Encouragement for older Lucid-dreaming-hopefuls

[Voldmer]

As we all know, getting the word out about lucid dreaming is an up-hill struggle. Most people seem unable to grasp it, and show little interest in it. I have so far failed to get anyone enthused about lucid dreaming, but today I was in for a surprise: my dad told me he had his first lucid dream a couple of nights ago! Also, on a different note, there has from time to time been speculation on DreamViews about the ability of older people to experience lucidity during dreams. I think those here who are trying for their first LD, whilst being closer to retirement than starting their careers, should take some heart from my dads success... he's 83 years old! It's never too late!

[dutchraptor]

That is truly amazing! To be a lucid dreamer at a young age is unique, but at 83 is extraordinary. Bravo!

[LouaiB]

I was wondering the other day if elders can LD. I got my dad to have a LD a couple of weeks ago. He's 60. Thanx for clearing that up. Let us spread LDing to all!!

[TwitchLucidity]

I think that everyone can do it, but when it comes to Layer 1, 2, and 3 Lucid dreams when you're older I think that it must not be as vibrant. But eh, I dont know much.

[SinisterDezz]

Spread the purity >. Welcome to the forums, and this wonderful skill.

[StephL]

This forum is incredibly young - let me tell you something as an "old woman" - comparatively - with 40. There is this nice thread about if one has seen people RC in real life. And I seem to be the only one, who has not gotten one negative reaction out of telling surely 20 people about it by now. I came on here in October - I might have even talked to more people by now. Got to go about it methodically, and note reactions seriously - ask again.. This went from - five (!) times: Oh yes!! - I did as a child! - I flew! - but I can´t remember almost any dreams now.. And then spread out like below. The rest were - all fully believing me - nobody thought it wouldn´t be good for me to strive for LDs, too. What they said was: I would love to be able to LD - I might try to work on it.* At least maybe desirable - but I don´t think, I will manage without spending too much time on it. At least maybe desirable - but I don´t think, I will manage at all. I am not really interested - but go ahead - why not. These were all, except one, people towards/in their/beyond their 40s. I can imagine the reactions of people having to do with getting older and finding people of a similar mindset - after having developed some sort of one in the first place. It is easy with the right people - even if they never heard of it before or never had one. Maybe it is also of benefit to have seen a bit more of life, to see the potential of LD - but maybe I´m only dreaming old woman´s dreams - or having luck with good company .. *One good friend will highly probably do so - we have talked extensively even years before. Several were raptly listening, and I sent them off, convinced of giving remembering their dreams a stab.

[benni]

Wow that is sooo cool! 83 years old and his first lucid dream! Congratulations! @StephL I have never encountered any negative reactions either! I have told many friends and also family members who are >50 years old and they all found the idea of having lucid dreams quite intriguing. Some friends were really excited and wanted to try as well (some did but stopped after a short period of time) however the 'older' people didn't want to try - at least they didn't judge me or told me that LDing is something bad to do. So there seem to be many (also older) people who seem fascinated by the idea of having LDs and the abilities this brings with it

[StephL]

Good to hear benni - maybe we have a culture over here, that is more open to such topics? I love your signature - just told my husband - and he said - no - that´s not the same, Fermi etc. - but it is exactly the same - for alien life. Why it doesn´t communicate with us is another story. I am convinced we have life in the rather closer vicinity - and if it´s only furry or tentacled nice little animals (or terrifying big ones..).

[LouaiB]

Yeah StephL, why is it like that? 'older' people seem less interested about LDing. It's not only in Germany. Maybe because from a couple decades, thing, or ambitions, where different. The idea of LD is less acceptable or important. One plans his life when he is young, at his last teenage years, and LDing(or anything like it) wasn't so common then, so it seems an alien idea. Just guessing. BTW, love the signature. Its true, and who knows, probably there are alien life out there

[benni]

Thanks StephL. Yes that might be true or maybe it's not the culture but much more the people that we deal with? Genereally speaking I'm in touch with people who are very openminded, but I strongly assume that there are many more people in our culture who would judge the concept of LDing as something unusual or bad... Anyway it's up to them. Haha yes it's the same. I don't quite get the Fermi paradox anyway... Our way of searching for alien life at the moment is quite narrow. Just because we haven't evaluated all the planets and moons in our solar system properly or haven't looked at all kinds of signals that an alien civilisation might emit that doesn't necessarily mean that there is none. I mean, just give the space agencies a few more years... I am pretty sure that they will find some sort of alien lifeform on Mars or Jupiter's moons and maybe even intelligent life with their missions to detect exoplanets.

[Meskhetyw]

I don't know; Germans invented practically everything in existence, and hardly get credit for it, never once complaining. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if it's the culture. ...and forty is not old; the only people who begin to really age at that point are those who never take care of themselves.

[StephL]

Na, na - yesterday, my Welsh mate came back from meeting a Greek guy - who made a convincing claim, that the Greeks have invented basically everything.. There was no Egyptian in the mix, though .. hehe. But like said before - I connected my age with having found "the right people" - and that as main reason, for the positive answers. Germany is less of a factor - rather our "micro-social-ecosystems". There is quite a lot of research done here, though. And the aliens - a while ago I had opened this thread: http://www.dreamviews.com/science-ma...%B4t-know.html There is one of the name-inspiring videos - really great - about are we alone - and some interesting links on exoplanets. I´d like to put something on the Fermi-paradox too - but not the time at the moment..

[DreamHighlander]

My grandmother told me that she had a recurrent nightmare where her deceased butler was chasing to kill her. I told her about lucid dreaming. Some months ago she managed to remember what i said and she stopped running in the dream. The butler then disapeared and never showed up again. She had her first sparkle of lucidity. She's 82 years old. Now i'm "training" my mother.

[FryingMan]

Nice! Great thread. As a somewhat "chronologically challenged" newbie (approaching 50) with some successes so far, these stories are inspiring that the efforts I make now will yield results for decades to come. Can't wait to hit the 1000, 2000, 3000, etc. lucid dreaming landmarks!

[gab]

Hey Vodmer, it would be interesting to know, how did your dad got a LD. Did you teach him RCs and mantras? Or how did he get it? Thanks.

[StephL]

People who suffer from nightmares should be rather easy to convince - maybe one could start out asking people, if they do have them. And then maybe LD looks much more interesting to people who´s imagination of the possibilities doesn´t yet get the point of it otherwise. In this interview study of Mel´s - number one motivation for LD was having fun, of course - but not far behind came help with nightmares as a reason to learn LD.

[Rothgar]

I have been lucid dreaming for a little over 2 years and am 61now. I have just had my 165th LD this morning. I have had some incredible ones, but too short, mostly (a few longer ones). This may be due to being a light sleeper...a problem that comes as one gets older. However, the brain is incredibly powerful and I intend to work to overcome this... I think the right stabilization trick is the key as well as having them earlier at night when I am more asleep, although it seems harder then too as awareness is less, so maybe more awareness training required). The longest and best were earlier ones.

[FryingMan]

Great to hear, Rothgar, that's very encouraging! Yes I've found that rehearsing "the lucidity moment" in waking life with a set stabilisation ritual really helps. I had just started doing this for a day or two, and on my very next lucid I performed it and had one of my longest LDs yet (4-5 minutes, and I could have gone way longer I think had I avoided close DC interaction, and done another set of stabilisation after about 5 minutes. I stopped doing this recently and my last several lucids I jumped into action right away without stabilizing and the dreams were very short.

[Rothgar]

Thanks Fryingman...will try that and also verbal stabilization...something I havent really tried yet. Glad there are other older LDers out there...cant let the teenagers have all the fun!

[Voldmer]

Hey Vodmer, it would be interesting to know, how did your dad got a LD. Did you teach him RCs and mantras? Or how did he get it? Thanks. Nominally, it was a DILD. More specifically, a lucid dream based on logical reasoning within a non-lucid dream. He found himself in a situation, which he reasoned could not exist in the physical world, and therefore concluded that it was a dream. I do not think he was actively trying to have a lucid dream, and I have never mentioned RCs (which I personally don't really use), nor mantras, nor any other techniques to him. But the backdrop to this is almost certainly important. During the last 14 months, during which I have been training myself to dream lucidly, I have talked often about the subject with my parents (probably more than they would have wanted ), so the concept has at least had that long to become lodged in the back of both their minds. I have a distinct feeling, that merely knowing what lucid dreaming is - and that it is possible - is programming your self to have a lucid dream one day.

[Goldenspark]

Threads like these are great for affirmation! I had wondered if being a bit older might be affecting my ability to have LDs. Just reading about this helped me to have an LD last night, if only a short one. Thanks Voldmer!