LUCID DREAMS

A lucid dream is basically a dream in which one is aware that one is dreaming. In a fully lucid dream it is typical for the dreamer to experience the dream as a world of intensified reality; in some ways this world can seem more real than that of the waking world.  Objects often stand out and are intensified, colors are vivid and brilliant, and textures appear in exquisite detail. All of the senses may come into play and be amplified - including taste, touch, hearing, and smell as well as sight. As soon as you realize that your dream is a dream, the entire dreamscape and the dreamer's awareness is instantly transformed as if by magic.  Once lucid, the dreamer will usually be in control of many aspects of his or her behavior and of the dreamscape and dream objects. It becomes possible to fly, to pass through objects, and to travel in space and time - the possibilities are only limited by the dreamer's imagination and skill. It is much like being a character of an interactive movie, where you are able to make choices and direct your own dream.

Okay, so you can control your own "movie"/dream.  Why would you want to do this?  There are several things lucid dreaming could be used for.
 

WHY HAVE LUCID DREAMS?

Upon hearing about lucid dreaming for the first time, people often ask, "Why should I want to have lucid dreams? What are they good for?" If you consider that once you know you are dreaming, you are restricted only by your ability to imagine and conceive, not by laws of physics or society, then the answer to what lucid dreaming is good for is either extremely simple (anything!) or extraordinarily complex (everything!). It is easier to provide a sample of what some people have done with lucid dreaming than to give a definitive answer of its potential uses.

Adventure and Fantasy

Often, the first thing that attracts people to lucid dreaming is the potential for wild adventure and fantasy fulfillment. Flying is a favorite lucid dream delight, as is sex. Many people have said that their first lucid dream was the most wonderful experience of their lives. A large part of the extraordinary pleasure of lucid dreaming comes from the exhilarating feeling of utter freedom that accompanies the realization that you are in a dream and there will be no social or physical consequences of your actions. One might think that this is a rather intellectual concept, but an ecstatic "rush" frequently arises with the first realization that one is dreaming.

Overcoming Nightmares

Unfortunately for many people, dreamtime can be filled with terrorizing images and scenarios instead of being filled with fantasy and delight.  Lucid dreaming can be an effective therapy for nightmares.  If you know you are dreaming you will know that nothing can cause you physical harm. There is no need to run from or fight with dream monsters. In fact, it is often pointless to try, because the horror pursuing you was conceived in your own mind, and as long as you continue to fear it, it can pursue you wherever you dream yourself to be. The only way to really "escape" is to end your fear. The fear you feel in a nightmare is completely real; it is the danger that is not.

Unreasonable fear can be defused by facing up to the source, or going through with the frightening activity, so that you observe that no harm comes to you. In a nightmare, this act of courage can take any form that involves facing the "threat" rather than avoiding it.  Take the opportunity to become your favorite invincible superhero.. *smile*.  Monsters often transform into docile creatures, friends, or empty shells when courageously confronted in lucid dreams. This is an extremely empowering experience and teaches you that you can conquer fear and thereby become stronger.

Rehearsal

Lucid dreaming is an extraordinarily vivid form of mental imagery, so realistic that the trick is to realize it is a mental construct. It is no surprise, therefore, that many people use lucid dreaming to rehearse for success in waking life. Examples of such applications include public speaking, difficult confrontations, artistic performance and athletic prowess. Because the activity of the brain during a dreamed activity is the same as during the real event, neuronal patterns of activation required for a skill (like a ski jump or pirouette) can be established in the dream state in preparation for performance in the waking world.

Creativity and Problem Solving

The creative potential of dreams is legendary. The brain is highly active in REM sleep, which may contribute to the novel combinations of events and objects we experience as dream bizarreness. This same novelty allows flexibility of thought rare in waking life, manifesting as enhanced creativity. Lucid dreamers have utilized the creativity of dreams for problem solving and artistic inspiration.

Healing

The effects of visual imagery on the body are well-established. Just as skill practice in a dream can enhance waking performance, healing dream imagery may improve physical health. Medical patients have often used soothing and positive imagery to alleviate pain, and the dream world offers the most vivid form of imagery.  Thus, some people have use lucid dreams in overcoming phobias, working with grief, decreasing social and sexual anxieties, achieving greater self-confidence and by directing the body image in the dream to facilitate physical healing.  Other potential healing applications of lucid dreaming include: practice of physical skills by stroke and spinal cord injury patients to encourage recovery of neuromuscular function, enjoyment of sexual satisfaction by people with lower body sensory loss (fully satisfying dream sex requires only mental stimulation!), more rapid recovery from injury or disease through the use of lucid dream imagery, and an increased sense of freedom for anyone who feels limited by disability or circumstance.

The dreamworld is your special place. You can decide where to go, how to do things, even who to be.  The question now becomes "Why not have lucid dreams?"

Visit Becoming Lucid for various techniques on lucid dreaming and enjoy your lucidity!

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