I became interested in lucid dreaming a few months back and found this site shortly thereafter. I've learned so much in such a short time that I thought writing it out would be a good exercise for me, and perhaps others would find my journey interesting.
The most remarkable thing I've learned is that it's a mistake to consider the waking state "real" and the dream state "unreal." We experience dreams and waking life through the same processes.
Chemical/electrical activities create a medium of mind, which serves as a canvas for what we perceive/experience in either state. What we perceive as reality is in fact a mental construct unique to us. It's far more complicated than say a 3d movie as it contains all perception information... sound, depth, tactile, etc. In the waking state we're convinced we're looking at the "real world", when in fact we're looking at a representation of what's out there... the construct in our minds.
To put it another way... There is a spoon, but that shiny thing you're looking at ain't it.
Others may see the world quite differently from you, because they're looking at their own mental construct, not yours.
In the waking state, the mind medium is modulated (impressions formed) primarily by the electrical/chemical input generated by the body's sensory apparatus, and secondarily by memory, expectations, and the will power of the "I." We don't need to know the exact nature of the 'I" for purposes of this discussion.
In the normal dream state, this mental construct is modulated (impressions formed) only by memory and expectations. The awareness of the "I" is present, but it's just along for the ride.
The difference between the normal dream state and the lucid dream state is awareness of awareness.
Lucidity and awareness of awareness are synonymous.
In a non-lucid dream, we're aware of what's happening... sights sounds, etc., but awareness of the nature of that awareness is turned off.
We become lucid when we become aware that our awareness is of a dream state... at which point our will power becomes active and we can exercise control over the dream world. Since there's no sensory input to overwhelm memory, expectations, and our will power, by act of will alone a remarkable degree of control and manipulation of the construct that we see as reality is possible.
There's something I've learned recently that's pretty far out there. Has to do with increasing awareness of awareness and setting optimum brain chemistry via mental exercise. I'll write a follow up post to this when I get more certainty on it, if anybody's interested.
Kind of neat having this whole new world to explore.
Niall
