learning in dreams

[mindwanderer]

I'm sure most of you have heard of people having a dream or something and waking up and building what they saw in their dream....anyways I have done some wierd stuff in dreams...I spent an entire dream practicing my times tables. Anyways do think its true that you can fall asleep and wake up knowing something you didn't know how to do before? Like drive a car? Or fix a bike? I'm neutral on the subject right now. Also if anyone has had a similar experience don't neglect to post!!

[ExoByte]

It depends on the skill. Something like driving a car, no. That requires studying the Rules of the Road, which you won't know and can't effectively dream about if you haven't studied them in waking life. Same goes for fixing a bike. If you don't know the essentials, the use of different tools and parts, it would be moot. Your dreams can only take knowledge you already know and apply it. If you knew the essentials of such skills, then yes its possible. If you already know something you can defiantly practice more. But aside from ideas and imaginative creations, I couldn't imagine learning anything in the way your describing effectively.

[QwinsepiaSquared]

I've heard of athletes practicing in dreams, but like Exo said, I don't think it's possible to learn something entirely new. You need to know the essentials. One time I tried to play the violin in an LD. I was absolutely horrific, and once awake I could have played no better then before. With no clue how to play beforehand, I couldn't have learned how in my sleep.

[JulianKC52]

I wish I could learn skills in dreams. That would really help with a lot of things.

[Michael]

im not to sure about this but i would imagine you cant learn things you dont know, unless coincedence. but you might be able to get better at things you already know, like math and reading.

[~Anthriel.Sai/Tsuyko//.]

Interesting topic.. I'd have to agree with what Exo said aswell.. You wouldnt dream about learning to drive a ShooSpandaroo on Neptune because you dont know what a shoospandaroo is.. So the only things you would dream about are things that have slipped into your vision or heard about. Neverless, I havent heard of anyone learning physical skills, but I've heard heard of artists creating beautiful landscapes that they'd seen in dreams and CEOs dreaming of business ideas, exicuting them in reality and have success. Those are all intangible bits of information however, using physical sevices might work differently tho.

[dreamscaper22]

not unless some DW..came and taught you something like a chinese monk skilled in shaolin kung fu

[Vex Kitten]

I don't think it's possible either, to learn something the way you described. But like the others, if you have that basic knowledge I think it could be built upon in dreams. I learned to play the piano when I was 5-6. I used to be able to read sheet music too. Now, assuming those lessons are still rattling around in my head, I might be able to use a LD to find it and start practicing piano in LDs. I acutally wanted to attempt this and may still once I get more free time. And in the LD I'd conjur up the musical masters and learn from them. I wonder how all that would turn out?

[The Cusp]

I think I learned how to react to dangerous situations in my dreams, which saved my life. All those lucids where I was using crazy jedi skills came in handy in the real world. I was hit by a car and sent flying 20 feet from where I was standing, with nothing broken. My lucids at the time were all scary monster induced, and I would always say "NO! This can't be real", which eventually just became "NO!". So when I saw that car coming, I just thought "NO! I'm not going to die like this." and jumped straight up in to the air. I rolled off the windshield like it was a jump or ramp. The whole incident was exactly like a lucid. Of course learning how to roll in karate when I was a kid helped as well.

[LightningBlade]

I've never experienced this before, but a lot of times in my dreams I sing songs (perfect lyrics btw) that I usually wouldn't remember in real life. It's fun sometimes because the tune and lyrics are perfect.

[Tornado Joe]

Simply put, you can practice and develop any skill in a lucid dream. As many already stated, something you already have experienced in real life can be recalled by your mind. Also, only those parts of the skill which require the use of nerves (reflexes, special movements, etc) will develop in real life. Physical things, such as muscle mass, will not. For example: Throwing a curve ball. You can practice this in a lucid dream once someone has taught you how to physically throw this pitch. If you practice it in a lucid dream, you'll be able to get used to the 'feeling' of throwing the ball and the writst action involved. I heard that research was done on this and that nerve endings showed signs of development even when the subject was not practicing a particular activity in real life. You won't, however, develop a stronger shoulder or arm. That requires physical activity. I've never experienced this before, but a lot of times in my dreams I sing songs (perfect lyrics btw) that I usually wouldn't remember in real life. It's fun sometimes because the tune and lyrics are perfect. There could be two things that may have caused this 1) You're really just recalling that you knew the lyrics and was singing perfectly - when in fact you were not. Remember how in dreams we can make things that are impossible, possible. You wanted the song to sound perfect, so to you, it did. 2) You've stored all the information of the lyrics in your subconcsious mind of which, during dreams, you now had access to and called up. Sort of like hypnosis. Calling up information which is stored in your mind, you're just not entirely aware of it.

[ellz]

Since to your mind it is like you are actually doing something, but not for your body, you could practice the mental side of things. (hopefully I read that section of ewold right lol) I've always wondered about practicing a musical instrument in dreams, what does everybody else think about this?

[ExoByte]

As we said, you can't learn anything new. How would you practice an instrument in the dream, if you know nothing or little of it? You may be able to practice it if you're already quite good at the instrument, but even then, you may actually make a mistake but won't notice because its your dream.

[ellz]

I was thinking about practicing something very repetitive over and over just to get better at it, like practicing scales on piano or rudiments for drums. btw I play drums

[shadownet]

What about becoming aware of something you've learned, but have forgotten? My argument is that you can learn in dreams, but your subconsious mind has to know it. Our subconsious mind knows more than our conscious mind, so, I think you CAN learn, but it has to be something your subconscious mind is aware of. So, you may not know it consciously, but you can dig it out of your subconscious. I could be wrong, so correct me if I am.

[ellz]

Research on how to cultivate peak performance suggests that lucid dreaming may prove to be an ideal training ground, not only for athletics, but also for any area in which skill can be developed Stephan LaBerge There's also an exercise in EWLD, in section 8, which basically comes down to 1. become lucid 2. set up your practice environment 3. practice, aiming for the best performance. 4. push the boundaries of your potential.

[Pegasis]

I have had dreams were things came to light that I never knew about.