Is my cousin a natural?

Last August I went on a cross country trip with my grandparents and younger cousin. On this trip I had my first LD where I didn't wake up when I became lucid, and I was excited. In the car that day, I told my cousin about lucid dreams and how you have them. She had never heard of lucid dreaming and was interested in the subject.

I asked her "I wonder what would happen if you asked a dream character if they were dreaming?" "I don't know, but I'm tired and I want to take a nap." she replied

That was the last thing we said before she fell asleep. When she woke up a few hours later, the first thing she said was "They said no" "what?" "I had one of those lucid dream things you were talking about. I asked someone if they were dreaming, and they said no"

I was impressed, if not a bit jealous, that someone who had never even heard of LDs before managed to have her first LD so fast.

Is my cousin a natural lucid dreamer?

it depends, does she have lucid dreams regularly, or was it only this once?

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She had never heard of lucid dreaming and was interested in the subject.

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How does this imply she isn't particularly interested?


Ask your cousin sometime if she has experienced a LD again.

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Originally Posted by melanieb

How does this imply she isn't particularly interested?

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Whoops!
I misread, and thought he said the exact opposite.

She is either natural or she was just lucky. Ask her later if she continues having LDs. I wish you both good luck!

I think people put too much importance on being a natural lucid dreamer. I am what you call a natural. I had my first LD when I was around 8 - I still clearly remember it - and continued to have them for years before I even knew what a lucid dream was. Without any effort - no dream journal, no intention, no thoughts of lucid dreaming whatsoever - I'll have about 1-5 LD's a year. I have to work just as hard as anyone else to have them with any frequency.

Even if your cousin is a natural, she will still have to work to continue having LDs regularly. Either way, it's pretty awesome that you may now have someone else close to you that you can share your LD journey with. :)

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Originally Posted by hermine_hesse

I think people put too much importance on being a natural lucid dreamer. I am what you call a natural. I had my first LD when I was around 8 - I still clearly remember it - and continued to have them for years before I even knew what a lucid dream was. Without any effort - no dream journal, no intention, no thoughts of lucid dreaming whatsoever - I'll have about 1-5 LD's a year. I have to work just as hard as anyone else to have them with any frequency.

Even if your cousin is a natural, she will still have to work to continue having LDs regularly. Either way, it's pretty awesome that you may now have someone else close to you that you can share your LD journey with. :)

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The most boring and frustrating part of lucid dreaming is the beginning. People believe that naturals can skip the boring part and get right in the fun part.

This is true to some extent, but what you say is true. As with anything, naturals have to work to get better, and if they don't work, they get worse.

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Originally Posted by CaptianCrutch

The most boring and frustrating part of lucid dreaming is the beginning. People believe that naturals can skip the boring part and get right in the fun part.

This is true to some extent, but what you say is true. As with anything, naturals have to work to get better, and if they don't work, they get worse.

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I understand. Just know that if you are practicing your awareness, keeping a dream journal, and practicing the right techniques at night, your lucidity will improve. Try incubating something simple you want to do once you get lucid (like flying or just exploring a crazy landscape), that way whatever your incubating may turn up in your non-lucids too. I've definitely had some non-lucids that are just as fun as my lucids. If you're improving recall this is one of the most interesting parts of the journey, imo, actually paying attention to all the crazy things that happen in my brain every night. Also, increasing awareness and being present in the moment will bring more pleasure to WR. Basically, don't focus just on achieving LD's - enjoy the journey.

I have a friend who is capable of LD without actually knowing what it is too. He told me his dreams are usually too unrealistic so he will know he is dreaming, fantasy dreams, etc. I was rather shocked too. I mean most people despite having unrealistic dreams will still continue on without being aware and doubt for a moment that "flying dragons" are unnatural.