So close, but no cigar. What are these dreams I'm having?

[LucidGuitarSolo]

I've had lucid dreams since I was a kid, none of which have been wake induced - they just spring on me at random times during sleep with incredible intensity and lucidity, as is to be expected. Every lucid dream I can recall involves flying. I have had very few lucid dreams in the last year, perhaps three, most likely because of over studying, stress, and moving home a lot. Lately I've been going to sleep with the intension of having a lucid dream but something else is happening instead... I drift in to a dream that is always based, initially, in the same location, my child home. I am in a field (or on the road near the field), there is long grass, sunshine with a light summer/spring breeze and a few wofty clouds in the otherwise blue sky. Trees and mountains near the field. From this starting point different things happen, I meet people I know, find tracks I used to walk, go to the river, just casual things... but the thing is I feel almost ecstatic, so happy and so comfortable and excited with the surroundings that even though I am aware (at points) in my dream that I had the intention of becoming lucid I no longer want to... I just want to be buffeted around by the randomness of the normal dream state and to continue feeling feelings of content and excitedness Im feeling. This may sound like a lucid dream, but it isnt - I cant feel things like wind on my face (just the effect of it on trees or other objects) - but I can feel emotions & although I am sometimes aware Im dreaming for short periods I do not control what I do, its like Im on auto-pilot. To me it feels like Im 70% lucid but not quite there. But these dreams are almost ecstasy at points. In one dream I was floating along holding on to a string attached to a balloon, first in the field then over houses and then between enormous trees with the sun shining through the canopy. The balloon would occasionally come down and I would have to push off with my feet again, the feeling astounding. But like I said, its not a lucid, just auto pilot, and it repeats itself in many variations. So my quetion is; might this mean something? And How do I get myself into a lucid state when I am so contented with being a puppet in the dreamworld even when I do realise I’m dreaming? Thanks heaps for any advice, feedback!

[ninja9578]

Sounds like you need to find common elements from your recurring dream and learn to do reality checks when you are in those situations. This will help you transition that into a nice lucid dream.