Can you create an experience out of nothing?

[antu]

Hi, my name's Amanda. I've been finding myself having a hard time to create something I've never seen or done before in a lucid dream, even though I pride myself on my imagination. Example, last night I became lucid and decided to go scuba diving in Bermuda. I've never been to Bermuda, so all I could sum up was some sand and a palm tree. Then I managed to feel as if I was swimming, but I couldn't see anything. I could feel the flippers on my feet, I suppose because once when I was a kid I wore flippers in a pool, but I couldn't see. I've watched enough scuba diving videos, but I guess it wasn't enough. That said, I've never flown before and I've done plenty of that in my lucid dreams. Anyone have experience with this? Is there a way to overcome this other than experiencing it in real life?

[eperbokor]

Of course you can. What you can visualize in your mind's eye, you can dream about it. The properties are given by your mind. If you haven't heard of it or seen it on TV or something, your mind will create the attributes to the particular event. It depends on what YOU think about it. When I was little I was wounded in my dreams, but I didn't watch any action movies(cartoons<3) or been wounded seriously so that my mind can translate them to dream attributes, thus in my dreams my wounds were scratches. Since then, I had pretty serious injuries and seen inevitably gores on the net, since then my mind can associate those and use it in dreams. If you want to overcome it, just read about it, watch about it, visualize it and experience it there. Check the Lucid Tasks of the Year.

[Mzzkc]

I'm of the belief you can't experience anything in a dream that you don't have some experience with IWL. Yes, your mind fills in details the best it can, but dreaming about and (especially) willingly creating something without the necessary connections built up is just asking for trouble. Eperbokor offered an excellent solution to this problem.

[Tranquil Toad]

How about letting your subconscious take the load. Instead of trying to create the whole scene yourself, just expect to be in a certain situation. For instance, if you wanted to go scuba diving, don't try to imagine all the details (the flippers, water, fish, etc) just jump in the water and let your mind do the rest for you. Your subconscious creates most of the environments in a lucid dream, you just direct it into the area that you wish. You don't have to do everything yourself; in fact, if you do, you will be limiting your experience. Your subconscious is much more capable of creation than your conscious mind. All you have to do is give it the cue on what general them you wish it to create.

[Waterknight]

Well i dont know anything about all these methods of doing stuff or whatever and i can almost never remember a dream unless I control it. but about what you are asking. I have a nightmare that occasionally happens (I learned to control my dreams from this nightmare) and it is always the same. Unless I choose to change it. One time I decided to put myself on a cruise with my girlfriend. that cruise in my dreamworld is the only one i have ever been on. It was great and I bet the food was even better than on a real cruise