Q&A with Daniel Love - Author of 'Are You Dreaming?'

Q&A with Daniel Love - Author of 'Are You Dreaming?'


Hello Dreamviews,

For those of you who I've yet to have the pleasure to talk with, I'm Daniel Love, a British dream researcher and the author of "Are You Dreaming?: Exploring Lucid Dreams: A Comprehensive Guide".

It has been suggested by various members of the forum that I run a Q&A session, a chance for us to get to know each other, and for me to answer any questions you may have.

I'll be here from 20:00 (BST), tonight, Sunday June 5th, until reasonably late. However, I'm more than happy for this thread to continue beyond this evenings session and I'll pop in at regular intervals after this date to answer questions.

Feel free to ask anything you like at all. From questions about my new project involving Dreamviews - called The Lucid Dreamer's Guide to the Cosmos, my previous book Are You Dreaming?, general lucidity questions, or if you just fancy a random conversation about life, the universe and dreams... I'm happy to discuss anything.

I'll do my best to answer any questions you have.


I look forward to getting to know you all!

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Originally Posted by DanielLove

However, I'm more than happy for this thread to continue beyond this evenings session and I'll pop in at regular intervals after this date to answer questions.

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YEAAAAH! Awesome, thank you so much, Daniel. I understand you have a ton of other things to do but if this could become a kinda permanent thread where you could pop in, that would be incredible. I'm so grateful for this.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gab

YEAAAAH! Awesome, thank you so much, Daniel. I understand you have a ton of other things to do but if this could become a kinda permanent thread where you could pop in, that would be incredible. I'm so grateful for this.

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That is absolutely my intention Gab, I just thought I'd put a night aside this evening to get the ball rolling, so people can post any time after this evening and I'll pop in regularly to answer questions from now on.

Imma just leave these questions here, since they are the questions that I get asked the most.

How many lucid dreams have you had?
What is your experience with persistent realms?
What is the worst experience that you have had LDing? (nightmare question usually)
How many dreams are possible in a night?
Do you believe in time dilation? (scientifically or non scientifically is fine, just your personal belief)

I am cool with short or long answers for these. I did the conversion to see when this started, and it started an hour ago? Or did I do that wrong? If not, then feel free to answer when it starts or whenever. I look forward to your answers. :P

@Sensei - That's fine, the conversation is open from here onwards. I'll be on-line for sometime this evening, so I'll do my best to keep an eye on this thread and answer questions. I apologise for any typos and grammatical issues, but I'm going to type at lightning speeds so there's a lot of room for potential errors.

How many lucid dreams have you had?
I'm afraid it's almost impossible to answer this question as I've been lucid dreaming since very early childhood and have continued ever since. So, the best answer I can give is "countless". These days I normally put two to three nights a week aside to lucid dream, although this varies depending on how busy my life is.

What is your experience with persistent realms?
I assume you're referring to dreamscapes that can be returned to on multiple occasions? If so, I've certainly experimented with this idea and returned to enjoyable dream locations on multiple occasions. Of course, certain categories of dreams have an inherent persistence to their environment, such as visiting places from one's past. I think the question of persistence is really a matter of how invested one is in a particular dream environment. If you enjoy a particular dreamscape, it's only a matter of choosing to revisit. The more you do so, the more established the "pattern" for this dream becomes in your mind. I personally don't believe there is any persistence beyond that which we create.

What is the worst experience that you have had LDing?
Well, my journey into becoming a lucid dreamer was a trial by fire. I suffered almost debilitating nightmares as a young child, and lucid dreaming was a defence mechanism I developed to deal with these. So I certainly have quite a back catalogue of childhood nightmares to choose from! More recently, I suffered from quite a terrible fever several years back, which resulted in horrendous nightmares that involved a form of lucidity that was lacking any of the usual control one would expect. I'll not go into details, as it really was quite vile.

How many dreams are possible in a night?
This would depend on whether you classify a period of REM as an individual dream, or if you'd define a dream by its "storyline". The former, would suggest we have between 5-6 dreaming periods a night, but how that is divided between each dreaming theme could vary wildly.

Do you believe in time dilation?
I believe the illusion of time dilation is possible, but I also think the human brain has it's own "clock speed", that is, we are limited to the processing speeds of the brain itself. I'm sure others would disagree on this, but I prefer to err on the side of caution when it comes to these kinds of concepts. I think it's better to be pleasantly surprised by future research that may prove you wrong, than to be at odds with our current understanding of the universe and the brain. However, I do love experimenting with time in dreams - it's possibly one of the most fascinating areas to explore. It's also curious how many reports from users of psychedelics such as N,N-Dimethyltryptamine, claim they experience profound distortions in their perception of time. The human mind certainly has the capacity to experience very convincing distortions in time. How and why these occur and what they tell us about the brain is still very much up for grabs. I think it's an area that would be fascinating to research further.

Hi Daniel,

Thanks for taking time to run this Q&A :).

One question that comes to mind right now is whether you've come accross any smarter than average DCs in your dreams? Those would be characters that stand out from the rest of DCs, maybe full of useful insights and ideas even willing to teach you how to do things. If so, are these reoccuring characters or random DCs?

Awesome thread! Thanks for doing this thread, should be quite interesting :)

My question is: Do you think the misconceptions and misinformation surrounding lucid dreaming (such as sleep paralysis) has negatively affected it's acceptance, popularity, and growth? If so how?

This is something I often run across, while the misconceptions and misinformation is bad within the lucid dreaming community, I've found they are much worse outside of it with people who know very little about lucid dreaming.

Daniel, do you think the dream world is 100% in your mind? Logic tells me yes, but then it can seem so real that I sometimes wonder if it is another dimension (which I guess it could be depending on how you define it). Also have you had any experiences that make you wonder if shared dreaming exists? In my 2nd intentional lucid dream, I became lucid when I saw a tiger on the loose in a park. My fear made me lucid. I then boldly went up to the tiger and threw him into space...watching him become a little point and disappear. Not 3 months later an article appeared in our local newspaper about a dream a reporter had. He was in India, and this tiger came flying out of the sky and landed near him! Now this of course could be a coincidence, but what are the odds that the reporter would write that, and I would see it?

@NyxCc

No problem, it's nice to be able to let my hair down and discuss these things!
With that in mind, I'd like to say that all of my opinions, knowledge and beliefs are works in progress, and should be read as such. I think it's important for us all to be open and willing to throw away any of these should better information come along. So, I'm very open to everyone's opinions, if people disagree or feel they have better information, please don't worry about pointing it out or putting me in my place! Life is a fantastic opportunity for us all to learn from each other!

To answer your question. Yes I have and it's really very peculiar.
In fact, for many years I've had a very odd theme along these lines. It may be a little hard to put into words, as it's something that can sound kooky - and kooky is an area I try to avoid. For me, I've noticed certain dream characters, that seem more cognizant than others, have made themselves apparent to me by the appearance of their eyes. That is, almost every time I've experiences such a dream character, their eyes appear exactly as my own do when I look in the mirror. It's very disconcerting!

A few of these dream characters have been long term inhabitants of my dream world. One in particular has been with me since childhood. Curiously, this particular character hasn't aged, although I have. As such, their role and my relationship to them has morphed throughout the years. In childhood they played an almost parental, protecting figure, in adolescence they were someone to "get into trouble" with, in adulthood, someone with which to have interesting discussions.

Do I believe these characters are some kind of guide? Probably not in the sense that most people would use that term. Instead, I have often speculated if this may be something to do with the relationship between the two hemispheres of the brain, which could, in some ways, be considered as almost "two brains within one skull". Certainly, experiments with those who've undergone a complete separation of the two hemispheres (usually for the treatment of extreme epilepsy) demonstrate some very peculiar results with quite unnerving implications. It's all very much speculation, but fascinating. If nothing else, we know for certain that the human brain is capable of creating consciousness, from the simple fact of our own experience. Is it perhaps possible that more than one consciousness can arise? Who knows,? I certainly don't, but it's fun to think about such things.

Hey Daniel, great to see you doing this thread! I read your book and refer back to it now and again. It's a great book.
I have two questions;

First, as you've got older, have you found your lucid dreaming has got better or worse overall?

Second, I'm still relatively inexperienced at lucid dreaming having only had about 50 very short ones, but I'm going through a very frustrating dry spell just now that has lasted four months. Any advice?

@Mismagius

Do you think the misconceptions and misinformation surrounding lucid dreaming (such as sleep paralysis) has negatively affected it's acceptance, popularity, and growth? If so how?

Absolutely. It's been a personal battle of mine to fight these things. I think the danger here is that lucid dreaming is overlooked by many intelligent people because it has been essentially hijacked by all sorts of odd groups looking to promote their own agendas and beliefs. Even some of the most respected books on the topic are very "out there" compared to what is palatable to the majority of educated individuals.

Saying that, I have no problem with people using lucid dreaming to explore their own philosophical and spiritual beliefs. I just think that, as a subject, it has been promoted in this way for a little too long and it has seriously restricted its appeal and growth.

I think this has happened for two reasons:

1) It's a very good way to make money. Spirituality sells very well indeed.
2) Neither lucid dreaming nor spirituality require any kind of meaningful qualifications, so, anyone can set themselves up as an expert or guru in these fields. So the two subjects make for very easy companions to those looking to put themselves on a soap-box, claim unverifiable knowledge and make a nice living in doing so.

I know this probably isn't going to be a popular answer, but let's face it, we have absolutely no way of knowing who is actually capable of the things they claim. We also have no way of assessing how genuine their beliefs are. It's actually part of the longer term plan for my new project (see my signature), to eventually invite big names in the field into a sleep laboratory to demonstrate their ability to lucid dream under controlled verifiable conditions. I think it will be very interesting to see how that pans out.

I think the best approach towards all of this, and it needn't contradict people's personal spiritual exploration, in fact it only strengthens it, is to start from the ground up. We need to reboot lucid dreaming, educating people on the most basic scientific understanding of sleep, dreaming and the human mind. Work with what is definitely known, expand that further into how these interact with our universe (again with what is known), and then once all of these things are clear, people will be in the perfect position to use their dreams how they see fit. Without that understanding, many people can be hoodwinked into all kinds of peculiar things, which may be a huge waste of their time and resources.

Plus dreams and our universe are already absolutely the most wonderful things imaginable. How can they, even at their most basic, not be a source of joy, awe and inspiration?

@Rothgar

What is also an amazing coincidence, is that only earlier this morning I was reading Richard Dawkins, Unweaving the Rainbow, which explained very well the nature of coincidences, statistical significance etc. I'd really recommend getting your hands on a copy, as he explains these things far better than I can in a short forum post. Look for the chapter called "Unweaving the Uncanny".

I share the same internal struggle that you mention, I think we all do and it's a very normal way to feel. Logic compels me to believe that dreams are 100% a construction of the mind, yet personal experience can be so very strange that it entices us consider alternatives. Still, as thrilling as these alternatives are, I do indeed think that dreams are a creation of the mind. I don't think that lessens the experience, I think it just heightens my respect for the sheer wonder of the human brain. All the evidence points to this being the correct answer. If I'm proven wrong in the future, I'd be very happy - as it would be so interesting! At this point in time, I'd rather work with what is known and keep an open mind to new information as and when it comes about.

Yet, if we throw ourselves into speculation mode, concepts like the Many Worlds Theory open up a whole can of interesting worms - although, we do have to be very careful with that, speculation is very different from fact. But it's really fun to think about these things, and it's something I'd like to explore in detail in further books.

@Goldenspark

Thanks for the kind words, I'm really glad you enjoyed the book. If you've not done so already, check out the link in my signature - I'm running a new project which will involve more books. Everyone's help would be really appreciated!

To answer your question: That's a tricky one. My lucid dreams have improved in both skill and content with age but the quality and duration of my sleep (but not dreams) has declined. Also, it does seem to be a very real phenomenon that teenagers and young adults are more prone to spontaneous lucidity. It's a very mixed bag, but I'd say that on balance, lucid dreaming has improved with age, it's just a little easier to be woken from them!

I've worked with several people over 50 who'd never experienced a lucid dream and were very keen to give it a try. All were capable. Several have gone on to become very proficient and regular lucid dreamers. I do believe that the most important factor is dedication and passion, regardless of age.

Dry spells are awful but I think they're inevitable and hard to completely avoid. It's hard to establish exactly why any dry spell occurs and only you can really do the detective work on this. If I were in your position, and I have been, I would keep a detailed account of your sleeping habits, daily life, your diet and your dreams. Then, try experimenting with shifts and changes in each of these. Very often it can be a dietary cause - perhaps try supplementing with choline or, alternatively eat more choline rich foods, such as eggs.

You may also have just reached a point where you're "going through the motions" rather than fully engaging in your practices. If that's the case, just give yourself a week off, then start afresh with a new energy and motivation.

The bottom line is you need to experiment and mix things up as much as possible - and be sure to record the results of these.

Hey everyone,

I hope these answers have been interesting to everyone. I'm fully aware that we'll not all agree on everything and I certainly don't consider myself as the "last word" on any of these topics. These are just the opinions of one lucid dreamer, who has had a different path through life and come into contact with different experiences and knowledge to your own. Also, each of these ideas are works in progress, and I'd be happy to discuss and develop them with you all. This is very much why I'm instigating my latest project, as I'm very aware that we all have different views, and all deserve a platform to share them. If you'd like to add your own voice to the discussion, check out the thread for the project: http://www.dreamviews.com/general-lu...de-cosmos.html

I think my mind is starting to fog over a little tonight, so I may have to call it quits for now and answer other questions at a later date. I'd rather have a clear mind and give you thoughtful answers than push myself only to write some senseless-gibberish :)

Do feel free to drop any further questions below and I'll pop back and share my thoughts.

Also if you've not done so, please check out my project using the link in my signature :)

Thanks all of you for your company and questions tonight. I hope we get a chance for much more of this from now on!

This post is for your next visit. I'm guessing you're back in dreamland by now. I quite enjoyed your book and wanted to say the peg system you wrote about in it is something I've found very useful. I tend to use it more for easier recall of dream goals (pegs travel as easily into dreamland as out of it, it seems). I have also used variations of the peg system to make sure various details survive through what tends to be less lucid false awakenings and late morning dreams which can cloud the crispness of some details from earlier. Quick plug: your promotion to get a free copy of "Are You Dreaming?" for any contribution level to your Kickstarter campaign (in Daniel Love's signature, look for the details) is very generous and anyone that hasn't contributed, should contribute for that valuable bonus, if not for other reasons.

I hope you don't mind several questions again. I won't be offended if you decide to answer, some or all of them, later.

What do you like to do in "the void" which I consider "the space between dream scenes"?

What do you think is the single most powerful lucid dreaming practice (for you and for the general populace, if you feel it is different)?

Do you have, or are you considering a 4th pillar (your 3 pillars in your book)?

What do you think is the best way to ask your dream (assuming your subconscious) to help you to have more lucid dreams and have you had any interesting experiments with this?

What is the relationship and interplay between lucid dreaming & virtual reality? What's a lucid dreaming approach to VR? You implied recently--if I recall correctly, it was in a recorded conversation with Ryan Hurd--that VR might replace interest in lucid dreaming. Could you elaborate on that? It seems equally likely to me that VR might help spark increased interest in lucid dreaming, as well as increase the incidence of spontaneous lucid dreams.

Have you transformed into anything else during a dream? If so, what did you transform into and how? If not, what would you transform into and how?

@Fogelbise

What do you like to do in "the void" which I consider "the space between dream scenes"?
I actually rarely experience "the void" so I'm not in the best position to answer this. I generally instigate waking when I feel that a suitably long lucid dream is coming to an end or fading. I do this mostly because I find it's a much safer practice for ensuring a high quality dream recall. Alternatively, if the dream has been short, I've not achieved my goals or I feel there's a good probability that there is more to come, I'll use the void experience to try and quickly return to a full dream scene. For me the void will generally start to morph into a dreamscape through a series of sensory stages. Normally, the tactile or auditory elements of a dream are the first to be established, so I tend to focus on these - I find this helps keep me engaged with the experience and hastens the formation of a new dream scene.

What do you think is the single most powerful lucid dreaming practice (for you and for the general populace, if you feel it is different)?

I'd say it's the development of the skills of critical thinking combined with experimentation and detailed record keeping. I think these skills underpin virtually every other practice. A reality test, for example, is just the application of critical thinking plus experimentation. Even without any of our refined modern techniques, pioneers in the past who were in possession of these skills had a higher propensity for inducing lucidity. Moers-Messmer, for example, developed on-the-fly reality tests in dreams, simply because he was particularly good at critically examining his environment. In one instance, he came to the conclusion he was dreaming simply be realising that the angle of the shadows were not consistent with the time of year.

For a more specific technique, I'd probably choose WBTB as one of the most effective. It's incredibly simple, it's flexible and easy to experiment with or combine with other techniques, and it approaches lucid dreaming from more than just a psychological/willpower angle; as you're interrupting the physical processes of sleep.

Do you have, or are you considering a 4th pillar (your 3 pillars in your book)?

Well, the pillars were only an attempt to simplify some of the basic principles in what is really a very complicated subject. The reality is that there is so much overlap between the three that there's certainly room to experiment with ways to categorise them differently. It's all a work in progress, so it's definitely a possibility.

What do you think is the best way to ask your dream (assuming your subconscious) to help you to have more lucid dreams and have you had any interesting experiments with this?

I think this is one of those concepts that is really appealing and sounds great, but in practice doesn't tend to be all that effective - at least, that has been my experience. It relies on several assumptions that may have no foundations in reality, such as the existence of the subconscious as some kind of entity you can communicate with. I'm not ruling out the possibility, I just can't say that I've had much luck in these areas and I've tried all manner of experiments.
So, If I'm trying to use the areas of my mind that are not a part of my conscious experience, I find prospective memory practices - such as working with my internal "alarm clock" seem to be more effective and consistent.


@Thinkinuit and Dolphin - I'll get to your questions soon I promise. Hopefully later today.

Hi Daniel. In your book, you talk about bringing something tangible back from the dream world. Like awakening with a flower picked from a dream meadow.

Did you ever try to draw or paint your dreams? Or compose a music piece that you've recently heard in a dream?
Is there a limit to the amount of details and complexity that you can store in one peg?
What was the inspiration for the cover art of 'Are You Dreaming?', was it a dream meadow perhaps ;) ?
What did you study in your adolescent years? Was it a difficult choice?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DanielLove

@Goldenspark

Thanks for the kind words, I'm really glad you enjoyed the book. If you've not done so already, check out the link in my signature - I'm running a new project which will involve more books. Everyone's help would be really appreciated!

To answer your question: That's a tricky one. My lucid dreams have improved in both skill and content with age but the quality and duration of my sleep (but not dreams) has declined. Also, it does seem to be a very real phenomenon that teenagers and young adults are more prone to spontaneous lucidity. It's a very mixed bag, but I'd say that on balance, lucid dreaming has improved with age, it's just a little easier to be woken from them!

I've worked with several people over 50 who'd never experienced a lucid dream and were very keen to give it a try. All were capable. Several have gone on to become very proficient and regular lucid dreamers. I do believe that the most important factor is dedication and passion, regardless of age.

Dry spells are awful but I think they're inevitable and hard to completely avoid. It's hard to establish exactly why any dry spell occurs and only you can really do the detective work on this. If I were in your position, and I have been, I would keep a detailed account of your sleeping habits, daily life, your diet and your dreams. Then, try experimenting with shifts and changes in each of these. Very often it can be a dietary cause - perhaps try supplementing with choline or, alternatively eat more choline rich foods, such as eggs.

You may also have just reached a point where you're "going through the motions" rather than fully engaging in your practices. If that's the case, just give yourself a week off, then start afresh with a new energy and motivation.

The bottom line is you need to experiment and mix things up as much as possible - and be sure to record the results of these.

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Thanks Daniel. I've actually gone back to your book and started again on the fundamentals. My DJ entries have been very sporadic of late, even though I tend to have quite good recall each morning. You are probably right that I have slipped into a basics malaise.
Having a week off might prove difficult because I seem to have been thinking about lucid dreaming almost every day for the last few years. I'm not sure I can completely disconnect, but I do feel that maybe it would be a kind of release to properly let go for a time and reset my mind on this.

@Thinkintuit

What is the relationship and interplay between lucid dreaming & virtual reality? What's a lucid dreaming approach to VR? You implied recently--if I recall correctly, it was in a recorded conversation with Ryan Hurd--that VR might replace interest in lucid dreaming. Could you elaborate on that? It seems equally likely to me that VR might help spark increased interest in lucid dreaming, as well as increase the incidence of spontaneous lucid dreams.

You've asked a particularly tricky question here! The interplay between lucid dreaming and VR is something that I believe holds a very interesting future, but as VR is still very much in its infancy, there's little data to work with. Part of the reason for wanting to approach that topic with my project (see my signature for those who have no idea what I'm talking about) is to explore this in depth, for the very reason that there hasn't been much research into this yet. I hope to use that particular book as an opportunity for a lot of real world experimentation - and to hopefully even produce some software for that very task. So, I can't give any final answer to this question, only that it is something that I feel has a lot of potential and needs to be researched.

As for my discussion with Ryan Hurd where I mentioned the possibility that VR could replace an interest in lucid dreaming, I do think there is a strong possibility for this, but it will all very much depend on how much lucid dreamers embrace VR and produce lucid dream based software for that platform. You're right, it could equally increase incidences - but that's still remains to be seen. What I meant in that conversation was more a suggestion that VR will have a wider appeal because it is a "push button" form of entertainment; instant gratification that requires no effort to experience. Lucid dreaming requires effort and dedication, so that in itself acts as a filter to a certain section of the population. It's likely that section will grow if there is an easy alternative that offers a similar but simpler to achieve experience. But, all this remains to be seen! I think there are also huge opportunities to develop VR software that can act as a training system for lucidity - and, it may be very effective indeed. We'll just have to wait and see.

It's a topic I really want to explore, so I hope the project proves to be a success so that we can follow that thread wherever it leads!

@Dolphin
Have you transformed into anything else during a dream? If so, what did you transform into and how? If not, what would you transform into and how?

Oh yes, all the time! It's one of my absolute favourite experiments during a lucid dream. It'd probably be easier to ask what I haven't transformed into!
A personal favourite is to transform into different birds. I've always been very interested in the natural world and have quite a wide understanding of the biology and habits of various creatures - so my mind is well equipped to create quite convincing simulations of these transformations. When one is aware of the variations in bone structure and the more subtle physical differences, the experience can be really mind-blowing. Feeling your bones and muscles undergo metamorphosis, feeling your sensory organs shift in sensitivity, or the distortions in vision depending on the placement and quality of a particular species eyes, is all quite wonderful. Feeling yourself experience a different branch of the evolutionary tree is magical.

Then there are the more obscure transformations, such as into creatures of the microscopic world, inanimate objects, plants or even something very abstract like water. All can give such interesting results.

I do find that the more one understands about that which they wish to transform into, the more beautiful and rewarding the experience.

@Tataglia - I'll try to answer your questions as soon as I can, I have quite a busy schedule tonight - but if I can find the time I'll pop back and do my best to answer them!

Do you believe that dream recall is indeed inconsistent?If so why?How can somebody deal with that inconsistency and have better recall.
Also how much do you think and induction technique should take to show results?

@Tataglia

Did you ever try to draw or paint your dreams? Or compose a music piece that you've recently heard in a dream?
I've done both. I've been a musician most of my life and I'm very fond of art and enjoy painting. I've quite a few compositions that have been born directly in the dreamworld. Actually, music is a very regular component in almost all of my dreams. It never fails to impress me just how perfectly the mind can recreate known tunes or generate brand new musical pieces. Perhaps if I can find a way, I'll record and share a few of these pieces sometime. As for artwork, I've used my "fractal dreaming" technique on many occasions - jumping into artwork, in a dream, to enter the "world of the painting", to look for a new scene to paint upon awaking. This can be repeated again and again, hence the choice of the word "fractal".

Is there a limit to the amount of details and complexity that you can store in one peg?
Yes, I think individual pegs should be used for short pieces of information. If you try to attach too much to one peg you'll lose important details. Fortunately, the peg system itself can be expanded upon, so you've plenty of available "memory slots" to work with.

What was the inspiration for the cover art of 'Are You Dreaming?', was it a dream meadow perhaps?
It's a scene from one of my favourite places in the waking world, and an environment I often recreate and visit in my dreams. A certain forest from the cliff-tops near my childhood home-town, that in springtime becomes absolutely covered with a certain British flower called the bluebell. It's a wonderful place with many varied and dramatically differing environments; rugged cliff-tops, beautiful fragrant forest, the sea, old ruined buildings, and a great place to find Jurassic fossils. It's a place I often visit in both dreams and reality and where I find a lot of inspiration. In springtime I can often be found there, swinging in a hammock, writing, dreaming and pondering. I'll see if I can attach a photo to give you an idea.
Attachment 9305Attachment 9306Attachment 9307

What did you study in your adolescent years? Was it a difficult choice?
Psychology, although I can't say it was particularly useful. In retrospect I would have preferred to have studied a more established and concrete scientific field, physics and genetics appeal greatly, or something along those lines. Saying that, barely a day goes past where I'm not deeply engrossed in some arcane scientific textbook. As for if it were a difficult choice, I wish I could say it was, however I was quite impulsive in my younger years and quite strong willed - so I didn't give it the consideration it deserved.

@tasinios
Do you believe that dream recall is indeed inconsistent?If so why?How can somebody deal with that inconsistency and have better recall?
Yes definitely. I think there are so many variables that it's impossible to point the finger at one as the culprit. Diet, health, how and from which stage of sleep one wakes, personal distractions and concerns etc.
The only real way to deal with this inconstancy is to minimize the fluctuations in the variables that cause it - which is much easier said than done! Aim to always awaken from an REM period, be sure your diet is balanced, take time before getting up to lay with your eyes closed and give yourself time to make an effort to recall whatever of the nights dreams you can. I think perseverance combined with stability will always yield positive results. But, life is just too varied and unpredictable to always maintain the best conditions for recall.

How much *time* do you think and induction technique should take to show results?
That's a very broad question and would depend entirely on the technique being discussed. For example a technique such as CAT should be effective within a couple of weeks. WBTB could be effective on the first attempt. It will really depend on what the premise is behind the technique and if that premise actually has any factual grounding. There's an awful lot of "what if" techniques out there, which may never yield results. I'd suggest not putting all your eggs in one basket and focusing on multiple techniques and developing strong basic foundations in your practices, such as regular reality testing, critical thinking and observational skills etc.

DanielLove is in Paris at the moment, doing a podcast about lucid dreaming. He will return shortly into this thread.

More info about the podcast and other thigs are here http://www.dreamviews.com/general-lu...de-cosmos.html. Check out his project and a chance to get an e-book of "Are you Dreaming?"

Hey guys, you've asked some fantastic and interesting questions, and the answers have been very fascinating to read!

I really liked hearing about your experiences with dream characters, DanielLove, it's a topic I've always found very interesting. It's also been a goal of mine to make dream companions that I can explore dreamscapes with. I'm of the "more the merrier" mind, even in dreams :cheeky:

That jumping into the world of the painting is something I've actually wanted to try, it reminds me of Super Mario 64

A couple more questions I had. In one of the answers you said you've painted your dreams and composed music from them. Have you ever incorporated any of your interests, passions, hobbies into lucid dreaming in reverse? For example, bringing a hobby into the dream or even using it as a tool. Such as using a paint brush to create a dreamscape or paint something onto the current dreamscape, like a door.

When did you learn that what you were doing was lucid dreaming? When did you first start talking with other lucid dreamers and how did you come to meet them?

The title of the project, "if you just fancy a random conversation about life, the universe and dreams...," I love the Hitchikers' Guide references :D

"Is it perhaps possible that more than one consciousness can arise?" Awesome! I thought about this exact thing and wrote about it on DV, "what if dream characters are actually sentient?" :P

"In one instance, he came to the conclusion he was dreaming simply be realising that the angle of the shadows were not consistent with the time of year." lol what a genius o:

"And I think there is no one more dedicated and capable of bringing it to life than Daniel Love." That might actually be true

Questions start here

What happens if you don't reach 12.000 pounds? Is it all or nothing? Will you do another project, will you do something very similar to this but slowed down?

Is the idea for this book something like this? "Hey, look at how cool Saturn's rings are, wouldn't it be crazy to surf them and jump from ring to ring?!" or what you said about transformation dreams, that knowng things about the animal makes the dream better. Did I understand it correctly? Btw I think this has enormous potential, many things I find out through science are way cooler than anything I could have made up :)

@Ginsan

Thanks so much for the kind words and enthusiasm!
I'll get onto your questions! :)

What happens if you don't reach 12.000 pounds? Is it all or nothing? Will you do another project, will you do something very similar to this but slowed down?

To be honest, I'm trying to think positively and assume the project will succeed. But yes, Kickstarter is all or nothing, so if we don't reach the goal, there will be no funding for this project. If that is the case, then I will have to do some serious thinking about what to do next. I think realistically, this project wouldn't be able to go ahead without the funding - and unless a publisher or an altruistic millionaire comes along and decides to make it come to life, it wouldn't see the light of day - at least not for a long time. So, I'd have to fall back on a different smaller project (of which I have many).

However, I really want to make this happen, so the next 14 days are going to be a whirlwind of promotion and fund raising. If you can help in the process, I'd really appreciate it!


Is the idea for this book something like this? "Hey, look at how cool Saturn's rings are, wouldn't it be crazy to surf them and jump from ring to ring?!" or what you said about transformation dreams, that knowng things about the animal makes the dream better. Did I understand it correctly? Btw I think this has enormous potential, many things I find out through science are way cooler than anything I could have made up :)

Yes, you've understood perfectly. That's the essential principle for the entire series - you even went as far as to read my mind as to why Saturn was chosen as the logo! (playing amongst Saturn's rings has been a long term pastime in my dream-life).
It will go somewhat further than this and I hope to explore multiple angles, but essentially you've outlined the basic principle behind the series.

Sorry these are short replies, but I have an AMA over at reddit in half an hour - and I need to just let my mind unwind a little before that!

Come join in if you're in a questioning state of mind :)

I didn't see Saturn's rings in the logo until you mentioned it, I just made that up :P If it's in your book, that may be why it came up, I read part of it. Otherwise it's a pretty cool coincidence.

I'll check out the AMA soon. And if I had any money to spare I would have donated 20 or 30 bucks at least, but I'm broke. I'll think of other ways to contribute. I only have 1 friend and no Facebook or something like that, so the most I can think of at the moment is to mention it in DV chat. But maybe something else will come up. I really hope it will work out, I'm excited about reading it.

Thank you for replying and I wish you a nice day :okbyenow:

Hey all,

You're still more than welcome to ask questions, the Q&A is an ongoing thing - I'm a big supporter of DreamViews, so I'll be here regularly. So, any excuse for interesting conversations about the dreamworld is good in my book!

Keep them coming!

What is your favorite thing to do in a lucid dream?

Do you have any items that you always have with you in dreams or lucid dreams? I have a watch and sword that I always have on me, one I thought up in waking, the other I bought in a dream mall.

You just gave us permission for more trivial, "this just crossed my mind and spent 30 seconds thinking about" questions :lol: I'm happy that you'll be hanging around here, you're so knowleadgable!

I lucid dream often, but I'm usually only vaguely aware that I'm dreaming. Last night I flew a bit but I don't know if I was even aware that I was dreaming, I just knew I was different from other people. I become lucid spontaneously. How do I make myself be more clear headed so that I can stabilize? I do have lucid dreams where I remember to use knowledge from my waking life memory to make the dream more vivid and not lose lucidity, but this is quite rare, maybe 1 in 10 or 15 dreams.

I'm pretty happy that I sometimes get like 5-6 lucid dreams a week, but man if those could have some more lucidity, I would be able to do so many more cool things :) At the moment I get way more enjoyment out of remembering normal dreams than being in lucid dreams.

Have you ever had an odd moment in waking life that made you think you were dreaming and if so what was it?

I've had a few but one that immediately comes to mind, while driving down a street I saw a red circular street sign (similar to a stop sign but smaller) that said "Reality Check". Definitely made me do just that, gave me a good laugh :cheeky:

Mismagius, the first time I went to the blood bank to get my blood checked (so I can donate) I got to the street but didn't know where it was. I asked an old couple and they said, "over there," so I looked and saw a van with "GIVE!" written on it in big letters :P Then I did a reality check and was amused. It was not a dream.

What is your favourite thing to do in a lucid dream?

Ooh, that's a really tricky one - I'm not sure that I have one single favourite thing to do. For entertainment, the obvious answer would be flying, it's difficult to beat in terms of the sensation of freedom. I guess that's almost universal for us gravity bound creatures. But, any form of bending of the rules of reality are fun - time travel, cosmic exploration, changing form, the list is endless really.

I suppose the main use I have for lucid dreaming is personal experimentation. I like to test the boundaries of the dreamworld, see what is possible, how the dreams are formed, their relationship to memory etc.
I think this is partly why lucid dreaming has been so enthralling my entire life, because the dreams are only half of the journey. Much of my dream exploration happens in my waking hours, as I sift through my dream journals, looking for connections, finding unusual events and experiences, and trying to establish connections, causes and all the rest. I also love to experiment with influencing dreams through waking activities, or through events timed to occur during REM (playing certain pieces of music, scents etc.).

It sounds rather silly, but one of my earlier practices - mostly in my teens and early 20's (although I still do it occasionally now) - was to build little circles of stones in places I particularly liked. This all occurred in my waking life travels. The idea was to create a structure of "portals" to help transport myself to these places in the dreamworld. Nothing mystical, just a practical way to connect that physical place to my dream life, in a way that appealed to my imagination. It was surprisingly effective. I think little practices like this can be fun experiments and help keep the entire experience fun and playful. Also any physical or practical dream practices seem, in my experience, to transfer to the dreamworld much easier than those which are entirely psychological.


Do you have any items that you always have with you in dreams or lucid dreams?

Actually no, I've not noticed any recurring items. There are a handful of locations that seem to be very recurrent and a large percentage of my dreams start in these. Fortunately one of these places is, unsurprisingly, my bedroom. So I've amassed various items that I keep in my room that come in handy during dreams. I have, for example, two wooden walking sticks; one shaped like a serpent the other a dragon. Both easily transform to the real creatures in my dream life. Also various taxidermy animals, which all "come to life" during my dreams. In fact, a great deal of my bedroom ornamentation is for this express purpose - they serve as useful tools to make dream control and experimentation easier, such as a "Genii Lamp" that I picked up in Morocco - which has a very useful Genii that appears when needed in the dream world.


Have you ever had an odd moment in waking life that made you think you were dreaming and if so what was it?

Plenty!
I have several friends that like to play practical jokes in these regards (many don't seem to grasp lucid dreaming, so they find it all hilarious). I actually secretly rather appreciate this, as it's great practice. One went to the effort of convincing the staff at a cafe to all tell me I was dreaming and to act in a peculiar manner - I'll admit it really threw me for a moment, as that usual wave of excitement washed over me, only to quickly be put in its place by a couple of reality tests.
Of course, malfunctioning street signs, digital clocks, or just peculiar events seem to crop up regularly in waking life. Actually, I do seem to be a magnet for strange events - so I have quite a long list!

I'm curious what you think of the results of the referendum the UK just had. I'll also totally understand if you want to keep politics out of this, but you did say "Feel free to ask anything you like at all." :) This is a question I'll be asking all my British friends. I didn't think the vote would go this way, and I feel anxious about it.

@Thinkintuit - No problem, I'm suffering from a #brangover (yes, I've just coined that term, I'm ashamed to say) from staying up all night to watch the results come in. I'll be honest, I've been on the fence the entire time, so I had no strong opinions either way. I could see some of the innate problems with Europe, its questionable relationship with democracy and the fact that the larger an establishment the harder it is for the people to exert influence. On the other hand, as a member of the EU I've enjoyed the freedom of movement, both for myself and for those it has brought into my life; England has certainly been improved by the lovely people from across the EU.

This whole referendum has been fascinating, especially how it has exposed just how divided the country was on this issue - it certainly seems to reflect social divides. Although I suspect that the vast majority of voters, from both sides, didn't have a full comprehension of all the issues. I certainly didn't and I invested a lot of time trying to do so. It is simply too much of a large and complicated situation for any individual to have a full grasp of.

Having immersed myself into the politics, I came to the conclusion that there was no one right answer - and certainly none which could fit a nice tidy slogan; each option had some serious pros and cons.

I can understand feeling anxious, the feeling is even more pronounced being here and this happening around you!
My intuition tells me that it is likely that very little will change in on-the-ground. I don't think that either result would have been "the right thing", it is likely that it is the collective attitude of the nation and how we move forward that will decide if we move in a positive or negative direction - the same would have been the case if the outcome had been different. Although, I think in this scenario, people are less likely to just go on as usual.


Europe is clearly in need of reform, and it certainly needed something to shake it up. Staying in would have been business as usual and the slow descent into a superstate would have probably occurred over time - which I don't think would have been a good idea. However leaving is a big gamble and could be worse for the UK in the long run.

I think that realistically what will happen is just a lot of juggling of red tape; there will be more in some places and less in others. But, the world will continue to turn and those with power and money will do what they can to minimise disruption to their investments. On a personal level, a lot of people I know will be worried about where they stand in the UK and if they'll be "thrown out". I don't see that as being very likely, as it is in no-ones best interests. Although, I'd not be surprised if an unexpected side-effect of all this will be a sudden surge of panic marriages between British and EU citizens!

Personally, I'm cautiously optimistic. I think there are difficult times ahead, but it's nice to see democracy is still alive - whatever the result. I think it has the potential to bring a cohesion and positive attitude back to the British, something that has been lacking for a long time.

Only time will tell, but one way or another it's going to be a complicated, unnerving and fascinating time. Hopefully, heading into the unknown, we'll make positive steps into an uncertain future. My only worry is the danger of tribalism and small mindedness taking hold. Still, I'm an optimist and I think the British people are kind, decent and diverse and that we'll make the best of a very uncertain time.

One thing I do know for certain, is that I really should have slept last night!

Hi Daniel. I have been following you and your project for a while now. I'm not in a position to help fund your project, unfortunately. I do have some questions about it, however. I have a general idea what the books will be about, but I've had this doubt in the back of my mind since I became aware of your campaign. I'm an inexperienced lucid dreamer, so for me the joy of lucid dreaming is all in the discovery. I can read all the books about it, all the techniques, all the experiences, but nothing really beats the actual first-hand experience. I feel this is sort of like going on holiday after having read all the experiences, looked at all the pictures, etc., and then finally when you are there you aren't that impressed because you already know what it's all about. This happened when I went to Greece with my wife. She planned the trip, read all the testimonials, looked at all the pictures and found all the sweetest sights, while I knew barely anything apart from that we were going to the islands, and our experiences seemed quite different. I was mostly awestruck while she didn't have many surprises. So in this regard, what can you offer me, as a reader?

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope you don't take this as a dig at your project. I'm sure it'll be very cool!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheApprentice

Hi Daniel. I have been following you and your project for a while now. I'm not in a position to help fund your project, unfortunately. I do have some questions about it, however. I have a general idea what the books will be about, but I've had this doubt in the back of my mind since I became aware of your campaign. I'm an inexperienced lucid dreamer, so for me the joy of lucid dreaming is all in the discovery. I can read all the books about it, all the techniques, all the experiences, but nothing really beats the actual first-hand experience. I feel this is sort of like going on holiday after having read all the experiences, looked at all the pictures, etc., and then finally when you are there you aren't that impressed because you already know what it's all about. This happened when I went to Greece with my wife. She planned the trip, read all the testimonials, looked at all the pictures and found all the sweetest sights, while I knew barely anything apart from that we were going to the islands, and our experiences seemed quite different. I was mostly awestruck while she didn't have many surprises. So in this regard, what can you offer me, as a reader?

Thanks for taking the time to read this. I hope you don't take this as a dig at your project. I'm sure it'll be very cool!

---

@TheApprentice No problem at all, I really appreciate your thoughts on this and certainly don't take it as a dig.
You make some interesting points and I can certainly agree that novelty and surprise add a new dimension to an experience; often the less you know the more impact it will have. However, I think in the case of lucid dreaming, we are dealing with altogether different territory. No one can ever know the private realms of another's dream world - it is a place that is, in the truest sense, absolutely unique to each dreamer. Even as an experienced and lifelong lucid dreamer, I have yet to experience even a single lucid dream in which I have not been struck by awe, surprise and wonder. Our minds may be ours, but that doesn't mean that we know our own inner workings and landscapes. Even our memories can be a surprise to us, after all, possession of a memory is very different from an awareness that one possess it. As the pioneer of lucid dreaming d'Hervey de Saint-Denys points out, a famous photographer may take thousands of photos in their lifespan - so many that it would be possible to show them one of their own photographs, and for them no not realise it is their own work. Our minds possess countless more impressions and memories than any photographer could ever hope to make, so we are in possession of many more memories and experiences than we are aware. Surprise is part of the fabric from which our very minds are woven.

In the case of this project, it is absolutely not my aim to create a "travel guide" to your personal dream-space. Instead it aims to be a series of keys that will unlock doorways to new and unexplored realms of your mind. The books will act as a "software update", a means with which your brain will be better equipped to build more detailed, exciting and, indeed, surprising dreamscapes.

As I'm addressing your travel analogy, let me offer one of my own. Imagine you are a primitive human being, in a time long before our understanding of our place in the universe had been developed. One night, you look up at the stars, and you a struck by their mystery. With your limited understanding of the world you may assume that these points of light are similar to something you are already familiar with - distant camp fires around which other tribesmen tell their stories, or perhaps they are fireflies that have become trapped in some mysterious dark amber. The imagination of our prehistoric friend is limited by his knowledge of the universe. He may feel awe and wonder, but it will be of magnitudes much lower than is deserved for the true majesty of the universe. When he looks at the constellation Orion, he may see the smudge of light in Orion's belt, perhaps he assumes it is a crushed firefly. With our modern understanding, he would know that it is a vast kaleidoscopic nebula, a birthplace of the very stars themselves, some 1,344 light years away. In this case knowledge does not suppress or stifle his experience, instead it would catapult it into realms of awe that he was unaware were even possible. How much more wonderful his dreams and daydreams would be if this knowledge were available to him!

This is very much the approach I want the project to take. These books are designed to make our dreams more wonderful, not less. To be food for inspiration and the imagination. They will certainly not steal away any surprises, in fact, they will (I hope) be a catalyst with which our minds will be able to fashion wonders and surprises that they are, as yet, not fully equipped to create.

I hope that answers your question! :)

Hey Daniel, a few days ago I had asked a question but you forgot to answer. I said I got lucid often, but very rarely have the clarity of mind to stabilize and prolong the lucid dream. Do you know how I can start a lucid dream with more clarity? I always DILD.

@Ginsan - Sorry I missed your question, I'm sure you can imagine that I'm juggling so many things at the moment, it's easy to miss things occasionally. Still, I do apologise!
To answer your question: My first suggestion would be to revamp your reality test practices. Whenever you reality test in waking life, build the habit to stop and engage your mind. Really allow yourself some time to consider your surroundings and circumstances. Also take some time to process how you would behave if you had discovered you were dreaming. You need to make this behaviour your standard post reality test state of mind.

In the dream itself, you'll obviously need to do the same thing. I've always found that speaking (or singing) your thoughts out loud in the dream is a very effective way to increase your clarity and focus. It's an unusual behaviour, and something we'd not do in waking life - so this helps remind us of our situation and seems to help focus the mind. I'd also strongly suggest engaging as many of your senses with the dream world as possible - especially your sense of touch. Feel the textures of the environment, engage in the experience as much as possible. Anything that engages multiple senses is a good practice - such as clapping or singing. These also tend to help prolong the dream.

Your state of mind is also very important. Try to maintain a calm, objective attitude - something like an alien observer of another world. Extreme emotions are risky, they will either wake you or you'll be dragged down into non-lucidity. It's a fine balance to maintain, but it will become easier with practice.

I would strongly suggest the speaking/singing option. It's always worked wonders for me when I've had dreams lacking in clarity and focus.

Let me know how you get on, and if this doesn't work, we can try a few other techniques.

Good luck!

Hi Daniel, it seems to me from the way you're answering questions on this thread that you prefer to take a more scientific stance on this whole topic. My question though is, do you believe that lucid dreaming has potential for spiritual growth and enlightenment? Do you think it's possible that some of these so called realms or characters we meet may also be actual spiritual in essence?
I'm asking because I read that ancient buhdist monks used something called yoga nidra for spiritual attainment.
I very much believe in spirit, not just our consciousness but that there are layers to this world spiritually we do not perceive in our regular day to day lives.
Maybe this makes me a borderline kook to some but I know what I've personally experienced and so I do believe there is more potential and significance to lucid dreaming than our two hemispheres of brain communicating.
I have also been a lucid dreamer since childhood, similar story actually :) I had terrible nightmares and it was my way of finally taking control.

^This is a good question. I would like to tack on a follow up question to it as well. Although I don't currently believe that "some of these so called realms or characters we meet may also be actual spiritual in essence," I do try to keep an open mind to this or similar possibilities. I do believe that the experiences we have in our lucid dreams, and then subsequently in some of our daytime lucid dreaming practices, often give many of us a sense of connection to everything around us. That connection as well as mindfulness are concepts and experiences that some may liken to a spiritual mode of thinking/being. Is this not a happy side effect that could be a positive influence on the world? What are your thoughts on this and do you think that some of the odd scientific experiments like the double slit experiment (in regards to getting a different result when being observed as opposed to not being observed, one reference: Do atoms going through a double slit) open up the possibilities at all? As you can see, it is something I am grappling with.

@Dreamwalkwr

Thanks for your question - As I think we're all very aware, this is one of those topics that really divides the lucid dream community, so I want to just prefix my answer with a couple of points. Firstly, my views on any subject are always a work in progress, I'm always open to new ideas and new data, there are many views I hold that I am sure will change or evolve over time. Secondly, I could write an entire book answering your question, it's a subject with a huge variety of subtleties, so, I can't really address all of those in a forum post. However, I hope that you'll respect that I'm going to answer your questions with complete honesty, rather than attempt to be diplomatic simply to try and appeal to as many people as possible.

So to get onto your questions...

do you believe that lucid dreaming has potential for spiritual growth and enlightenment?
This is a deceptively complicated question. It seems simple on the surface but the problem here is the lack of definition of what you personally mean by "spiritual growth" and "enlightenment". These things can mean so many different things to different people. For one person, spiritual growth may be their blossoming relationship with Jesus, for another it may be a more vague sense of personal connection with the universe, for another it could be a deeper understanding of the Hindu holy texts, it could be a pagan or shamanic connection with the universe etc. The same holds true for the term "enlightenment", even amongst the many and varied sects of Buddhism it is defined very differently (for example the theravada view is very different from that of the various Tibetan schools). Without knowing exactly which definitions you are using, I would be trying to answer a question that has almost limitless interpretations.

This is one of my major problems with terms like spirituality. If you actually take any two people who call themselves "spiritual" and ask them to clearly explain their beliefs, you'll rarely if ever have two people agree with or believe what the other believes - even those that follow the same spiritual systems.

I certainly believe that lucid dreaming can be used to explore whatever spiritual beliefs you may hold, I would caution anyone that even the most convincing and profound insights a dream may offer, could easily be no more than an illusion with no real worth. An analogy I commonly use to explain this is that you could have a very compelling and convincing dream of winning the lotto, but when you wake your bank balance will still be the same. So caution in interpretation of these experiences, and not simply assuming because it felt profound that it was, is necessary.

I don't think this is a sceptical way of thinking - after all, isn't the spiritual quest one in search of truth? So it would make sense, to me at least, that when searching for truth one must have standards to judge truth, and one must also be cautious about our conclusions.

One of my biggest gripes with most spiritual and religious paths are that they very often place human beings on a pedestal. For Christians we're Gods special creation, for Buddhists humans are in a unique position among all creatures to attain enlightenment, and so on. For me, this seems very convenient for us humans, and to be frank, quite conceited. It seems at odds with a lot of spiritual talk of humility and the fight against ego driven behaviour.

However, I also very much believe that this wonderful mysterious universe is far more vast and deep that we could possibly hope to understand. We're a young species who have barely just grasped the basics of language and science. There are certainly levels to our reality that we have absolutely no inclination of, we don't even know they exist yet. Does that mean I think they are available through spiritual practices, well - probably not. I've studied lots of spiritual paths, I've experimented with various practices - even partaking in some unique rituals with tribes people and their sacred plants. When I really push myself past what I personally want to be true (I'd love to feel I'd connected to some deeper level of reality), and I focus on what is most likely to be true, then I often find that my human need to feel important is distorting my perception of actual events. Even the most convincing visions I've experienced, when I've looked at them objectively, often I can find far more plausible explanations.

Do you think it's possible that some of these so called realms or characters we meet may also be actual spiritual in essence?

Again, the problem here is I'm not sure what "spiritual in essence" means to you. Do you mean another layer of reality, beings from other dimensions etc.?
I certainly think that it is a possibility, but I would say that it is low on the scale of probability. I think our brains are perfectly capable of producing the most convincing hallucinations - I also don't think that this, in any way, belittles or lessens the wonder of the universe. In fact, it gives me more awe and wonder. It is an amazing thought that out of a couple of handfuls of organic matter, our consciousness springs into existence. The universe has crafted these amazing things we call brains, out of itself, and uses these to gaze back in wonder upon itself. What an absolutely enthralling and entrancing mystery this is! As the famous Carl Sagan quote goes "We are a way for the universe to know itself". I can't think of anything more wonderful.

Perhaps there are other layers to the universe, perhaps the universe knows itself through many different eyes and in many different ways.

Maybe, just maybe, certain manipulations of consciousness may help us tune-into other aspects of reality. I certainly don't rule it out completely. I just think that because this is something that appeals to our human needs, it's something that makes us feel special, that we need to be especially cautious when our spiritual beliefs seem to very neatly fit our human wants and fears.

So, as someone who really wants to understand the truth of the universe (and accepts that this is likely impossible for any human being) - I try to be as sceptical but as open minded as possible. I don't want to accidentally delude myself with my own wishes and in doing so miss out on a real wonder of the cosmos.

One of my main issues with texts and "experts" on lucid dreaming, is that many of them make claims about spirituality (whatever their version of that word means), as if they are factual, rather than personal subjective beliefs. Many dreamers, especially younger enthusiastic dreamers that are eager to learn, will accept their claims on faith alone. This can lead to all sorts of odd contradictory beliefs. It can also be a huge drain on the time and mental energy that these impressionable new dreamers - it may take them years to work through these ideas until they realise that they were just the beliefs of individuals and not some objective reality of our universe. This is time which could have been invested in learning verified and wonderful facts about our cosmos. Facts that, as a species, we've only just uncovered and have been very hard won. I find those that promote spirituality in this way to be reckless and I find it very hard to respect nor trust them. I have absolutely no problem with speculation and personal beliefs, as long as they are clearly stated to be these things. To expand further on my earlier point, there are those who will read a book on the Tibetan Buddhist approach to dreaming, alongside one that explores a shamanic, Sufi, or Hindu systems (to name only a few). Not all of these can be true, perhaps none of them are. Certainly if we try to mesh such diverse ideas together, we're not only being somewhat flippant and disrespectful to the original systems and practitioners, but we're also just cherry picking those things that suit our own personal tastes.

I'm rambling and these are just unedited thoughts off the top of my head.
I hope it makes some sense.

@fogelbise - I'll try and expand on your questions later, I think I need to take a short break after writing that essay! :)

Daniel, I like your approach of focusing more on the science and less on the spiritual. I consider myself a spiritual / Christian and certainly think LDs can enhance one's spiritual journey without necessarily being spiritual in itself. For example, in the same way science does too.If you are spiritual, the complexity of cellular biology may move a spiritual individual on their journey as it can point one to a creator....or not, depending on your belief in God. I have performed some of the miracles in the Bible, in lucid dreams, which I find makes them "more real" to me. I also think the similarities between NDEs and LDs gives me a better understanding of that experience without having to nearly die in the process! When John the apostle says he was"in the Spirit" when he saw the revelation from God, I now think I know kinda what it was like for him and certainly believe he didnt make it up but had a valid experience of some sort. So it is very helpful, even if just pure science of the mind.

@Rothgar

Thanks for sharing your experiences and viewpoint. Please don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not anti-spiritual. While I don't align myself with any spiritual tradition, I certainly find them all fascinating and there are many gems of wisdom to be found. My aim is simply to promote lucid dreaming for what it is, so that people can then take that knowledge and apply it to whatever purpose or exploration they wish. This becomes impossible when authors weave their own beliefs into the subject.

I prefer to avoid discussions on spirituality, mostly for the reasons I outlined in my huge post above; it can simply mean so many different things to different people - and I'd not like to be so arrogant to assume that I have any authority whatsoever to discuss such matters, let alone tell people what they should believe. Indeed, that's why I take issue with authors that do, I feel it shows a certain lack of humility. It's always been my opinion that we are all born into the mystery of this universe, all as ignorant to what it really means as each other. I do however love discussing these things, and learning and sharing thoughts with people of all backgrounds, faiths and beliefs. We may all be born into a strange and mysterious universe, but we're all in the same boat - and, if we can be humble in our own beliefs, then we can all share the adventure together.

Being an author and an voracious student of life, I've been compelled to read almost every spiritual text available. There is a lot of beauty and poetry to be found in most of them. In regards to the Christian faith, I've often pondered if in Genesis 1:27 the passage "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth" that "likeness" may have not been referring to a physical image at all, but to the nature of our inner creativity. After all, what better likeness does humanity have to the Christian god than when we dream and create our own inner worlds?
To be clear, this isn't a belief of mine, but a thought that regularly arises when I discuss dreaming and religion with my Christian friends. I thought perhaps you may enjoy it.

Thanks again for your thoughts, I'll certainly be writing a book covering spirituality (from a neutral standpoint) in my new series. If you'd like to share your views and experiences, I'd be more than happy to include them - your faith is one that is regularly ignored in many books on dreams, so it'd be nice to give as many views a voice as possible.

Thanks for the honest opinion Daniel. I'm not particularly religious but I do believe that even if our own spiritual growth is formed by our own imaginings it is still significant if it's helping us to become better people. Nothing to do with ego but just to find our way past everything that's blinding us to what really matters in this world. People are very materialistic snd concerned about their image that they forget about doing what's right.

Hey Daniel = D I'm trying to use your suggestions and I hope it will help. I had 3 more questions about exploring limits of the dream world, but they're secondary and here is what I really want to know.

How good can one really get at lucid dreaming? Can you do whatever you want in any given lucid dream? Let's say you suddenly get the idea to ride a skateboard through a musical piece with the road representing the movement of the music, going faster, slower, up, down, the road splitting and recombining, getting launched in the cliax, the environment changing in harmony with what the music is doing. Or when you want to dilate time so that your 40 minute dream seems to last twice as long, or create fake memories so that you start the dream with a backstory of a few years and the memory of it, can you reliably do things like this? By reliably I mean that you won't lose lucidity nor control and that you'll experience something close to what you wanted. "something you wanted" Includes a change of plan during the dream.

I'm asking about you because I think you're very close to the ceiling of skill or you are so far that you have hugely diminished returns on your practice compared to most of us. If I overestimated what you can do and how reliably, please replace "you" with "someone extremely skilled" while creating an answer.


I love that you're here answering our questions it's so cool that I can explore your thoughts and experiences regarding dreams :D I feel like a kid in a candy shop!

@DanielLove Haha, those friends sound like a lot of fun! The cafe prank sounds pretty impressive, would loved to have witnessed that one.

Question: As a non-fiction author have you ever thought about writing fiction? Dreams and lucid dreams certainly provide plenty of material and possibilities!

I would love to read a book based around the idea of lucid dreaming, I've searched around but it's pretty hard to find anything like that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DanielLove

@fogelbise - I'll try and expand on your questions later, I think I need to take a short break after writing that essay! :)

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No worries, I think you covered the gist of my add on question in your responses to Dreamwalkwr and Rothgar. :)

Hey guys, I'm not ignoring your questions - I'll get on to them as soon as possible At the moment, it's looking like it'll be once the campaign is complete this Sunday. If I find the time beforehand, I'll certainly pop in and do what I can! :)

Hi Daniel, I'm a novice who's been interested in lucid dreams for many years with a handful of short lucid dreams under my belt and am working my way through your book - thanks for writing it, I'm really enjoying it!

One question I have is that you mention you set aside a few days a week to lucid dream - why not lucid dream every night?

Thanks!

Hello Daniel,
What a pleasant surprize to find you here. I read "Are You Dreaming" and found it quite helpful. I particularly liked your examples of the different levels of lucidity, and how fully appreciating the nature of the dream world leads to more freedom and control. Since writing "Are You Dreaming" have you discovered any new grounding techniques or in-dream exercises that help the dreamer reach higher levels of lucidity? Thanks!
Niall

Hey Daniel, I used your suggestions on how to improve clarity in my lucid dream, you said "My first suggestion would be to revamp your reality test practices. Whenever you reality test in waking life, build the habit to stop and engage your mind. Really allow yourself some time to consider your surroundings and circumstances. Also take some time to process how you would behave if you had discovered you were dreaming." You also said "Let me know how you get on"

So I applied this; 2-3 times a day when reality checking I would look around and think what I would do in a dream, check my pockets, drawers, jump up and down, eat random things, mirror, water bending and some standard reality tests. A few days ago I had a minor success (I didn't go for sex immedietely but instead I looked around for things to eat and I chewed on a newspaper :P) but tonight was totally awesome! The lucid dream was 20-30 minutes and I was doing what I had planned, engage my senses. (no details) In addition to this, the dream faded away 5-8 times, sometimes I'd be back in bed and I re-entered it every time and touched the bushes to weakly re-anchor myself and some other cool things happened.

:yddd: Great things are starting to happen :yddd:

@Ginsan
How good can one really get at lucid dreaming? Can you do whatever you want in any given lucid dream? Let's say you suddenly get the idea to ride a skateboard through a musical piece with the road representing the movement of the music, going faster, slower, up, down, the road splitting and recombining, getting launched in the cliax, the environment changing in harmony with what the music is doing. Or when you want to dilate time so that your 40 minute dream seems to last twice as long, or create fake memories so that you start the dream with a backstory of a few years and the memory of it, can you reliably do things like this?

In my experience there are very few limitations to the skills one can acquire with lucid dreaming, there are all sorts of obscure and abstract concepts one can explore. That said, even as an experienced lucid dreamer the level of control can fluctuate greatly with each individual dream. I still have the occasional dream where some ingrained assumption or expectation will create a stubborn dream which is very hard to control. There are limits to control however, time dilation and false memories, I believe are pipe-dreams, and essentially outside the sphere of the possible. I've explored time extensively in my dreams and have yet to see any evidence that time in the dreamworld can be compressed in relation to waking reality. I think it's one of those enduring myths, partly because it's so very appealing, but when you get down to real lucid exploration it soon become apparent that you're dealing with real physical limits, namely the processing speed of the brain. The illusion of distorted time can easily be induced, but I've yet to come across anything that would indicate otherwise. Personally these days I prefer time-travel dreams, rather than attempts to alter my subjective experience of time, mostly due to many disappointing experiments in the latter.

@mismagius
As a non-fiction author have you ever thought about writing fiction?
Absolutely, I'm very fond of fiction and have written all manner of (unpublished) short stories, many with dream themes. This is something I'd really like to explore in the future, it'll be some way off, mainly because I have so much else on my plate that there simply isn't the time in the foreseeable future. One particular story idea is already very fleshed out, and it'll be high on my priority list once The Lucid Dreamer's Guide to the Cosmos series settles into a manageable schedule and I've time to work on other ideas as well.

@Nebula8
One question I have is that you mention you set aside a few days a week to lucid dream - why not lucid dream every night?
It's a good question, the answer is unfortunately a little dull. The truth is I have such a busy life and so much to think about, that I like to set aside certain amount of "downtime" in my sleep each week - just a chance to switch off and let my consciousness have a break. When life is simpler I spend far more time lucid than when it is busy - it's normally just a trade off. On a more practical level, I find if I put real effort into preparing for lucidity on certain nights, those dreams can be far more lengthy and rewarding. For example I try to develop a level of REM rebound for my lucid nights. Also any night when I do choose lucidity - I'll also be waking several times throughout the night to record the results of experiments, this isn't a habit that can be sustained for any length of time when waking life is busy, so it's best to keep a healthy balance.

@Niall101
Since writing "Are You Dreaming" have you discovered any new grounding techniques or in-dream exercises that help the dreamer reach higher levels of lucidity?
Yes quite a few actually, I'll definitely be including the more interesting of these in the new books. I'd be happy to share them in more depth right now, but I've such a busy schedule over the coming months, that I don't have the luxury to spend too much time on the forums.

@Everyone - I'll be a little less available to answer questions quickly in the near future, as the project has to take priority. Still, please feel free to ask anything you like, I'll make sure I eventually get around to answering - it just won't be quite as quickly as I'd like.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mismagius

Question: As a non-fiction author have you ever thought about writing fiction? Dreams and lucid dreams certainly provide plenty of material and possibilities!

I would love to read a book based around the idea of lucid dreaming, I've searched around but it's pretty hard to find anything like that.

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I can tell you one author who's written LD-based fiction: Me.

I'm not sure this is the place to say so (certainly not on topic -- sorry Daniel!), but it came up, so, at the risk of shameless self-promotion (and the understood risk of you deleting my post): I wrote a novel called Oneironauticus, which is effectively an adventure story centered around lucidity its potentials. I also wrote a novel called Party Line, whose narrative is a series of shared dreams, though lucidity takes a bit of a back seat. I of course think they're pretty good, but I think you might as well.

I hope it was okay to share this, but I figured I had an answer to your question about LD'ing novels (good ones are indeed next to impossible to find) and figured it would be alright. If you're curious, just follow the links or type in my name -- Peter A. Luber -- on Amazon.

:laugh: so shameless :laugh:

@Sageous - Thanks for sharing these, I'll make sure I check them out in the near future - it's always good to have something new to read! :)

^^ Thanks, Daniel; I think you'll enjoy them!

Hi Daniel,I have a couple of questions regarding my first and only lucid dream which happened a few weeks back.I have been practising the Gravity RC for more than 3 months so far.This RC is in case you dont know an awareness technique.You basically focus on the gravity and how it affects your body all day long and you wait for it to incorporate in your dreams making you to notice differnce in gravity and get lucid.Upon hitting my 3 month mark I had my first lucid dream and i have no more lucids since then.I went to bed at 02:00 and woke up from the lucid at 3:58.First question is, is it possible to get lucid so early on your sleep?The lucid was not a result of Gravity RC i got lucid just by realising i was in a place that i could not possibly be.Around three to four days prior to this dream though i gave the Gravity RC all i had during the day.Second question,Do you think that going all in on the Gravity RC helped me get this lucid thus in a different way than the one it should?Last question, I have been practising this technique for 3 months and 7 days so far and all i had was this lucid.Do you think i should give up on it and try something else?.

Thanks Daniel, another question for you...

In my dreams I can often fly or push through walls or other slightly super-human feats but I'm not lucid, it's still my 'dream brain' involved. You would think this would be an easy reality check to know you're dreaming, but my conscious mind is still asleep... Any tips on how to cue my dream brain that this is a dream to help become lucid?

Thanks!

@Daniel What are your favorite topics in science and philosphy?

At the moment I am mostly interested in psychology, artificial intelligence, and sometimes physics things, philosophical thought experiments and biology things make me happy.

A cool thought experiment/puzzle: Suppose you are lost in the middle of nowhere, about to die, where there are almost never any other people. But you are lucky and someone drives by and offers you a ride. This person happens to be a psychologist and a 100% succes-rate lie detector. He wants 1000 dollars but you don't have your wallet. So if you can convince him that you will give him the money once you get home, he will save your life by driving you home. The problem, however, is that you're a rational person and you know that once you get home, the rational thing to do is to not give him the money (simply because it is cheaper). And because you know that in advance, you won't be able to say truthfully that you will give him the money, so he will leave you to die.

Daniel, I know you are interested in virtual reality. Have you tried any of the current systems, and what did you think of them? Have you tried any games/experiences that seemed particularly dreamlike to you, or potentially helpful in aspects of lucid dream training? (e.g. Omega Agent seems like it might be helpful to train for flying in dreams).

Do you intend to acquire a VR system in the future, and if so what one(s)?

And, finally, how can I convince you to make the second book in the Lucid Dreamer's Guide to the Cosmos about VR? :chuckle:

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Hello Daniel. I'm quite new to Lucid Dreaming and have been trying it for some time and I would like to ask you a few questions:

1. How realistic are Lucid Dreams?
2. How has it effected your waking life?
3. What are your thoughts on the FILD technique? Do you have any recommendations.
4. For WBTB, how long do you think one should stay up?

These are just for starters if you don't mind. Looking forward to your response!

@Tasinios

First question is, is it possible to get lucid so early on your sleep?
Yes absolutely. The majority of techniques focus on the later REM period for lucid dreaming purely because it's the easiest and biggest target to hit. Early night lucid dreams, in my experience, are often of a much deeper and stable nature. Personally and unusually, a large portion of my lucid dreams happen in the earlier stages, about the same timescale as yours. I love these, as they are so much deeper and the chance of being woken by outside distractions are so much slimmer. It's also a likely period to have a DILD, if like you have been, you're giving a large amount of energy and discipline in your daytime awareness practices.

Second question,Do you think that going all in on the Gravity RC helped me get this lucid thus in a different way than the one it should?
It seems likely. I'm not convinced the Gravity RC is a particularly reliable technique. It seems to me that your continued focus and determination is what gave you the lucid dream.

Last question, I have been practising this technique for 3 months and 7 days so far and all i had was this lucid.Do you think i should give up on it and try something else?
Honestly, yes. You're clearly determined and focused, so it seems a shame to me that you're struggling with a potentially ineffective technique when you could be using something much better and hugely increasing the rewards for your efforts. The mental focus of the technique is a good place to start - as it's essentially just a variation on looking out for dreamsigns, only with a very limited criteria. I'd widen the dreamsigns that you are searching for, and when spotted perform a quality proven reality test such as the Nose-Pinch or Digital Watch test. If you combine this with detailed journaling, so you become familiar with your own personal dream signs, and throw some WBTB attempts into your weekly routine - you'll start to have far better results. I hope that helps.

@Nebula8
In my dreams I can often fly or push through walls or other slightly super-human feats but I'm not lucid, it's still my 'dream brain' involved. You would think this would be an easy reality check to know you're dreaming, but my conscious mind is still asleep... Any tips on how to cue my dream brain that this is a dream to help become lucid?
Would I be right in guessing that you're an avid video gamer or sci-fi/fantasy fan? If so, the problem may be associated with your mind taking such unusual behaviour in it's stride. A good thing to try would be to reality test whenever you're playing a video game or watching a film in which a dream like event occurs. Additionally, if I'm off the mark with this assumption, you could spend time working through your dream journal and reliving these dreams in your imagination - only with the addition of reality tests and the realisation you are dreaming. Essentially you just need to find a way to condition yourself to snap into awareness during these dreamsign events.

@Ginsan - I'm not sure if my personal morality is making me struggle with your thought experiment. Personally, I think that even if I would rather keep the money on returning home, if the alternative is certain death, I'd imagine that anyone would see $1000 as a very small price to pay for a continued life. Alternatively, you could make a better deal with the psychologist - tell him you're not wealthy enough to afford so much cash, but you'd pay him $100 dollars if he'll send a taxi to pick you up once he returns to civilisation. You could ask him to use his lie detector to prove that he'll keep to his word.

@Thinkintuit
Have you tried any of the current systems, and what did you think of them?
I've sadly had very limited experiences with them so far, I've used an Oculus and a Gear VR. I'd love to be in a financial position to invest in the hardware, but that will have to be something I consider further down the line when writing the book on that topic. Unless you know any generous hardware donors? :P - As to what I think of them, well I've been waiting for consumer VR my entire life, so even with their flaws, I absolutely love what I've experienced so far - I want more, much more!

Have you tried any games/experiences that seemed particularly dreamlike to you, or potentially helpful in aspects of lucid dream training?
As you can gather from my previous answer, I've not had enough experience yet, but I'm hoping for that to change in the very near future. So, expect to be asked a lot of questions in these regards when the time for research comes about! I'll be considering you as one of the VR experts on the team!

how can I convince you to make the second book in the Lucid Dreamer's Guide to the Cosmos about VR?
Ha, well it really wouldn't take much convincing at all - it's one of the topics I want to cover the most. The real limitation is the lack of easy access to hardware. If you can think of any inventive ways to change that, it would make the whole thing far more likely. Of course, it will also come down to the public vote - so it's not completely in my hands. I'll be banging the drum for that topic to be next myself, as I think the second book will be coming out just as it is needed. I believe VR will really begin to filter down to the public level more by the point that the second book is in production. By then Playstation VR will be established and think that will cause the first big shift from it being a minority/enthusiast subject to something that is more affordable and accessible (even if it won't be quite as good as Vive or Oculus).

@Kamenriderbaron
1. How realistic are Lucid Dreams?
On a perceptual level, for me they are indistinguishable from waking reality - perfectly realistic. It's the nature of the dreamworld that is only clue that what you are experiencing isn't waking life.
2. How has it effected your waking life?
That's hard to answer, as I've been a lucid dreamer my entire life. However, I've dedicated my life to the subject - so I'm going to say it's effected it in a very profound and positive way!
3. What are your thoughts on the FILD technique? Do you have any recommendations.
I think it's an okay technique and can be effective. I'm generally inclined to suggest that people avoid obsessions with any particular technique. It's best to combine different methods and practices and find or create your own technique. The absolute keys to lucid dreaming are motivation, dedication, persistence, detailed record keeping and an experimental and creative approach to your practices.
4. For WBTB, how long do you think one should stay up?
The Jury is still out on that particular question. For me I find anywhere between 15 minutes to half an hour is the most effective. It really depends on so many factors that, again, you need to keep detailed records and experiment to find what works best for you personally. It's also not just a question of staying awake but how you invest that time - you need to spend the time preparing for returning to the dreamworld - not browsing the web on your phone. The goal is to wake up your critical faculties without becoming so wired that you'll not be able to return to sleep. You'll find your best practice if you experiment and record your results. Good luck!

@Everyone - Sorry for the slow replies, I really do have to put work on the project as priority, so I can only afford a few stolen moments here and there for answering questions. I do love hearing your thoughts and questions, do please do feel free to keep asking - just be prepared that it could take some time for me to find the time to answer.

Hi Daniel!

I'm really new to lucid dreaming, I started working on my recall a week ago or so. I know this question is probably hard to answer -- how does your book and Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming compare? Dr. LaBerge's book is older than me so my main worry is that the things i'm learning are out-of-date; but it's comforting to know what he's saying is backed by research, as so much advice in lucid dreaming communities (see Reddit) seems to be based on anecdotes rather than fact. Would your book be a better jumping in point for a new learner like myself?

@KatBobo - Oh that's a difficult question, as I can't really be very impartial. What I will say is this LaBerge's book is great and a classic, I wouldn't say that it really shows its age all that much - it's absolutely worth reading. One word of warning though, make sure you get the original and not the re-released version - as the second version has a lot of material cut out. As for my book, I wrote it with the intention to create something that was impartial, rational and human, and to put all the most important information to become a well-rounded lucid dreamer in one place. Personally, I'd suggest you read both as it will give you a broader understanding. However, maybe others can answer your question with more impartiality than I can! :) Generally, my advice is always to read and learn as much as you possibly can!

LaBerges book is great....that's how I learned to lucid dream. You need that book as a solid background upon which other books build. His is the "fundamentals" in my view. But dont stop there....read Daniel's book too as it goes beyond with newer advanced material....but dont worry about ewold being outdated...it all applies.

Daniel: I've sadly had very limited experiences with them so far, I've used an Oculus and a Gear VR. I'd love to be in a financial position to invest in the hardware, but that will have to be something I consider further down the line when writing the book on that topic.

I hear you! I too am not in a good financial position to invest in the hardware, except for the Gear VR--which I was able to justify since I needed to get a new phone anyway.

As you can gather from my previous answer, I've not had enough experience yet, but I'm hoping for that to change in the very near future. So, expect to be asked a lot of questions in these regards when the time for research comes about! I'll be considering you as one of the VR experts on the team!

It will be my pleasure to help out however I can.

The real limitation is the lack of easy access to hardware. If you can think of any inventive ways to change that, it would make the whole thing far more likely.

One idea: there are VR meetup groups in large population centers, and other types of promotional VR events (e.g. the Kaleidoscope VR festival, which I believe tours in England as well as the US). That's how I've managed to experience a number of demos, etc. in addition to my use of the Gear VR. Via such means (and/or online) you might start to network with people and I would not be surprised if you could eventually find someone local-ish to you who would be interested in helping you out with your project. As well, the hardware requirements are going to start getting cheaper, and as 2nd generation headsets become available, I think people will start selling their first-gen gear when they upgrade. It's not inconceivable that as the project proceeds someone might be willing to donate older hardware to you. Hmm...since by this point in the project the first book will already be out, plus you're an established author on the subject, who knows--you might even be able to get a company to donate or lend you some equipment. Or, another Kickstarter or Indigogo etc. might be in order. Let's figure it out when the time comes! (In terms of networking, I suspect Sara Lisa Vogl might be a good person for you to get to know, being as she's already very into the intersection between VR and lucid dreaming: https://twitter.com/SaraLisaVogl). A helpful thing to keep in mind is that early adopters of the technology tend to be rather evangelical (in a good way) about it, and might be interested in helping out someone who aims to help further the movement in a novel and fascinating direction.

Ha, well it really wouldn't take much convincing at all - [VR is] one of the topics I want to cover the most...Of course, it will also come down to the public vote - so it's not completely in my hands. I'll be banging the drum for that topic to be next myself, as I think the second book will be coming out just as it is needed.

I totally agree that the timing will be perfect for the second book to be about VR. I'm pleased that you are already strongly in favor of that. Well, let's see how it works out. Exciting times we are living in. :)

Thanks! I ended up picking up your book and it's incredibly helpful and enjoyable to read so far.

I plan on trying FATE but i'm running into an issue with the random alarm aspect of it. I found the "Sleep Check Reminder" app you mention in the book but I can't find out how to make it give me a random amount of alarms. The only two options are that I set the amount of alarms and it randomizes the interval (while still fitting in the time I specify), or I set the interval between the alarms and it squeezes in as many as it can in that time. I assume both would be bad since my mind could then keep track of how many alarms remain in the first case, and in the second case my mind could anticipate when the next alarm is. I've not been able to find any apps which can be a random amount of alerts. They all seem to randomize the frequency but not the amount. Any suggestions?

Mr.Love, I was wondering. How do you deal with attempting to lucid dream while undergoing a lot of stress? I really want to but stress is really effecting my motivation.

Hi all,

I've created a new thread for Q&A here: http://www.dreamviews.com/participat...ml#post2203267

Please drop any questions you have in that thread, as I'd like to experiment with a new approach to answering your questions (more details in the new thread).

Previous questions in this thread will be answered in time, but if a moderator could close or merge this thread with the new one, that would be very helpful.

Just a little follow-up - in a dream last night in which I was flying, I realized it was a dream sign and became lucid. I was jumping from a cliff because I was "quite" sure I could fly (and did) and thought at that point, "I wouldn't have thought this way if I was awake" and became lucid.

Just thought I'd share as it was an interesting version of a dream sign, imo.

I have a question to ask. Whenever I usually attempt the nap chaining technique or something akin to WILD, I always end up all anxious and I can never ever go back to sleep. Was this a problem you had when you started out and how can I stop it from happening?

I am in a strange position, I have extensive lucid experience but have never really researched the subject.
I am only here now because I heard a lecture by a guy named Robert Waggoner in which he stated that having intense control over lucid dreams was something he considered fanciful.

When I dream, and am most often as awake as a I am when not sleeping.
I am able to put a dream into a holding pattern, as it were, to go to the bathroom or other minor actions in the night and return to them as I lay down. Sort like I am sleep walking, but not sleepwalking at the same time, if that make any sense.

I can rewind, fast forward, change dreams entirely, alter players in the dreams, change the things said and 'replay' parts of a dream differently. I can alter locations or even not be part of a dream but rather watch a dream filled with other people, like a movie I am watching but can change it as I see fit. (Thus my name on this site).

Is what I do rare in the lucid community, and if it is. Could you direct me to any place where I can get more information about what I am doing from people that study this type of lucid dreaming.

If what I do is common that would be nice to know as well.
If I have been unclear or you want clarification on what I do please ask, or anyone else reading this.
I want to know more about what I am doing and maybe learn somethings about myself and how to use this seemingly amazing gift.

Thank you for your time, if you have time to reply at all.

-James

Quote:

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In my experience there are very few limitations to the skills one can acquire with lucid dreaming, there are all sorts of obscure and abstract concepts one can explore. That said, even as an experienced lucid dreamer the level of control can fluctuate greatly with each individual dream. I still have the occasional dream where some ingrained assumption or expectation will create a stubborn dream which is very hard to control. There are limits to control however, time dilation and false memories, I believe are pipe-dreams, and essentially outside the sphere of the possible. I've explored time extensively in my dreams and have yet to see any evidence that time in the dreamworld can be compressed in relation to waking reality. I think it's one of those enduring myths, partly because it's so very appealing, but when you get down to real lucid exploration it soon become apparent that you're dealing with real physical limits, namely the processing speed of the brain. The illusion of distorted time can easily be induced, but I've yet to come across anything that would indicate otherwise. Personally these days I prefer time-travel dreams, rather than attempts to alter my subjective experience of time, mostly due to many disappointing experiments in the latter.

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I wanted to speak to what you replied above, I may be misunderstanding you when you are talking about time dilation and false memories.

Are you saying that for instance living a life in a dream that encompasses years and years is a pipe dream or are you trying to use a the dream state to alter waking time perceptions?

I once had a dream I was a sailor in the 1700's in the West Indies. I had this dream continue for weeks, where I would wake up and the go to sleep the next night and pick up where I left off, or sometimes come back months or years (in the dream) later. Now, in the dream as I recall it, I would pass time normally, or so it seemed. Now that I press myself to recall, I do recall there being skips in the dream, but I could sort of remember those skips as a memory in the dream but I don't remember dreaming them.
Does that even make sense, it is so hard trying to describe a dream state sometimes.
By skips I mean something like this. I would arrive in a port city, I would not remember dreaming about the trip TO the city, but in the dream I could if I wanted, remember sailing to the city. Though from the perspective in the dream I 'feel' like I just arrived in the city as I went into the dream state.
This particular sailor dream is to this day one of the oddedst dreams I have ever had, and I only had a sequential experience like this once.

Anyway, is that what you mean by time dilation in a dream?
Compressed time in a dream that seems out of the normal flow of time?
I regularly have dreams that will span days (in the dream state) though often there will be squashed time in bits that are something I can choose to remember and experience. This always makes the dream I am in disjointed though, and can cause me to shift from the chosen dream path I am on and then move into the ‘remembered’ parts of the dream and continue from that time point.

I have never tried to type any of this out before, it really makes me sound like a raving lunatic.
I would like to promise that I am not, but then after reading up on the posts I am starting to worry a little bit about my dreaming states.

I am hoping you can reassure me a little by gifting some of your experience and wisdom.