Thread: Is there a universal way to manage attention?

Maybe take a look at some meditation techniques. Remember that the world you see around you is just in your mind. Not only dream one but the real one too. That's why sometimes some people describe the same situation in a completely different ways, cause everyone has his own world inside.
That being said, it's just about how much are you able to focus. You can train it of course and eventually be able to focus on something even in some noisy situations.

Meditation! Of course! Mantras, breathing, and focusing on one small thing at a time could help too.

So, to control the dream I meditate on what I want until I get it. That sounds good.

Originally Posted by dolphin

In other words, how do you focus on silence while somebody is constantly yelling in your ear?

You don't.

Instead, find a way first to end the yelling (even if it means leaving the dream scene), and then enjoy the absence of noise that follows. In other words, don't try to create a "thing" called silence from whole cloth, but rather allow silence to find its way into the dream scene. So, rather than focusing on what seems impossible, mess around with the things that make it impossible until it is finally possible.

Just for yuks, because I know your "X" and "Y" weren't meant to be taken as such: The same would go, literally, for changing an X into a Y: instead of seeing just an unchangeble X, think for a moment how that X really does look just like a Y, only with a tiny extra appendage... then maybe conjure a bunch of tiny construction workers to work furiously on that appendage until it has been cut off and taken away, leaving your desired Y in its place.

Adding an object or detail (or plot, or scene, or DC, or theme, etc) can be less about focus and direct control than it is about imagination and your own open-minded interest in allowing a dream to adjust to your desire: there is no need to force new objects/change over the din of existing schemas like that yelling when you can simply set aside the yelling until it is no longer of consequence, and room has been made for silence.

I agree it would be good not to forget about passive control as you suggest. I was hoping a single method of active control like meditation that would allow me to do everything, but it makes sense that that isn't the case, given that I would perceive different situations things differently.

I like the idea of identifying the mental blocks and figuring out how to remove them.

So, what I'm taking from this is that I should look at each problem of dream control as a different puzzle to solve. That makes sense!

You can train your mind in waking life, as always. An example is to place a stimuli so that you would think about it, and then develop the skill to not think about it. Example: Sit cross legged and get in a relaxed meditative state of mind. Place an ice cube resting between your bare ankles. Take a moment to feel it, then move your mind on to other things. At first you will have little choice but to keep turning attention to the cold and soon dripping wet stimuli. Each time stay calm and do not get irritated or blame yourself. Simply focus on any other stimuli such as remembering something in detail. You will find subtle ques that you are starting to think about the cube, and soon before you fully pay attention to it, you are redirecting your attention. This stuff is like juggling, in that experience and practice are needed and one can not be told how to do it, beyond this basic instruction. Extra bonus!!! With this training well developed you never have to have a stupid song stuck in your head.

Now, in an LD use the skills learned. A tiger is in the room! Fail to acknowledge the thought of a tiger. You felt the moment that lame thought started to draw attention and you redirect. A cat is in the room, is the correct thought you replace it with. Tiger! Ignore, suppress, do not notice. Yes the cat has stripes, cute.
Visually you may see a flash like a memory of a tiger, and then look closer at the cute striped cat sitting on the sofa. I was not looking for a cat, so I can continue doing what I was doing before the cute cat showed up.

Almost every dream control power can be developed in waking life. Good luck.


You can also look into 'erasing the screen' by starting small and trying to blur the visuals of a small object. Eventually, you can kind of melt the paint the dream scene is being painted with. Eventually you can cause an entire scene to blur and disperse. Object X is there but you want object Y. Cause object X to dissolve into pixels and vibrate its pattern away, imagine Y reforming.That is maybe a bit more advanced, but you have a lifetime to play with it.

Definitely meditation. I am a little late to the thread. I feel like a little goes a long way in the dream world. I have been feeling lately that teleporting is one of the major keys to dream control as it completely rejects the world around you, but maybe it is harder to just reject some parts and accept others.

One of my favorite dream controls is faking a memory. Remember that "'x' is always randomly turning into 'y'.". Add "in your dreams" if you want. Next time... you will actually have a real memory to pull up. Conditions are always good to remember how when you do (easy dream control that you have mastered) x turns into y?"

Phones are pretty awesome too, since there is an app for everything. In fact I just have an "x" turns into "y" widget on my front page. It is always good to remember that it worked that one time too if you need the extra energy. Also if it doesn't work the first time, you can also make a second condition or a third. Click... doesn't work. "Oops wrong button" click... doesn't work. Need to update the app...