2 and a half years later...

[Eagle of Light]

Hi all

I can't believe it's been 2 and a half years since my last post..! It's not just lucid dreamers who fly, time can do that too

The reason I'm back today is because I just had a spontaneous LD experience, significant to me (I would have to reread my own posts to remember when was last time it happened!). Here it is:

"""
I'm moving through darkness in an undefined context/direction, I simply experience movement and intermittent views of a R&B band playing. Looks like the band is well aware of me watching, and is actually showing something to me purposedly. it also seem they control my progression somehow. Some darkness again.... then I very clearly see 2 black couples, the guys are sitting on a chair, and they're holding the girl's hand/hips, they're simply chilling out and with a slightly sensual feel to the scene. I look at them, not sure what I'm supposed to do, so I simply observe each of them. I observe to myself "I'm the only white guy around" (ie also relatively to the band I saw before too) then I think "these couples have fun....why am I here?". At that point I get a clear realization "...oh, that's because it's a dream!". I look at them and repeat "yeah, of course, I'm in a dream right now". So I thought I should be able to effect a change on one of them. So I focus my attention on one of the girls and start expecting some change happening. Nothing in particular,  but ... something particular must happen   my reasoning at that pointis that since I'm clearly aware I'm dreaming then the environment should change at my will. The characters aren't distracted much by my realization though and hardly look at me. So I try to make them realize this too, without any sucess. I realize too the illogicality of trying to convince them (since they are dream characters)  and start repeating to myself "it's a dream, something should happen because it's a dream", like a mantra, also because I don't want to loose such lucidity and to wake up. As I do that, one of the guys start echoing my thoughts repeating after me. I experience some brief instability and wake up.
"""

This experience is definitely unusual to me. I would 'normally' experience some kind of transition in my environment or body feelings upon reaching some form of lucidity.

What would you do in that situation? What should I do to sink more deeply in the dream and make something happen? I'm a bit puzzled because my realization and clarity was definitely there. Exciting experience, gets me right back into the subject of lucid dreaming!

Thanks,
EoL

[Stookie]

Welcome back EoL, good that your getting back into it.

I've been having a number of lucid dreams lately and for the first time, the things I intend actually happen. And I think it's a combination of 2 things: 1) being able to focus and stay concentrated in "dream" consciousness for a period of time, and 2) having the clear intent of what I want to happen, regardless of what is already going on. In other words, I don't expect, I intend.

[Eagle of Light]

Thanks for your comments Stookie

What you say makes sense, I should probably intend to do something - on this one, I didn't expect a lucid dream at all...
2 questions I'd like to ask you please:
- is this common that whole aspects of the dream cannot be changed by willpower, or would you that this only a question of training?  Said differently, can a expert LD control, change or summon virtually anything?
- how can I activate all senses in the dream? In this lucid dream I had only visual perception...

Regards
EoL

[radman32]

EoL, didn't you say even your sight was limited?? What if it is not whether you're wanting, intending, or forcing it to happen, but whether you let the greater you control, the omni-you? I have dreams where I will be 100% sure, no doubt in my mind, a dream will go a way; and it usually does. Yet I do have dreams where my dream is more heavily defined and limited, and others are more open and undecided. In those dreams where there's more to define, you almost lose yourself in trying to choose or define the dream.

[Eagle of Light]

Hi radman32

my sight was limited only in the first part of the dream, where I was moving in strange ways. Then in a second part when I'm observing the couples, my vision is perfectly clear and I stand in the room like I would do in waking life.

I take your point that control of the lucid dream isn't necessarily the best experience. I'd agree with that - I'm often amazed by what the mind (or a upper-mind?) can create in usual dreams, shaping such intricate scenes...  On the other hand, how amazing also (and useful) would that to be capable to control and shape all aspects with the conscious mind! I'm wondering to what extent can a skilled LDer do that. It's been a long while since I haven't read on the subject!

Editing:   more importantly, what would you recommend about my 2nd question in previous post? What would be an efficient ways to "activate" my other senses? I remember reading about shouting Clarity Now! - but in my case vision was clear.

Thanks
EoL

[Stookie]

I haven't been attempting LD, but I've been meditating a lot and it seems to be spurring it on spontaneously. When I recognize I'm dreaming, it becomes as real as everyday life, but this time around I've found that my awareness at the time is very similar to the awareness of consciousness I hold during my meditation. So it's through my practice in holding that state during meditation that the dream state is much easier to hold onto.

I've had decent success with being somewhere in a dream, and then changing all of it to what I intend - people and surroundings. However, as much control as I feel I do have, I would say it's not 100% and there are many variables that change things as well. I recently read an article on lucid dreaming where the author says being in control may not be what LD is all about, but letting things guide you and force you to interact in ways you normally wouldn't can be more beneficial to growth.