Stabilization Fundamentals

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Originally Posted by Ctharlhie

I never cease to be amazed by the way people dismiss semantics as trivial compared to some posited truth 'beyond words'. * The differance between 'attention' and 'expectation' is crucial in dreaming, which is so much mediated by our schemata.

*not a personal attack on you! FryingMan

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I actually completely agree with you, Ctharlhie. So sorry Fryingman for now un-liking your post - but I felt like doing that to be consistent. :wink:

^^ Yes, Chtharlhie was, as he is so often, spot-on correct...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ctharlhie

I never cease to be amazed by the way people dismiss semantics as trivial compared to some posited truth 'beyond words'. * The difference between 'attention' and 'expectation' is crucial in dreaming, which is so much mediated by our schemata.

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... meaning is critical, especially in terms that are practically archetypical in the practice of lucid dreaming, and truly singular in their own meanings.

I don't think you properly understood my comment, maybe I was too brief.

What is crucial is the mindset behind the words. The label that is applied is just that, a label, and yes, the label is not important. The "feeling" and process of how your mind operates is what is important. I believe the exchange above in the quote I included shows that the label applied to the mental operation is of basically no importance, while the operation itself is what is important.

You can't say that there is a difference between "expectation" and "attention" without first painstakingly defining the mental mindset behind them, and as TheCusp showed, if the mental operation behind one person's label of "expectation" matches the mental operation HE attaches to "focused attention" then they are in fact one and the same thing.

So, yes, "just semantics" means that the label doesn't matter, it's what BEHIND the label that matters.

edit: and let me add that yes, terms ("semantics") *are* important, for without them holding a conversation is all but impossible. But that's very difficult, isn't it, for strictly personal internal experiences, using terms that are already (over?) used. People can get together and point at a "cat" and agree on this term for the thing (dare I say, archetypal schema? :)) called "cat", but how do we get beyond this hurdle for dreaming experiences? It's al but impossible to even be able to agree on a vocabulary that matches a mode of mental operation.

So the discussion shouldn't run "no you're wrong, expectation is crap, etc.", it should go: "Just what exactly do you mean by "expectation"?") (which, by the way, I do wish someone would go to the effort of defining the mental models behind just what this term means to them).

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Originally Posted by FryingMan

It's al but impossible to even be able to agree on a vocabulary that matches a mode of mental operation.

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Challenge accepted.

Im not yet able to lucid dream, but Im wondering if you feel like the environment in your dream is something you have created or if there are contingencies that present themselves.? I liked the eating wood comment. I dreamt that once.

Like I've outlined here and elsewhere, dreams form in a very specific way. I've yet to encounter an exception to these hardwired rules, and would be genuinely surprised if someone could provide a valid and compelling counterexample.

Friend, wonder guide! But I fear only half the battle is won. Now it's time for application of your methods and words so that stabilization can become like breathing. You have my thanks!!! Hablamos mad tarde mi fantastico amigo!