Is the 'New Age' take on lucid dreaming damaging?

[Identity X]

Is the 'New Age' interpretation damaging the general public view and popularity of lucid dreaming? Are people put off when they read the two in the same sentence? Discuss.

[Alric]

To be truthful I don't really know anything about the "new age" stuff. Other than that one other post about this, I have not seen anyone else bring it up either.

[Identity X]

Well when I started getting into this, I was initially put off with several references to buddhism - i.e. example dreams like 'I decided I wanted to meet Bharasvarga.' ad nauseum. Plus all that 'astral plane' stuff, thats 'New Age' too, and I know a few members of this board believe in that.

[Seeker]

I spoke with a friend who had never heard of LDing before. Afterward, he was a little concerned that it was New Age-ish. It is like anything else in the world, there are those that are afraid of anything that sounds even the slightest bit out of the ordinary. When you talk about controlling your dreams, people automatically think of new agers sitting around all day meditating and burning incense. One of the things Icedawg is trying to do with Dreamviews is to keep it neutral. That way, hopefully, nobody will be offended or driven away.

[timspainhour]

personally, i think that it is damaged. I do not at all want to judge the people that think that this stuff is all spiritual, but i don't think it is. if you look at the poll I made, you will see that - currently - there are more people that think this stuff involves the spiritual.

[Danger Dog]

i think new age stuff is somthing to learn about, i do think some of it is a bit stupid though.

[Alric]

I don't really understand why that is. Dreams are universally accepted as totally normal things that everyone has. So why is the concept of knowing your dreaming while your doing it so weird or "new age"? To me, you go to sleep you have a dream. That simple, nothing wrong with sleeping.

[Uriel]

Originally posted by Identity X Well when I started getting into this, I was initially put off with several references to buddhism - i.e. example dreams like 'I decided I wanted to meet Bharasvarga.' ad nauseum. Plus all that 'astral plane' stuff, thats 'New Age' too, and I know a few members of this board believe in that. Buddhism is not "new age." The idea of an astral plane isn't really new either. The definition of the term has become far too generalized. I suppose though I am ill-suited to answer the question since I had my first lucid dream before I knew anything about them. But yes I can see how if someone was researching the subject they could be put off by someone else's interpretation of it. Alric has the right of it, dreams are totally normal and some people can control them. Beyond that is all personal opinion and belief, be it right or wrong.

[Identity X]

Some good points. Like most things, dreaming is a completely normal belief-undiscriminate activity, yet some people, who believe that is something more than this, have imposed some damaging overtones on it (a similar case is that of meditation) Of course, I am not saying they are utterly wrong; neither am I saying that their ideas are directly damaging in themselves. But the public view of such ideas and the connection between new age to black magic etc. causes this to be damaging to the majority of the public. And as for me defining 'new age' too broadly and/or wrongly, thats juust the 'public' in me...

[evangel]

I think the term "new age" became popular during the latter half of the 20th century, but there's nothing "new" about it. To me, it seems more like a blending of several belief/religious systems such as Hinduism, Buddhism, paganism, humanism, mysticism, etc. -like a combination of things borrowed from several systems to create a kind of chique and catchy "new" system... Many times dreams border on or have been considered to be "religious or mystical experiences" and so many religions take dreaming very seriously. This has inevitably been tied into most people's concept of lucid dreaming. I don't really see it as "damaging" per se... After sharing my dreams with a people who are non-LDers I have gotten the "concerned look" followed by "Have you ever done drugs?" Or "Have you ever been involved with the occult or witch craft?" Oh well... Go figure.

[Elephantman]

If I had never heard of it before I'd say it was a bit of a hippy trip And if I hadn't experienced it for myself I probably wouldn't have searched and found this site. You just have to hope ppl will be open minded to learn a bit more rather than dismissing it out right. <One of the things Icedawg is trying to do with Dreamviews is to keep it neutral. That way, hopefully, nobody will be offended or driven away.> He's doing a fantastic job This site and it's neutral, practical aproach is an excelent tool for awareness and education on LD'ing.

[WerBurN]

<LD expert> Lucid dreaming is cool and fun! <LD n00b>: Lucid dreaming!? that sounds kinda hippy-ish! im not into all that wierd stuff! <LDing>: ouch, my image...