beginners fear?

[mfchrist]

Hi, I'm a first timer... I have experienced lucid dreaming a handful of times over the past few years, but I have never disciplined myself to try and control or furthur explore them. I usually just tried to wake up immediately, always with success .(I do this by "falling asleep" in the dream) But today was different. During an afternoon nap I had a frightening dream in which I knew I was three years in my own past (although, upon waking, I realized nothing resembled my real past. the dream took place on a big commune farm...) There was a man in my dream that I felt a very strange connection to, but something told me that if I got too close to him I would forfeit my waking life (or future life, as I understood it in the dream) I tried telling him that I knew exactly how the next three years of my life would playout. I was very scared that I was going to lose all of this. I closed my eyes, to try to get back to the future.... But the SCARIEST part was that when I awoke on my couch I experienced my first awakened dream paralysis. I couldn't move anything but my eyes. But not my head, so I couldn't look toward the door. I heard my best friend enter and try to get my attention. She grew very angry when I couldn't respond. This was all a hallucination, I live alone.. (she stormed out and the sound of the door slamming was so vivied) So, of course I panicked a bit, felt the chest pressure I read about later. Eventually I convinced myself to relax and close my eyes, slow my breathing. I then awoke just fine. I did have to do a "reality check" as I guess it is called. I was scared shitless. Anyway, I guess I am just looking for somebody to comfort me! My fear was not prolonged, i was able to rationalize my way through it. I just hope I never experience scarier hallucinations! Thanks.

[Alric]

As long as you remeber its not real, there is really no problem. Also if you heard something that wasn't a hallucination it would wake you up instantly, so you can assume that its always going to be fake.

[Nirvana Starseed]

That's interesting because I have had 2 dreams where I have been stuck in my past. It is a very strange feeling. And I can understand how it could cause panic. And a very strange experience when I was young about time going in fast forward. that wasn't a dream though When you wake up and you can't move, and see people or voices or feel a presence of some kind don't worry that happens to alot of people and it has happened to me. You will eventually get more experienced and use to that as you go along. Overcoming fear (extreme for some people) it seems is a process that alot of people deal with when they start lucid dreaming. Myself included so I know what your going through. There is plenty to gain from overcoming it though.

[irishcream]

sounds to me like you were suffereing sleep paralysis, coupled with a False Awakening. Sleep paralysis i can cope with, False Awakenings are very annoying!

[mfchrist]

Originally posted by NirvanaStarseed That's interesting because I have had 2 dreams where I have been stuck in my past. It is a very strange feeling. And I can understand how it could cause panic. And a very strange experience when I was young about time going in fast forward. that wasn't a dream though When you wake up and you can't move, and see people or voices or feel a presence of some kind don't worry that happens to alot of people and it has happened to me. You will eventually get more experienced and use to that as you go along. Overcoming fear (extreme for some people) it seems is a process that alot of people deal with when they start lucid dreaming. Myself included so I know what your going through. There is plenty to gain from overcoming it though. It is a comforting to know many people have fear when they start. I really want to discipline myself and influence my dreams, but last night I was just a bit to freaked to start trying. I had amazing non-lucid dreams though... I am interested in hearing more about the fast-forwarding you experienced as a child. I had a head injury at age 8 and went through years of what doctors diagnosed as non-voilent seizures. I didn't move during these, just got scared because EVERYTHING sped up to amazing speeds. Peoples conversations and music especially. Oh, and my thoughts went crazy fast, heart rate, etc.. Is this like what you experienced Starseed? Anyway, guess its unrelated to lucidity... Thanks again.