The Nearly Star

[Selski]

Earlier in the night I had a dream where a female dream character reminded me of someone - a famous male actor. For the life of me, I couldn't remember his name. I thought and thought and got that his first name was probably Richard. Then I thought some more, bringing his facial image to mind. I couldn't get his second name, but I remembered a film he'd been in. I told her it was the guy from Withnail and I.

Around 3am I awoke and went to the loo. Returned and did a couple of simple affirmations:

I am aware in dreams
I am alert in dreams
I am lucid in dreams

Until I drifted off back to sleep.

OH got up around 5am and this is my prime time for lucid dreaming. I have the bed to myself with no interruptions.

~~~ooo000ooo~~~

The dream was very mundane. I was at some outdoor restaurant waiting for the waitress to come over and take our order. I'd gone with friends but due to lack of table space ended up sitting with strangers.

Ahead a small jet flew over very low. It had a second smaller jet flying very close to it, almost magnetically connected to within a couple of feet of the first one. A bit like something you might see in Star Wars. A second jet appeared and, looking up, I said out loud, "If one of these jets suddenly crashes, I'll know we are dreaming." Whereupon the second jet crashed to the ground not far from us.

It jolted me awake briefly but then I returned to the dream, somewhat lucid.

The man sitting to my left turned to me and asked, "So, you know you're dreaming, huh?" very casually. I looked at him, smiled and told him I did. I then thanked him for reminding me. I told him that it was rare for someone else to let me know I was dreaming and I was grateful. Then I said, "How do you know I'm dreaming...*brain whirring*... are you lucid dreaming too?"

"Yes," he replied, coolly.

Without getting too excited I then told him I'd just got back into lucid dreaming. We discussed how long we'd both been able to lucid dream (years) and while this discussion was going on, our positions had changed. We were both standing, him directly behind me with his arms around my chest, his hands over my boobs. This felt more 'close' than sexy but the undertones were there. I wasn't bothered about what anyone else might think/say as I knew I was dreaming.

We decided to walk away from the table so we could discuss dreaming privately without distractions or interruptions. He told me he'd got bored of the whole thing, but this experience with another lucid dreamer had renewed his enthusiasm. I told him I was actively focussing on dreaming by reading books, watching films and joining forums. I then asked him what his favourite film about lucid dreaming was. He told me it was a film called The Nearly Star. As he said this, a track began playing in the background of the dream. He asked me mine and after some thought I told him it was Vanilla Sky.

We then discussed our best techniques for staying lucid and prolonging the dream - his was touch, as was mine. I mentioned that I was able to become a hologram when needed and held out my arm to show him. He gripped my arm and squeezed and I mentally did the hologram thing - which didn't work. It began hurting me so he stopped. I tried it with his arm - the exact same. It was as if we were both physically solid.

The music track ended and he told me it was from The Nearly Star. By now I was beginning to wake and even though I asked him mentally to grab hold of me to pull me back into the dream, it didn't work and I awoke knowing I wasn't able to get back.

~~~ooo000ooo~~~

I hadn't listened to the music during the dream and couldn't recall it once awake, but after a few seconds the tune from a film I watched a couple of weeks ago came back to me. The film is called Cafe de Flore (a great film) and I'd been trying to recall the tune a few days after watching it before giving up. I was surprised at how easily, naturally and casually that little tune returned nearly two weeks later. It made me wonder about the track we'd heard in the dream.

I think the success of this particular experience was twofold. Not only the affirmations in the middle of the night, but the fact that I was so logical, rational and sensible in my earlier dream about Richard E. Grant.

Cool bananas!

[EscapeVelocity]

That is a great Lucid Dream Selski!

Really good control throughout the experience. It is a funny kind of quandary when we start to awaken from the LD; is it an outside factor or are we losing focus within the dream? Or a bit of both?

Catching up a bit on old times, but I have to ask, are you familiar with Kurt Leland's books and website? He has some ideas that you might find useful...

EV

[Selski]

Thanks EV 

I've heard of Kurt, and suspect I've one of his books so shall have to rummage around. I will also take a look at his website. I do have a tendency when it comes to books on this kind of subject of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Just this last week, I started a new book on lucid dreaming etc., and in the first chapter it mentions God (with a capital G). I very nearly chucked it out of the window, but have graciously replaced it on the bookshelf until I'm in a better mindstate. 

As to losing the dream, I've had some good solid experience of prolonging dreams and returning to a dream once I'd woken up (that's pretty cool), but I suppose there comes a point when our physical bodies are naturally waking and there ain't nuffin' we can do about that!

[Selski]

Just doing a bit of brain-burping as I've been thinking about the dream for the last couple of days.

The experience was a fairly typical one for me - and I could interpret it in a variety of ways. Reading other self-proclaimed experts/spiritual teachers/LD gurus and the like could lead me down so many exciting, obscure, enlightening and frustrating paths.

From a parallel reality to a past/future life, to a twinflame experience ( ) to meeting the male aspect of myself to this, that and the bloody other.

Exploring the key words of the experience - the title The Nearly Star - last night had me playing with the words. If one slows down Vanilla Sky to this:

Ver-neerla-sky it's almost
The-nearly-star

Which got me wondering if what he said triggered my response. I'm not convinced given I did give my reply some thought first.

But it just goes to show how easy it would/could be to (mis)interpret an experience and go off to la la land, bending the experience in order to fit it into (one of many) belief systems.

Rather than label something, what is most important to me is to enjoy these experiences. I don't want to find that because someone else deems it's X, Y or Z that I feel obliged to meditate 3 hours daily and become so Zen that I lose my sense of self. I'm not interested in any of that.

I have no aim, no end goal. I'm already enjoying my hobby of LD/AP/OBE. If I get more from it, such as profound thoughts or a sense of peace/love/joy whatever, then great...but I'm too old/tired/done with chasing rainbow dreams down rabbit holes.

An easy life with a gentle enjoyable hobby. That's me. 

[EscapeVelocity]

Hey Selski,

I will just offer a few ideas and then leave it alone. I have always resonated with your thoughts and found that Leland's books have advanced my own views more than any other; your LD paralleled some of Kurt's more significant ones so I thought to mention the fact.

In Leland's book 'Otherwhere', he describes an Initiation of moving through the ten stages of Lucid Dreaming. This takes place for him in an outdoor café setting. In the link that I will provide, is an earlier experience where he is in an all-night diner. The early part of this experience, I think may be pertinent to your experience, the later stuff is still good material to have in your 'mental library' for future use.

http://kurtleland.com/astral-projection-log/2004/115-diner-in-the-sky-astral-and-mental-planes

I will offer this suggestion as to a possible interpretation of your LD. Even though you were taking a laid back approach to the whole process and just enjoying the fun of a LD...they took notice and offered an instructive moment. The guy you spoke to may have been a Facilitator/Instructor. And his questions gently coaxed and challenged you to proceed with the LD. Grabbing your boobs presented at least two challenges: A simple sexual urge challenge (which you successfully ignored) and a slight NP/physical sense test. Maybe the 'feel' of this is correct, maybe not, I could certainly be wrong.

I definitely don't recommend 'bending' any experience to current beliefs/expectations...just the feel of bending should be a sign of the wrong direction.

Leland's Initiation test involves taking a LD through increasing levels: Recognition, 3rd person perspective, sensing sight/sound/taste/smell/touch, making NP changes within the environment, final realization that we are dreaming...

I missed it a year and a half ago with my own  Initiation LD. That's the part that aggravates me; I knew at the beginning that this was a LD, but by the end I missed the moment that required me to once again acknowledge that this was a LD.

I remember somewhen, where you mentioned having one of Leland's books...if it is Otherwhere, then I recommend re-reading the section on Dream Initiation.

I think this LD was 'tempting' you with that challenge.

Just one more interpretation, lol.

[Selski]

EV - now you've piqued my interest. I read a couple of Kurt's experiences yesterday and really enjoyed them. I haven't any of his books, but remembered yesterday how come I'd heard of him. He was active over at EIC for a bit quite a number of years ago.

You're spot on with the boob comment - usually any chance of nookie and I'm in. This time I was more interested in conversing about LDing - hurrah for me. 

I've currently got an Amazon order on hold so will add his Otherwhere book.

If I end up down another rabbit hole, I'll blame you!!