Thread: Chapter 1: Introduction

rev 3, draft2.

This still starts in the same way ("The real world sucks, sort of. But we all have our own world of dreams"). It ends at the point where we need to start saying how vivid/lifelike/enjoyable etc. dreams can be. Then I'd go on to talk about how recall and lucidity help improve our experience of dreams, and then a bit about how the book will help you with them.

Sugarglider or anyone else - do you think this is looking like a good plan?

I'm still planning on putting the XKCD cartoon and Kromohs lucid account first, and they help by immediately saying something about dreams and lucidity. But I think working back up to that, talking about the waking world to establish a contrast - is a good way to set up the motivation, explain why we're interested in lucid dreaming. I think my way also avoids running out of breath in the first paragraph .

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Our world is filled with other people, each with their own opinions and their own goals. We are constrained by rules which we did not choose for ourselves, but cannot ignore. Like it or loathe it; you can't live without it. Reality rules, right?

We can exert control or influence over small parts of this shared reality, but true happiness lies in being able to accept the rest of the world, warts and all. Faced with a challenging world, you can be truly proud of your own successes. On the other hand, reality limits the range of your experiences. If you wish to fly like a bird, breathe underwater unaided, or visit a distant galaxy, that can only remain a dream. Or you might have slightly more realistic ideas in mind such as touring Moscow, going hang-gliding or telling your boss/teacher/parents what you really think of them. But we don't get to live all of our dreams because these things take time, money, or perhaps more bravery and willingness to face consequences than we really have.

Often people use the word “dream” this way, to describe a favourite fantasy, something they like to think about, but don't necessarily see as a real possibility. But there's a double meaning here. No matter how improbable your desire seems in the waking reality we share, you can still experience it within a dream.

-- Google docs --

• view
• edit

View link has been tested and should work for anyone. It should be a bit prettier than what's below. It also includes Kromohs account, the XKCD cartoon, and a final paragraph, which I didn't post here again because they haven't changed.

I haven't tested the edit link, but it should work for anyone with a supported browser and a (free) Google Account. Feel free to edit there, but I don't think that'll email-notify me. So please post here to say, as a minimum, that you've changed the document and what your Google Account name was.

When I do look the document again, I'll be able to list what has been changed and by whom (anyone with a Google Account can do that). Don't worry about losing my work because I can revert it to any previous version.

Insert->Comments looks useful, though if you just want to add a comment it's better to post here instead.

-- inline --

Our world is full of other people, each with their own opinions and their own goals. Our lives are governed by laws which we did not choose for ourselves, but cannot ignore. Like it or loathe it, you can't live without it: reality rules.

Our own choices affect small parts of this shared reality. True happiness lies in coming to terms with the rest of the world, warts and all. That needn't be a passive acceptance. You might simply accept the logical conclusion that you can't tackle all the ills of the world, all at the same time. You might also draw comfort from a religious faith, with the promise of a path towards a better state of existence. Living in a challenging world has advantages too. it means you can be justifiably proud of your successes.

One of the disadvantages of reality is that it limits the range of your experiences. If you wish to fly like a bird, breathe underwater unaided, or visit a distant galaxy, that can only remain a dream. Or you might have slightly more realistic ideas in mind such as touring Moscow, going hang-gliding or telling your boss/teacher/relatives what you really think of them. But we don't get to live all of our dreams because these things take time, money, or perhaps more bravery and willingness to face consequences than we really have.

People often use this word “dream” to describe a favourite fantasy, something they like to think about, but don't necessarily see as a real possibility. But there's a double meaning here. No matter how improbable your desire seems in the light of day, you can still experience it - in your dreams at night.

Each night we enter our own personal world of dreams. As far as our senses are concerned, dreams can be just as detailed, vivid and real as waking reality. But dreams are also completely unrealistic. Your waking experience is based on sensory data from a solid outside reality. When we're asleep we are cut off from this outside world. In sleep we dream up our own world, limited only by our imagination.

Sorry, I fiddled with it and broke the link. Here's a new one:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dc35tjkz_6gz6s4dct

So subjective.. This "book" might do more harm that it will do good. Just cause one person cannot tun on the lights, and other copy it, does not mean it is a fact..

Originally Posted by G0MPgomp

So subjective.. This "book" willdo more harm that it will do good. Just cause one cannot trun on the lights, and other copy it, does not mean it is a fact..

Sorry, does this chapter mention reality checks at all? I think you want a different thread :-).

W.r.t RC's I think it *is* a fact that the nose RC works. I wouldn't want to say the light switch RC always works, though I haven't experienced it either way. <Googles>... nope, Laberge study says sometimes it works, sometimes not). I'm happy to back you up on this if necessary.
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In general: of course, in most cases we can't give facts, only hints. Are you saying that theres a problem with the "book" as it is (the current versions of the chapters)? Or that the hints are pointless and it's a hopeless endeavour?

Originally Posted by sourcejedi

Sorry, does this chapter mention reality checks at all? I think you want a different thread :-).

W.r.t RC's I think it *is* a fact that the nose RC works. I wouldn't want to say the light switch RC always works, though I haven't experienced it either way. <Googles>... nope, Laberge study says sometimes it works, sometimes not). I'm happy to back you up on this if necessary.
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In general: of course, in most cases we can't give facts, only hints. Are you saying that theres a problem with the "book" as it is (the current versions of the chapters)? Or that the hints are pointless and it's a hopeless endeavour?

As long as they are precented as hints, subjective truths, etcetera..

Instead of "facts", like: "If you do this and that, you will do this and that and then learn that .. !" <-- presented ok enough..

But see what happens with a little change of words? "If I do this and that, I will do this and that and then learn that .. !"

Then one suddenly see it is the writer that did it like that, and it is subjective.. So I guess all I am asking is that onstead of typing "you will be able to", or "I will be able to" as the writer experienced it, one can simply write "one will be able to", thus making it impersonal, and obvious to the reader that that is not a cemeted fact..

I do not feel I got this down though, a little slow in my head today..

I understand what you are saying gomp.

I am going to get all that is writin and combine it to see what we have allready.