Accidental Benefits of Lucid Dreaming

[sisyphus]

We know that lucid dreaming is entertaining, profound, and awe-inspiring on its own. And it can be used for practical things like stopping nightmares. But what are the accidental benefits of lucid dreaming? This is different from Why have Lucid Dreams?. These aren't the things that initially motivated you to lucid dream. It's the things you discovered along the way without intending to, and benefiting other aspects of your life. Let me explain the term a bit more: By "accidental" I mean something like "coincidental" or "collateral" or just "unintended." Some activities have benefits beyond the immediate and obvious. Often we enter into an activity with one set of motivations, but end up with unforeseen rewards. Some practical examples: Playing a sport can teach a person about teamwork. Learning to play a musical instrument can teach a person about discipline. Volunteering can help a person develop empathy. Raising a pet can teach a person about responsibility. No child begs their parent for a dog because they want to learn about responsibility. The parent may be aware of that benefit, but that's not what motivates the child. The child might not realize the connection until many years later, if ever. The benefit is there even if you aren't aware of it and it predictably applies the same to almost everyone who engages in the activity. I've been reflecting on accidental benefits recently and noted a few. They seem to come in two flavors that often mix: - Skill: A required skill to lucid dream that is weak when you begin. As you progress, you are forced to improve the skill. (e.g. discipline) - Wisdom: A new idea that connects with old ideas and shifts your understanding. Your new understanding is deeper and more nuanced. (e.g. nature of reality) Here's the most prominent ones for me. Share yours too! Discipline Keeping a dream journal requires discipline! If you don't have it, you will develop it. I can actually wake up in the morning without hitting the snooze a million times. In fact, I don't need an alarm at all. Planning, Lists, and Goal-setting For lucid dreaming, I was forced to develop the habit to actually write things down in lists, plans, and journals. I measured my progress and evaluated myself. Some people learn this skill in school or from parents, but I never really did. I thought I could keep everything in my head and wing it. It was the teacher's or boss' job to make the plan and grade the work. But for lucid dreaming, I became my own teacher and boss. Now I write everything down. I no longer forget things or get distracted from my plans. Diverse Knowledge and Curiosity Lucid dreaming led me to new topics that I'd never expected at the beginning. I've learned about schemas in psychology, brain waves in neuroscience, the ancient practices of Tibetan yogis, the effect of diet and exercise on sleep, ... and so many other things. Exploring these new topics sparks my interest and I continue to learn more about them, outside the narrower goal of lucid dreaming. Expectation, Intention, and Confidence Lucid dreaming has revealed the power of the mind to affect any experience, for better or worse. So much of the world is actually happening "in here" and not "out there." I can control what's happening "in here." Openness and Questioning Reality Lucid dreaming has inspired a whole new set of questions about the nature of reality, subjectivity, and possibility. I am at the same time more skeptical and more accepting, if that makes sense. Fantasy and "Dukkha" Dukkha is a concept from Buddhism that describes the feeling that we are never satisfied. We constantly experience desire in the form of motivation, hunger, fantasy and so on. Fulfilling a fantasy does not "cure" desire any more than drinking water "cures" thirst. It only delays it temporarily, until it returns again, possibly as a different desire. When you step back and realize this pattern, you can approach the nature of choice in a more enlightened way. Lucid dreaming is a way to fulfill fantasies. I'm not saying fantasy is bad. Fantasy is as natural and essential to human life as thirst. Using lucid dreams to play out fantasies is fun on its own, but it can also open your mind to some more profound thoughts about choice and desire. "Beginner's Mind" and Self-Directed Learning In retrospect, lucid dreaming was the first significant skill that I chose to learn on my own. It wasn't taught in school or church. My parents didn't make me do it. It wasn't required for my job. My friends didn't convince me to try it. I never saw it on a TV ad or on a store shelf. The fact might seem mundane, but it's very meaningful to me. After college, I felt a sense I was finally "done" learning and ready to move on to another stage of life. Then I fell into a rut of boredom. I picked up lucid dreaming and it felt good to learn something new. It was rewarding to feel like a beginner, to feel that excitement and motivation, and to be humbled by realizing that I don't know everything. I was no longer jaded about adulthood. I have since applied that to other things.

[VagalTone]

This is a beautiful and wisely written post

[Kruse]

Well written indeed

[Scionox]

Good post. I guess i could add that lucid dreaming improves memory as well, i was pretty horrible at remembering some things IWL, but after i got into lucid dreaming i am definitely getting better at that.

[azoller1]

wow this is a great list of what lucid dreaming does to you, and i hope it does these to me, and i think this is great for people wanting to get a jump start on lucid dreaming

[Sensei]

Very good. I have never heard the word "Dukkha" before, but Christians have this as well. The book of Ecclesiastes is pretty much dedicated to how nothing ever fully satisfies, it is always just for a season. In the New Testament Jesus said "if you drink from this well you will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I give him shall never thirst again." Very interesting. I have seen a lot of these benefits from LDing as well. well put.

[StephL]

Great, great post!! Thank you for writing this up and sharing it - I feel inspired and reinforced now - can't find the words in the moment - just great post!!