Thread: Lucid goal of maximized awareness only subtle control?

Has anyone here had a goal of lucid dreams with maximized awareness but only subtle control? It has struck me that so much of the focus on this site is about control tasks in lucid dreams, but I could see an advantage of lucid dreams where maximum awareness was the focus but letting the subconscious part of one's mind control the dream contents. Sort of like practicing ADA inside a dream.

I today had the insight that I have been recently trying to almost choreograph a complex control dream in advance, and I have not been successful, and it occurred to me today that I really for the most part greatly enjoy most of my non-lucids, and while I still very much want to become lucid but depending on the setting and premise of the dream I find myself in, I might actually be better off going with the flow of the dream and enjoying it while lucid.

What do you think of that approach to LD?

Yes. To tell you the truth, I don't realy care about controlling things much. I would much rather walk around and explore. Just to see how things are. I have had a chance to glance at things, that blew my mind. I'm sure I couldn't make those things on purpose. I prefer to be surprised by my dreams. If possible, I would like to see real places. Like real world in OBEs. If not, than at least accurate renditions of real places. Like the orbit, the Moon...

I have tried shooting fireballs and summoning, and I could do it. I'm satisfied with that.

So yes, all am thinking about is how to get my lucids to be more lucid. To be more aware. I know the avenues, I just need to get there. Good luck to you.

Just out of curiosity, Gab. Why do you choose to lead such an partial and passive role in your lucid dreams?
Do you enjoy this approach more than it's counterpart, or what? I seldom hear of people who chose to do this, and it's quite interesting to me.
Perhaps you could enlighten us?

Originally Posted by yuppie11975

Just out of curiosity, Gab. Why do you choose to lead such an partial and passive role in your lucid dreams?
Do you enjoy this approach more than it's counterpart, or what? I seldom hear of people who chose to do this, and it's quite interesting to me.
Perhaps you could enlighten us?

There is nothing partial nor passive about being a lucid explorer of dream world. It is a different mentality than the leading one on this site: control is stressed so much here that some people may think one needs full control for successful experienced lucid dreaming. However, I know that some of the most experienced members have complained that they have issue with having too much control in their dreams and that as a result dreams become not interesting enough and predictable. Personally, I am not there of course, but I can see the advantage of letting subconscious and conscious parts of my mind collaborate instead of my conscious overruling the subconscious. I think the results may be more creative than what I would have done if I had taken control completely. Of course, at this point my goal is just mostly to become lucid again, but got to think ahead to what kind of lucid dreamer I want to become, and gab's style holds an attraction. I still want to eat chocolate and visit the Taj Mahal though.

Going with the flow, exploring the dream and doing dream ADA is a great approach, and possibly what yogis/buddhist monks are doing. I think that it is an even more advanced special case of dream control and it can be harder to achieve (in terms of dream length).

Whenever I have done so, (especially before joining DV), I have encountered two difficulties - losing lucidity by being distracted by elements of the dream, or losing stability and the dream ending. Knowing you have a task to do may actually prolong the dream because it keeps you more alert (although rushing may destabilize it). But I am not so experienced, so I am sure there are effective ways to deal with these obstacles.

I think one should be really flexible when it comes to dreams, sometimes the dreams calls for more observation and it is better to just let go and merge with it and as gab said, allow yourself to be surprised. At other times it is more appropriate to practice some dream control and enhance whatever skills.

Going with the flow is also my favourite approach. Even if it´s just a small object, a wall, or a DC it gets my full attention and interest.

Dream control is very important of course, like when i get lucid inside an elevator ( « how do i get out of here? »).

I'd say that i have similar goal in mind, but it's only one of my goals and it is to be able to easily switch between both states. To be exact i want to have awesome fun lucid adventures where i wouldn't need to use much active dream control other than for 'getting in' for example, but i also want to have great control when it comes to doing actual control for fun and when i want to experience something in particular.

I like control, but exploring is great. Sadly, i somehow always get stopped. Meh.

Thank you for starting this thread. It wasn't my goal to maximize awareness and remove the control I used to have, but awhile ago, through an agreement with a DC(I've gotten to know him as an aspect of my subcon. over the course of several LDs, anyway, he made a valid argument which appealed to my sense of efficiency and logic), basically that's what's had happened. I never thought about using my diminished ability to control the dream as an opportunity to increase awareness, so thank you! Certainly better than complaining during my LDs about degree of control/or lack thereof.

every night it seems i make progress in dreams. last night something new happened (parallel to my WL i felt new/different.) in dream, i was at a table with people, some family, some not. i was at a certain level of awareness that made me RC, the RC involved thinking if i was dreaming, looking/poking my hand, i even backed away from the table and looked at the backs of the DC's heads while asking myself if i was dreaming. i was making impossibly good voice imitations of a pirate too haha, and surprising myself as i did, feeling it couldn't be possible. i was very close to a lucid dream, and although it didn't fully happen, i woke up feeling much better about lucid dreaming because the possibility that i'm dreaming in WL has become more real. i would say i do use the ADA technique paired with a hand RC.. it just makes life easier, and dreaming too.
i'd bet that letting your dreams drift, is a good way to keep your RCs working and your LDs like potent organisms.