Is a vivid imagination required for LDing?

I was in the chat room and had asked about imagination and noticed a trend based on the responses. I thought it would be interesting to do a poll to determine if those of us who've had (or desire to have) LDs/oobes have similar *emotional* backgrounds.

Aside from the poll question, it would also be interesting to know if you were/are a loner (either by choice or by circumstance) or if you prefer the company of others.

I'll go first .. I have an extremely vivid imagination. I was a loner as a child and, though I can be very social and have alot of friends, I still prefer my own company most of the time.

My thanks to those who participate! :)

I suppose I have a vivid imagination. I can look at something and imagine clearly the way it would feel if I touched it...or even without looking at something really. I can imagine eating something...like the texture and taste. it sucks though, when you're imagining pain, sometimes I'll be walking somewhere or something and suddenly imagine something painful and I cringe. hmm. I daydream quite a bit and I always have. I don;t know if I have a very vivid imagination though, compaired to others, because I've never been anyone else. and I don't think I've ever really talked about it either. so I don't know.

I do know I'm more of a "loner" though. not necessarily always by choice, though I probably prefer it. I'd much rather spend time with a few friends than go someplace with a ton of acquaintances or people I don't know or something. being alone is fine but not for too long, I do enjoy company. I generally avoid talking to people I don't know though.

My imagination is pretty vivid; which goes to help my dream recall tremendously. I'm not very detail oriented in waking life, however my dreams/daydreams are very detailed and whenever I have lucidity in my dreams I tend to focus on the details of my surroundings.

I'm also pretty social and can often be found hanging out with someone...whether it is online or in person. And if I am not doing either of those, I'm usually harrassing my dog.

I have a very vivid imagination. I can loose myself in my imagination. Sometimes a daydream can just take me over all of a sudden; it will be comparable to some dreams. I can see what happening, all the colors textures and such. For months I have been trying really hard to practice hallucinations. Because I have such a vivid immigration, I'm trying to be able to really see what I see in my mind in real space.

I'm a loner. It is by choice, I don't really get close to people... Sometimes I wish I really could. I can never find anyone who shares my interests and such. I think when I was little I never had any friends so it's really hindered my social abilities... I mean, I'm not a weirdo at all, I talk to people at school all the time, but I like to be home alone with myself. I'm very close to my cousin Julie and I love to be around her, and I love my brother's friends too. I think I just put my defenses up, but can slowly begin to like people. I also put my defenses up because I tent to love people to fast, so I have blocked it so I'm not so vulnerable.

Come with me and you'll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look and you'll see
Into your imagination

We'll begin with a spin
Trav'ling in the world of my creation
What we'll see will defy
Explanation

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world, there's nothing to it

There is no life I know
To compare with pure imagination
Living there, you'll be free
If you truly wish to be

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world, there's nothing to it

There is no life I know
To compare with pure imagination
Living there, you'll be free
If you truly wish to be.....

I guess that sums it up?

i have very bad visualisation skills. it just blow me away what i can dream about, the richness of it all is stunning, but when conscious, i just don't have access to any of that.

i am pretty much a loner. though i do enjoy quiet company sometimes.

I have a very vivid imagination. I used to put my imagination to good use when I was little by writing stories. I still write to this day, mostly stories and poems (although I actually went through a 10 year writers block, only wrote a few poems during that time, but have begun to get back into it again)

When I was young and even to this day I still do it, as I'm falling asleep, I'll play out a story in my mind. Although it very rarely carried over to my dreams. The story seemed to stop as soon as I fell asleep.

I was mostly a loner when I was younger. I did have some really good friends, but unfortunately most of them all seemed to move away, (out of the country too). Since than I've always had a small handful of really good best friends. Now I think it's half and half. I like being on my own (my favourite time of day is when the kids have gone to bed and the husband has fallen asleep as well, than I've got the entire house to myself for the night!) but I do enjoy having close friends to keep me company.

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Originally posted by the beauty who sleeps

When I was young and even to this day I still do it, as I'm falling asleep, I'll play out a story in my mind. Although it very rarely carried over to my dreams. The story seemed to stop as soon as I fell asleep.

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WOW.. I've always done this as well! I know people normally replay "their" day while laying in bed at night but that would only keep me awake. Ever since I can remember I've always come up with stories (normally where I am someone else) and would "play" these stories in my head at night until I fell asleep. Like you, these stories would never carry over into my dreams.

I thought I was the only one who did this.. it's wonderful to know I'm not! :)

Clairity wrote:[quote]
the beauty who sleeps wrote:

Quote:

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When I was young and even to this day I still do it, as I'm falling asleep, I'll play out a story in my mind. Although it very rarely carried over to my dreams. The story seemed to stop as soon as I fell asleep.

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WOW.. I've always done this as well! I know people normally replay "their" day while laying in bed at night but that would only keep me awake. Ever since I can remember I've always come up with stories (normally where I am someone else) and would "play" these stories in my head at night until I fell asleep.

I think that a lot of guys do the same thing just before they go to bed also...albeit the intentions may differ. :sheepishgrin:

I'm gonna go with extremely VIVID, I have and outstanding imagination and just cant see anyone having quality LD's without one. There kinda like yen and yang

What can be accomplished in a LD is limited only by your imagination, or lack thereof.

I'm lost in daydreams all the time, I'm probably daydreaming right now. Sometimes I'll look at the clock at 6:30 and take out my homework, than I'll thing about something, Like what if I made something that went around one's waist to holdi the book wherever you want. odd things like that. or what would happen if I was trapped in an picture. I often dream up stories. See how I rambled just now and started something about 6:30! well that's what I mean. So i'd take out homework at 6:30 and daydream and it'll be 7:30 heh

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Originally posted by Aneas
What can be accomplished in a LD is limited only by your imagination, or lack thereof.

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I'm actually starting to doubt this is true. My dreams do seem incredibly imaginative and interesting when I remember them, but I don't consciously conjure these ideas, even in my lucids. i don't think it's the same brain mechanism as conscious imagination or creativity. the conscious is much harder because you have to break through all the social conventions/habits/etc that make you think ordinary thoughts.

you know, i like to think of myself as an imaginative person, but you all certainly give me a run for my money :-P
as for daydreaming, waaaay more than I should. I like to imagine myself in some other historical period--the 30's, or the revolutionary war, or on the mayflower, or ancient greece... sometimes I'll be walking on my way somewhere and get lost in an imaginary conversation, and then realize I'm whispering to myself, and people are looking at me strangely.

and very much a loner, of course :rolleyes:

Bizzy

...i wouldn't say it's required... it just helps you have more colorful dreams. you're going to dream regardless of you imagination.