Lucidity: The Unknown Pandora ’s Box

First to get us started I wanted to post the importance of posting something that we consider not of technical function status. Since I have a little time before the coffee buzz that I have been induced with to wear off, I figured what better time to post some information and a possible start for the first topic that I am so interested in proving to many people… that lucid dreaming does exist.

I would like to start my first topic out as a favorite quote from a movie soon to come out, “Sometimes it’s best to start at the beginning.” To me the beginning of my journey started out with the realization of what a lucid dream is and that in all reality what has been happening to me for so many years is experienced by others and has recently become a scientific fact that it does exist.

Thanks to our Stephen LaBerge a psychophysiologist and his study at Stanford University have giving us an understanding of lucid dreaming that shows that scientifically lucid dreaming can be experienced during sleep. He also wrote a few well known books, one of which I would like to remark on later called “Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming” where Dr. LaBerge talks about different discovered techniques that can produce lucid dreaming.

First we must discuss what lucid dreaming is and the history of lucid dreaming before we can go into how a person can lucid dream… the what before the how.

What is lucid dreaming?

Thanks to our great Dr. LaBerge “Lucid dreaming means dreaming while knowing that you are dreaming.” Reference Citation: LaBerge, S. & Levitan, L. (2004). Lucid Dreaming FAQ. Version 2.3, January 16, 2003 http://lucidity.com/LucidDreamingFAQ.html

I think that this is a great description of what lucid dreaming is and really needs no more explanation into the definition besides maybe the relation to my own personal dream experiences and others. On many occasions I have manage to find myself in a middle of a dream and wonder to myself if what I was seeing and experiencing real. Soon after I understand that I am dreaming and that this world around me that is my dream, I have really created. I am then able to control many of my surroundings and modify how my dream plays out to my own imaginations likings. It has taken years of trial and error to experience lucid dreams more often, but still considering to some I am still a novice. Some are able to induce lucid dreaming almost every night and maintain control over their lucid states well beyond mine. There is a strong history of many ancient civilizations studying lucid dreaming while whole religious practices have ties to lucid dreaming that have changed cultures ultimately changed our world without us ever knowing it. This change can be seen throughout history in different societies and documents, some of which I will talk about in further posts.

Well the coffee is wearing off and it’s time to shut my eyes to another day. Happy dreaming!

-L