Novice Question

[john d]

hey everybody, I learned about lucid dreaming about 2 weeks ago. I read a couple articles, and started to keep a dream journal. In the past 8 nights, I've remembered a dream in 6. Three nights ago, I had (from my novice perspective) a very vivid dream. long story short, I ended up getting into an arguement with a friend of mine and saying to myself "screw this, this isn't worth it", shaking my head, and then waking up. I was shocked when i consciously woke myself up from the dream. Does this happen much? Is it a big deal? Does qualify as being lucid? Thanks in advance

[Leixor]

It doesn't technically qualify as lucid dream if you didn't realize it was a dream until after it was over. You are a little vague when you say "screw this, this isn't worth it" as to what you refer to. I assume you refer to the argument. I imagine your feeling of wanting to leave (assuming that most people when they are leaving an argument, actually leave the vicinity of the person they were arguing with) is what woke you up. You wanted to leave so you did.

[Burns]

Welcome to the forum, john As Leixor said, a lucid dream is actually realizing and knowing you're dreaming within the dream. Sometimes you may have control, and sometimes not. Being lucid and having control and two completely different things. But it does sound like you were close - practice some techniques from the tutorials, and don't forget to be recording everything you experience in you dream journal. Good luck and have fun!

[taihen]

Heya john d. Well, vivid dreams are better than vague dreams, which are better than no dreams at all.

[The Blue Meanie]

Hello John D !!! You say that you conscoiusly woke yourself from the dream... that indicates to me that you knew or realised you were dreaming, and decided to wake yourself from the dream. Which means you were lucid... lucidity is nothing more than just realising you were dreaming.

[Gwendolyn]

It sounds like you had a mild LD....One in which you had very little control over. Consciously waking yourself up may have been due to the fact that you were shocked to realize that you were dreaming. As you get more used to dreaming, this will happen less often.

[john d]

thanks alot guys. i've been keeping a dream journal with as much detail as possible, as well as looking over the tutorials. hopefully in the future ill have some sick dream stories to tell ya. until then, sweet dreams

[Leo Volont]

Dear John, In the Old Days of dreaming, Vivid Dreams used to be considered very important. Maybe they still are. So what was the argument with your friend about? Upon reflection, do you think you were entirely right. Or did your friend have anything of a point. Might there be some middle ground? You see, this WAS a vivid dream. It may have brought up issues which must be dealt with before you can continue on to Lucid Dreaming. Lucid Dreaming is essentially a Spiritual Phenomena, and so that make it progressive and evolutionary. One must progress step by step. And of course, as in all things Spiritual, there is the High Paths and the Low, the way of Light and the Way of Darkness. But no matter the way, one has to pass all of the tests in order. So, what was the argument about, and what were you supposed to learn from it?

[john d]

Dear John, In the Old Days of dreaming, Vivid Dreams used to be considered very important. Maybe they still are. So what was the argument with your friend about? Upon reflection, do you think you were entirely right. Or did your friend have anything of a point. Might there be some middle ground? You see, this WAS a vivid dream. It may have brought up issues which must be dealt with before you can continue on to Lucid Dreaming. Lucid Dreaming is essentially a Spiritual Phenomena, and so that make it progressive and evolutionary. One must progress step by step. And of course, as in all things Spiritual, there is the High Paths and the Low, the way of Light and the Way of Darkness. But no matter the way, one has to pass all of the tests in order. So, what was the argument about, and what were you supposed to learn from it? [/b] wow, great response. The arguement won't mean much to you without some kind of context. I'm an 18 yearold from north jersey (although i spend my summers in south jersey). Like many kids my age, I party a bit in the summertime. While I'll drink and smoke an occasional cigar (for purely celebratory reasons), that's where my party-vices end. My buddies mess with me cause i refuse to smoke the reefer- it's just a position ive held for the past 3-4 years and I've decided to stick to my guns, as I have my reasons. The arguement from the dream was like this: I was sitting in my family room at my house with my best friend and his two friends from school. The one kid, who i know is a glorified pothead, lights up a joint in my dad's chair. So I tell him to knock it off, but he doesn't so I lay it on him and tell him to get out of my house. He starts whining, but what got me pissed was this: He started calling me a hypocrite. He said that I'll drink alcohol and smoke cigars, but I won't smoke or tolerate pot. It's something I've heard a few times, but that remark, combined with the situation, just got me really frustrated. On a similar note, I just remembered a dream I had from last night. Essentially, I was on the beach with some of my beach-friends, and I caved and smoked a joint with them. I remember alot of the dream, and I remember it not affecting me at all (i guess that's a reality tester?).