Thread: Two questions about vivid memory and the REM phase

About the vividness in a Dream/LD. Could it be possible that the vividness during a D/LD is effected by the transition to waking life? [/b]

I assume so. I think the more awake you are the more vivid it will be..i think. I've heard from people that WILD's are the most vivid dreams they've ever had and since they just transitioned from concious to subconcious, then that could explain it. But of course it is still possible to experience vivid dreams wiithout WILD

2. Can the REM phase be pronlonged? An usual sleep cycle last about 90 minutes, and the more awake you are the longer the REM phase is. But can the REM last longer, even longer than 90 minutes if it is trained on? I mean since the brain is as active during REM that during waking life, maybe all one got to train is the controll over SP?[/b]

prolonged? I think only by medical ways and pills etc. I highly doubt it can be trained to be longer by you

Dear Jammy,

Have you heard of the Philosopher's Tool called Occram's Razor -- it's supposition is that when given a choice between complex explanations and simpler explanations in order to rationalize a phenomena, that the proper choice should be the simpler of the two explanations. The example often given is "when you see hoof prints, think 'horses' and not zebras".

to suppose that Lucidity is superimposed upon a dream after the fact -- dressing up the dream's memory, well that is quite a :"zebra". It would be simpler to suppose that the Dream Memory is more intense because the Dream was more intense -- that the one thing naturally followed from the other.

Of course, the problem with Occram's Razor is that, sooner or later, there might actually be Zebra hoofprints somewhere, that is, the complicated, overwrought and convoluted explanation could turn out to be the true one. But we should remember that in both Art and Nature (and technology ever more), the most elegant designs are the simplest.


And as for duration. A REM cycle can be increased incrementally through certain practices -- twirling like a dervish, swinging one's arms, or by deep and rapid breathing -- the duration of a dream may be extended by some degree. But there is no practice that will entirely free one from the REM cycles completely. Even Out of Body Travelers are up against the same time constraints as we Dreamers.

One hears about Deep Trance States attainable by extreme yogic practices -- Samadhi. But typically though the Experience is Ectatic -- yogins refering to it in terms of Absolute Bliss -- still they are left with very little to actually describe, being left quite speechless. Such experiences are then categorized as ineffable. They can go on for quite sometime, as the Samadhi Trance is somewhat akin to being in a coma. And now that I think about it, the ascetic practices used to induce these trance states -- fasting, sleep deprivation, mortification of the flesh -- these Samadhi Trances may well actually be comas. We need to remember that the most intense experiences are the Near Death Experiences which brings us to wonder whether being in Good Health is a asset in Spiritual Practice or rather a liability. In this context suddenly it makes sense that all of the Dalai Lamas buddies sit around chain smoking cigerettes and drinking scotch -- it is their spiritual practice which borrows from energy of good health, as it ebbs away, and lends it to their Spiritual Endeavors. The Energy of Good Health is like a Storage Battery, which we can use only by running ourselves down.