Oneirin's Dreamworld

5/19/23
I'm standing with B in the backyard in The Meadow and something doesn't seem 100% right. I look at my hands and count 5 fingers on both, rotating them back and forth. I look once again doing the same procedure, yet they continue to look real. I get a sense that this simply isn't waking reality and my awareness begins to rise a bit more as I tend to push my awareness during waking life. I become aware that I'm in a dream. I turn to B and say "Now we're lucid" as I begin to rise up a fly with enjoyment. I start heading toward the far end of the yard where tall trees in the woods loom behind the fence. I continue to fly but soon realize that I'm risking having the dream fade if I fly into the darkness. I decide to keep the dream more stable by turning around and flying toward the house. I see a light emanating from the door on the right side and fly in that direction. I head toward the laundry room which has a door open. I see the washer and dryer with the doors situated vertically - they're both projecting a holographic image on them with a blue hue. I consider two of my major dream goals: heading to my dream sanctuary as well as asking what my spiritual path is. I begin asking the dream what my spiritual bath is - I ask twice yet get no answer. I decide to sit and practice zazen. I sit facing the wall and begin meditation. B sits to my right. I'm interested in how stable my awareness is within the dream state. I see the slight warbling effects of my visuals through my half open eyes, but my awareness is pretty steady. I meditate for about a minute, then get up. I reflect on how my awareness in the dream seems a bit more stable since several years prior. I continue to make my way to the next room an consider heading to my dream sanctuary. I take in the visuals of the kitchen and head to the family room. I hold off on the dream goal and decide to meditate in my usual spot in real life. I enter the family room and face the sliding glass doors and notice snow flurries coming to the ground outside. I see my reflection and I'm wearing the same pjs I wore to bed. I look very similar to real life with slightly shorter hair. I set to meditate and B is by my side once again. I stabilize my awareness. A thought passes through my awareness of what it would be like if all my dreams were lucid- would that just be too much time in the state? What if there are bad dreams? I come back to awareness. After about a minute I get up and return to the central area of the kitchen and consider looking for a portal to head to the dream sanctuary. I look at the bathroom door, basement door and front. I decide to just chill for a bit though, and just enjoy the dream environment. I think, hey why not get some chocolate and decide to get some chocolate ice cream from the fridge (having a giant chocolate bar was a just-for-fun dream goal anyway!). I see French Vanilla ice cream and think that would be great and grab the container. I also see a large Valor dark chocolate bar in red and gold wrapper with about 2/3 remaining and the wrapper pulled back - I grab that too. I put my hand into the ice cream, grab a big chunk and try it. It tastes pretty good! About 50% of the flavor of real life. I head toward the table with the ice cream and chocolate bar, but decide to grab a cup and spoon for the ice cream since I don't want to be messy - reflecting on making bad karmic patterns even in the dram state. I sit back next to B, and notice the edge of the cup with ice cream dripping down. I reflect on how cool it is to be in this aware state, just chilling and hanging out with my 'dream brother'. After a moment, the dream begins to fade a bit and I begin to come to back to my waking body.
Factors: Awareness practice; Illusory form practice; Mantra before bed; Reishi - midnight