I believe that is a very real possibility, since the two are inexorably connected anyway. We'll have to continue this conversation some other time...
Dan
Orygbus,
Good question! Better yet, seeing what changes one makes in the waking hours can make a big difference.
I used to think so. Unfortunately now I think it cycles. From experience Ive noticed at times Ive felt I was getting somewhere or able to learn something that would help in everyday life. More and more i see its a continual process and if you dont keep it up you dont really learn anything that "changes you" permanently. Maybe I just dont have enough perspective on it yet. but at times ive felt changed then had a decrease in energy the next year and forgotten everything ive learned.
I don't know about immedeate self -improvement, but I took a dream workshop from a tibetian lama and he said the purpose of lucid dreaming is to develop our awareness- the dream state is similar to after death in that we need to cultive awareness and realize that a lot of what we see is a manifestation of our mind and cutting through the delusion and controlling our mind is the goal of the practice.
I have to agree with what goingslow and ralphm has said.
If dreams have to do with our subconscious, can we LD and manipulate it and inversely affect the subconscious for self-improment purposes?