Difference between revisions of "Lucid dreaming"
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| − | Offtopic to APM<br> | + | Offtopic to [[Main Page|APM]]<br> |
This article is '''NOT''' speculative. | This article is '''NOT''' speculative. | ||
Anyone having the opportunity to learn lucid dreaming (old enough and time enough) should do so. | Anyone having the opportunity to learn lucid dreaming (old enough and time enough) should do so. | ||
| − | It's an experience well worth the effort and there is | + | It's an experience well worth the effort and there is no risk involved. |
Lucid dreaming is when one consciously gains control of ones dream with full access to functions of the mind that are normally only available when awake. In case the reader wonders, lucid dreaming is real and proven. It is repeatably testable via previously agreed on eye movement patterns that a test person makes when in a sleep state with brain waves that are known to only occur when people are dreaming. | Lucid dreaming is when one consciously gains control of ones dream with full access to functions of the mind that are normally only available when awake. In case the reader wonders, lucid dreaming is real and proven. It is repeatably testable via previously agreed on eye movement patterns that a test person makes when in a sleep state with brain waves that are known to only occur when people are dreaming. | ||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
Lucid dreams (especially first ones) are so intense that they are often mistaken with supernatural or religious stuff - ahem nonsense. | Lucid dreams (especially first ones) are so intense that they are often mistaken with supernatural or religious stuff - ahem nonsense. | ||
| − | + | == Dangerous, healthy or neither? == | |
| − | + | ||
| − | * Yes no one but the one dreaming can (directly) | + | That description in the introduction might prompt the impression that lucid dreaming could be dangerous like drugs. <br> |
| + | Might prompt the impression that they could be addictive and damaging. <br> | ||
| + | But no, they are most definitely not. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Not addictive:''' <br> | ||
| + | Lucid dreams are hard to attain and once attained very fragile. <br> | ||
| + | Also the brain is incredible creative in ways to fool the dreamer back into a normal dream. <br> | ||
| + | Especially after longer practice of lucid dreaming. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Not damaging but rather healthy actually:''' <br> | ||
| + | While lucid dreams do not serve [[the purpose of dreams]] | ||
| + | in the sende of [[data-compression]] and subconscious self-introspection | ||
| + | they do not subtract from that. Lucid dreams only ever make up a small fraction of the total dream time | ||
| + | (whether dreams are remembered or not every healthy person dreams). | ||
| + | |||
| + | Also to even attain lucid dreams it is: | ||
| + | * necessary to get more than enough sleep | ||
| + | * necessary to refrain from any drugs including alcohol | ||
| + | * very helpful to make a proper dream journal (more on what "proper" means further down) | ||
| + | All these are are usually healthy and overcompensate the loss of subconscious dream-time. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The worst thing that can happen is only of brief nature and. | ||
| + | That is sleep paralysis. A brief moment the brain mode of inhibiting dream motions going to your real body is still active but you fell out | ||
| + | from the lucid dream not to normal dream but to full wakeness. | ||
| + | If not told about sleep paralysis can be rather scary the first time experienced. | ||
| + | There are no reports of lasting damage from sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is a normal thing that is happening every night. One just usually does not experience it consciously. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The psychological effect of the usually short lucid dreams itself (rather than the effects of the necessary preparations) is unclear. Maybe it: | ||
| + | * can renew the feeling of vastness and grandness of this our world | ||
| + | * can counter the poisonous and false feeling that soon everything that could be said and done will be said and done. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Proper dream journal == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Avoid premature interpretations whatsever === | ||
| + | |||
| + | Doing it properly means doing it brutally objectively. | ||
| + | That means no matter how illogical, paradoxical, conterfactual, and out of order | ||
| + | the fragments of dream-memory are, they must be written down as-is. | ||
| + | Without interpreting anything into these memory fragments whatsoever. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Well, if the order of the dream fragments becomes clear right away | ||
| + | during journalling without any effort then it should be noted briefly. | ||
| + | But one must not insist on getting the order right before even starting the journalling. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Avoid any and all distractions === | ||
| + | |||
| + | Doing it properly means doing it instantly after waking up without distractions. | ||
| + | Doing it on paper in dim light. Leave one eye closed if you want. | ||
| + | Smartphones are a distraction poison in this regard. | ||
| + | Nothing against smartphones. Just grab it after the journal is done. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Benefits of a dream journal? === | ||
| + | |||
| + | Leading a dream journal in the way described above is one factor in increasing the chances of achieving lucid dreams. | ||
| + | |||
| + | But there is also a side benefit from looking at the dream journal notes way later when fully awake. | ||
| + | Way later when fully awake it's ok to start interpreting the (initially seemingly nonsensical) dream journal notes. | ||
| + | '''Forget dream interpretation books! Seriously.''' These are useless for the most part. | ||
| + | Dream interpretation is a highly individual task. | ||
| + | |||
| + | When adhering to the above rules for leading a "proper" dream journal, | ||
| + | the notes will be so good that it will be possible to realize connections to recent events in one ones life. | ||
| + | This may help with | ||
| + | * a better understanding of oneself an oneselfs own feelings | ||
| + | * honesty with oneself | ||
| + | |||
| + | == In brief points == | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Not usable as drug – Not inducible via drugs === | ||
| + | |||
| + | No, this can't be abused as a drug. <br> | ||
| + | * (0) The necessary preparations are rather healthy: (plenty sleep, no drugs, dream journal helping self introspection) | ||
| + | * (1) It is pretty darn hard to learn. | ||
| + | * (2) Lucid dreams are pretty hard to sustain in terms of dream time. | ||
| + | * (3) The capability for lucid dreaming is pretty hard to sustain on the long run. <br>It seems the brain tries to trick ones consciousness back into normal dreaming with increasingly devious tricks. Almost like an arms race. <br>(Maybe the brain wants back its [[data compression]] time. – See [[the purpose of dreams]]). | ||
| + | |||
| + | No, lucid dreaming can't be induced by drugs. <br>Many drugs would even likely destroy the capacity for lucid dreams. <br>There are absolutely no substances (drugs) are involved here. | ||
| + | |||
| + | === Misc === | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Yes no one but the one dreaming can (directly) gains from this. <br>Making some people frown on other people who are talking about this. <br>But then again the practitioners eventual mental growth can benefit others. | ||
* In regards of intangibility lucid dreaming is like radioactivity or pollen allergies before these things where widely known to exist. <br>Since unaffected people (the majority) do not experience it they are oblivious of it. Often not believing in despite hard (but abstract) evidence. | * In regards of intangibility lucid dreaming is like radioactivity or pollen allergies before these things where widely known to exist. <br>Since unaffected people (the majority) do not experience it they are oblivious of it. Often not believing in despite hard (but abstract) evidence. | ||
| − | * In regards to effect on health its the polar opposite to exposure to radiation or pollen. It is: <br>(1) voluntary | + | * In regards to effect on health its the polar opposite to exposure to radiation or pollen. It is: <br>(1) completely voluntary not unavoidable or prone to accident<br>(2) has no known detrimental effects |
== Related == | == Related == | ||
* [[The purpose of dreams]] | * [[The purpose of dreams]] | ||
| + | * [[Richard Feynman]] – he did some experimentation on that – there are some notes om that in the book "Surely you're joking Mr. Feynman" | ||
| + | |||
| + | == External links == | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Wikipedia: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dream lucid dreaming] | ||
Latest revision as of 10:23, 26 January 2022
Offtopic to APM
This article is NOT speculative.
Anyone having the opportunity to learn lucid dreaming (old enough and time enough) should do so. It's an experience well worth the effort and there is no risk involved.
Lucid dreaming is when one consciously gains control of ones dream with full access to functions of the mind that are normally only available when awake. In case the reader wonders, lucid dreaming is real and proven. It is repeatably testable via previously agreed on eye movement patterns that a test person makes when in a sleep state with brain waves that are known to only occur when people are dreaming. Also lucid dreaming is something that cannot be mistaken with normal dreams. Everyone who ever had one, including the writer of these lines, knows it was not a normal dream. Ones first lucid dream can be a world-view shattering experience. There are exploding emotions of fascination freedom and weightlessness. In the first such experience the emotion, being so strong and uncontrollable, tend to shoot one right back out of this paradise, which causes even more complementary emotions like feeling totally robbed and too mightless for (futile) anger. Lucid dreams (especially first ones) are so intense that they are often mistaken with supernatural or religious stuff - ahem nonsense.
Contents
Dangerous, healthy or neither?
That description in the introduction might prompt the impression that lucid dreaming could be dangerous like drugs.
Might prompt the impression that they could be addictive and damaging.
But no, they are most definitely not.
Not addictive:
Lucid dreams are hard to attain and once attained very fragile.
Also the brain is incredible creative in ways to fool the dreamer back into a normal dream.
Especially after longer practice of lucid dreaming.
Not damaging but rather healthy actually:
While lucid dreams do not serve the purpose of dreams
in the sende of data-compression and subconscious self-introspection
they do not subtract from that. Lucid dreams only ever make up a small fraction of the total dream time
(whether dreams are remembered or not every healthy person dreams).
Also to even attain lucid dreams it is:
- necessary to get more than enough sleep
- necessary to refrain from any drugs including alcohol
- very helpful to make a proper dream journal (more on what "proper" means further down)
All these are are usually healthy and overcompensate the loss of subconscious dream-time.
The worst thing that can happen is only of brief nature and. That is sleep paralysis. A brief moment the brain mode of inhibiting dream motions going to your real body is still active but you fell out from the lucid dream not to normal dream but to full wakeness. If not told about sleep paralysis can be rather scary the first time experienced. There are no reports of lasting damage from sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is a normal thing that is happening every night. One just usually does not experience it consciously.
The psychological effect of the usually short lucid dreams itself (rather than the effects of the necessary preparations) is unclear. Maybe it:
- can renew the feeling of vastness and grandness of this our world
- can counter the poisonous and false feeling that soon everything that could be said and done will be said and done.
Proper dream journal
Avoid premature interpretations whatsever
Doing it properly means doing it brutally objectively. That means no matter how illogical, paradoxical, conterfactual, and out of order the fragments of dream-memory are, they must be written down as-is. Without interpreting anything into these memory fragments whatsoever.
Well, if the order of the dream fragments becomes clear right away during journalling without any effort then it should be noted briefly. But one must not insist on getting the order right before even starting the journalling.
Avoid any and all distractions
Doing it properly means doing it instantly after waking up without distractions. Doing it on paper in dim light. Leave one eye closed if you want. Smartphones are a distraction poison in this regard. Nothing against smartphones. Just grab it after the journal is done.
Benefits of a dream journal?
Leading a dream journal in the way described above is one factor in increasing the chances of achieving lucid dreams.
But there is also a side benefit from looking at the dream journal notes way later when fully awake. Way later when fully awake it's ok to start interpreting the (initially seemingly nonsensical) dream journal notes. Forget dream interpretation books! Seriously. These are useless for the most part. Dream interpretation is a highly individual task.
When adhering to the above rules for leading a "proper" dream journal, the notes will be so good that it will be possible to realize connections to recent events in one ones life. This may help with
- a better understanding of oneself an oneselfs own feelings
- honesty with oneself
In brief points
Not usable as drug – Not inducible via drugs
No, this can't be abused as a drug.
- (0) The necessary preparations are rather healthy: (plenty sleep, no drugs, dream journal helping self introspection)
- (1) It is pretty darn hard to learn.
- (2) Lucid dreams are pretty hard to sustain in terms of dream time.
- (3) The capability for lucid dreaming is pretty hard to sustain on the long run.
It seems the brain tries to trick ones consciousness back into normal dreaming with increasingly devious tricks. Almost like an arms race.
(Maybe the brain wants back its data compression time. – See the purpose of dreams).
No, lucid dreaming can't be induced by drugs.
Many drugs would even likely destroy the capacity for lucid dreams.
There are absolutely no substances (drugs) are involved here.
Misc
- Yes no one but the one dreaming can (directly) gains from this.
Making some people frown on other people who are talking about this.
But then again the practitioners eventual mental growth can benefit others.
- In regards of intangibility lucid dreaming is like radioactivity or pollen allergies before these things where widely known to exist.
Since unaffected people (the majority) do not experience it they are oblivious of it. Often not believing in despite hard (but abstract) evidence.
- In regards to effect on health its the polar opposite to exposure to radiation or pollen. It is:
(1) completely voluntary not unavoidable or prone to accident
(2) has no known detrimental effects
Related
- The purpose of dreams
- Richard Feynman – he did some experimentation on that – there are some notes om that in the book "Surely you're joking Mr. Feynman"
External links
- Wikipedia: lucid dreaming
