Do you EXPERIENCE LDs or do you REMEMBER them?

I've obviously never had an LD but I've been doing research and working for a while towards attaining one. My question is about the actual experience of the lucid dream. From everything I've read I can't quite grasp it still. Please only reply if you've had an LD.

When you lucid dream is it something that happens in the present time? As in... when you become lucid you are aware of it as if you were simply awake and going about your waking life?

Or is it something you remember when you wake up as an extremely vivid experience but not "in the present"?

Sorry if that's unclear... and a thanks to everywone who can answer.

My dreams I just remember, but when I lucid dream, I experience it. I'm consciously walking in dream. It feels no different from real life, except it's actually all just in your head.

Heres a good example: Get up, and walk around your house, and sit back down at your computer, and write down what you saw. A lucid is basically the same thing. It's obviously more exciting, than that scenario, but it's happening in real time. The only time a LD becomes a "memory" is if you have terrible recall, and when you're recalling your dreams you happen to remember a piece of it.

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Originally Posted by jasonresno

I've obviously never had an LD but I've been doing research and working for a while towards attaining one. My question is about the actual experience of the lucid dream. From everything I've read I can't quite grasp it still. Please only reply if you've had an LD.

When you lucid dream is it something that happens in the present time? As in... when you become lucid you are aware of it as if you were simply awake and going about your waking life?

Or is it something you remember when you wake up as an extremely vivid experience but not "in the present"?

Sorry if that's unclear... and a thanks to everywone who can answer.

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A lucid dream is not very much different from being awake. One actually thinks and determines their own response to the dream scene just like they choose their response to waking stimulie. One other distinction, of course is the rationality of the whole situation as one is not bound by the laws of physics.

The degree of lucidity is determined by memory, rational ability, and sensory awareness. This too is common to waking awareness. In the final analysis, the real distinction between the two states is only the source of the stimulus.

Since we learn by experience, I attribute the ability to learn in the state the same as when awake.

I further hold that since we understand and master the waking experiences through linguistic functions the same is true of the lucid dream experiences. Nothing difficult in my approach.

These were all fantastic responses, thank you. They really reaffirm what I had been hoping to hear. It sounds exciting and life altering :).

Thanks guys.

The answer to this question is actually very simple. Both.

Addition : While you are LDing also you will say to yourself "wow, i'm gonna tell my friends about this" :banana:

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Originally Posted by Shiznit

Addition : While you are LDing also you will say to yourself "wow, i'm gonna tell my friends about this" :banana:

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The only sad part is that my friends don't believe me when I tell them. WHAT A SHAME! :(

Definitely, it's an experience more than its a memory. It makes sense too, since lucid dreaming means to be consciously present in your dream!

There are some RARE cases when you have trouble recalling a lucid dream. That usually happens if you have a lot of non-lucids after your lucid. Sometimes it feels like you have to dig back through the non-lucids first. But generally, you're consciously present, you experience the dream as its happening, and your recall of the dream is as good as recalling the day. (some people can't even remember what they had for lunch :cheeky:)

Thank you very much, again!