SD Class: This Means War - Fighting in Dreams
This Means War!
Ok, well here is the post on dream battling that is long overdue. Time flies by, especially when you're busy! So, getting on to the topic… battling in dreams. Some of you will actively seek out fights in your dreams, others will try to avoid it, but no matter what you try for, there is a good chance you will, at some point, find yourself in a confrontation with someone or something else in your dreams. I hope I am able to tell you some things here that might help you our when this eventually comes about.
The Opponents
There are several different types of opponent you may encounter in dreams, and depending on what opponent you are facing, you may have different possible responses to their attack.
Your Opponent: Dream Characters
One of the most common encounters you have will be with dream characters, aka DCs. A DC is a character in one of your dreams that was created entirely by your own subconscious, or in the case of a shared dream, it may be created by someone else's subconscious. Dream characters are not actual living entities, one way to think of them is like the NPCs (non-playable characters) that populate most video games, especially RPGs (role playing games). These are those characters that give you quests or information, and they have a habit of repeating the same old lines over and over again. Dream characters will most often look like someone you know from your waking life, they will usually have a notable lack of intelligence, and say a lot of things that don't really make any sense.
Tactics for DCs
In an unshared dream, all of the DCs were created by your own subconscious, and this is good news because this means you have complete control of them. Your mind brought them into existence, your mind can put them out of existence. This is usually done most easily by simply turning your back on the DC and denying their existence. Focus on that DC having disappeared when you turn back around, and when you do look back, the DC will have vanished. If you're up for a bit more of a challenge, you can take complete control of your DCs. You can change them, command them, create them, destroy them, all with the power of your mind. Sometimes a DC is created by your subconscious for a reason, which means maybe fighting them isn't the best option. Sometimes they may have important messages from your subconscious, lessons to be learned, various things that could be very useful to you in your waking life. If it comes down to a fight, they can be dealt with the same ways as any other opponents in your dreams.
Your Opponent: Other Dreamers
Once you get into shared dreaming, you may meet up with other dreamers who may be looking for a fight. If you are also interested in putting your dream skills to the test vs. the other dreamer, then go for it. You can do whatever you can imagine, from things that are destructive, to things that are silly, absurd… use whatever techniques you want. Since this is a dream, no one can be really hurt. When someone dies in a dream, they just wake up… or sometimes they may respawn like in a video game…
Tactics for Other Dreamers
For other dreamers, you are basically free to do whatever comes into your mind. It's a dream, you can't be hurt, and neither can the other dreamer. Use whatever dream control methods you prefer. This includes, but is not limited to, taking control of the dreamscape (just remember that they can do this, too), using one or more of your favorite fictional or real person or character as an archetype to duplicate their moves. Use Chuck Norris and be a martial arts expert in dreams… use Vegeta from Dragonball Z and fire energy blasts or transform into a giant monkey. Use any techniques your imagination can come up with. Summon up weapons to use, change form, use magic… the possibilities are endless!
Your Opponent: Outside Entities
There are actually several kinds of entities that you might encounter in your dreams, although the way to deal with them is similar. Spirits of those who have passed on are sometimes wandering through the dream plane. These may be past loved ones, most likely they are just coming by for a visit… some spirits may be hostile for some reason, because they think they've been wronged in some manner, they might be confused, or maybe they're just assholes. The most difficult, and fortunately least common, entity you could encounter is the demonic kind. And I don't mean the stereotypical demons from religion and movies, though some of them may appear like that. There are random evil entities that may just stop by to cause a bit of trouble, then there are the more annoying dream demons, which have a habit of sticking around and causing nightmares, they do it to feed off of your energy, primarily fear, though any strong emotion or energy can be used.
Tactics for Outside Entities
Most of the same techniques you would use against other dreamers will also work against outside entities, though the hostile entities tend to be more powerful than DCs and some other dreamers… though some dreamers who have good dream control can be very powerful on the dream plane. The main thing to remember is whether they are other dreamers or hostile entities, you can't be hurt in a dream. If you find you're unable to handle your opponent, unable to fight them off, there is always the sure method of waking yourself up. Focus really hard on waking up, focus on moving your physical body which will wake you up, focus on speaking with your physical body… try holding your breath. That might make your physical body respond in the same way, and holding your breath will wake you up. Before I had good dream control, any time I fell a long distance I would wake up. Another option is if you are having successful shared dreams, don't hesitate to ask one of your dream partners to come into the dream and help you with the intruder. You can both use your dream skills together to force the intruder out and make them think twice about coming back. Generally if you refuse to be afraid and fight back, they will back off and go somewhere they can get what they want more easily. Also, don't dismiss the possibility that the alleged demon is merely a DC from some dark part of your subconscious, maybe this is a dark part of yourself you are meant to fight off or come to terms with. As stated before, true hostile outside entities are the rarest kind of encounter you will have in your dreams.
I apologize for this posting being so delayed, and I hope you find it useful in your own dream explorations. Lucid dreams to all of you!
