Thread: How did your purpose for lucid dreaming evolve?

Cool question.

It began as a way to have sex with famous people (just being honest) and a way to explore my incredibly vivid imagination. As I grew as a dreamer and realized that sex is pretty much a one-way ticket to waking up, I began to explore more. I discovered dream food (so fuggin delish), the wild forests and landscapes within me, and the cool scenarios that come with lucid dreaming - that was the exploration phase.

Now as my spirituality has grown in waking life, it has carried over to my dream escapades. It is now largely spiritual and introspective discovery. I now spend my time trying to find the Source, seek any spirits that may be inherent within me, and what have you. Meditation in a dream is just... You have to experience it.

Curious to hear other answers.

I don't know the ages but this is generally how it's evolved...

Nightmare control>Flying>Sexy stuff>Transformation

All for fun!

Why would one need a purpose for lucid dreaming? LDing is basically being an omnipotent, omniscient god every night or afternoon. Who wouldn't want that? The first few times(well, more like first 30 or 40 times) I spent large amounts of time having sex with basically anything, but nowadays I enjoy exploring different dream scenarios more than having intercourse with Megan Fox.

Originally Posted by RavenOfShadow

Cool question.

It began as a way to have sex with famous people (just being honest) and a way to explore my incredibly vivid imagination. As I grew as a dreamer and realized that sex is pretty much a one-way ticket to waking up, I began to explore more. I discovered dream food (so fuggin delish), the wild forests and landscapes within me, and the cool scenarios that come with lucid dreaming - that was the exploration phase.

Now as my spirituality has grown in waking life, it has carried over to my dream escapades. It is now largely spiritual and introspective discovery. I now spend my time trying to find the Source, seek any spirits that may be inherent within me, and what have you. Meditation in a dream is just... You have to experience it.

Curious to hear other answers.

Haha I agree. Dream food is awesome. You can eat however much you want and you won't get sick of it. Also, its great how your purpose could evolve into something you feel is rewarding. I've never done meditation in a dream before though. What type of meditation do you do？

Originally Posted by dolphin

I don't know the ages but this is generally how it's evolved...

Nightmare control>Flying>Sexy stuff>Transformation

All for fun!

Oo~ Transformation. I need to include that more in my dreams. Fun is definitely one of the best purposes for lucid dreaming.^ w ^ Always gotta remember to have fun.

Originally Posted by proctree

Why would one need a purpose for lucid dreaming? LDing is basically being an omnipotent, omniscient god every night or afternoon. Who wouldn't want that? The first few times(well, more like first 30 or 40 times) I spent large amounts of time having sex with basically anything, but nowadays I enjoy exploring different dream scenarios more than having intercourse with Megan Fox.

Purpose helps motivate people and being able to do whatever you want is not the only reason people want to lucid dream. Also, as time passes people change and their purpose might change as well. Its interesting to see how that happens and its good to reflect on how you changed too. haha Its great that you gave Megan Fox a break and found a interest in dream scenarios. I find them interesting as well. : D

I'm only 6 lucid dreams so I'm still in the have sex with any female that moves phase lol... that is when I am not flying (the last LD I tried to do both at the same time... woke up almost instantaneously lol). I want to experience transformation as well and feel what it feels like to be a dog and other animals and then eventually try and find the source. The whole reason for starting though was to find the source. I never thought I would get caught up in the excitement of flying or sex, but it's just so damn exciting and so... human. Apparently I am not beyond experiencing a quick rush yet.

Mine started off as a way to overcome nightmares but I quickly learnt it could be used to have fun. As I grew older I started using it for sex, then just explored for a while and did lots of flying. Then I started getting into AP/OBE and strived for transcendental dreams. Now I am focusing on dream control and lucid powers.

Originally Posted by robertcox88

I'm only 6 lucid dreams so I'm still in the have sex with any female that moves phase lol

I'm at one hundred and six and that phase is hard to escape … they don't have to even be moving . Maybe because I've had so little success, as others have mentioned, it's a recipe for waking up. And I'm stubborn .

Flying of course, it's even part of my name (I best most people don't realize it's not about cooking, it's a reference to "Flying Man" in the show Heroes, as pronounced by Hiro).

I probably though receive the most joy at simply being aware in the dream state. There is just nothing like it, nothing. I've seen environments that can only exist in dreams (colors, patterns), and I'm totally hooked -- really, I just like looking around and exploring. Completing TOTM goals is a really big joy.

My big goal is to have looooooooong highly lucid LDs where I just walk/fly/teleport around and enjoy, fully aware that I'm in a dream environment.

I remember a friend in high school describing a WILD technique and all the adventures he had. I thought it incredible and slightly unbelievable. A year or two later I got interested in Buddhism and discovered the dream yoga tradition. About 10 years later I found ETWOLD. I decided to undertake it as an experiment and mostly for fun, but with a leaning towards spiritual practice.

Hearing and reflecting on may Buddhist wisdom traditions that describe all experience to be dreamlike further inspired me. Particularly I was inspired by the teachings on the Buddhist view of "emptiness", especially those of Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso as recorded in his fabulous book "The Sun of Wisdom", and those I have heard in person from him. He describes the subjective experience of emptiness many times as being almost identical to the experience of lucidity. Knowing that all that is currently experienced is mere appearance, a mental fabrication, and having the confidence, joy, and relaxation that comes from that knowledge. Thinking about this intensively led me to greater diligence with my practice.

Further, I think the dream environment provides a powerful setting for developing positive qualities such as love, wisdom, and compassion for other beings. I want to take advantage of this, to make use of this time which is otherwise just a waste.

Also, just the little time I have spent exploring the dream environment has been so rewarding, fascinating and completely amazing! I just want to keep exploring!

I suppose that it didn't really evolve. It simply branched into new things.

When I first started out, (14,15yrs old) it was really just about having fun and escaping the real world. I was just getting out of middle school and I didn't exactly have the easiest childhood or the most friends at the time. That is still one of the reasons that I practice lucid dreaming today. It's fun and rewarding. I get to escape the real world (Because the real world can suck sometimes.) and enjoy a different world. One where I wasn't a kid who got pushed around and could feel powerful and important.

I also used it as a source of creativity and ideas for art. Today, a good chunk of the artwork I produce has some connection to lucid dreams.

I later became interested in dream guides and wanted to learn more about them. (Probably because my own dream guide was such a persistent figure in my dreams.) I have since been collecting information and learning new things about them. I even started my own page on the wiki for dream guides. [/shameless advertising]

I wanted to be like one of the old lucid dreamers that practiced back in the 70's and 80's. The sense of discovery and challenge they must have had. They didn't have a dreamviews wiki to help them. They just had a notebook, a bed and an idea, and they rolled with it. I would like to be a part of that discovery, and I'd like to believe that I didn't come too late to discover something new that nobody knows much about.

I have since also taken an interest in exploring written autosuggestion. This is a relatively new project so I don't have much to say for it right now.

As I've gotten more advanced, It's become something of an expertise of mine. (I'm a long way from being a lucid dreaming guru.) But I enjoy the feeling of being skilled at something and being able to help and teach others how to do it.

Originally Posted by robertcox88

I'm only 6 lucid dreams so I'm still in the have sex with any female that moves phase lol... that is when I am not flying (the last LD I tried to do both at the same time... woke up almost instantaneously lol). I want to experience transformation as well and feel what it feels like to be a dog and other animals and then eventually try and find the source. The whole reason for starting though was to find the source. I never thought I would get caught up in the excitement of flying or sex, but it's just so damn exciting and so... human. Apparently I am not beyond experiencing a quick rush yet.

O - - o) You tried to do them at the same time!? hahaha X D It also looks like you have something in common with RavenOfShadow too. I have a vague idea of what it might be but what do you guys mean by the source?

Originally Posted by Eonnn

Mine started off as a way to overcome nightmares but I quickly learnt it could be used to have fun. As I grew older I started using it for sex, then just explored for a while and did lots of flying. Then I started getting into AP/OBE and strived for transcendental dreams. Now I am focusing on dream control and lucid powers.

Thanks for sharing! It's great that you learned it could quickly be used for fun and not just overcoming nightmares. How is your focus on dream control and lucid powers going? Also if you don't mind could you explain to me what a transcendental dream is? ^^ I've heard about it only once I think.

Originally Posted by FryingMan

I'm at one hundred and six and that phase is hard to escape … they don't have to even be moving . Maybe because I've had so little success, as others have mentioned, it's a recipe for waking up. And I'm stubborn .

Flying of course, it's even part of my name (I best most people don't realize it's not about cooking, it's a reference to "Flying Man" in the show Heroes, as pronounced by Hiro).

I probably though receive the most joy at simply being aware in the dream state. There is just nothing like it, nothing. I've seen environments that can only exist in dreams (colors, patterns), and I'm totally hooked -- really, I just like looking around and exploring. Completing TOTM goals is a really big joy.

My big goal is to have looooooooong highly lucid LDs where I just walk/fly/teleport around and enjoy, fully aware that I'm in a dream environment.

Its funny how you named yourself FryingMan but its actually FlyingMan. haha Never would have guessed that.Also, I agree with you 100% about the awareness thing. Exploring while being aware in a high quality looking environment is awesome!~ > w <*rereads comment* Even when their not moving?....Hmmmm....(- w - ）lol Thats kind of creepy for me.

Originally Posted by KonchogTashi

I remember a friend in high school describing a WILD technique and all the adventures he had. I thought it incredible and slightly unbelievable. A year or two later I got interested in Buddhism and discovered the dream yoga tradition. About 10 years later I found ETWOLD. I decided to undertake it as an experiment and mostly for fun, but with a leaning towards spiritual practice.

Hearing and reflecting on may Buddhist wisdom traditions that describe all experience to be dreamlike further inspired me. Particularly I was inspired by the teachings on the Buddhist view of "emptiness", especially those of Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso as recorded in his fabulous book "The Sun of Wisdom", and those I have heard in person from him. He describes the subjective experience of emptiness many times as being almost identical to the experience of lucidity. Knowing that all that is currently experienced is mere appearance, a mental fabrication, and having the confidence, joy, and relaxation that comes from that knowledge. Thinking about this intensively led me to greater diligence with my practice.

Further, I think the dream environment provides a powerful setting for developing positive qualities such as love, wisdom, and compassion for other beings. I want to take advantage of this, to make use of this time which is otherwise just a waste.

Also, just the little time I have spent exploring the dream environment has been so rewarding, fascinating and completely amazing! I just want to keep exploring!

Its cool that you had a friend in high school who was interested in lucid dreaming. I don't think I had a friend interested in it during my time in high school but i wish i did. Also, reading what you wrote about the subjective experience of emptiness is interesting. I always like to think about this when i experience pain. haha Anyways Its great to know that you enjoy dreaming and recognize how it can be a positive influence for people. : D Takings advantage of the things we learn from dreams is a really good thing to do.

Originally Posted by JadeGreen

I suppose that it didn't really evolve. It simply branched into new things.

When I first started out, (14,15yrs old) it was really just about having fun and escaping the real world. I was just getting out of middle school and I didn't exactly have the easiest childhood or the most friends at the time. That is still one of the reasons that I practice lucid dreaming today. It's fun and rewarding. I get to escape the real world (Because the real world can suck sometimes.) and enjoy a different world. One where I wasn't a kid who got pushed around and could feel powerful and important.

I also used it as a source of creativity and ideas for art. Today, a good chunk of the artwork I produce has some connection to lucid dreams.

I later became interested in dream guides and wanted to learn more about them. (Probably because my own dream guide was such a persistent figure in my dreams.) I have since been collecting information and learning new things about them. I even started my own page on the wiki for dream guides. [/shameless advertising]

I wanted to be like one of the old lucid dreamers that practiced back in the 70's and 80's. The sense of discovery and challenge they must have had. They didn't have a dreamviews wiki to help them. They just had a notebook, a bed and an idea, and they rolled with it. I would like to be a part of that discovery, and I'd like to believe that I didn't come too late to discover something new that nobody knows much about.

I have since also taken an interest in exploring written autosuggestion. This is a relatively new project so I don't have much to say for it right now.

As I've gotten more advanced, It's become something of an expertise of mine. (I'm a long way from being a lucid dreaming guru.) But I enjoy the feeling of being skilled at something and being able to help and teach others how to do it.

In a way I believe it evolved. I chose that word because I learned I could lucid dream as a child(5). My purpose was mostly defeating the things I feared because I was still learning about the world. But as i grew it began to evolve in a way where I could see that i could do many more things that are viewed differently in an adult's eye. Which is how i meant the question to be but talking about things that changed in a different time span is great to read too.

I admit that i also used it as a way to escape my problems at times when i was younger so I sort of know how you felt. But at least we were having fun with it and its even more awesome that you used it for creativity. I've read so many of your non lucids and lucids where i'm like "That would make a good story". : ) I still wonder to this day how Manei is in your non lucids and you are still not lucid. But maybe its because her appearance is mostly realistic looking. If you made her look like a cartoon maybe you would question it. XD Furthermore, I admire that you choose to be the discoverer instead of the person that finds out whats new. It's important to know that when your trying to find out something new that even a small piece of info that is new and true is valuable. Also, I think its wonderful that you enjoy teaching those who are new to lucid dreaming. ^ w ^

When I was young (7 or 8) I was having nightmares and my mom told me realize when I'm dreaming and to confront the fears. So I made friends with the sasquatch and allowed myself to hit the ground when I fell from the swinging skyscraper. It really helped me deal with my nightmares. Then when I was in my early teens I discovered the sexy thing, but that was short lived. cause it was a shared dream with a girl from my school, and she totally ripped me a new one at school the next day. She described what happened almost perfectly, and I denied everything. She even told my sister, and my sister gave me crap. That's when I realized that I should behave while lucid. I continued having lucid dreams for the next 30 years, and I pretty much lived them exactly like the waking world, except for the occasional flight. Yay! Then two years ago my daughter passed, and she appeared in a lucid dream 2 days after her passing. I've since become an avid lucid dreamer with the soul purpose of simply being with her and continuing our father/daughter relationship. Also, Dreamviews has really opened my mind to show me what's possible while lucid (reading other people's experiences), and it's been nothing short of amazing.

at the time I became interested when I met a dream character that I wanted to meet again, (basically a clone of shizune from katawa shoujo) but lost interest eventually. later on I was interested in naughty things so I started researching lucid dreaming a bit more, wondering if persistent lucid dreams could be a thing. I then found hyu's dream realm guide and it became a huge interest in my life. I now have the goal to make and become immersed enough in that realm to explore the concept of reality.
yeah my goal's pretty stupid

Originally Posted by DawnEye11

O - - o) You tried to do them at the same time!? hahaha X D It also looks like you have something in common with RavenOfShadow too. I have a vague idea of what it might be but what do you guys mean by the source?

Haha yea... i thought she would think it was cool and I was feeling very ambitious Seriously it was like 2 seconds between me ascending/gyrating and me spinning like a madman trying to save the dream.

By the source I mean the creative source. Why this? Does it mean anything? I have no idea what to expect they are just questions I want to ask my unconscious mind and see what happens. We aren't going to answer those questions in my lifetime so looking within seems to be worth a shot lol.

I still wonder to this day how Manei is in your non lucids and you are still not lucid. But maybe its because her appearance is mostly realistic looking.

Hahaha! I don't know, really. Usually seeing her at least kicks me up halfway to semi-lucidity.

Originally Posted by laggymedic

at the time I became interested when I met a dream character that I wanted to meet again, (basically a clone of shizune from katawa shoujo) but lost interest eventually. later on I was interested in naughty things so I started researching lucid dreaming a bit more, wondering if persistent lucid dreams could be a thing. I then found hyu's dream realm guide and it became a huge interest in my life. I now have the goal to make and become immersed enough in that realm to explore the concept of reality.
yeah my goal's pretty stupid

Your goal is not stupid, its awesome! I've done something like that before and if you are focused on your goal enough I'm sure you can achieve it! : D

Originally Posted by Tihiti

When I was young (7 or 8) I was having nightmares and my mom told me realize when I'm dreaming and to confront the fears. So I made friends with the sasquatch and allowed myself to hit the ground when I fell from the swinging skyscraper. It really helped me deal with my nightmares. Then when I was in my early teens I discovered the sexy thing, but that was short lived. cause it was a shared dream with a girl from my school, and she totally ripped me a new one at school the next day. She described what happened almost perfectly, and I denied everything. She even told my sister, and my sister gave me crap. That's when I realized that I should behave while lucid. I continued having lucid dreams for the next 30 years, and I pretty much lived them exactly like the waking world, except for the occasional flight. Yay! Then two years ago my daughter passed, and she appeared in a lucid dream 2 days after her passing. I've since become an avid lucid dreamer with the soul purpose of simply being with her and continuing our father/daughter relationship. Also, Dreamviews has really opened my mind to show me what's possible while lucid (reading other people's experiences), and it's been nothing short of amazing.

: ) I remember reading your (7 or 8 yr old) dreams you posted in your journal. You had a shared dream of the sexy thing?... x D And she told your sister? ...Wow, I can see why it was short lived. haha30 years!? Such a long time~ (> w< ) Its awesome that you've been lucid dreaming for that long. I feel sad that your daughter passed but its amazing how dedicated you've become so that you can always meet her in your lucid dreams.

Originally Posted by DawnEye11

: ) I feel sad that your daughter passed but its amazing how dedicated you've become so that you can always meet her in your lucid dreams.

Thanks DawnEye11, that means a lot to me!