Just a quick post here travellers. Every now and then I'll post a different method of testing whether or not you're dreaming, a lot of the type you can get a hint that you are dreaming but brush it off quickly due to your dream logic not being consistant with logic of waking reality.
This is the simplest method, and one I've had best results with - look for a set of numbers. On a piece of paper, on a credit card, on a bank statement, serial code, license plate, whatever. Look at it really fast, then look away. The look back again. If you're in a dream, chances are the digits will be different. That's because of your dream logic, and the fact that only the right (creative) side of your brain is active. The left side (which deals with numbers, stats, figures, details, facts, measurements etc.) is fast asleep. Only the right side of your brain is active during dreams...that's why you can dream something bizarre and not question the reality of it. In waking reality, numbers and codes are important, they represent measurements, time etc. but in dream logic, they're useless. They're merely representing a measurement but the figures themselves are meaningless, the right side of your brain simply can't make sense of them.
So, quickly look at that license plate. See that M024RTY turns to M3662ZKL in an instant as you look away and look again. A clear sign that your waking logic is not existant, and that you're in your dream world. Get exploring!
Saturday 28 May 2011
Thursday 26 May 2011
False Awakenings
So I was speaking to a friend about this last night and since it seems to be something that a lot of lucid dreamers go through, I figure I should make a post about it.
False awakenings are the phenomenom of feeling like you've woke up then realised you're dreaming. You might wake up in your own room, with your regular surroundings, only to wake up again a few minutes later. For many people, myself included, this then repeats itself for quite a while. In the past I've had upto 10 false awakenings in a row. If you start experiencing these (especially if you've been practicing dream recall), it's a good sign that you've come far. Your mind is very alert while you sleep to the point where it's struggling to tell the difference between dream and reality. However, this should only last about ten minutes at most and isn't something to fear, it just means you're in deep sleep and as soon as someone budges you or makes a noise you'll wake up like normal.
What not to do: Don't try shouting people. Everyone does it, and I fall in every time. I shout "wake me up, I'm dreaming and can't wake up" - it feels so real that I genuinely believe I've been shouting them. Obviously I'm still under sleep paralysis and am not shouting anything, but the dream replication is so damn real. Another not to do: Don't panic. Sure, it can be a bit frustrating, but rather than trying to fight it and force yourself to wake up (which, in the past for me, has been proven futile) just have some fun. Conjure stuff up, explore, do dream stuff. You're basically locked in a lucid dream that, unlike the usual, is actually not going to fade out within minutes of you realising it. Of course, make sure you're definitely dreaming first, you don't wanna try flying whilst in waking reality (this is very unlikely though).
It is admittedly frustrating and a little frightening at first but unfortunately an unavoiable side-effect of lucid dreaming, but it's a sign that you've come far. See it as like when you've got a muscle aching after the gym. Sure it's not a nice feeling and you could do without it, but it's a good thing because it shows that you've made progress.
So if you can, try to take advantage of the false awakenings you'll no doubt eventually experience. Have fun, sleep well and happy flying.
False awakenings are the phenomenom of feeling like you've woke up then realised you're dreaming. You might wake up in your own room, with your regular surroundings, only to wake up again a few minutes later. For many people, myself included, this then repeats itself for quite a while. In the past I've had upto 10 false awakenings in a row. If you start experiencing these (especially if you've been practicing dream recall), it's a good sign that you've come far. Your mind is very alert while you sleep to the point where it's struggling to tell the difference between dream and reality. However, this should only last about ten minutes at most and isn't something to fear, it just means you're in deep sleep and as soon as someone budges you or makes a noise you'll wake up like normal.
What not to do: Don't try shouting people. Everyone does it, and I fall in every time. I shout "wake me up, I'm dreaming and can't wake up" - it feels so real that I genuinely believe I've been shouting them. Obviously I'm still under sleep paralysis and am not shouting anything, but the dream replication is so damn real. Another not to do: Don't panic. Sure, it can be a bit frustrating, but rather than trying to fight it and force yourself to wake up (which, in the past for me, has been proven futile) just have some fun. Conjure stuff up, explore, do dream stuff. You're basically locked in a lucid dream that, unlike the usual, is actually not going to fade out within minutes of you realising it. Of course, make sure you're definitely dreaming first, you don't wanna try flying whilst in waking reality (this is very unlikely though).
It is admittedly frustrating and a little frightening at first but unfortunately an unavoiable side-effect of lucid dreaming, but it's a sign that you've come far. See it as like when you've got a muscle aching after the gym. Sure it's not a nice feeling and you could do without it, but it's a good thing because it shows that you've made progress.
So if you can, try to take advantage of the false awakenings you'll no doubt eventually experience. Have fun, sleep well and happy flying.
Tuesday 17 May 2011
Sorry for the abscence
Sorry for the delay folks, I've had a lot of stuff going on lately and not had time to post much. I've been going through a break-up and this has affected my dreams a lot, and I don't like to write those dreams down, but has anyone else been trying this? Find any interesting results? Let me know.
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