What is lucid dreaming?

[Guest]

Hi! I'm new to this message board.

I feel that you could maybe help me but i'm not familiar with the terms you use.

I have partially mastered the tecnique of what we Brits trefer to as cognitive dreaming - is this the same as lucid dreaming?

In cognitive dreaming we realise that we are dreaming and try to retain control and direction - is this the same thing?

[dread_pirate_steele]

oh geeze, i hit reply but my minds totally drawing a blank..i know the answers to your questions but im just like ehhh tired.

if someone doesnt beat me to it ill tell ya sometime.

[moonlit]

I think it is the same thing but i'm not sure

[Starwitch]

Yes, lucid dreaming is when you wake up during your dream and then control the dream yourself. I bought a new book called, "Instant Self-Hypnosis" and it's great and it really works and it has a hypnosis for lucid dreaming in it as well. I've also heard that if you keep asking yourself every 10 minutes all day long, "Am I dreaming?" (even though you know you're awake) and you keep doing that all the time for days, that when you are asleep you will still be asking yourself, "Am I dreaming?" because you are in the habit of doing that, and of course when you do it while you are dreaming, you'll realize that you're dreaming and then you will be lucid dreaming.

[moonsprite]

that sounds good. i dont often remember my dreams but the dreams i remember i reckon are lucid dreams because i seem to have to 'live' the dream to remember it. if that makes any sense.

[celticwave]

Lucid dreaming is just when you know your dreaming when your dreaming if that makes sense

[Moon_Stone]

Yep, conscious dreams. That's weird for sure. My dreams are very odd in general anyway. But having control of them every now and then would be nice. :28:

[_Snow_Falcon_]

I don't know why but I can never Lucid Dream. I become aware that I'm dreaming, but I have no control over the dream at all. For example, I was having a nightmare and Satan was trying to kill me (this was when I was a kid and was brain washed into believing christianity), he looked really weird too, he looked like the lead singer from In Flames and was wearing clothes straight out of Miami Vice. Anywho, I thought to myself "Hey this is just too crazy. I'm dreaming, I just fell asleep like an hour ago probably", but the fear got even more intense and I thought that he really could kill me.

And I have a question. Can medications cause you to stop dreaming? I just realized that I haven't had any dreams that I can remember for a long time.

Sorry to ramble on like this. I'm very tired and the thoughts just fly right out.

[dread_pirate_steele]

maybe if you dont sleep right or you have apnea. you need dreaming, you always dream. you just may not remember.

[_Snow_Falcon_]

I know that you always have dreams (I think u have on average 6 a night), but I can't remember any of them. When I go to sleep it's just black until I wake up, and it's probably been like that for 8 months now. And no I don't have sleep apnea.

[dread_pirate_steele]

well here's a lame trick: tell yourself- before you go to sleep that you will remember your dreams. you have 4 in a normal night of sleep.

but before bed "i will remember my dreams..i will remember my dreams" ect

but that is odd, 8 months!

[_Snow_Falcon_]

Yeah it really takes the fun out of sleeping. Thanks though, I'll try that.

[Starwitch]

Being on medications can definitely effect your dreaming, either not being able to remember (like me and you) or having much more vivid dreams, depending on your medicine. Different medicines will effect you different ways.