Poll: Lucid Dreaming

[Raddragon]

I learned about lucid dreaming a couple of days ago in Wikipedia.
When I saw a thread about nightmares here in the escapist I remenbered about this and decided to share this information with you.

I'll sum it up for you: Lucid Dreams are dreams in which the person is aware that they are sleeping.

Once you have realized you are dreaming, you can easily modify your dream the way you want. You could even prevent nightmares. It is also possible to control how long you are in the dream. Once you realize you are in the dream it is easier to control your actions and break the wall of reality. Walk on water,fly,gain super strenght or super speed, so many things you could do!

With all this summed up, my questions are:

Have you even experienced lucid dreaming?
And if so, could you control your dreams?
Even if you have never experienced lucid dreaming do you wish to?
And what will you do once you have achieved lucidity?

EDIT: Forgot to mention: If you're interesting,there are some tips in how to lucid dream in wikipedia: [link]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dreams[/link]

 

[meatloaf231]

Never happened to me, but it sounds intriguing.

 

[Dugarel]

Happens to me all the time.

 

[Theon Tonarim]

I wish

 

[KaZZaP]

I dream every single time I sleep and I am aware. I've talked about this in some other thread I can force myself to wake up too if my plane is about to crash or a nuke just went off, I just close my eyes (in my dream) and then when I try to open them again they feel really heavy but I just force em open and poof I'm awake.


I credit this all to the magical powers of getting high!

*edit* I also feel like I should mention I ALLWAYS fly in my dreams... and its sick lol

 

[Labyrinth]

I'm often aware I'm sleeping when I dream. I often decide I don't want to wake up as well. When I was younger I'd use this to my advantage in nightmares and such, though it more often than not just lead to more interesting nightmares. While dreaming, I found myself searching through the dream for some way to 'wake up' from that world. Doors were foremost in my subconscious's escape route repertoire though there were also other things such as instruments which would create loud noises.

Even odder was when I'd have characters in my dreams who would ask me to remember then when I woke up. This still happens actually, some even ask me to do favours for them, some remind me of things I need to do the next day or whatever. Others are less kind, and ask me to do unpleasant things to myself to recreate their own attempts.

 

[rottenbutter]

It happened to me once while I was taking a nap.

It ended with me surrounding myself in huge tornado that tore apart my room around me.

It was awesome!

 

[Raddragon]

Sorry,I forgot to mention, but if you are interested there are some tips in the link to wikipedia.

 

[Projekt Spartan]

When I dream, its fun. Its like I am the protagonist in my very own video game... and I'm awesome. Ive always seemed to be a lucid dreamer.

 

[Damien the Pigeon]

Usually when I realize I'm sleeping, that immediately wakes me up. However, I'm not sure if I dream lucidly by your definition. I can control my dreams all the time, but I never usually think "Oh, I'm sleeping! Now I'm in control!" I just think "I need to run really fast now, and I'm positive that I can do it!" It's like I know, but I don't know. Sorry if that makes any sense at all....

 

[Erana]

The worst things are lucid nightmares. You should be able to protect yourself from whatever possible threat, but you never really are.

 

[Arcyde]

I've had a lucid dream twice. The first when i was 8 i dreamed that someone pushed me off a building and then thought "Hey, this has to be a dream" so then i started flying. I flew up to him and kicked the guys ass for pushing me off, and then woke up. The second time happened last month. I was walking around and a raider from fallout 3 punched me in the face (i was playing a lot of fallout 3 at the time) so i thought this was too absurd so i figured out it was a dream so i imagined i had the power fist and punched his head right off, then woke up.

 

[ellimist337]

I've had some dreams where I knew I was asleep, and knew that I was dreaming, but only to the point where I could "force" myself not to wake up because I was enjoying the dream. I've never had a dream where I realized "hey, I'm dreaming; I can do whatever I want." I do occasionally have dreams that felt so real, that I was convinced some of it had actually happened. This isn't so good when you dream that you woke up, showered, and did everything you needed to do to get ready, then actually wake up only to have to do it all over again, but for real.

 

[Raddragon]

Usually when I realize I'm sleeping, that immediately wakes me up. However, I'm not sure if I dream lucidly by your definition. I can control my dreams all the time, but I never usually think "Oh, I'm sleeping! Now I'm in control!" I just think "I need to run really fast now, and I'm positive that I can do it!" It's like I know, but I don't know. Sorry if that makes any sense at all....

Not making sense?
Oh, but it does.
I'm guessing you can control your dreams, you just dont realize or maybe dont have the feeling you are in a dream.

I dont want anyone to mix up the definition of Knowing you are dreaming(Having a Lucid Dream) with being able to control your dreams.
Lucid Dreaming CAN help you control your dreams, but it doesnt mean you control them.

For example: I might know i'm in a dream, but not be able to change anything in it. I'm still having a lucid dream nontheless.

 

[Volothos]

I have something similar to lucid dreams, maybe its a lucid nightmare of some sort like Erana said.

 

[xitel]

I have managed a lucid dream a couple of times, and they are easily the greatest dreams I have ever had. I wasn't able to change things, but knowing you're in a dream is a profound feeling in my opinion. It's hard to describe, but you realize that it isn't real, but at the same time it feels completely real. It's disturbing and wonderful at the same time.

However, there are also times when lucidity can backfire. I have had a lucid dream in which I become unable to control anything due to the sheer fact that I know I am dreaming. It turns my dreams from an interaction to a movie, and when I become unable to control my own actions it's very disconcerting.

Unfortunately, having a lucid dream doesn't necessarily mean having lucid dreams again becomes any easier. Many times it is an accident, triggered (at least for me) by seeing an incredibly ridiculous sight that is irreconcilable with what I know to be true, which lets me realize it's a dream. Being a logical thinker certainly aids the process, but there is no guarantee that you will ever manage it in your lifetime.

Then there are vivid dreams, but that's an entirely different topic I suppose. Also fun.

 

[Larenxis]

I am envious of the days when I didn't lucid dream. I'm always aware that I'm in a dream, and as such, limit myself and look at things with a judgmental perspective. I can control my dreams to varying degrees, sometimes I can change everything, sometimes only the direction. Most of the time I try not to change things so much, so I can experience whatever is supposed to be going on.

 

[Labyrinth]

It's disturbing and wonderful at the same time.

Very yes. Once you realise you're living in a fantasy you realise that nothing you do has consequences. That's fun, especially if you can control the dream around you.