Thread: Structure/Organization Department

Originally posted by mrdeano

Originally Posted by Naiya

Lastly there are some chapters that are hot topics on DV. Should we say something about them, or not? Personally I would like to avoid things that are purely opinion based such as astral projection, dream sharing, and premonitions from dreams. I think it would reflect well on DV if we just stick to lucid dreaming and what the accepted facts are. I want to avoid spreading myths, beliefs and opinions, because presenting those alongside with factual information can undercut our credibility

I am in favor of this. We should stick to the facts rather than myths and rumors.

This also makes me think there should be a chapter covering such rumors that are not true. For example, "Saying your own name in a LD will wake you up"
The above rumor is not true at all. But a lot of people still belief it.
Maybe a FAQ chapter or something?

Originally posted by Naiya

Yeah, a sort of mythbusting chapter would be fun.

The old "you can't turn on lights in a dream" and "dreams are in black and white but you fill in the color later" are easily disproved and we can encourage the reader to disprove those things themselves with a few instructions. Or just list some of the rumors and explain why they are not true.

General awareness is a chapter that could definatly be accomplished.

For example, people need to understand the different levels of awareness they will experience in a lucid dream, and the importance of their awareness that they are dreaming to keep the experience stable. One of the largest problems I have noticed is that PEOPLE CAN GET LUCID, however CANNOT STAY LUCID. There have been excellent improvements in the field of dream stability since Stephen LaBerge's book.
In addition, people may need to understand the different levels of lucidity they may experience, and how they can improve this.

There are also a number of small phenomena that occur occasionally that need to be covered, such as: 1). Being lucid but not aware you can bend the rules of physics, life and death, summoning and so forth, 2). False Awakenings and how they can manipulate these to their advantage.

Additionally, I beleive that we should engineer a two to four week program people can follow to the best of their ability, following the most proven method(s) to experience a lucid dream, or ideally - many more. Just my two cents

Also, I'd like to apologise if I posted this in the wrong thread. Hehehe.

Don't forget, we should have a relatively large section that contains anecdotes and stories from lucid dreamers, so that it's easy to become motivated

Each technique should have a difficulty rating?

Or a learning curve rating?

Imma post a scheme here that I thought through when reading this thread. I judge myself good with planning, so I think this would help.

These are not meant as specific sections of the book, though they could be. They are more like the topics which will be covered in the book. The small captions are basically for brainstorming - there is no need to use them verbatim.



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Introduction
Covering what LDing is, isn't, the benefits of it, how it feels.

Dream and Sleep Science
The basic introduction to sleep physiology, needed to fully comprehend what (lucid) dreams are. Here go sleep cycle, purpose of sleep, physiological processes that occur when sleeping, the mind and body falling asleep at different rates, sleep atonia, insomnia, etc. Explain how many thoughts cross the mind during sleep, and that dreams are only the combination of a highly imaginative state with sleep atonia.

Lucid Dreaming and Science
The concept of lucid dreaming: what it is, how it happens, how different it is from a regular dream, how to tell if it's a lucid dream or not, how lucid dreams were scientifically discovered and studied.

Lucid Dreaming History
Lucid dreaming in various cultures, in medieval and ancient times, dream interpretation, dream yoga, scientific literature.

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Dream Recall
First off, how important it is; how some people think they don't have dreams when they only don't remember them; different types of dreams (images, storyline, sensations, memory organisation, learning). Why some dreams are easier to remember, why it's easier to remember a dream when you just wake up from it. Dream journals and different ways to keep one. Methods to train and improve dream recall, routines and habits that increase or hinder recall.

Dream-Initiated Techniques
Techniques for having lucid dreams based on being already in a dream and realizing it. Dream signs, Reality Checking, etc.

Wake-Initiated Techniques
Techniques for having lucid dreams based on being awake when starting the technique. basically, WILD in its various form. Falling asleep consciously, visualization techniques, counting techniques, sensation techniques, dream re-entry and chaining, what times WILD is most likely to work (WBTB, afternoon naps, etc).

Aid Techniques
Techniques that may not work for themselves, but better if combined with others. MILD, hypnosis, waking in the middle of the night to write in the DJ.

Pharmacology
Foods and drugs which help with Recall or Lucid Dreams, how to obtain and proper ways to use them (concerning drug half-life, additional effects, etc).

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Dream Control
What to do as soon as you become lucid, ways to improve clarity and length, stabilising the dream, prolonging the dream when it's about to end. How things in lucid dreams work, how to find what you want, avoiding activities that may make you wake up.

Using Lucid Dreams to Understand Yourself
What dreams are, how the brain works in dreams, why dreams and very emotive experiences. Interpreting dreams (the scientific way), using Lucid Dreams to deal with your subconscious.

Using Lucid Dreams to Solve Issues
How to approach the subconscious mind in dream, bringing up traumas and bad memories, associating new things to them. Self suggestion and self-hypnosis inside dreams. Using dreams to gain confidence, to plan the future, to prepare for a situation.

Activity in Lucid Dreams
Things which are interesting to explore in Lucid Dreams. Lucid tasks. Dream Guides. Funny things that happened to lucid dreamers.

Lucid Dream Philosophy
Things you learn from exploring lucid dreams. Consciousness, value of things, how ephemeral emotions and things are. Discussion about dream ethics.

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The Lucid Dreaming Community
Lucid dreamers, where to find them, what traits they have in common. Introduction to Dreamviews and to other online communities.

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Another thing I suggest: technique descriptions may tend to be long. Let them be long, but add a small table with a summary of the technique afterwards.

I hope I didn't forget anything.

Originally Posted by mrdeano

This also makes me think there should be a chapter covering such rumors that are not true. For example, "Saying your own name in a LD will wake you up"
The above rumor is not true at all. But a lot of people still belief it.
Maybe a FAQ chapter or something?

Originally Posted by Naiya

Yeah, a sort of mythbusting chapter would be fun.

and we can encourage the reader to disprove those things themselves with a few instructions.

Originally Posted by Shades

General awareness is a chapter that could definatly be accomplished.

Originally Posted by marcc

Don't forget, we should have a relatively large section that contains anecdotes and stories from lucid dreamers, so that it's easy to become motivated

Originally Posted by mrdeano

Each technique should have a difficulty rating?

Or a learning curve rating?

Originally Posted by Kromoh

Another thing I suggest: technique descriptions may tend to be long. Let them be long, but add a small table with a summary of the technique afterwards.

These are some ideas that I am quite fond of.

I'll come out with a simple organization setup soon, I think it will be very similar to Kromoh's.

Originally Posted by marcc

Don't forget, we should have a relatively large section that contains anecdotes and stories from lucid dreamers, so that it's easy to become motivated

Just wanna poke my head in and mention: One of the things I disliked about EWOLD is that there'd be a sappy motivational personal experience wedged in all over the place. Just a suggestion, can be ignored if you want, but maybe keep all of these anecdotes and DJ entries for the very end of the book, but organized by relevancy to topic. For example, "Overcoming fear/nightmares". At the end of that section of the book, it could say "Go to pages x-xx" and on pages x-xx you'd have those dream stories. That way, if you want to read them you just zip to x-xx, but if you don't you can just keep reading normally.

seems like a good idea

Yea, Shift. That was my original plan.