucid." I teach them about dreamsigns, awareness, and even supplements. I'm frustrated that I've failed to have a lucid dream but I figure maybe I'll feel better if some of the other camp participants can have a lucid.

    This goes on for a really long time and eventually I run across Britney Spears eating a blueberry muffin in one of the hallways. She complains that her career is in a slump. I suggest that she would be a perfect spokesperson for blueberry muffin sales. She's thrilled with the idea. In celebration, she takes a staggeringly huge, very unladylike bite out of the muffin, paper and all. I feel incredibly savvy and very proud of myself.


    From there, I have a false awakening: Wife and I are starting our day and she switches on the TV. (She never does this in the morning.)The music video for Madonna's "Like a Virgin" is playing on the TV. Her love interest is the guy who played the mummy in The Mummy movies. After the first verse, the TV switches to a 3d rendering of The Killers performing in front of the university Wife and I attended. "That's The Killers," she says. (She doesn't know what they look like.) We're sitting in a cafeteria now, watching people order food while I complain about how I failed to realize I was dreaming just a moment ago when it was so obvious. Some guy carrying a tray of food totally wipes out and gets spaghetti all over himself. Wife laughs when this happens, which seems cruel and out of character. (Big dreamsign. She thinks the part in Karate Kid where Daniel-San spills spaghetti on himself and everybody laughs is super mean.)

    Now I'm staring out of a window in some kitchen, feeling sorry for myself that I didn't get lucid. I think that I could be dreaming right now, but everything is just too vivid. And yet... it finally dawns on me. I look over at Wife preparing food at the kitchen counter and it's so real that it almost costs me my lucidity. I decide that I'd better get moving.

    The next room is a darkened dining room with an elegantly set table and an unlit candelabra. It's dark in the room and I decide that it would be best to leave the house, so I head for a wall and phase through it. There's no scene beyond the wall, and I wind up in the void.

    I quickly rub my hands together and keep walking, thinking that I'll try a new teleport method out of the void, building on an idea that PennyRoyal had suggested. I place my fingers in front of my eyes and imagine them gently wiggling. Pretty soon my hands take shape in front of me and I begin to imagine a new scene behind them -- the Alamo, the arranged meeting spot with Art. Once I feel like the scene's ready, I move my hands aside and find myself in...

    ... Silicon Valley, walking along El Camino Real. There's even a roadsign marking out the intersection of "82" (El Camino Real) and "93" (unknown road.) It's a beautiful day, typical perfect weather for the South Bay. I jog up a residential street, and a lady power-walking with her dog gives me a friendly wave. I wave back. I know that I have tasks that I'm forgetting, but they refuse to come to mind.

    Moving a bit further along the street, I pass my old friend Wang. I ask him how he's been and he says, "I can't talk right now. I've got to be careful not to catch a cold." When I accept this, he breaks into a laugh like he really pulled one over on me. "I'm just kidding!" he says. "I know that you're dreaming this!" He shouts across the street to a lady who's watering her lawn. "Do you know he's dreaming all of this?" I'm a little distracted by how hyper-realistic Wang looks. His lips move flawlessly with the words he's speaking. I wonder how it's possible for all of this to fit inside my head.

    The woman is dark-haired, mid-40s, clad in sweat pants. "Oh, like that 'lucid dreaming'? I've always wanted to do that." I respond with a few encouraging words and jokingly say something along the lines of "better make sure that you're not dreaming right now, too." She and Wang laugh and I say, "You know what? Let me show you guys a couple of things." With that, I hope onto the trunk of a parked car and leap to to top of another parked car, intending from there to take off in flight. For some reason the flying doesn't happen, though, and I wind up hovering face-first a few inches off of the ground. Fortunately, this is still cool enough to impress.

    "Guys," I tell them, "I'm going to try another teleport. It was good talking to you." They say goodbye, and I put my hands over my eyes again, trying once again to imagine the Alamo. I give it a little longer to incubate this time, waiting until I can "see" the structure fairly well in my mind. But when I remove my hands, I'm somewhere else near Palo Alto. I can see the Stanford Foothills. The vision out of my left eye looks odd, sort of like I have one messed up contact lens. I ignore it, take to the air, and fly just a bit before
    the dream ends.

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    Comments

    1. Iokheira's Avatar
      How awesome! I'm glad it finally clicked that you were dreaming, all that would have been a really big facepalm and the realism! Dude! Think it was because of the supplements you took or just plain being awesome? Sounds like it was perfect.
      CanisLucidus likes this.
    2. Xanous's Avatar
      Love this! Nice one!
      CanisLucidus likes this.
    3. Highlander's Avatar
      Yes FA's are a pain, but a great opportunity at the same time, provided we realise!

      Congrats. on the lucid and the teleportation method BTW.
      CanisLucidus likes this.
    4. PennyRoyal's Avatar
      Nice! Congrats on the lucid.

      So close with that teleport! It kind of worked, just didn't quite get the scene you were hoping for I like that your buddy was so stoked for you that he was telling the other DCs that you were dreaming lol.
      CanisLucidus likes this.
    5. NyxCC's Avatar
      Congrats on the SSILD!

      Wow! I really like that you are such a dedicated DG, working 24/7 for the lucidity of others even during dreamtime, and even after you supposedly failed to get lucid that night.

      I was thinking that it can be quite hard to distinguish dreams from real life if they are so realistic and vivid. Was hunting for dreams signs today, there was no way I could prove that it isn't a dream. Just because signs aren't changing or I have the right number of fingers doesn't prove it's not a dream. We must constantly be on our toes, questioning.

      It is very interesting how you end up in the void by walking through a wall just like that. I will also be reading your tips on the void a bit later as there is a lot going on today, but wanted say thanks in advance for the explanation.
      CanisLucidus likes this.
    6. CanisLucidus's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by NewArtemis
      How awesome! I'm glad it finally clicked that you were dreaming, all that would have been a really big facepalm and the realism! Dude! Think it was because of the supplements you took or just plain being awesome? Sounds like it was perfect.
      Thanks, Art! =D Yeah, it would have really sucked to wake up from an NLD where I spent the entire time facepalming about my failures.

      The realism was really crazy, and my best guess is that it's because I hit this one very, very late in the morning. I woke up from it just about when my kids were starting to wake up. Combine that with the fact that it was galantamine night and I think that might have been what was going on. The only thing missing was properly showing up for the Alamo meet... but that's what tonight is for!

      Quote Originally Posted by Xanous
      Love this! Nice one!
      I appreciate that, brother! It was a cloooose call... very nearly didn't get lucid. I was fully prepared to write you another one of my sniffling, whining VMs or PMs where I blubber about what could have gone wrong?? Bet you never get tired of those!
      NewArtemis and Xanous like this.
    7. CanisLucidus's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Highlander
      Yes FA's are a pain, but a great opportunity at the same time, provided we realise!

      Congrats. on the lucid and the teleportation method BTW.
      Yeah, false awakenings are amazing LD opportunities... you really have to be on your toes. Since I'm playing with SSILD right now, I should have been more ready. I'm just so gullible in the moment though! And thanks!

      Quote Originally Posted by PennyRoyal
      Nice! Congrats on the lucid.

      So close with that teleport! It kind of worked, just didn't quite get the scene you were hoping for I like that your buddy was so stoked for you that he was telling the other DCs that you were dreaming lol.
      Yeah, thank you again for the great idea! It worked flawlessly for changing the scene. The only missing element was a stronger performance from me in filling in more scene details and believing that I'm where I want to be. More details. Should have felt the Texas summer heat and thought about exactly where I was standing.

      The crucial thing was the scene change, though. AND, I see no reason this couldn't work even if I don't get the chance to use it from the void. It's a cool tech.

      And yeah, "Wang" was real cool in this dream. The DCs in general seemed pretty well-informed. Not sure how they'd have reacted to me speaking gibberish. Too bad I didn't get to find out!

      Quote Originally Posted by NyxCC
      Congrats on the SSILD!

      Wow! I really like that you are such a dedicated DG, working 24/7 for the lucidity of others even during dreamtime, and even after you supposedly failed to get lucid that night.

      I was thinking that it can be quite hard to distinguish dreams from real life if they are so realistic and vivid. Was hunting for dreams signs today, there was no way I could prove that it isn't a dream. Just because signs aren't changing or I have the right number of fingers doesn't prove it's not a dream. We must constantly be on our toes, questioning.

      It is very interesting how you end up in the void by walking through a wall just like that. I will also be reading your tips on the void a bit later as there is a lot going on today, but wanted say thanks in advance for the explanation.
      Thanks, Nyx! And heh, yeah it was a little bit like those days on DV where I show up a little blue that I didn't hit an LD or a cool NLD and instead just live vicariously through other peoples' dream journals.

      Normally I can catch the feel of the dream a little more easily once I start thinking along those lines, but when vividness and realism get too high, it gets tougher and tougher. The old standby of "prove to myself that all of this makes sense" is still the one approach that has never failed me. If I start having dreams which are actually logical, I'm gonna be in trouble! Like you said, it's so important to have that habit of your critically questioning, skeptical mind interrupting those runaway, dreamlike trains of thought during the day.

      And you are very welcome! I hope the tips help. Once you get some more practice with it, you will begin to feel right at home during those transitions through the void. It'll be great.
      Highlander and NyxCC like this.
    8. Xanous's Avatar
      Bet you never get tired of those
      Never! That's what friends are for...even online ones. Lucid encouragement is really an invaluable tool!
      CanisLucidus and NyxCC like this.
    9. Ctharlhie's Avatar
      That teleport was pretty badass. For some reason I could really imagine it happening in an Inception-style movie.
      CanisLucidus likes this.
    10. JoannaB's Avatar
      Yay, congrats. I must admit I kind of like those dreams of telling one's DCs about lucidity. But yes, if you had not become lucid at some point that would have been less fun for sure.
      CanisLucidus likes this.
    11. NyxCC's Avatar
      Normally I can catch the feel of the dream a little more easily once I start thinking along those lines, but when vividness and realism get too high, it gets tougher and tougher. The old standby of "prove to myself that all of this makes sense" is still the one approach that has never failed me. If I start having dreams which are actually logical, I'm gonna be in trouble! Like you said, it's so important to have that habit of your critically questioning, skeptical mind interrupting those runaway, dreamlike trains of thought during the day.
      I have a friend that is always very skeptical about everything in real life, and he says he gets (I suspect quite a number of) lds. I wonder if that is somehow related in his case. That's the guy who is not interested in dreams too, ironically.

      While the majority of my dreams have a lot of out-of-place items or DCs (like Britney and the muffin), I also have a lot of what I call boring real life type of dreams. Those are hard to catch so RC carryover may be the only means to get lucid there. That and awareness of course.
      CanisLucidus likes this.
    12. PostScript99's Avatar
      I guess I'm not the only one who falls for FAs, then. It seems my subconscious is the only one that actively censors every lucid dreaming reference in my dreams, though. My DCs never talk about lucid dreaming, and whenever I mention it, the word 'dream' is silenced to keep me from becoming lucid.

      That was really a creative way to teleport, though. I've found that reading the exploits of others is really quite motivating to me. Good luck, and more lucids to you.
      CanisLucidus likes this.
    13. CanisLucidus's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by Ctharlhie
      That teleport was pretty badass. For some reason I could really imagine it happening in an Inception-style movie.
      Thanks! I wish that my targeting had been a little better, but the scene which emerged was so fun to interact with that there's nothing I can complain about. A clean jump to a new scene is certainly a good proof of concept. The rest is undoubtedly just down to practice and getting the mind more and more flexible about accepting this new schema.

      Quote Originally Posted by JoannaB
      Yay, congrats. I must admit I kind of like those dreams of telling one's DCs about lucidity. But yes, if you had not become lucid at some point that would have been less fun for sure.
      Thank you, JoannaB! I'm the same way. Even though I understand that these characters are a creation of the mind, they're often really interesting to talk to. My enthusiasm for showing off is a whole other story, ha ha...

      And yeah, if I had missed that jump to lucidity, I'd have felt completely differently about the whole experience. Sometimes these things are balanced on the edge of a knife, at least at my skill level. It went my way, though, and I'm grateful!
      Ctharlhie likes this.
    14. CanisLucidus's Avatar
      Quote Originally Posted by NyxCC
      I have a friend that is always very skeptical about everything in real life, and he says he gets (I suspect quite a number of) lds. I wonder if that is somehow related in his case. That's the guy who is not interested in dreams too, ironically.

      While the majority of my dreams have a lot of out-of-place items or DCs (like Britney and the muffin), I also have a lot of what I call boring real life type of dreams. Those are hard to catch so RC carryover may be the only means to get lucid there. That and awareness of course.
      What you say about skepticism makes sense! It requires a certain skepticism about the nature of reality itself (or at least one's current reality), which is something many skeptics don't readily generate. I have a very skeptical, scientific natural mindset myself, which can be both a help and a hindrance in lucid dreaming practice. It's helpful for learning what works and what doesn't, but at other times I like to set aside the urge to prejudge the why/how of everything I might experience.

      I know what you mean about "boring real life" dreams! Man, a while back I had a rash of vivid yet horribly boring non-lucids where I was stuck in meetings at work. They were so real and my boredom so consuming that I never thought to reality check. They sucked so bad that I finally appealed to Art for help with getting my dream content a little more interesting. (And also started reality checking in boring meetings!)

      Quote Originally Posted by PostScript99
      I guess I'm not the only one who falls for FAs, then. It seems my subconscious is the only one that actively censors every lucid dreaming reference in my dreams, though. My DCs never talk about lucid dreaming, and whenever I mention it, the word 'dream' is silenced to keep me from becoming lucid.

      That was really a creative way to teleport, though. I've found that reading the exploits of others is really quite motivating to me. Good luck, and more lucids to you.
      You are certainly not! I used to be a little better about this, although I've always been far from 100% at detecting them. When I was doing a lot of SSILDing I got better at detecting them out of necessity. Now that I've done a little more SSILD the past few days, I'm having to deal with them again. Turns out I'm a little rusty.

      Thanks for the kind words on the teleport! I owe PennyRoyal for the original idea of covering eyes with hands (his solution for those of us who are uncomfortable with closing/opening eyes in dreams.) Trying this out of the void was an idea that arose more or less spontaneously. I'm with you on how motivating it is to check out what others are doing in their DJ entries! It gets me excited and inspired... reminds me of just how much is possible.

      Good luck and many lucids to you as well!
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    15. NyxCC's Avatar
      I have a very skeptical, scientific natural mindset myself, which can be both a help and a hindrance in lucid dreaming practice. It's helpful for learning what works and what doesn't, but at other times I like to set aside the urge to prejudge the why/how of everything I might experience
      While I am not too skeptical, I come along as overly analytical and I understand what you mean. We sometimes tend to discard data that doesn't fit logically and thus can miss out something important. I am slowly learning to keep things in an inconclusive state, meaning I keep both logical and illogical arguments side by side, reach a temporary conclusion and trick my mind that more information is necessary to totally prove or disprove my experiences.

      They were so real and my boredom so consuming that I never thought to reality check. They sucked so bad that I finally appealed to Art for help with getting my dream content a little more interesting. (And also started reality checking in boring meetings!)
      RCing during those boring meetings is a very wise choice, plus I guess you have plenty of time and opportunity to RC then.
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