Thread: Best thing to do when lucid? Nothing.

This may sound like the lamest advice you've ever heard, but bear with me for a moment.

Believe it or not, living out your wildest fantasies in living detail gets old after a while. When you wake up, you face the fact that all those sexy situations basically amount to masturbation. All those amazing conversations are just you talking to yourself. Sure, you gain access to creative and inventive parts of your consciousness that you don't normally connect to -- and don't get me wrong, that is wonderful and important! -- but you're still running up against the limits of your own mind.

It's time to go further.

The best part is, it's simple: Do nothing.

I mean it. Do nothing. As soon as the lucid dream stabilizes around you, using whatever techniques you've learned to accomplish that, resist the temptation to create some new fantasy. Instead, just ignore whatever people or events are moving around you, battling for your attention. No matter how fascinating, intriguing, scary or repulsive the dream gets, just ignore it with calm dispassion. You're a lucid dreamer. Nothing can harm you. Likewise, nothing can interest you.

People will approach you with beautiful things to look at, delicious foods to taste, dangerous weapons to murder you with, or eyes to fall in love with. Pay them no mind.

Instead, will them away (if you can do so without distraction), and just sit down calmly wherever you are. What I like to do at this point is look at the ground or the bench or wherever you're sitting. Reach out and touch it. Run your fingers over it. Feel how real it is. Notice how you can feel every tendon in your hand as you touch it. Knock on it. Notice how the sound vibrates through it in exactly the right way. When you're nice and calm, look up. If you're outside, look at the trees. Notice how they sway so gently in the wind and how the light dapples through them in exactly the right way. Listen. You'll probably hear birds somewhere. You might see one or a few gliding up in the sky, making their way somewhere. You may hear the sound of distant traffic. You may see a jet plane high in the sky.

By now, after a few moments of calm, detached observation of basic details in the fabric of the world around you, you'll notice that it has become perfectly and utterly real. There is no sense of fuzzy dreaminess, no detectable difference between the world you're seeing and what you normally refer to as the waking world. Try your reality tests. They'll pass.

What you do at this point is up to you. Explore the world. Smell the flowers. Embrace the miracle of sensation. I tend to ponder my waking life and realize things that have forever changed the way I see the waking world. Sometimes I'm visited by people who identify themselves as higher beings and teach me things about the universe, sometimes forcefully. You may find it difficult to wake up from this state. Try not to be afraid. You will eventually.

wow nice descriptions but first ld ill do this and have some lucid sex

I've been wanting to try this for awhile actually, but mostly so situations will come to me rather than myself having to create them. I like your ideas about making everything very real, but I'm wondering if that's just because you're an expert at dream control.

Do you find after you do nothing and stabilize your dream that your dream remains very realistic afterwards even if you decide to go off and do something? I imagine that's why the dream turns fuzzy in the first place is because you're concentrating on events happening rather than the scenery around you.

Please let me know and nice advice!

I've shared this idea with newbie lucid dreamers and they've had similarly realistic results, so I don't think I have any particular expertise here.

It's a good theory you suggest that the realism kicks in because I'm concentrating on the scenery. However, it generally still holds even when I turn my attention to the dream content. It doesn't always hold -- like if I get caught up again in some dream plot. But there are certain kinds of experiences that actually reinforce the realism, like what I mentioned about contact with dream-teachers.

Originally Posted by Pyramis

you'll notice that it has become perfectly and utterly real. There is no sense of fuzzy dreaminess, no detectable difference between the world you're seeing and what you normally refer to as the waking world. Try your reality tests. They'll pass.

How real is real here?

Excessive lucidity almost scares me. I like to know when I'm dreaming and when I'm not.

That's actually a great idea to do nothing. Just sit back and watch what your dreams does. Look at what your brain is making infront of you.

And you wouldn't have to worry about accidently doing something to wake yourself up.

How is that any more "real" than regular LD-ing. Waits for "but bu it feels just like real life" Dont get me wrong it sounds very interesting but when you say stuff like "light shining through leaves in just the right way" dont you mean "light shining through leaves in just the way that looks right to me"?

I guess I wont knock it before I try it, but in the end, it to is just your mind making the scene.

Originally Posted by ZmillA

I guess I wont knock it before I try it, but in the end, it to is just your mind making the scene.

That's exactly it. Let your mind do the controlling, not you controlling the mind.

Originally Posted by DNK

How real is real here?

Excessive lucidity almost scares me. I like to know when I'm dreaming and when I'm not.

Lucid Dreaming can get more real than waking life. I always talk about it in terms of resolution, thats essentially what it is. and the resolution can expand beyond the threshold of regular experience...as for why? My best hunch is that it is because all the sens data bypasses a need for input. Imagine for instance watching a streaming film on a low bandwidth connection Vs. watching a film that resides on your computer HDD. The one on your HDD will run more easily, and because it doesn't need to be piped through a bottlenecked channel of input it can run at a higher resolution.Similarly I think that because the sense data comes direct and doesn't need to be piped through the natural input pathways it is no longer limited to the constraints of those input channels. ....which is interesting because it suggests that the brain has greater ability to experience than the senses can provide for.

Originally Posted by Expatasapien

Lucid Dreaming can get more real than waking life. I always talk about it in terms of resolution, thats essentially what it is. and the resolution can expand beyond the threshold of regular experience...as for why? My best hunch is that it is because all the sens data bypasses a need for input. Imagine for instance watching a streaming film on a low bandwidth connection Vs. watching a film that resides on your computer HDD. The one on your HDD will run more easily, and because it doesn't need to be piped through a bottlenecked channel of input it can run at a higher resolution.Similarly I think that because the sense data comes direct and doesn't need to be piped through the natural input pathways it is no longer limited to the constraints of those input channels. ....which is interesting because it suggests that the brain has greater ability to experience than the senses can provide for.

If what we know of the world is from the input of our senses, then how could a dream world ever be more realistic than the real world? I can see in some respect that if I had slightly impaired vision, and I then put on glasses, the world would look more 'realistic', i.e. clearer. Thus, in a dream world, your mind obviously has the capabilities to bring the surroundings into greater focus, but other than that I cannot fathom any greater realism. This is what you mean, right?

Originally Posted by Quark

If what we know of the world is from the input of our senses, then how could a dream world ever be more realistic than the real world? I can see in some respect that if I had slightly impaired vision, and I then put on glasses, the world would look more 'realistic', i.e. clearer. Thus, in a dream world, your mind obviously has the capabilities to bring the surroundings into greater focus, but other than that I cannot fathom any greater realism. This is what you mean, right?

This is exactly what I mean. But you have missed it on a certain point, all we know is not from the senses, and the senses are not the only path to knowledge, they are merely inputs. the mind cross references everything that comes from them and analyzes the patterns which share common structures in search for symmetry.

this is called pattern recognition. Much of what we call "comprehension" is part of a latent effect of understanding what our senses do.

you see in order for the brain to interpret anything that comes from the senses it MUST comprehend what they are doing, why , and what it's function must be in relation to this. the brain's job is to interpret symmetries in variable contexts, so this latent ability may also be applied to self pattern recognition, what this means is that the brain understands what the purpose of the sense is well enough to actually model them with greater clarity than the senses themselves can ever produce. The result (if you are not locked into experiential preconceptions) can be a steep increase in total resolution of experience within a lucid dream.

get it?

Originally Posted by Expatasapien

This is exactly what I mean. But you have missed it on a certain point, all we know is not from the senses, and the senses are not the only path to knowledge, they are merely inputs. the mind cross references everything that comes from them and analyzes the patterns which share common structures in search for symmetry.

this is called pattern recognition. Much of what we call "comprehension" is part of a latent effect of understanding what our senses do.

you see in order for the brain to interpret anything that comes from the senses it MUST comprehend what they are doing, why , and what it's function must be in relation to this. the brain's job is to interpret symmetries in variable contexts, so this latent ability may also be applied to self pattern recognition, what this means is that the brain understands what the purpose of the sense is well enough to actually model them with greater clarity than the senses themselves can ever produce. The result (if you are not locked into experiential preconceptions) can be a steep increase in total resolution of experience within a lucid dream.

get it?

I think I do. I understand the brain's capabilities in striving for recognition and modeling realistic mental constructs. Obviously this helps to cut down on processing times, and therefore decreases recognition and comprehension latencies. Understandably, if this did not occur, then it would be like incessantly perceiving the world as a new born child. However, this model that it constructs is not, therefore, real. It seems that what you're saying, is that the brain attempts to make things that are perceived more 'perfect' (symmetrical, logical, patterned, aligned), and thus not more realistic? Am I far off? lol.

So, in a dream these 'perfect' constructs are projected to define the fabric of the dream world. Ultimately then, the dreams are not more 'real' so to speak, but just more 'perfect'.

I could just be chatting a load of crap. But I'm interested in your reply.

Originally Posted by Expatasapien

Lucid Dreaming can get more real than waking life. I always talk about it in terms of resolution, thats essentially what it is. and the resolution can expand beyond the threshold of regular experience...as for why? My best hunch is that it is because all the sens data bypasses a need for input. Imagine for instance watching a streaming film on a low bandwidth connection Vs. watching a film that resides on your computer HDD. The one on your HDD will run more easily, and because it doesn't need to be piped through a bottlenecked channel of input it can run at a higher resolution.Similarly I think that because the sense data comes direct and doesn't need to be piped through the natural input pathways it is no longer limited to the constraints of those input channels. ....which is interesting because it suggests that the brain has greater ability to experience than the senses can provide for.

I think this is a great description, and I agree with it, only I wouldn't say it's more real than waking life. I'd describe it as more clearer than waking life.

Originally Posted by Misbijoux

I think this is a great description, and I agree with it, only I wouldn't say it's more real than waking life. I'd describe it as more clearer than waking life.

Yes of course you are right that was a slip on my part, in fact probably "Resolute" is best because it does appear to be a question of resolution.

Originally Posted by Expatasapien

Lucid Dreaming can get more real than waking life. I always talk about it in terms of resolution, thats essentially what it is. and the resolution can expand beyond the threshold of regular experience...as for why? My best hunch is that it is because all the sens data bypasses a need for input. Imagine for instance watching a streaming film on a low bandwidth connection Vs. watching a film that resides on your computer HDD. The one on your HDD will run more easily, and because it doesn't need to be piped through a bottlenecked channel of input it can run at a higher resolution.Similarly I think that because the sense data comes direct and doesn't need to be piped through the natural input pathways it is no longer limited to the constraints of those input channels. ....which is interesting because it suggests that the brain has greater ability to experience than the senses can provide for.

great explanation. its like not having the restriction of using eyes and you can have conscious attention on multiple items in the scene at the same time.

also some of my best lucids have been from just sitting back and observing. once when stood on top of a diving board in a diving contest in a river in a town, and once in a park and the trees just kind of parted to reveal the lake which i floated up over.great thread

I like the idea!

I got a LD last night on my first real attempt and the thing that was the most fascinating was actually to just observe the world and see how extremely realistic it was. Unfortunately i got distracted by sex and lost my lucidity.

Next time I plan to basically do what u described. NOTHING. Just focus on remaining lucid and witness the world around me. Study its details, study the sensations in my body, how the world feel etc. Would be cool to try and meditate in the dream, though I think it could lead to losing lucidity quite easy, worth a try though.

Definitely gonna try this next time, if i can resist the distractions.

Sex is so distracting. To be born without it...

I actually got a rare LD last night and used it to try this. It was in the middle of a rather heated stand off with the police, but I managed to ignore that, sit down, and meditate. Unfortunately, I'm so accustomed to closing my eyes when I do that that I did so in the dream and quickly lost lucidity, so I didn't really notice much.

I would love to read your dream journal, sounds like it could be an intriguing read.

People keep talking about sex. Is that really what people do in dreams? I can think of so many cooler things to do in a dream.

It's fun to practice this in real life as well, y'know? Just ignore everything inner, and focus on what's outside of you, detatched. The world makes so much more sense that way.

In a dream, I find this increases clarity and memory.

Originally Posted by LobbyDonut

People keep talking about sex. Is that really what people do in dreams? I can think of so many cooler things to do in a dream.

Maybe if you figure out what sex you are it would be cool for you too.

Originally Posted by Pyramis

This may sound like the lamest advice you've ever heard, but bear with me for a moment.
The best part is, it's simple: Do nothing.

THAT is AWESOME. And you painted the picture extremely well. Awesome.

Isn't this the same as meditation in dreams, like they do in dream yoga? Anyway, good idea and good read!

I do this often....I just sit and survey everything.

You worded that very well.

I've been thinking about doing something like this for a long time already, but I always get tempted to do something else.

I'll do my best in my next lucid and post the results here if I succeed!