Is this lucid?

[Corinna]

Hi, I just discovered your webpage because I've had some interesting experiences while going to sleep. First some infos about me: I am a long-time meditator and have experimented with lucid dreaming on and off over the years. I've had quite a few lucid dreams and ususal I am able to control/change those dreams in which I am 'too late' for a bus or train etc. I used to have quite a few of those dreams but not anymore - hence, I don't have many lucid dreams at the moment. Now the reason of today's posting: When I couldn't sleep I have 'invented' a technique to induce dream images into my waking mind by staring at the moving white spots behind my eye-lids. Usually, dream images appear and then I can fall asleep. Recently, I could do this better and better. I see masses of unrelated pictures of places and people I have never seen before and then some sort of short-story starts to unfold. I am fully awake when this happens, staring with awe and fascination what is happening in my mind. Then I usually fall asleep. Does anybody know what that is? Is it a form of lucid dreaming? Thanks for answering, Corinna

[Forsaken]

I dunno how to answer... but that sounds really awesome. I can daydream vividly, but never feel like I'm REALLY seeing it.

[LucidDreamGod]

First off welcome to Dreamviews, I have a friend who does what you do to get to sleep, and I do the same thing only to practice so that I can do a WILD (that means Wake Induced Lucid Dream, in which you go into the dream straight from waking with no loss in conscious) eventually. You could call it a dream really, but what are dreams? I'd encourage you to keep practicing so that you could be able to go into the state on command when you get better.

[Barbizzle]

What you described is called hypnogogic imagery. It occurs in the first stage of sleep, and your subject is not even aware that they are transitioning from the waking world into the dreaming one. If you continue to focus on these "dreams" You could quite possibly enter a very strong Lucid Dream. Try it out and Welcome!

[Abra]

Wow! You've taught yourself how to stream hypnogogia! That's impressive! My technical definition of a dream is a REM period (no more, no less). Hypnogogic imagery is like the fuzzy type of dream (of images and impressions). As long as you know that what you are seeing is hypnogogia (or a 'dream'), then I'd say it is a subspecies of lucid dreaming. Of course, REM lucid dreams are way better! The good thing is, you can easily transfer your focus from hypnogogia to REM. Good luck!

[Corinna]

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I've researched a bit about these hypnagogia and it is really exciting! So, these images are a way to enter into a lucid dream consciously? Well, I will keep you posted what happens next. I will have plenty of opportunity to practice because at the moment I am waking up 6 to 7 times each night (inadvertently). Best and thanks again, Corinna

[Corinna]

Hi, I promised to keep you posted - so here goes: My hypnagogic imagery still goes on with ease. I get in a few minutes of this almost every night. I am totally conscious when this happens and I can even think 'my own' thoughts simulaneously, for example, what I will write about it on this website. It's very much like sitting in a dark cinema with a very strange disjointed movie showing. There are 2 new developments: - My body falls asleep. I can hear my own breathing becoming totally calm - just like the breath of a sleeping peron. My body loses all impulses to twitch. It just lies there like a dead piece of meat. This very comfortable because usually when I can't sleep I toss and turn a lot. Is that sleep paralysis? I am pretty sure I could move in this state. I just never tried it as to not disturb this comfortable state. - Once the hypnagogic imagery has gone on for a while I lose my conscious observer position for a few seconds and go into a 'real dream'. Pretty much as soon as this happens I 'wake up' again with a little bit of fear. I am not sure what I am scared of. I think it is the loss of control. For example, the dream might send me to a beach or a strange place. Then I get startled and think, 'How did I get to be on this beach?' Any suggestions? Thanks for your comments, Corinna

[Barbizzle]

Awesome job, keep it up