Traditional Dream Cultures?

Hi all,

We've (me and my partner Zhine - also on the DV) just sold our house that we've rennovated, and as a reward are planning a round-the-world trip.

Part of this will be to film a documentary on LDing. I have some experience here and own a good camera.

So... does anyone know of any traditional dream cultures where lucid dreaming is practiced either by the people (as with the Senoi) or perhaps just by the shaman?

We are aware of the Senoi, Tibetan Tantrikas, Hawaiian Huna (not sure if its LDing or just dreamwork), ummm... that's it. Seems most cultures have a dream tradition - but we obviously want to try to focus on LDing.

Any more suggestions? We will be researching this through other channels - but we thought the best place to start would be here on DV.

It would also be great to come and visit some of you - and perhaps interview you as well?!

Not sure what we'll do with the doco - if it turns into a big project we may need to try to sell it to cover costs - but our main motivation is the sharing of information about LDing.

Also open to offers of help and/or collaboration.
P.S. this is not to be confused with the LD film I'm working on... more about that later.

Thanks in anticipation.

Wow that's totally cool. I don't know anything about it, but it sure sounds like fun! Good luck and I hope I get to see the video someday.

perhaps small groups of people in south america, for example the people who built Machu Pichu (if those people are still in existance, but people similar to them) who used tons of quartz, combined with the fact that the deserted town is centered on a major energy flow of the earth. so i think that some cultures in south america might still be invoved with that.

pretty much any people who are decendents of an ancient civilization that was known to relate to metaphysics (that are still active, or know about their culture), or groups of peope living in an area of spiritual significance that might relate to lucid dreaming. there are weird places all over the world, but many spiritual places seem to be located where ancient civilizations once were.

:shock: unfortunately the mayans and the like are no longer around. i know that their shamans were involved in altered forms of perception.

Thanks!

Interesting idea about starting from energy centers. I have been to Machu Picchu to watch the lunar eclipse in '94. Weird place! We stayed the night in a Temple cave around the back of the mountain, with a stone sofa just right for moon viewing - 'we' being 13 strangers who just happened to have the same idea - spooky! Set back a little were several niches carved from the rock - just big enought to sit in. There was a sub-niche big enough for your head if you leant back - I did, but had to get out as it felt like I had just been plugged into something much bigger than me!!!

It was diffiult to find any info on the culture. There's no archaeology - just a couple of female skeletons and a few pots - so most of what I heard was made up. I listened to two guided tours where one person said "This is were people were sacrificed." the other said "This was where they made love and watched the stars"!

But there is wisdom out there - I met a shaman who was going to take me journeying but I had to catch a plane - I nearly stayed. There's also people like Carlos Casteneda - but I tend to think he's a fake. Not sure of course... Anyway we will avoid 'drug' based traditions, it gets too messy - perhaps that's for another doco...

Thinking of centres - I want to visit some of the Temples to Asclepius in Greece. Anyone know about this tradition?

How about the Austrailian Aborigines?

I am no expert, but I would think that the Native American "Dreamcatchers" would indicate that they had a certain regard for dreaming. Perhaps you could look into that?

Yes - I'd forgotten about that - the dreamtime.
Just found this article - very interesting.

I wonder what is their understanding of LD?
I wonder if I would understand it?!!!

Will try to track down an online aboriginal discussion group... :|

Yes - dreamcatchers... thanks.
I've done quiet a lot of research on this in the past - and couldn't find specific references to LDing. I guess the problem might be that they call it something else - or it may be just too normal to bother mentioning at all. Again I'll try to find a discussion group. Actually I joined a Wichita group a while ago because I was interested in their architecture, one of the Elders was most helpful.

I was thinknig maybe some of the Canada's Inidan tribes might be something good to try out [mianly because I remembered that they made DreamCatchers] but I'm not sure since I neither understand French or know of there History... so it's more of a thought than a suggestion

Search Iroquois & Dreams

Iroquois are a group of six native nations in North America that held dreams in such high regard that they often times lived by the messages and visions delivered within dreams.

Not quite sure if any still practice dreaming that seriously, been meaning to investigate that myself... me being Iroquois and a lucid dreamer 'n' all. :oops: