Lucid dreaming as a psychological tool

[Neo Neo]

I have an idea on lucid dreaming as an psychological tool, and its potential. I know that psychology already has its take on dreams and dream phenomena but I recently thought of an different approach. Forgive me if I've re-posted information that has already been on here. Your thoughts are all welcome with this. Our dreams are often thought to be expressions of our unconscious, so if we are able to interact with them then we are able to interact with ourselves on an much deeper level than in the waking state. What if lucid dreaming were used as another tool for healing the self? If someone has experienced trauma in the past, could lucid dreaming be one way of initiating/facilitating healing one's self? Or, could lucid dreaming help to explore and overcome fears and mental blocks one might not recognize on the conscious level? For example, I often find myself in dream situations where police want to arrest me. But why would they want to arrest me? Why would myself want to arrest me? If I could become lucid, then I could let them arrest me. I could ask those police why they needed to arrest me. Even if the answer is comical or ridiculous, its a step forward with recognizing unconscious information. Perhaps their response would be profound, in which case insight could be gained. Another way, would be to become lucid and literally ask the dream about an certain issue or part of yourself. It would be possible for the dream to manifest certain beings or objects which represent the issue inquired about. There is possible introspection here as well. For example, I might ask about why I am having problems in school, and one of my friends might appear. Are they causing problems? Or do they provide insight that could help me out? In short, there seems to be much potential with lucid dreaming in regards to the self. Even though dreams can be very abstract and seemingly meaningless, there could be much to explore. Dreamscapes do not seem to have any limits as to how large or intricate they are, and there could be so much meaning in everything that exists within them. Especially in my own experiences, which the dream characters just assume that the dream is the reality. Think of how interesting conversations could be! I know they can seem comical and nonsensical, but think of the potential there. It just blows my mind that there is this whole dream world where everyone in it thinks it is real life. Dream conversations could have so much potential as well. I know that a lucid dream can be euphoric, and I think we ought to explore the various aspects of dream control. But I think there could also be so much potential for inner healing and reflection for those interested in that sort of thing. Especially since lucid dreaming is so vivid and realistic.

[BrerRabbit]

These ideas have begun to crop up in some recent literature on dreaming. You definitely need to check out both Robert Waggoner's "Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self," and Robert Moss' "Conscious Dreaming." Both contain a plethora of examples of how lucid dreaming can be used (successfully) for healing psychological as well as physical ailments. Take a look at their amazon.com reviews. I guarantee you'll like what you find if this is the kind of thing that interests you.

[Compressed]

I have schizophrenia and started experimenting with lucid dreams slightly less than a month ago. I haven't had any hallucinations in weeks. I have no trouble going into a lucid state as soon as i lay down to sleep. I will stay lucid until i'm tired of it and let go into sleep. It works for me, and gives me a firm grasp on reality when i am awake. I have an item under my pillow i check to confirm reality when i wake up. There are no limits with lucidity, anything you think you can do. Raise and lower continents; birth cities from dust and people them with talking fish. For someone with a mental illness lucid dreaming offers an outlet where there is no crazy. It's a healthy outlet for a great number of people that need it.

[Supernova]

Based on what Ive read, I would say definately. In EWOLD LaBerge talks about "finding the shadow in your dreams ad reconsiling with it" as a way of improving overall wellbeing, and removing negative factors that may be limiting you in waking life. I have no doubt that dreams could be used for psychotherapudic purposes.

[Mrsf0011]

completely agree iv known and thought this for so long. if you think about it your dream effects your mind and moode when you wake up, it can motivate you, calm you, encourage you, makeyou more confident, make you mentally stronger, make you happy, make you emotional etc etc and it can also do the opposite of all of that depending on what you dream. i think dreams, specially LD is a tool not well recognised and undrestood by humans in general. I have looked into secret society's like freemason, skull n bones and many of their rituals involve the person bieng in a sleeping state but still concious where they begin syaing curtain words etc etc