Thread: How aware ARE we in LDs?

I have noticed through the many LDs that I have, that I may be AWARE that I am dreaming, and may have some control, but I still feel like I am not completely aware full-circle of reality. I have had many a time when I am in an LD and I am in a place that is familiar to me, and I look around and I accept the surroundings as being the way they are supposed to, then I wake up and realize that I was wrong. I feel like I am not completely able to make choices as easily as when I am awake. I guess I would compare this to feeling like I am "drugged". I am aware what's going on, but I am not in tune with reality, and can't seem to register reality the same way.

Many a time have I had this occurance happen. Is there something that is a mental roadblock that keeps us from being able to think rationally in LDs? For the most part I can make choices and distinguish what is correct and what is faulty in my LDs, but often times things slip past me that never would if I were awake. For an example, choices. I have had many LDs where I wake up and I think "Why did I just waste all that time doing that in my LD??" I just get the feeling we may not be able to think the same way in LDs, and I wonder why.

Originally posted by Matchbook
I have noticed through the many LDs that I have, that I may be AWARE that I am dreaming, and may have some control, but I still feel like I am not completely aware full-circle of reality. *I have had many a time when I am in an LD and I am in a place that is familiar to me, and I look around and I accept the surroundings as being the way they are supposed to, then I wake up and realize that I was wrong. *I feel like I am not completely able to make choices as easily as when I am awake. *I guess I would compare this to feeling like I am \"drugged\". *I am aware what's going on, but I am not in tune with reality, and can't seem to register reality the same way.

Many a time have I had this occurance happen. *Is there something that is a mental roadblock that keeps us from being able to think rationally in LDs? *For the most part I can make choices and distinguish what is correct and what is faulty in my LDs, but often times things slip past me that never would if I were awake. *For an example, choices. *I have had many LDs where I wake up and I think \"Why did I just waste all that time doing that in my LD??\" *I just get the feeling we may not be able to think the same way in LDs, and I wonder why.

IF you could take an EEG reading of a lucid dream. You would see Very little beta waves, very little alpha waves, Moderate Theta Waves and Strong Delta waves. In order to use conscious logic in this mode, you will need to practice thought on a level of meditation to create a Strong Beta Mastery with low frequency Continuous Alpha and Continuous Theta. This will create a type of "Artificial" dream state and allow you to practice utilizing the Alpha State that bridges the conscious and subconscious states. By doing this, you are introducing a of low frequency Beta waves to the Theta wave state. In a sense, your subconsciousness becomes trained to accept a threshold of conscious thoughts without interrupting the Theta wave frequency of the state that you are trying to master.
A problem that differentiates a lucid dream from an extraordinary lucid dream is the simple fact that the person dreaming, lets their Beta and Alpha waves lower in intensity as the dream progresses. (Simply, forgetting that you are dreaming). The polar opposite is bring Beta and Alpha up to too high of a frequency and initiating full consciousness.
As far as maintaining control, Once I begin LD'ing, I generally use levitation to remind me that I am dreaming and that I am in control. I float a few inches off the ground and do not have to take steps to walk. (It's always funny when someone else in the dream points out the fact that I'm floating).
When things get too intense and I feel myself waking up, I use the spinning method to drop me back down into sleep. (Thanks DV for introducing me to the spinning method).
So, that is all the advice I can give you. If you would like more info on brainwave states and brain wave mastery, I sugges the book "The High Performance Mind".
Good luck.

I am the same way but hope to improve with time and experience.

I am the same way but hope to improve with time and experience.
I was just reading a paper from the man that coined the phase lucid dream at the end of the 19th century. (Frederik van Eeden) To answer your question he said on many occasions that he was fully aware, in so many words, not only that he was dreaming but also fully aware of where his body was and the circumstances of the real world. I will include the writing here even though it is very long.[/b]

Though you proided excellent material, Matchbook's original question was not addressed by your Ctrl+V.

Is there something that is a mental roadblock that keeps us from being able to think rationally in LDs? [/b]

If there is something in what you posted that addresses this question, please provide that for the sake of the topic.
Also,
I think that what you have provided should be added to a sticky or as a Tutorial.

Originally posted by Fraggin
IF you could take an EEG reading of a lucid dream. You would see Very little beta waves, very little alpha waves, Moderate Theta Waves and Strong Delta waves. In order to use conscious logic in this mode,

What materials are you using to back up this statment Fraggin? I was under the impression that your brain produced quite a bit of Alpha and Beta activity during REM.

Originally posted by Seeker


What materials are you using to back up this statment Fraggin? I was under the impression that your brain produced quite a bit of Alpha and Beta activity during REM.

"The High Performance Mind" By Anna Wise Is where I surmised this information.

Perhaps I should have used the word small instead of little. The waves exist, but are low in intensity. The vertical wavelength indicates intensity and the horizontal wavelenght indicates the actual frequency or type of wave.

Alpha does occur during REM sleep and increases in intensity until the subject awakens. Strong Alpha waves, 7 to 13 Hz or cycles per second are associated with non-drowsy relaxed, tranquil state of consciousness, less engagement and arousal, pleasant inward awareness, body/mind integration, that you would normally encounter during meditation and relaxed states.

Good informatino with the brainwaves. I somehow never addressed the role of brainwaves while trying to understand awareness in LDs. That makes plenty of sense to me. And Dreamtamer, thanks for the content there, although I have still not finished reading it lol.

OK, thanks, that makes more sense. It does seem that we only use about 75% of our cognitive ability in lucid dreams. Perhaps it IS that low level delta causing it.

I wish I had an EEG machine and the time to mess with it!

Originally posted by Seeker

I wish I had an EEG machine and the time to mess with it!

We could host an EEG Machine at dreamviews server and then sell kits that interface with a pc and do eeg analisys over the web.

Originally posted by Fraggin


We could host an EEG Machine at dreamviews server and then sell kits that interface with a pc and do eeg analisys over the web.

Man that would be DOPE! We could display is in realtime with a webcam pointed at whoever was hooked up!

Originally posted by Seeker
Man that would be DOPE!

omg no way you just said that

I can't ever really remember what my waking life is like when I have a lucid dream. I have several times tried really hard to say where I am even asleep. I never get it right. One time, I thought I lived in Biloxi, which I never have. That curiosity often has me wanting on some level to wake up and see where I am. I will sometimes believe that I live in places that people I know have lived and I haven't, and I sometimes think I live in places that don't actually exist in the waking world. I have even had lucid dream pets that I have never had. I have no complaints about it, though. I think that adds to the trippiness of it all.

It just feels like real life to me that i dont practice powers that much. i just do the stuff that i do in real life but thinks i dont dare to do in real life.

Yeah I get that quite a bit perhaps it is simple curiousity that makes you do what you do in your LD's someone else I read painted their entire porch with a highlighter. Now why you would spend the majority of a dream painting a porch with a highlighter is obviously a waste of time, but it happened. If you were truly lucid in a dream then I think that this could go along with Dream Control in that the more dream control you have the less time you spend wasting doing some random thing.

Originally Posted by Universal Mind

I can't ever really remember what my waking life is like when I have a lucid dream. I have several times tried really hard to say where I am even asleep. I never get it right. One time, I thought I lived in Biloxi, which I never have. That curiosity often has me wanting on some level to wake up and see where I am. I will sometimes believe that I live in places that people I know have lived and I haven't, and I sometimes think I live in places that don't actually exist in the waking world. I have even had lucid dream pets that I have never had. I have no complaints about it, though. I think that adds to the trippiness of it all.

Yeah, I guess it depends on the level of lucidity and on what is circling around your thoughts through a dream. I sometimes know where I've put myself to rest, and as to what I have to do when I wake up(like go to work), and other times I just don't give any thought to it, probably having a false awake on a diferent part of the house or place(but if you actually notice this, you'll be lucid and aware that you weren't sleeping there), maybe cause nothing is troubling or stressing me as to responsibilities when getting up . made sense? kind of tired to be writting...

I read an article in one of the old Lucidity Institute's 'Lucid Letters' recently, where the author was asking, were his dreams lucid or not? As he regularly knew he was dreamimg and could control the dreams but could never remember anything about himself, where he lived, what he did for a living, even what his name was! He could never remember what he hoped to do when he was lucid.
Obviously there is quite a range of experience. When I'm lucid I know everything that I do when I'm awake, my mind works just the same, but I feel like I'm a different person.
Fraggin, your info on brainwaves is really interesting, it suggests that if we take something that stimulates those brainwave patterns then it should be easier to get lucid.

Vortex.

I haven't had very high awareness in any of my lucids either. None of my lucids have been WILDs, so if I successfully WILD, do you think slipping into a dream while conscious would make me more conscious/aware in the dream?

Originally Posted by EVIL JOE

so if I successfully WILD, do you think slipping into a dream while conscious would make me more conscious/aware in the dream?

When I WILD I (usually) am far more aware in the dream. It's in these lucids that I can recall info I've read here or elsewhere, where I can remember and attempt the lucid tasks, and actually experiment in the dream to test my abilities, I'm much more me in WILDs. I tend to play out these dreams in a methodical way if I have decent control. Perhaps it'd be the same for you. Or not. I'm going to guess it depends on the individual.

In DILDs I usually let the dream take me where it may and more often than not lose lucidity along the way.

Thanks, Vex. My goal for this summer is to have at least one WILD.

I would just like to throw this out here...

If anyone has had one of those "Hey, I'm dreaming moments" out of nowhere, is there a chance that their brain waves were a little off during that sleep cycle?

I just ask, because it happened to me this morning.