I'm a newbie, and apparently a natural LDer. Here are my past two days' experiences...

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Rockman Goes Lucid

(This was written approximately two hours after yesterday's single lucid dream. Rockman, in this case, is the hero in the anime Rockman.exe and two related series. If you want to know more about Rockman, consult your local librarian or visit http://www.rockman-exe.com/ for more info. I love the series, personally. Also, there is an ironic synchronization in my having this dream yesterday morning, then watching the first episode of Rockman.exe Axess that night without knowing anything that was going to happen - fans will recognize what I mean quickly. Hint: the initials are C.F. and I don't mean clusterf*ck.)


At 10am this morning, I drifted back to sleep with the intent of having a lucid dream. I kept repeating to myself, "I will have a lucid dream about Rockman.exe..." Why? Two reasons: (1) the anime is vivid in my mind from finishing the first series last night before bed, and (2) it is the type of dream where the impossible-in-waking-life can, and will, happen frequently.

I don't know where the lucidity kicked in -- suddenly I found myself standing on a grid like those on which Net Battles take place. I don't recall how I knew I was dreaming, I just did.

I did two reality checks and confirmed I was dreaming, then the effect I call the "Lucid Rush" kicked in. Full, stable control of the dream world was in my hands. Those hands, incidentally, bore the same look as Rockman's from the series. I essentially *was* Rockman -- a melding of what I know of the character from viewing him externally and my own mind, clad in his battle suit.

My next decision (an interesting feeling, deciding what happens in a dream) was to attempt a Program Advance: Beta Sword. I moved my right arm into position, and *felt* the first Sword begin to replace my forearm. It was painless, seamless, and felt as natural as slipping on my shoes. As I called out the ritualistic chant, the timbre, tone, and pitch of my voice matched Rockman's. My words sounded like his, and the most amazing thing was that his voice was *my* voice. It was not like a lip-sync -- I could feel my lips move, feel the vibration of my own larynx, feel the words rise and fall as they passed from my mouth into the ether.

The Sword flickered into existence, then snapped back to an undefined shape. It lengthened into a long blue strand of matter before fading away. The Program Advance shattered, I felt both the Sword's fade and the draining of my own lucidity. As the last drop of control ebbed away, I looked down at my gloved hands and dissociated from the dream, waking up to my DJ Tiesto PC alarm. The dream was over.

I simply must learn more control! I believe I can achieve much more in the netherworld of my dreams, but first I must invoke more discipline and devote more study to this art.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Less formally, there was this morning's lucid dreams. I don't think I've ever had this many successful lucidity attempts, and in such a short period of time the number surprised me. I attained lucidity no less than six times (although I suspect maybe two or three more that I can't recall).

In one, I was chasing someone, for reasons I can't recall, and did the FTP RC (finger-through-palm reality check) on the run. It succeeded, I gained dream control, and jumped into flight to pursue. It was the most natural feeling, like I'd flown countless times before (I have only dreamt controlled flight one other time before this). I rocketed after my quarry, and noticed I had weaponry I could use in mid-flight. It was combat flight, but I don't think I got into combat before the dream ended.

A simpler sceanrio was me, walking along in a corridor of some kind and noticing I'd never been there and that it looked like a military base, a place I'll (hopefully) never see the inside of. I did an FTP and a breathing RC, gained lucidity, and...don't remember what I decided to do next.

Next up, the comedy dream. I was in college, at a lecture, and was apparently so heavily stoned I could not sit upright. Having smoked marijuana many times before I knew the feeling, though it was far more stoned than I've ever been in my life. I apparently had, in my stonedness, taken my bong and a blanket along to class. I spent a few minutes trying unsuccessfully to hide the former under the latter so the guy next to me - who could see exactly what I was doing - wouldn't attract the professor's attention. Somehow I managed to make it through, despite keeling over and hitting the back of the chair in front of me with my forehead...and staying there.

Combat everywhere in another dream. I had to man a machine gun nest and take down some threatening guys in somewhat futuristic armor (the kind of thing U.S. soldiers will probably be sporting in the Oil Resource Wars coming down the pike in a few years). I just recall going and staying lucid, but not much else (seeing a pattern here?)

Sex dream. Moving on...

This one was interesting, because while I don't recall the content, I do recall quite clearly attaining lucidity and rearranging the scenery - then my right eye opened halfway (which I can't recall ever doing while dreaming before). The dream continued to play on the unexposed half of my eye, while real-world imagery ran underneath the dream. When I blinked, the dream world "scanned" down the back of my eyelid in the fraction of a second in which the eyelid shuttered down and reopened. Quite remarkable.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As you can see, I have trouble with dream recall, and while I have successfully continued to extend my lucid dreams in some cases, my control is still amatuer. I do seem to be a natural - at least six successful lucid attempts in six separate dreams within approximately 2 hours is pretty convincing, to me at least, of some natural ability. On top of that, I do use the herb (really helps my ADHD) and it is known to suppress REM sleep, so I must be even stronger when completely sober.

I'm not bragging, just sharing. I have to learn more control and tasks, and I think this forum ROCKS. Quite informative and fascinating. Cheers! 8)