A question about the nature of lucid dreams

When we experience a lucid dream, are we truly awake inside our sleeping body?

Or... Are we just having a dream about having a "lucid" dream, and not actually having the free will we wish to have?

this is often asked. "how do we know we are not just dreaming that we know that we are dreaming."
There are many threads on this already, I reccomend using the search feature to find and read them. :)

naw don't sweat it... the wording of topics like this are kind of ambiguous so it'd be hard for him to search anyways.

At any rate... it is as real as you are proficient at lucid dreaming. So no, you are not just "dreaming of being lucid" (and yes, I do know what you mean). You may have low level lucids like that, but a good lucid is totally awesome. Don't doubt it... it's very realistic.

Even if you are just dreaming that you are LDing and that is all an LD is (I don't think it is) It's FUN. 8)

my thoughts on this (oft asked) question are the following:

how do you know you aren't just dreaming right now, and only have the illusion of free will? how do you know that you "chose" to come to this forum and post this question, and aren't just "dreaming" it?

well, really, no matter how philosophical and deep one gets about it, it boils down to simply feeling that you have some semblance of free will right now.

i can assure you this same feeling of free will is possible while lucid dreaming..in many ways, the freedom of will is much greater, because one's imagination seems to be the only limiting factor..

perhaps this feeling during a lucid dream is a sham....but if it is, then the feeling of free will while awake is no less a sham...in which case it doesn't really matter either way, right :wink:

i completely understand where you're coming from though, and your train of thought seems to be almost typical of those first discovering lucid dreaming.

all i can relate is that my experiences with lucid dreaming have shown that even greater choice is possible while dreaming than in waking life, as well as greater immediacy...being within the moment, able to spontaneously choose to fly, or push your finger through your hand, or eat a piece of tree bark, or shout out "i am lucid dreaming, and even if this is all a big sham, it feels exactly the opposite!!"

the quality of lucid dreams can certainly vary (from low to extremely high)...and like ataraxis mentioned, perhaps some of the low-level lucids leave room for doubt..but once you've had a high quality, all doubt flees..i'll never forget my first one, it is one of my most vivid memories. i remembered everything i do in waking life...my address, my name, phone number, childhood memories, hopes and current events...i was fully myself...whatever that truly means is content for the philosphers to argue over.

happy journeys...hope you discover how amazing LDing is yourself...that's what we're all here to help you with :)

6 months ago i had moreorless the same frame of mind as yourself.

namaste

i propose this be made into a sticky, seeing as it is a common topic, and hard to successfully search for.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Cryptic Cane
When we experience a lucid dream, are we truly awake inside our sleeping body?

Or... Are we just having a dream about having a "lucid" dream, and not actually having the free will we wish to have?

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Are you happy or just think you're happy?

Do you have an orgasm or just think you have an orgasm?

Who cares or do you just think you care?

Knowing the truth makes all the difference. I know i'm in a reality because it is what I spend the majority of my life in. If I had my head in dreams all day, then my dreams become the reality.

If you are a toy being played with by a toddler, wouldn't you like to know that your world is being controlled by the hands of another, so you can chill and let your destiny come, rather than actively molding it?

Is there any point in having a lucid dream if you know it's just a good dream?

But there is no need to get philosohpical. Eh, for now.

Thanks for the insight. I suppose it is just opinion, a point of view. The two sides could be considered *essentially* the same.