Dangerous?

[TheEagle]

After reading some threads: Originally Posted by greenhavoc Every time you bring a little bit of that magic over into your waking life some of it stays.I'm probably wrong tho........ actually, I'm completely on point. Originally Posted by Aquanina mcwillis...please explain specifically how lucid dreaming can be dangerous and provide specific examples, otherwise, stop spreading rumors that lucid dreaming is dangerous without backing up your claim. Mcwillis: It is not rumour. Now there are many different opinions on the dangers, one only has to read The Art of Dreaming by Carlos Casteneda. I then came across a book written by an occultist, an adept, and veteran lucid dreamer. I have used some of the techniques from this book in lucid dreams and I have proven that the dream state is not merely a conjuration of biochemical processes within the brain...It is far more than that and there are dangers. I have given a specific example above. I do believe there might be some truth to this. I've read similar things in conscious dreaming by Robert Moss. Then again, it all depends on what you choose to do with lucid dreaming. (There are also some more people who say it can be dangerous) This made me wonder if/when LDs and WILD's are dangerous.. i really want to go with LDs and WILDs but i am sort of worried about the dangers.. Also with the False Awakenings with a SP, i have never had one.. neither a LD tbh and i wonder if they always happen..

[Puffin]

If you put a thread in the wrong forum, it can always be moved, so next time don't make another one. LDing and WILDing isn't dangerous. The only difference between normal dreams and lucids are that you're conscious. This doesn't affect anything in your brain. WILDing is just going into SP when you're awake, which happens whenever you're asleep anyways. That's why you don't move when you dream about running or jumping off a train. Many people will attack the so-called spiritual and religious aspects of lucid dreaming and say that it isn't safe, but why listen to them when you can form your own opinion? There's no way to confuse dreams with reality on a level that's dangerous to you, among other things. And it doesn't mess up your REM sleep, which is the phase of sleep where you rest and regain energy. And what do you mean by false awakenings with SP? If you mean entering a false awakening and experiencing sleep paralysis within the dream, yes, that can happen but it's like any other dream - if you become lucid, you can stop it. Long story short, I've been doing this for over a year now, and I haven't experienced a single problem with WILD and DILD.

[TheEagle]

Wow, thx for the quick reply So those FA's and experiencing SP doesn't happen every morning after a LD?

[Puffin]

Nope. There are different ways to have an LD. You can either enter SP before going to bed and then enter a LD that way, or just practice awareness so you become lucid while already in the dream, having fallen asleep normally. Sleep paralysis has nothing to do with lucid dreaming unless you use the WILD technique, but it's not dangerous. SP will not happen when you wake up from a LD, because it doesn't happen when you wake from a normal one. As for false awakenings, they usually don't happen that often. If they do, it's not that big of a deal because it's just another dream you can control.

[TheEagle]

So you are just more likely to get a FA with a WILD... ps. gz on the 2500 posts!!

[Puffin]

Yes, with a WILD you'll probably end up in your bed unless you do some visualiation of a meadow, city, or a different place you want to end up. And I didn't know I was about to hit 2.5k posts. Thanks!

[TheEagle]

U2 thanks Still don't fully get the WILD thingy: You have to visualize a place where you want to start anyway don't you?

[Matte87]

What Puffin said. I'm pretty sure you can end up in SP from a Lucid though. If you're having a very unpleasant one and force yourself to wake up as fast as possible, without letting the dream slip slowly. SP's are just totally amazing though! Last time I had one, I knew everything was in my head, and I just enjoyed it while my Gf pushed my head down towards the pillow, suffocating me while screaming in my ear. The only way this can be dangerous is if you're mentally sick, and let some crazy experience take over your life. It's all safe and sound!

[TheEagle]

Ok, thx both So far i know, i'm not really mentally sick :p Only had some problems mentally though, but was threaten for it. Now i almoost never think bout it (cept like moments like this one, when i talk bout it)

[Matte87]

Not like depression. I mean serious mental illness hehe, and no problem!

[XeL]

It depends on what you believe dreaming is. Some people believe that treading into other realms can be dangerous. Most people don't believe in such things as astral planes. I wouldn't worry to much if I were you. I've never experienced any sort of danger in lucid dreams.

[Puffin]

What Puffin said. I'm pretty sure you can end up in SP from a Lucid though. If you're having a very unpleasant one and force yourself to wake up as fast as possible, without letting the dream slip slowly. SP's are just totally amazing though! Last time I had one, I knew everything was in my head, and I just enjoyed it while my Gf pushed my head down towards the pillow, suffocating me while screaming in my ear. The only way this can be dangerous is if you're mentally sick, and let some crazy experience take over your life. It's all safe and sound! I agree that SP is an amazing experience, but there's the VERY small possibility of some really, insanely scary hallucinations. There's a few I've had that I wouldn't want to repeat. Just to warn you, you can never expect anything certain.

[TheEagle]

Thx XeL, i didn't really study or look at stuff about dreaming. But in my opinion it's just the sorting/processing or something of our memories...

[XeL]

I agree that SP is an amazing experience, but there's the VERY small possibility of some really, insanely scary hallucinations. There's a few I've had that I wouldn't want to repeat. Just to warn you, you can never expect anything certain. Really? I've had some pretty scary experiences. I guess it depends on the person.

[TheEagle]

Hmm... this still makes me worry about them :s Even though you'r all like: meh You only get them after WILDs? (and/or only if you don't end the dream properly?)

[XeL]

What I (and Puffin) am talking about is hallucinations occurring during sleep paralysis. It's in no way physically harmful. It CAN however sometimes be a little frightening. I'm not a very good WILDer, so I've only experienced SP a few times. Don't worry about LDing, though, it's sometimes better than sex =)

[TheEagle]

:O And by hallucinations you mean like matte's gf? (read above post)

[TheEagle]

Even though i'd love to try getting lucid again tonight (WBTB or so), think i'll just go for the dream recall :p Gotta practise for my auditions (music night from my school) and friday the auditions themselves.. As you can c in my DJ my recall, it isnt at it's best... Maybe i'll just use the mantra 'i dream' or something and c what happens..

[XeL]

It can be pretty much anything. Every time I've managed to get to SP I've felt a strong cold sensation. Sounds are also common. Some people experience "an evil presence" in their room. It's all in your head though, and as long as you keep that in mind you should be able to remain calm. As puffin mentioned, it can be very cool, since you experience the hallucinations so vividly, but you're still aware of the fact that they're just hallucinations.

[TheEagle]

Huh? you got the hallucinations even b4 u went 2 sleep? I thought you only got them after 'waking up'. Tried getting to SP a few nights ago btw, kinda felt my limbs getting heavy.. but nothing more.. Oh and i often hear my blood rushing trough my vines. Sometimes that loud i barely hear something else :O probably nothing much..

[Matte87]

Well if you manage to stay conscious, you will end up in SP when falling asleep aswell. It's just a bit harder since you're often so tired that you will fall asleep before that happens. This is why you should try WILD during the morning after a few hours of sleep. Don't worry about those things, they're harmless. The two last times I've tried to DEILD, I've had some very strange hallucinations where my arms are twisting and it feels like I'm having spasms. Not sure if I was in SP, but I think so, since I had a FA just after that.

[Supernova]

The most intense hallucination I've ever had was the sense of a person or something similar near me, however it didn't feel all that real and wasn't frightening. I think a lot of things you hear about SP is just hype. Just by sleeping you're bound to have a nightmare sooner or later, but that's never stopped me. As for WILDing or lucid dreaming being dangerous, there's really no basis for such a claim. Normal dreams are not dangerous, and the only difference between them and lucid dreams is weather or notyou're aware that you're dreaming.

[Puffin]

I think SP often involves scary/unsettling hallucinations because those are the first type people are informed of regarding SP. For instance, and this is the most intense experience I've ever heard from anyone (so don't freak out), I heard someone whispering that I was going to die, and I felt the blade of a knife along my neck. Yeah, it "hurt" but only because my brain was guessing what the sensation would feel like. But I think the episode was made worse because I hadn't heard of SP before. Plus, I was narcoleptic at the time. But there can always be rather calm hallucinations, too. There was just a small white kitten on my bed, once. :3 Long story short, you can never guess as to what's going to happen. But as long as you know it's not real, it's pretty darn exciting.

[MarkieP52]

Right on...if you expect the hag then you'll see her :p Thats why I haven't attempted a WILd yet because Im a chicken, but doing it tonight for sure!

[Raetin]

I'd do it but I'm usually busy and whenever I'm about to go to SP, I'm like, "Nevermind..."