Warwick

Lucid dreaming means dreaming while knowing that you are dreaming.

What is the general thought about lucid dreaming?

Are there some skeptics out there that think this is impossible?

Gringo

I've had lots of experiences of being aware that I was dreaming. I used to have the abilty to control my dreams. The trick I used was to think about myself falling asleep and to realize that when I was "awake" again that I'd really be dreaming. It took practice to acquire this, but it's easily done. I don't have that ability anymore, but then I don't care to try either. I seldom recall if I even had a dream these days. Too tired to focus on anything in my waking hours much less my twilight.

beastmaster

I remember several times lucid dreaming for 3-8 seconds at a time before waking up. I suppose there have been times that I have had lucid dreams for longer than 8 seconds, but don't remember those because I didn't wake up.

I often have dreams where I am *in* a video game or *in* a movie -- those tend to trigger the self-consciousness of dreaming because I am not portrayed as myself in the dream.

Once I had a nightmare that I was being attacked by a giant spider. Completely terrifying. But then I realized that I was in a dress and had long hair, and then I remembered that I wasn't a woman IRL.

****lucidity****

I jumped in the spider's mouth and woke up.

Funny, I read somewhere that people always dream in the first person, but as far as I can recall, I often dream I am someone else or even a Jumpman in a videogame.

Philosoft

On the contrary, it has great explanatory power with regard to phenomena like abduction experiences.

PopeInTheWoods

I've had dreams where I was someone else as well. I also dream in color (with smells and tastes to boot), and I've died (as myself or as someone else) in my dreams many times as well.

I've also been aware of dreaming (without the red light gimmick), and have been able to control my dreams, even the actions of the other "people" in them.

Andy

ajm51987

i had a dream where I was in my grandmothers house with alot of my extended family, we were in the living room and we were all sittiing.

I said "I know Im dreaming" (and I really did)

Then everybody laughed, and I woke up. Very weird, but really cool.

Majestyk

I'd suspect that it is similar to the effect induced thru hypnosis. Considering the ability we have for self-delusion, I wouldn't say impossible, unless some mystical element is being attached to it.

lisarea

I don't think you'll find many people who'd think lucid dreaming is impossible. It seems to be pretty easy. I used to do it myself when I was a kid. One day, I was having a 'being chased by a monster' dream, and I knew I was dreaming, so I jumped up and woke myself up; and I've been able to do it ever since.

You may get more controversy if the question were whether there is value to understanding and controlling your dreams. There are many theories of dreaming out there, including one that dreams are brain junk--essentially your brain casting off long-term memories it doesn't need anymore. Others say that it's your subconscious working through issues. And of course, as with just about everything, it seems, there are those who see them as some kind of divine intelligence, telling fortunes and providing spiritual guidance.

The value of lucid dreaming, dream analysis, and such would depend on what the purpose of dreams is.

christ-on-a-stick

I have lucid dreams quite frequently, and sometimes for (what seems like in the dream) great length - meaning once I realize I am dreaming I can stay in the dream and "control" it for quite a while. They almost always involve flying too which is pretty cool.

I do think, as Philosoft said, that this phenomenon has great explanatory powers for things like abduction experiences as well as OOBE's etc.... it can seem SO REAL that it can be a little freaky. I've had a few dreams in which I basically asked myself, "wait, am I dreaming? Is this a dream?" and decided NO, I was really AWAKE, and then woken up. That was trippy.

TheDiddleyMan

Stephen Leberge, I believe his name is, wrote a book on the subject...I'll see if I can find the info. He basically told the story of the difficulty he had in proving lucid dreams were a real phenonom to skeptical scientists. It is interesting. He also gives induction techniques.

Kevin