Some lucid dream questions

[GordanFreeman]

Hi, I have some lucid dream related questions, help is needed. Lucid Questions: Do you experience a strange sensation everytime when become lucid, like adrenaline rushing? Do everything become brighter, more colorful when become lucid? When wake up from lucid dream, are everything outside(from your window) is glowing for the first 5-10 minutes? I have frequent false awakening(FaW), but waking up in different place than my bed standing or sitting, is it still a FaW? When in these I know, I'm dreaming from the start. Do you feel addicted to lucid dreams, like some sort of drug? I feel bad when in abstinence(dry spell). How to activate/stimulate frontal brain cortex aka logic center during dreaming? I try reality checks in the past, but I never become lucid from one. Most often I become lucid from sudden realization that something is out of place. Why having higher chance of lucidity from FaW, than from normal dream? Non-lucid questions: When I was a kid, most often I had reocuring semi-lucid dream of secret floor(between sixt and seven floor), you can't get there with a elevator, because there is none. There is only one door at the floor and she somehow is calling me(hearing a voice in my mind "open me"), but when I try to open it I wake up. What is that? From time to time I have rush of memories of old dreams(like I have a large dream journal in my head), I'm getting a dizziness and headache. Most of the time I'm suppressing them, did this worsen my dream recall?

[RelicWraith]

Let's see what I got: LD Questions Varies. Sometimes, I get too excited, that I hear my heart pumping in real life, and thus awaken sooner than I'd like. There's also feelings of weakness and fatigue, often when initiating WILDs/DEILDs at a low-REM stage of sleep. Still, neither of those are absolutes. Not often. More likely than not, things start off dark, if not in pitch blackness. Can't say I've ever noticed such a thing, if it ever happened at all. The only condition for FA's is that you start the dream while supposedly waking up. Where you are, or whether you're aware at the start or not, isn't particularly important in identifying a dream as an FA or not. 'Addiction' might be a bit too strong a word. I can at least admit getting upset whenever I've a "dry spell" spanning for days on end, especially if I give an earnest go at LDs during that duration. Another variable answer. It seems FA's are just a strong dream sign for you, thus your high LD success rate whenever that occurs. As for how to 'exercise' the frontal lobe, I've read that one could try doing simple mathematical arithmetic during a dream. Can't say I've gone out of my way to try that yet. Non-LD Questions No idea. Can't say. Have you tried recording them?

[dolphin]

1.No. 2.No. 3.I don't know. I haven't looked outside my window shortly after a lucid dream to see if anything is glowing. 4.Yes, any dream of awakening is a false awakening. 5.No. 6.Google defines logic as "reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity." To think logically, we have to know what is valid and what is not (for the purposes of lucid dreaming), and we need to remember and be aware of this knowledge. In other words, to activate our logical part of brain during the dream, we need to improve our knowledge, memory, and/or self-awareness. For example, we tend to become lucid false awakenings because 1)we know this can happen 2)we can remember this readily because awakenings tend to remind us of dreaming due to the association between the two (We woke up. What did we dream about) and 3)we are self-aware because this remembered knowledge related to us is important to us. 1.I'm not sure know how to interpret the dream, but you're probably waking up because you're associating opening the door with waking up. 2.I don't see why it would. Memory is like a muscle in that it tends to get better with exercise. Refusing to exercise a muscle from time to time won't make it weaker in the long-term. It would probably take a prolonged period (weeks, months) of not exercising it to do that.

[DarkestDarkness]

Your lucid questions: Usually I have yes, but not always. Yes, almost always; usually what also happens is my dreams fade into bright white/warm light. I think I know what you mean... if so, I've had this a couple of times, but rare; as far as I can guess this has to do with the same thing that makes colours appear vivid in both dream and waking life. I'll just agree with Dolphin's statement here. I don't feel addicted (especially since I have few, how could I), but generally addiction is rare for people in my family. I do long for having them, but I think that's a different feeling from addiction. You long for things or people you had in life. Consider that, when you have vivid lucid dreams, there are probably many different hormones going around; the experience of having a vivid lucid dream for me is almost directly related to how good my sleep is. When my sleep was really really good a couple of years ago and I had vivid non-lucids and the few lucids I had were much more vivid than at any other point. At that time, even just going outside to walk my dog, everything looked more colourful. I can't explain why, but it did. Most days now everything looks washed out, especially by comparison. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that if you feel some sort of addiction, it probably has to do with whatever brain chemicals are doing during your lucid experiences, and to consider it an addiction is probably not helpful for yourself. I do agree with Dolphin and FireFlyMan here. Additionally I think it has to do with the value you personally place on the act or sign. How do we control what our values are? We chose them, right...? But how much stuff is just "chosen" by our subconscious? How much of it is a "reaction"? Think about that. Of course I can't speak for everyone, and my I pose these questions to you based on my own personality, so they may even not apply to you. Your non-lucid questions: I can't really help you with meaning here since I don't know you. For my personal example, if I had a dream like this, it would represent something I want to know about something. (the "secret" floor between floors, the place that doesn't exist yet, a barrier, a call to mystery...) My suggestion is that you revisit this dream when you get lucid. Go to the door and don't expect anything; if you think you would struggle to open it, then don't, break the wall, go through it/the door, whatever. Bypass it. Doors in real-life make weak physical barriers for humans, if we so desire, but they are very strong psychological barriers. You wouldn't go through the door of someone else's house, even if you knew it was unlocked, not because it's difficult, but because you know you shouldn't. Our social training makes us accept that doors are impenetrable, and that's the point. You want to feel safe, and everyone else wants to feel safe. Agree with both Dolphin and FireFlyMan here too.

[GordanFreeman]

Thanks for your kind opinions, it's good to know what I feel is not universal. That is gonna help me with my further researches. As for my addiction, I think this is because I feel free in these lucid dreams. There is no pain and I can walk more freely without the limitations of my ill physical body. That's why my most favorite thing in LDs is just walking around, explore. I even invented my own technique the "walking induced lucid dream". When I was five, i always thought those type of dreams are universal for everyone, but after some time I found that, I'm alone in this. Only about five years ago, I found they are called lucid dreams on this site. But it was fun, I even had DC friends back in that time. We were flying in the clouds, climbing buildings, build entire worlds together and other fun stuff. The most favorite thing was to stay at top of buildings at night and watch the starry sky. I even make a wish on a falling star. Anyway I have tons of questions, but maybe another time. Now I really want to ask you about something. Whether you've ever experienced anything like that. When I lie on the bed and relax my mind and try not to move my body(this is not wild attempt). I'm start asking questions, I just got this a hour ago: Me - Are there anybody around?(ask in my mind) ........... - Are you still watch her secretly?(a female voice) Me - No, maybe.(it's about a person I know, how she know) What is your name? .......... - Venera (she said that with nice tone) Me - Where are you now? Venera - I'm everywhere. That totally startled me and I snap from this kind of trance state. Some times the conversation can be scarry or mysterious. Their answers can be random and not very connected. What do you think these 'people' are?

[dolphin]

I think these 'people' are products of our imagination, just like dream characters. While we're awake, there is certain filter that keeps products of our imagination from being consciously perceived. During altered states of consciousness, however, like a trance or sleep, this filter is not as strict. I'm not sure how this filter works.

[GordanFreeman]

I think these 'people' are products of our imagination, just like dream characters. While we're awake, there is certain filter that keeps products of our imagination from being consciously perceived. During altered states of consciousness, however, like a trance or sleep, this filter is not as strict. I'm not sure how this filter works. You are right, but what exactly is our imagination. If you ever met independent DC's, from what part of our imagination you think they are coming from? Dream Guides are also part of our imagination, but they know stuff we don't. So how deep is this imagination of ours? What do you think?

[dolphin]

I like Google to define things. Google defines imagination as "1)the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses. 2)the ability of the mind to be creative or resourceful and/or 3)the part of the mind that imagines things." I think independent DCs come from our schema of independent DCs. Our imagination uses our schemas to create what it creates. By schemas I mean all of our organized knowledge. We possess subconscious knowledge. We do not consciously know our subconscious knowledge until we are conscious of it. Meanwhile, Dream Guides come from the subconscious, so our subconscious knowledge is conscious knowledge to them. That is why Dream Guides consciously know what we don't consciously know. I suppose the best way to gauge the deepness of my imagination is to gauge the deepness of the dreams it produces. I have had dreams that so deep I don't know how deep they were and I have also had dreams that I know were not very deep at all. I have had dreams that I could describe as intricate works of art that I have no idea how I created and I have had dreams such as dreams of me sleeping in bed with only blackness to see. So, based on my experience, I think the deepness of our imagination can range from nothing to infinite.

[naturespirit]

Lucid Questions 1. Yes, I find that my vision changes as if the focus knob of a microscope is being twisted; towards focus, then too far, and then just right. I also find a rush of sensations surges through my body. 2. Yes, incredibly vivid. Like upgrading a monitor from the 90s to a modern OLED. 3. I don't recall such an experience. 4. I think it only applies if it's a realistic sleeping spot, but it's not necessarily restricted to your bed; your dream might attempt to implicate you slept on the streets. 5. Addicted is a misleading word... I would say that I miss it and feel vaguely guilty if I have neglected it. 6. I have heard of arithmetic being used to activate the logical part of the brain, but I find just stopping what I'm doing once I'm lucid and just 'activating' an analytical mindset seems to work.

[GordanFreeman]

I like Google to define things. Google defines imagination as "1)the faculty or action of forming new ideas, or images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses. 2)the ability of the mind to be creative or resourceful and/or 3)the part of the mind that imagines things." I think independent DCs come from our schema of independent DCs. Our imagination uses our schemas to create what it creates. By schemas I mean all of our organized knowledge. We possess subconscious knowledge. We do not consciously know our subconscious knowledge until we are conscious of it. Meanwhile, Dream Guides come from the subconscious, so our subconscious knowledge is conscious knowledge to them. That is why Dream Guides consciously know what we don't consciously know. I suppose the best way to gauge the deepness of my imagination is to gauge the deepness of the dreams it produces. I have had dreams that so deep I don't know how deep they were and I have also had dreams that I know were not very deep at all. I have had dreams that I could describe as intricate works of art that I have no idea how I created and I have had dreams such as dreams of me sleeping in bed with only blackness to see. So, based on my experience, I think the deepness of our imagination can range from nothing to infinite. I know what imagination is, after all you are part of mine ....right As for me, my imagination is deeper as how far I'm willing to dive into the rabit hole and now I'm finally ready to jump into it without a parachute. Naturespirit, your view was recorded in my research book, thanks. 4. I think it only applies if it's a realistic sleeping spot, but it's not necessarily restricted to your bed; your dream might attempt to implicate you slept on the streets. As for question 4 it seems I wasn't very clear. I'm not dreaming that I waking up from a dream. I'm just open my eyes in different place than my bed and in this very moment I know, I'm dreaming. But I wasn't trying to do any wild or vild at that moment, maybe this is just a "natural wild".

[dolphin]

but what exactly is our imagination. I thought this was asking for a definition of imagination. What is it asking?

[GordanFreeman]

I thought this was asking for a definition of imagination. What is it asking? I mean it in a little more philosophical way, don't worry about it, my fellow DC.

[DarkestDarkness]

Thanks for your kind opinions, it's good to know what I feel is not universal. That is gonna help me with my further researches. As for my addiction, I think this is because I feel free in these lucid dreams. There is no pain and I can walk more freely without the limitations of my ill physical body. That's why my most favorite thing in LDs is just walking around, explore. I even invented my own technique the "walking induced lucid dream". When I was five, i always thought those type of dreams are universal for everyone, but after some time I found that, I'm alone in this. Only about five years ago, I found they are called lucid dreams on this site. But it was fun, I even had DC friends back in that time. We were flying in the clouds, climbing buildings, build entire worlds together and other fun stuff. The most favorite thing was to stay at top of buildings at night and watch the starry sky. I even make a wish on a falling star. Anyway I have tons of questions, but maybe another time. If you don't mind my asking, what do you mean by ill physical body? I had some other questions but I forgot them... Now I really want to ask you about something. Whether you've ever experienced anything like that. When I lie on the bed and relax my mind and try not to move my body(this is not wild attempt). I'm start asking questions, I just got this a hour ago: Me - Are there anybody around?(ask in my mind) ........... - Are you still watch her secretly?(a female voice) Me - No, maybe.(it's about a person I know, how she know) What is your name? .......... - Venera (she said that with nice tone) Me - Where are you now? Venera - I'm everywhere. That totally startled me and I snap from this kind of trance state. Some times the conversation can be scarry or mysterious. Their answers can be random and not very connected. What do you think these 'people' are? I meant to get back to this part with a comment but I haven't been able to focus very well this week, so here's my late comment to this; Not quite the same thing, though I still wanted to share this. Sometimes I get something similar, and not with voices, though I think that may have happened before a few times. For example, very recently, lying down in bed while waiting to fall asleep, I heard a very vivid and realistic explosion. It surprised me, but I didn't move, because I immediately realised how close it sounded and how I would have felt something else if it were real. But it did sound real because of the volume. Sometimes things like this happen in short sequence like a scene, but there is no visualisation, it's just a loud sound, as if it were right next to my ears, and because of it I do become more awake, as if the stimulus had been real too. I suppose it's a kind of "hallucination"... In any case, there is no conscious pre-cursor to this for me.

[dolphin]

lying down in bed while waiting to fall asleep, I heard a very vivid and realistic explosion. I've had this as well a couple of times. It is known as Exploding Head Syndrome. Despite the scary name, it is nothing to be worried about.

[GordanFreeman]

If you don't mind my asking, what do you mean by ill physical body? I had some other questions but I forgot them... I have serious back problems after a car accident five years ago, so I stay indoors 95% of my time, I just got a 5% walk a day because of the pain, it's not a fun story So I just like to walk and explore inside the lucid dream. I meant to get back to this part with a comment but I haven't been able to focus very well this week, so here's my late comment to this; Not quite the same thing, though I still wanted to share this. Sometimes I get something similar, and not with voices, though I think that may have happened before a few times. For example, very recently, lying down in bed while waiting to fall asleep, I heard a very vivid and realistic explosion. It surprised me, but I didn't move, because I immediately realised how close it sounded and how I would have felt something else if it were real. But it did sound real because of the volume. Sometimes things like this happen in short sequence like a scene, but there is no visualisation, it's just a loud sound, as if it were right next to my ears, and because of it I do become more awake, as if the stimulus had been real too. I suppose it's a kind of "hallucination"... In any case, there is no conscious pre-cursor to this for me. Direct quote from wikipedia: Hypnagogic hallucinations are often auditory or have an auditory component. Like the visuals, hypnagogic sounds vary in intensity from faint impressions to loud noises, like knocking and crash and bangs (exploding head syndrome). I have it too, when try to WILD. I think these 'people' are products of our imagination, just like dream characters. While we're awake, there is certain filter that keeps products of our imagination from being consciously perceived. During altered states of consciousness, however, like a trance or sleep, this filter is not as strict. I'm not sure how this filter works. I just founded this, here in the same wiki page about "Hypnagogia": People may imagine their own name called, crumpling bags, white noise, or a doorbell ringing. Snatches of imagined speech are common. While typically nonsensical and fragmented, these speech events can occasionally strike the individual as apt comments on—or summations of—their thoughts at the time. They often contain word play, neologisms and made-up names. Hypnagogic speech may manifest as the subject's own "inner voice", or as the voices of others: familiar people or strangers. More rarely, poetry or music is heard. It seems I have very intensive bouts of Hypnagogia. I was confused about this because I never got spekles and shapes of light in my closed eyelids before fallasleep, I thought I can't never get Hypnagogia imagery, so I got confused. Instead I have a half-dreams while still awake(just lying flat in bed, concentrating on my closed eyes), they are like lucid dreams. I can walk freely in them and can use the same logic as in LD(can summon things, can teleport, can fly ...almost everything), but they are very unstable. I must remain all the time very relaxed and concentrated. If I stop doing something they fall apart(everything become black), if I got too stressed they again fall apart. The cool thing is that, I can interact with the outside world too, I can talk to a recorder what I'm seeing, but to do that I must keep an iron concentration. In this state I can relay the words of a DC to the recorder. If somebody hear me in outside world they will beleive I'm sleep talking.