Lucidity for geeks

[sourcejedi]

I'm a terrible sucker for computer technology, so hearing peoples stories about software or gadgets they use for dreaming/lucidity is almost as interesting as hearing about the dreams themselves . What do you use - or think would be useful and would like someone to make? I don't do anything quite like that at the moment, though I am playing with gnaraul, a free software binaraul-beat generator at the moment. Do you keep a digital dream journal? Use a NovaDreamer? Create MP3's with hours of silence for use as an alarm with the player you bought that didn't have a built in alarm? Sourcejedi wants to know!

[Ne-yo]

Do they actually still make Alarms that doesn't have a built in Alarm? What's the point? But Im like you Sourcejedi I'm pretty much a sucker for Technology as well, however I don't use any to induce Lucidity but I do like to hear what other people use. I'm more looking for the day when they can actually capture our brain waves and transfer the waves to some sort of viewable picture where we can see in real time onto some sort of monitor. So What's Gnaraul like? Inquiring Ne-yo's wants to know.

[sourcejedi]

Do they actually still make Alarms that doesn't have a built in Alarm? What's the point? *(mp3) 'players* that don't have alarms . So What's Gnaraul like? Rather short on documentation. I'm sure its useful if you have a strong idea of what you want to do, but if you're playing around there doesn't seem to be any presets (just a single default), and no suggestions of what to actually do with it. [URL=http://uazu.net/sbagen/]SBaGen[URL] looks better in that regard, so long as you don't let the command line scare you (theres no graphical user interface). Plus it makes it easy to mix with a background track, and it comes with two river noises. Of course what would be even better is a live community of users, but though there are some mailing lists and so forth, I think they're all dead (the mailing lists, not the subscribers :-). Inquiring Ne-yo's wants to know. Wizard avatar BTW.

[yoast]

I also love technological aids in lucidity. I have the remdreamer, I use it regularly, it works. But it does take some time finding the right presets. Once you have found them this thing gives you cues that don't wake you up and that do make it into your dream very clearly. Only problem then is to recognise it as a cue instead of just a part of your dream. I also make my own lucid induction mp3's. I use Audacity (free program) to combine binaural/hemi-sync mp3's (I download em) with a personal 'autohypnosis'/guided meditation (I record it myself using a mp3 voice recorder and nero wave editor, I base the 'scipt' on some free autohypnosis ebooks I downloaded.) I'm not sure if this works, but it does get me very relaxed and thinking about lucid dreaming befor I go to bed, so it can't be that bad. Tonight I'm planning to try the rhytm napping (saltcube), I've downloaded their free alarm program (it wakes you up in certain intervals). I hope I'll get some results, will definitely post about it. That's about it I think.

[sourcejedi]

I have the remdreamer, I use it regularly, it works. But it does take some time finding the right presets. I've not considered buying such a device myself, but I think people are put off by the "give us your money" vibes, the high price of the Novadreamer (which raises the suspicion that cheaper devices are less effective) and of course the conduct of employees on this very forum :-). I don't doubt that they can work though, if you don't mind paying (I'm a thrifty geek, a strange and conflicted creature) and sleeping with a mask. I had a look at the website. I was impressed to see their "new method of induction", where the REM-Dreamer increases the intensity of the cues until you become lucid and signal it to stop using eye movements. I guess you haven't tried that if you had to work to calibrate the thing manually. I'm not sure if this works, but it does get me very relaxed and thinking about lucid dreaming befor I go to bed I bet it does help, even if its more about having a routine that keeps you thinking about lucid dreaming when you go to bed. I get annoyed sometimes when I see people saying some technique is "just a placebo", because thats only really relevant to drugs - if its "only effect is as a placebo", then it's still effective, and its worth finding out which placebos have the largest effect and are workable for the largest number of people.</rant>

[yoast]

Wow Sourcejedi, thanks for the tip about the new option on the remdreamer, I'm definitely gonna look into it. It says it only costs 10 euro if you've already got the device. Amazing to have two way communication with the LD induction device, I guess it makes it a lot more efficient. And about the mp3's, I think so too. It sets your mind to think about lucid dreaming everytime you use it, so it will definitely have some effect. If you don't want to spend much money on a device, maybe you can make one yourself if your good with electronics. The remdreamer doesn't look that complicated. If you have any questions about it, feel free.

[Vortex]

I'm also a real sucker for the techno tricks, I've tried the NovaDreamer, DreamMaker and REM Dreamer. (Thanks for the tip about the upgrade I stopped using the REM Dreamer because the cues aren't bright enough for me to notice. I'm just modifying a NovaDreamer to make the LED's brighter because I find now after using these for years that unless the lights are bright enough to make my eyes hurt then the brain just tunes it out. Vortex.

[yoast]

I mailed the guy (Pawel) at remdreamer about when this upgrade is available. He says by the end of june there will be an electronic form on his site to order a new processor for 10 euro. When you receive it just pull out the old processor and plug in the new one. I'm definitely gonna try this, since I'm already happy with how this thing works and use it almost every week.