I've never had a "normal" dream. I'm never not aware.

[Annabunny]

Hi! I'm new to the forum and I actually just learned about lucid dreams for a friend that has been trying to achieve them. I've always been aware that I'm dreaming and can almost always change my dreams or wake up. So, essentially my dreams are almost like thoughts. I've read things that say that you shouldn't look at mirrors and that's got me kind of freaked out. Is that actually true? And it is a bad thing that I lucid all the time..? What does a "normal" dream feel like? Also during the day I get into deep thoughts that are kind of like dreams but I'm awake. Does anyone think the two are connected? Thanks for reading

[splodeymissile]

Welcome. If you think a mirrors going to get you, its going to get you. Thankfully, the opposite holds true, as well. As for being a bad thing, no. In fact, you are very lucky. A normal dream is like......watching a really great film and getting so engrossed that you forget you're sat on the sofa. Add in natural, virtual reality and a starring role for yourself and you've got a normal dream.

[Cobalt Storm]

Always aware?!? you make me jealous man

[Annabunny]

Why is it a good thing? And Jacob I wouldn't be cuz I tend to think myself into nightmares and even though I wake myself up it's annoying.

[splodeymissile]

I could pose the opposite question, why is it a bad thing? Quite a few people would like to have lucids regularly like that. As for thinking yourself into nightmares, certainly a problem, but one that be rectified by a bit of dream control. Remember, its your mind and it bends to your will above all else. You just have to exercise that will.

[Laurelindo]

A normal dream is a dream where you have no direct control over your own behaviour, and where you never question anything that happens. Your free will is "shut off", so that all you can do is passively watch the events, and you never question where you are - anything can happen, and no matter how bizarre it is, you never actually stop and question it. Everything is on autopilot, and you never think anything is "strange" or "peculiar". It's pretty ridiculous really, it's almost as if your mind is trolling you and preventing you from experiencing the wonderful freedom of lucid dreaming. Why would your logic center, of all things, be the thing that shuts off during sleep? If your brain is highly active during sleep otherwise then why does the logic center have to go and turn itself off? Bah.

[Annabunny]

I could pose the opposite question, why is it a bad thing? Quite a few people would like to have lucids regularly like that. As for thinking yourself into nightmares, certainly a problem, but one that be rectified by a bit of dream control. Remember, its your mind and it bends to your will above all else. You just have to exercise that will. You're right I'm gonna to try and experiment with this.

[splodeymissile]

I wish you luck.

[Cobalt Storm]

So how are you always aware? is there a procedure?

[Bharmo]

Why is it a good thing? And Jacob I wouldn't be cuz I tend to think myself into nightmares and even though I wake myself up it's annoying. You could try signing up at the Dream Control class of the DreamViews Academy, the teachers there will help you a lot. You can sign up for the course here: http://www.dreamviews.com/dream-cont...n-up-here.html

[Annabunny]

So how are you always aware? is there a procedure? I actually just found out that lucid dreaming is a thing. So I guess it's natural. What do you think is the reason you don't regularly LD?

[Cobalt Storm]

Well right now the reason is that I don't reality check in dreams and I continue to screw up DEILDs unintentionally(I move right when I wake up out of habit).

[JJFrank]

really good description of muggle dreams. Thanks Sorry. This was in response to Laurelindo's description (above) of a normal dream. I'm new here and don't know how to communicate clearly in this medium JJ

[JJFrank]

Anna, I knew someone like you who every night just laid down in bed and just walked through a door into the dream world. No transition. It could be useful to know that you have a gift that is not common to most people. You should ask yourself, "what can I do with this exceptional ability?" What is possible for someone in the waking world with your ability? How can you utillize your gift to access fields of awareness that others cannot? It is an amazing power. What do you see are the possibilities? JJ Hi! I'm new to the forum and I actually just learned about lucid dreams for a friend that has been trying to achieve them. I've always been aware that I'm dreaming and can almost always change my dreams or wake up. So, essentially my dreams are almost like thoughts. I've read things that say that you shouldn't look at mirrors and that's got me kind of freaked out. Is that actually true? And it is a bad thing that I lucid all the time..? What does a "normal" dream feel like? Also during the day I get into deep thoughts that are kind of like dreams but I'm awake. Does anyone think the two are connected? Thanks for reading

[Annabunny]

I've recently gotten curious. I wanted to try some stuff out last night, but I didn't dream at all. Tonight I'll be trying an OBE..any tips JJ? Or anyone else that has experienced it? Well right now the reason is that I don't reality check in dreams and I continue to screw up DEILDs unintentionally(I move right when I wake up out of habit). What's DEILDs? Sorry I'm new at this..

[Sageous]

^^ DEILD = Dream Exit Initiated Lucid Dream. It's where you basically maintain your self-awareness as you wake from one dream and carry it with you into the next. However, if you are self-aware at all times, as you say, this process shouldn't matter much to you.

[ibseth]

Welcome to the Forum On average, people dream 4-6 times every night, for varying periods. I'm honestly a little skeptical you Lucid Dream ALL the time, because it's possible that you do have lucid dreams extremely frequently, and simply forget all your non-lucid dreams. But I can't speak for your experiences, so if you do experience 4-6 LD's every night, hey, good for you. If you suspect you may be forgetting non-lucid dreams, you may want to try waking yourself up earlier than usual with an alarm with the goal to interrupt a non-lucid dream. Hopefully, the interruption will allow you to recall it.

[Annabunny]

^^^ you're right. Now I'm really confused because some nights I feel like I "didn't dream at all". I guess the the dreams I remember are the lucid ones. Idk. I didn't know people dreamt that often though..the most I remember in a night would be like 2 or three.

[ibseth]

^^^ you're right. Now I'm really confused because some nights I feel like I "didn't dream at all". I guess the the dreams I remember are the lucid ones. Idk. I didn't know people dreamt that often though..the most I remember in a night would be like 2 or three. Well, that gives you opportunity to experience non-lucids, then . How well do you remember your lucid dreams? Do they fade quickly, or do you remember them completely through the day?

[Maxis]

So how are you always aware? is there a procedure? I'm going to take a stab at it and go with what LouaiB always says (originally Sageous's words I believe)--someone who frequently has LDs, whether naturally or by practice, probably has a high level of self-awareness and may not practice specific procedures like WILD or MILD--I think essentially, lucid dreaming mostly goes down to self-awareness. Of course, extra effort can still help--clearer dreams, better dream control, longer dreams, better dream recall, etc. Anna--if you're not already aware, people tend to strive to lucid dream because being aware that you're dreaming results in you being able to control the dream and do whatever you want (you know, fly, walk on water, stab your boss with a sharpie). Like others have said, it can be used to stop nightmares as well. Also, writing your dreams down every morning (dream journaling) is helpful in improving dream recall. Even if you don't remember any dreams, it's still good to write down something like "I don't remember my dreams," to get you into the habit of it and to teach your brain it's important to remmeber them.

[ibseth]

Great point. Improving your dream recall by journaling can eventually help you remember those dreams you forget.

[CTX]

but I didn't dream at all. You dream every night 3-7 times. You just can't remember them.

[StephL]

Yupp - warm welcome to the forum Annabunny! A normal dream is a dream where you have no direct control over your own behaviour, and where you never question anything that happens. Your free will is "shut off", so that all you can do is passively watch the events, and you never question where you are - anything can happen, and no matter how bizarre it is, you never actually stop and question it. Everything is on autopilot, and you never think anything is "strange" or "peculiar". It's pretty ridiculous really, it's almost as if your mind is trolling you and preventing you from experiencing the wonderful freedom of lucid dreaming. Why would your logic center, of all things, be the thing that shuts off during sleep? If your brain is highly active during sleep otherwise then why does the logic center have to go and turn itself off? Bah. This is wrong. If the "logic centre" (you should tell me, what you believe that actually is anyway..) wasn't working - there would be no narrative. Most every dream works just fine in terms of "boring logic". Your dreaming brain will come up with all sorts of unusual, but in itself "logical" explanations, when weird symbology turns up. I read lately - and soo loved, was a dreamer reasoning like this: That cow is flying, because it has a lucid dream, that's when you can fly - my do I envy that cow. Sorry got to look you up, you wonderful lucid-cow-dream-producer!! You could try signing up at the Dream Control class of the DreamViews Academy, the teachers there will help you a lot. You can sign up for the course here: http://www.dreamviews.com/dream-cont...n-up-here.html Unfortunately - as I understood it a while back - this course is not active at the moment - no signing up. This following link leads to the source of most active dream control content stuff: Dream Control besides this article you cited. But opening a workbook in Intro Class or DILD is still possible - then there are Sageous and Sivason and their sections, which might interest you Annabunny. And I sure left out a lot I shouldn't - oh yeah - check the DreamViews Podcast and the TOTM-threads for learning dream control, too: Tasks of the Month & Year Have fun - and yupp - try to access your "normal dreams" as well - can be very interesting. And you also shed a light on other perceived only lucid dreamers - they might consistently forget their other dreams except some special examples.

[DreamyStivi]

Hi Annabunny, If you say you at the most recall 2 dreams a night, and all these dreams are lucid (lucid dreams are indeed easy to recall, because you are so concious at the moment, they are even hard not to recall), you sure have at least 1 or 2 non-lucid dreams, you just don't remember them. So if you wanne know what normal dreams feel like, just try your best to recall more dreams, indeed, as said before, write down your dreams, try to feel that your dreams, all of them are very important to you and ask yourself to be able to remember them better. I hope it works, maybe it is going to get you even more lucid dreams, because you raise your awareness even more, but for sure, you will recall some normal dreams too. But anyhow, it is good to have lot of lucid dreams, so you don't need the normal dreams, but I guess you want to experience the difference, so go for it. Good luck.