Lucid dreaming for practice?

**RobotGymnast** · 01-24-2011 11:27 PM

I've seen a scattered few articles on the idea of lucid dreaming for practicing a skill, like music. Presumably this should be possible with any skill (within reason) that requires muscle memory. But I've noticed even when my dreams feel pretty realistic, if I practice rolling (martial arts roll, not gymnastic), the impact isn't the same as it is in reality. I'm a fairly inexperienced lucid dreamer as far as intent to LD goes, and I'm interested in your opinions. Could one conceivably practice music, martial arts, dance routines, or anything else? What about beyond practicing, but actually learning new skills, like teaching yourself to do a backflip?

**Raetin** · 01-25-2011 12:35 AM

Well, I remember doing some epic martial arts stuff fighting cops, but I can't do that in real life. Everything is so much easier to do in a lucid dream, and you can do these things, but the hard part is doing the same thing in reality.
Oh yeah, sometimes you'll forget the exact things you did, so if your using a guitar in a LD, you'll probably won't remember which notes you played.

**Caradon** · 01-25-2011 01:29 AM

Originally Posted by Raetin

Well, I remember doing some epic martial arts stuff fighting cops, but I can't do that in real life. Everything is so much easier to do in a lucid dream, and you can do these things, but the hard part is doing the same thing in reality.
Oh yeah, sometimes you'll forget the exact things you did, so if your using a guitar in a LD, you'll probably won't remember which notes you played.

I'm extremely acrobatic in my Lucid Dreams. While I am a very coordinated and nimble person, I know I'll never be doing any real life back flips, or hand springs.

Personally I don't put a lot of stock in this kind of idea. But I guess I don't know enough about it to outright say it can't happen. But there are just too many different ways something in a dream can be altered to either succeed or fail depending on what is going on in your mind at the time. And especially with the fact that gravity never acts the same, even if sometimes it feels like it is.

**zerogmr** · 01-25-2011 02:58 AM

In all of the books i have read about lucid dreaming (including a few by LaBerge), practicing things such as you mentioned is made out to be one of the greatest benefits of Lucid Dreaming. While i have never experienced it myself, i definitely think it makes sense. Its all about the idea of imagery/visualization. Have you ever had a personal trainer or a coach or something tell you when helping you to try and visualize the thing that you are trying to accomplish? Visualization is widely accepted as a very effective way to practice/learn things. Doing things in lucid dreams is the same concept as visualization, except it is stronger because you are actually vividly creating and experiencing the thing that you are visualizing. Maybe next time you are lucid and practicing rolling, stop for a second before you try the roll and do a little visualization of yourself smoothly doing the roll?

**RobotGymnast** · 01-25-2011 03:00 AM

I don't quite think that's applicable to everything, though. I know for instance with my roll, I need minute adjustments in angle to get a smooth roll, and no visualization, only practice and failure, can help that, since without feedback I have no idea if I'm doing it right. I think for practicing, visualization is great, but not for aiding while on the learning curve.