What's it Feel Like?

[Plathix]

Hello, I have never had the great pleasure of flying in a lucid dream, I hear great things about it, soaring over the ocean, free. I'd like to know exactly what it feels like, every motion, feeling, sensation, everything. I had a weird thought, I remembered that I had gone on a ride called Soarin' Over California at California Adventures. I thought this might be a good reference point to what it might feel like to actually fly in a lucid dream. My main request is that someone who has gone on the ride and flown in a lucid dream before, tell me how close it is to the ride. Or if it's even better, and if so, please explain why. Plathix

[OpheliaBlue]

Interesting question! The closest example of what dream flying feels like for me is, oddly enough, swimming. Most of the time I fly in an LD, it's not really speedy, just more of a float and hover kind of sensation, where tiny movements can cause me to turn, speed up, or slow down. And it takes some effort to land, kind of like trying to sit at the bottom of a pool without rising up again. Cool, never really thought of it before, but that's what it's like for me.

[Robot_Butler]

When I fly, it feels a lot like a rollercoaster. Have you ever riden those giant swings they have at carnivals? The ones that are hung from chains and spin around a carousel while they blast Guns n' Roses? My flying often feels like that. I like the feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you dip down, or are swung in an arc. That feeling of gravity pulling against you. That is the fun kind of flying. Sometimes, my dream flying doesn't have any physical sensation at all. It is like I am bodyless, just floating around. That is the neat thing about dreams. It can be whatever you want it to be. Focus on your body and physical feelings, or focus on your surroundings, just exploring the environment. It is totally up to you

[Trickster]

Like a leaf in the breeze. nothing more.

[louie54]

I remember California Adventure. Cool ride. When I fly in a lucid dream, the feeling is sort of hard to explain. Sometimes, it's just like what Ophelia said about swimming. So I guess the next time you find yourself swimming you could think "this is what it feels like to fly in a dream" or something like that. I ended up having a dream about doing that though Good luck with flying

[acatalephobic]

It's funny, I waited to answer the question asked in the OP. Partially because I don't care for rollercoasters, and partially because I wanted to read what others replied with... I'm glad I did because I realized that the sensation of flying very well might be different for everyone. For me, it's extremely still. I can feel the wind on my face, but no more than I can feel it during a breezy day. The air underneath me almost...bends, like it does when I stick my hand out the window during a car ride. The sensation of complete willful and spacial freedom is what excites me most. The only thing I can take from this post is the idea that it could be whatever your mind wants it to be..? Leaving it open to your own experience seems much more exciting, maybe, than trying to fit it into someone elses description..?

[Plathix]

Well, thanks for your help. But I have another question, how do I fly? Every time I enter a lucid dream I used to forget, but now I mostly remember, but I can never get up in the air... Can someone help with that?

[Seeker]

I could suggest the Douglas Adams method: Throw yourself at the ground and miss. But that is not very helpful. It's easiest if you take it step by step. First try to levitate or jump up in the air and try to increase your hang time. Eventually you will find that you can hang indefinitely. You can do this standing still or better yet while running.

[Abra]

Seeker has some good advice. Also, running head starts and Mario triple jumps work well for me, though lately I've been using static "hang time" to get airborne. One bit of advice, is initially to avoid jumping from high places. If you have any fear of falling that trickles and masks your lucidity, you might wake up. :x

[Plathix]

I've tried a running start but for some reason I feel sluggish when I run. Almost like I'm running in water...

[DreamVortex]

It's kinda hard for me to explain to you how to fly as I flew straight away in my dream... Well, here goes: 1. Look up 2. Bend Legs 3. Stretch arms upwards 4. Do a massive jump into the air and whatever you do, don't think that you can't do it That's what I did

[Plathix]

and whatever you do, don't think that you can't do it I'm sorry? I thought being able to control dreams was all about believing that you are able to do things?

[Elem3nt0]

I think the most important thing is to know you can do it. Think why you would be able to fly. I dont know how i have been able to give so much info on LD when i havent even had one yet lol

[XeL]

Seems like you have some problems with your dream control and conviction. My suggestion is the following: After you RC picture yourself becoming lucid and performing whatever you want to do. Close your eyes and really imagine yourself taking off the ground. I used this technique to summon a dragon. I had 2 lucids where I opened a door expecting there to be a dragon behind it. It didn't work so I pictured myself opening a door and seeing a beautiful dragon after every RC. 1 week later I managed to summon a dragon. Too bad the dream was pretty short after that ;/

[Wikihan]

and whatever you do, don't think that you can't do it I'm sorry? I thought being able to control dreams was all about believing that you are able to do things? Never heard of a double negative? Or are you one of those americans who regard a double negative as a singular? "I didn't do nothing"

[OpheliaBlue]

semantics aside.. I think the point was, as soon as you doubt yourself in an LD, things become more difficult or worse, impossible

[Dannon Oneironaut]

Sometimes it feels like swimming, other times it feels like jumping with low gravity, sometimes it feels like flying like superman or Neo. But always I feel like "I knew I could fly! It is so easy!"

[OpheliaBlue]

Sometimes it feels like swimming, other times it feels like jumping with low gravity, sometimes it feels like flying like superman or Neo. But always I feel like "I knew I could fly! It is so easy!" Oh yeah, I totally get the jumping with low gravity thing. Though usually that happens to me without trying. Like, as soon as I become lucid, flying/floating just happens spontaneously. Sometimes even when I don't want it to. It's weird, I rarely 'try' to fly in an LD because it almost always happens automatically. Interesting, I never really thought about it before until this thread....

[Wikihan]

Low gravity jumping induced my second lucid. I was running and jumped over a lamppost and while midst air I realised: "Hey, I read on DV about low gravity being a dreamsign. I'm dreaming!" I did the nose punched, but I woke up while doing it...

[MementoMori]

You're going to laugh, (and i hope you do ), but try thinking about chickens or birds and start flapping your arms, just do it, do it and don't think about 'How this would/wouldn't work'. eventually you should get some lift, That's how i started, because i would do it Lucidly and when it didn't work i would lose interest just enough to not be lucid but still be dreaming and then the dream would have me still flapping and make me fly... Then in the dream after that i was like hey i flew last time, lets do it again and i "knew" i could because i already had, so i did. I started as i described but as i started designing my dreams i wanted a more stable, effortless way of flying that appealed to me. So i took the DBZ route and used the explanation given of how to fly, and now i'm a Class 7 Goku flyer lol, jk but yeah when i fly it's like i'm willing myself threw the air. I almost always "feel" g-force and turbulance. Makes for a more realistic flight --> lol

[Elem3nt0]

I wonder if you can be invisible and mess with people in your dream lol

[Plathix]

Never heard of a double negative? Or are you one of those americans who regard a double negative as a singular? "I didn't do nothing" My apologies, I didn't catch that.

[Trickster]

It was an example of DV Grammar police on patrol: I once knew of someone able to pull off a triple negative in a sentence. I forget how he did it now though. Anyway, Regardless of the method you use, the feelings you have about unusual experiences seem to determine the success of your experiences. "Once you have flown you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward; for there you have been, there you long to return" Leonardo Da Vinci There are some nice examples here and I hope you learn new skills and techniques that you wouldn't of thought of. Although some people have a natural talent for this type of dreaming, with care, patience & persistence, almost anyone can learn to fly with ease. Good luck Have fun and sweet dreams…

[Banana]

For me its like being weightless. It can sometimes be hard for me to steer or control my altitude Sometimes i feel wind and it improves the experience. I wouldnt think of swimming feeling like flying because flying in a lucid dream should feel like just that. FLYING. not swimming. If you wanted to feel like swimming you could go swimming. Just a thought

[I U]

I put up a thread on this... When I do it I am always in the middle of the dream so flying usually has to be tailored to fit otherwise I end up underground with a glitchy dreamtime. My idea is to attempt a hover everytime you think you might be dreaming; like a RC. With the will one may learn to fly outside the dream in the same manner. Consider the natural levity we experience in the human condition, if you don't fly, no problem, does it matter which is the dream? Douglas Adams