Harnessing the power of Novelty

**The Cusp** · 10-29-2012 05:32 AM

Everything in dreams is an archetype, and control is accomplished by focusing attention on archetypes. The reliability and outcome of any one archetype is determined by how stable and robust it ss, the result of emotional reinforcement and repetition.

But sometimes we can successfully use archetypes that are not very well defined, that haven't been forged in repetition. Why is that? Sometimes we use a dream skill like flying and have it work very well the first few times, only to have it fail on us after having used it successfully in several lucids. Why is that?

The answer is Novelty.

Before I continue, I would like to recap my first two rules of dream control.
1. Everything requires your attention to exist
2. The more attention you give something, the more related detail it creates.

So, what is novelty? Novelty is something that an individual finds interesting or fascinating. Being so interesting, we focus more of our attention on these fascinating elements. It's this increased attention that grants temporary control over elements we would normally struggle with. That augmented attention sustains those novel elements according to the first rule, and fleshes them out according to the second rule.

When you successfully use a new power in dreams like flying, only to have it fail in subsequent dreams, it's because the novelty has worn off. It's super cool at first, but after awhile, it becomes "been there done that". Hard to believe anything that cool could could get old, but it does.

To effectively utilize Novelty for dream control requires a less rigid and more opportunistic approach. Instead of limiting yourself to a pre-planned method of control, be on the lookout for the unexpected and go with it when the opportunity presents it's self. The results from using novel methods of control may be a little erratic, but that's part of the appeal.

**~~Alyzarin~~** · 10-30-2012 10:24 PM

I definitely agree with this, whenever I'm lucid I try to just go with the flow because working with whatever interests you does produce some cool results. The other night I walked up to a chalkboard in a classroom and randomly decided to draw a cat on it and write next to it "ATTACK!" and watched it make a mean face and jump off of the board to one of the students, though it wasn't strong enough to do anything to them.

That stuff seems to work pretty well when you just act without question.

I do think, though, that you can use the same powers over and over and over again without issue even after the novelty is gone if you handle it right. I've been able to fly perfectly in lucids since the very first time, in fact I'd say it's just gotten better and better even as it's become habit because it's like second nature now.

**OpheliaBlue** · 10-30-2012 10:40 PM

I've noticed this myself! For me it was when I did the mirror task. It was easy peasy to go through the first time, then the glass felt thicker and thicker with each time after that. Then finally the mirror just spun around but I couldn't go through it. Then just this morning I was able to go through it again, but I was focused on trying to take my head off so I wasn't too focused on failure at that moment lol.

Actually, I noticed that in general if I take my focus off of something in a lucid that's starting to fail or not work properly, it resolves itself. But I've only recently discovered this idea of redirecting my attention from failure in LDs, so that idea in itself is novel too! I like what you're saying though. I'll remember that the next time something I wanna do fails, and my "ignoring the problem" doesn't work.

Cool post.

**dutchraptor** · 10-31-2012 12:02 AM

The amount of novelty one feels is however limited to what we expect. I personally haven't had any problems once I learned how to just focus on an object in a lucid and know it will work. Before I ever try something in a lucid and I want it to work I just tell myself it will, doesn't matter if I've ever used it before.
What is really great about the novelty is that it can make tasks easier for beginners, instead of using their thoughts to achieve something they use a medium like a wand or staff, which can be ok for the first few times, but you shouldn't become dependant on it. Personally I don't try make everything work 100% of time because like aly said the randomness is just awesome.

**The Cusp** · 10-31-2012 01:42 AM

Originally Posted by Alyzarin

II do think, though, that you can use the same powers over and over and over again without issue even after the novelty is gone if you handle it right.

You're right. It doesn't have to render techniques powerless, but it certainly explains why it can happen. Odds are you can forge a stable archetype with a bit of repetition and the excitement that using awesome dream powers brings.

Originally Posted by NecropheliaBlue

Then just this morning I was able to go through it again, but I was focused on trying to take my head off so I wasn't too focused on failure at that moment lol.

What!?!? Take your head off? Ok, I'm going to read that one right now.

Originally Posted by NecropheliaBlue

Actually, I noticed that in general if I take my focus off of something in a lucid that's starting to fail or not work properly, it resolves itself. But I've only recently discovered this idea of redirecting my attention from failure in LDs, so that idea in itself is novel too! I like what you're saying though. I'll remember that the next time something I wanna do fails, and my "ignoring the problem" doesn't work.

When you put it that way, focusing on failure, it sounds like something one of those self help gurus would say.

BTW, I love the Halloween name change.

Originally Posted by dutchraptor

The amount of novelty one feels is however limited to what we expect. I personally haven't had any problems once I learned how to just focus on an object in a lucid and know it will work. Before I ever try something in a lucid and I want it to work I just tell myself it will, doesn't matter if I've ever used it before.
What is really great about the novelty is that it can make tasks easier for beginners, instead of using their thoughts to achieve something they use a medium like a wand or staff, which can be ok for the first few times, but you shouldn't become dependant on it. Personally I don't try make everything work 100% of time because like aly said the randomness is just awesome.

I don't think expectation is an accurate description of what's happening. When you expect something, you are focusing your attention on that particular outcome. A subtle difference but an important important one. It's funny you mentioned magic wands, because the magic isn't in the wand it's self, but in what wands do. The whole purpose of a wand is to focus attention, like they are used for in class rooms all over the world.

**ArchLight** · 11-28-2012 03:43 AM

I never knew there was an actual term for this...I learned to Lucid Dream through my ability to dissociate. That being the ability to uncouple or 'break' my focus in attention on external/objective reality, and place it on my internal experience to block anything traumatic or upsetting; in effect, it's like placing yourself in a trance-like state. Most people space out from time to time, but there are those that learn to tap into that mental ability quite frequently to protect themselves from the awareness of the abusive memories and experiences they go through among other things that are too painful to think about.

Altering your conscious experience can be an effective means for dealing with traumatic events that are too intense to deal with at the time, so I learned that by altering my attention on the 'novel' aspects of my internal experiences, I could psychically 'block' the pain, and experience something positive while it happened. I also learned that I can deepen and enrich my ability to LD with dissociation. I realized that focus, and shifting my attention made the difference when it came to this; once I learned that my physical senses could be in effect 'reproduced' in LD's, I could 'dream' more vividly when I slept because my senses were introduced into my dreams which I suppose then made them LD's. I learned that I could fly, lift things with my mind, or communicate with other people telepathically I met in my dreams.

Anyway, I suppose now I know what it was that enhanced or helped me discover my ability to lucid dream....very cool!