Dreams and life – lucid and otherwise.
Posts tagged lucid dreaming
DR. JAMES KROLL INTERVIEW – Investigating the PSI Phenomenon
Apr 1st
Lucid Dreaming and PSI Phenomenon – an XZone Interview
Dr Kroll is an electrical engineer by profession. He earned his Ph.D. degree from SUNY Stony Brook in 1997 and has gone on to work on the development, design and management of various telecommunications projects with a number of highly visible telecom equipment providers.
Dr Kroll has also had a lifelong interest in dreaming, stemming from a number of unusual dream re-entry experiences and intense nightmares he had as a child. He had his first off the cuff lucid dream back in 1998. He found it to be a fascinating experience and read up on the subject in an attempt to induce these experiences more reliably. Early attempts met with only modest success.
In 2006, Dr Kroll rekindled his interest in lucid dreaming. By now, technology had improved and numerous web sites had popped up dedicated to the art of lucid dreaming. With all this additional information and options, he found it fairly easy to learn to lucid dream on demand. He has now experienced well over 800 lucid dreams in the last 4 years.
Dr Kroll is a subject matter expert on use of supplements to modify neurotransmitter levels in the brain to induce brain states that are conducive to lucid dreaming. He also holds a recent patent application on the use of cranial electro stimulation to induce lucid dreaming. Dr Kroll also has a lifelong interest in PSI phenomenon. He is now coupling his interests in lucid dreaming and PSI phenomenon to investigate the use of this unusual altered state of consciousness to design experiments that will hopefully shed some light on the connection between the dreaming mind and PSI. – http://www.mortalmist.com/
Listen to the podcast here:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/xzone/20100331_seg2.mp3
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http://xzonenation.blogspot.com/2010/03/wed-mar-2010-tonight-on-x-zone-with-rob.html
Review – Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer’s Guide, by Ryan Hurd
Apr 1st
Ryan Hurd of DreamStudies.org has announced the release of his new eBook, Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer’s Guide.
While written primarily to those concerned about or suffering from sleep paralysis, the book is a great read for anybody interested in sleep science and research. It will be of particular interest to anybody involved in lucid dreaming, as SP is likely to be encountered at some point by most people using lucid induction techniques.
Part 1 is a practical guide to dealing with SP. It includes immediate and longer-term tactics for breaking the cycles and altering the circumstances often involved with problem SP.
Part 2 is about dealing with what is often the most horrific aspect of SP; the encounters with “The Apparition” – those disturbing specters that can accompany the paralysis.
Part 3 addresses the many ways that SP, once understood and under control, may be leveraged for enjoyment and benefit. This includes ways to use SP as a transition into OBEs and Lucid Dreaming, along with discussion about hypnogogia and creativity. The last chapter is a comprehensive discussion about ways to improve the chances of achieving SP, including techniques, supplements and other practices.
Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer’s Guide is an easy, compelling read. While the material presented is often in the realm of scholarly theory and research, it is presented in a manner that is accessible and even entertaining. Ryan Hurd’s writing style is warm and inviting, and the book is beautifully laid out and illustrated.
Ryan Hurd is a dream researcher living in the Pacific Northwest of the US. He is the creator of DreamStudies.org, and is also a dream educator at TheDreamTribe.com. Hurd has a MA in Consciousness Studies from John F. Kennedy University, and is a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.
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Here is Ryan’s announcement with links:
After a LONG wait, my ebook Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer’s Guide is available for download. The attractively designed ebook is a How-To guide for overcoming the fear of sleep paralysis nightmares, and navigating the powerful waters of lucid dreaming and out-of-body-experiences that sometimes come with SP.
Check out the book’s highlight’s here.
Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer’s Guide is designed to stop sleep paralysis nightmares, and uncover the triggers in your life that bring on the weird nighttime experience of being held down by invisible entities. But the ebook is also a manual for your journey past the fear and the terrors , which can include realistic visions of ghosts, goblins, and demons.
My approach is holistic, and teaches you how to transform these nightmares into a wide variety of amazing and powerful lucid dream experiences, including ancestral visitations, OBEs, and lucid guided journeys. This is powerful medicine almost forgotten by modern society but still-well known in many indigenous communities around the world.
Here’s what the dream research community has said about Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer’s Guide:
People who suffer sleep paralysis inevitably focus on their fear and discomfort, but rarely do they recognize that this strange experience also holds a huge potential for mind/body growth and enlightenment. Ryan Hurd, a brilliant researcher and emerging leader in the field of dream studies, offers a brand new perspective on sleep paralysis that provides both practical help and inspirational guidance. Hurd’s excellent new book gives clear and effective advice about how to diminish the painful symptoms of sleep paralysis, while leading readers to a deeper appreciation of the incredible power of the dreaming imagination – a power that can promote greater health and conscious awareness in all of us.
- Kelly Bulkeley, Ph.D., author of Dreaming in the World’s Religions: A Comparative History
If you suffer from sleep paralysis, buy this book. Inside it are powerful techniques, real knowledge and experienced advice from a former sleep paralysis sufferer. Using practical techniques, insightful advice and scientific research, Hurd takes the SP sufferer on a journey from intense fear to real hope and empowerment. Benefit from his insight, and learn how to resolve your sleep paralysis for good.
- Robert Waggoner, author of Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self
Buy Sleep Paralysis: A Dreamer’s Guide by clicking here.
The secure download of this 100+ page ebook also comes with a Sleep Paralysis Management worksheet, as well as an informative one hour interview with sleep paralysis expert Jorge Conesa-Sevilla, Ph.D., author of Wrestling with Ghosts: a Personal and Scientific Account of Sleep Paralysis.
Thank you for supporting DreamStudies.org and my ability to do this work! Proceeds for this ebook will also go towards my academic research fund, including my presentation of this material to the International Association for the Study of Dreams this June in Asheville, NC.
As always, feel free to contact me at any time about this product or any aspect of DreamStudies.
Yours,
Ryan Hurd
Ryan Hurd, PO BOX 425, Inverness, CA 94937, United States
When We Know We Are Right, We Become Blind
Jan 29th
A caller on the radio this morning was talking about a favorite professor who was special because he always presented alternate viewpoints. As I drove, I imagined myself as that professor – teaching about a subject I am passionate and sure about, yet making a conscious decision to expose my pupils to perspectives and points of view I likely know are wrong. What an amazing thing to choose to do. What an amazing thing to be able to sit quietly through. . . and maybe even learn from.
Why is it so difficult to know when we are dreaming? We endure the most ridiculous situations in our dreams without ever questioning whether we are awake or asleep, because we know without a shadow of a doubt that we’re awake! Once we know we are right about our state of consciousness, we become blind to all other possibilities. It is human nature.
Imagine what it might be like to not be quite so sure of ourselves all the time. If we could learn to check for other possibilities every time we were certain about our circumstances, the chance of discovering we are dreaming would be much greater. Perhaps this is one reason children seem more likely to have spontaneous lucid dreams than adults! They haven’t been around long enough to know everything with such certainly – at least not until they become teenagers.
Our chance of becoming aware we are dreaming is not the only thing we stand to gain by learning to recognize our own blindness.
Worth The Wait
Jan 28th
Now, sadly, I do not remember what my first lucid dream was like. I would have been very young, like many things, the dream faded with age. As such, I can not personally tell you what a first lucid dream is like. However, I have told friends about lucid dreaming and even taught others how to do it. I’ve been told their first experiences, and I think I’ve gained a grasp of what it is like.
My current room mate just recently had his first lucid dream. As he told it, he had been standing in the middle of the street and he suddenly just knew he was dreaming. He looked up and down the street, taking in his surroundings. He saw the colors more vivid than life. Everything shone with extraordinary brilliance. He felt happy. He concentrated on flying. He lifted himself off the ground shortly. He moved down the street but the dream faded quickly. He was happy to hear that it was his first lucid dream. He asked me if it was one. He didn’t know you could have a lucid dream without trying. (I guess I’m not a great teacher.)
The way he described it was fittingly, “inexplicable.” Until you’ve had the experience, I don’t think words could properly translate the feelings and pure beauty of a lucid dream. I had told and taught my room mate – an old friend – about lucid dreaming quite a long time ago, but when he had no success, he gave up. I hope this recent experience will revitalize his ambition.
Too often people will lose hope when they do not succeed as soon as they would like to. I’ve known people to give up after the first night. Others who’ve stuck to it for months before having success. What do they say about it? “Worth the wait.”
The first dream where you realize you can do anything – however shortly – is enough to change any spirits. Lucid dreaming my be hard to get into, but it’s worth it when you do.
It’s Magic
Jan 27th
Who doesn’t enjoy a good magic show? An audience in the hands of a skilled illusionist is led into a place where people can be sawed in half and pass through walls, items can materialize and disappear, and minds can be read. Even though we know we are being fooled by skill, technology and showmanship, we love it. Our eyes are telling us something we want to believe. . . that magic can really happen.
When first becoming conscious in your dreams, the potential of it all may seem elusive. At first, it is difficult getting past being so excited that you wake yourself up. As you learn to stabilize and stay in the dream, you start experiencing a world that feels, smells and acts so real that under normal circumstances you would never suspect it is all a dream. Soon you soon come to understand this world is entirely your creation. If you want somebody to be there, just believe he’s behind you, turn around and find him. If you can’t find a door, you can pass through a wall or window or knock a hole to walk through. You can go through a mirror like Alice and see what the other side is like. Yes, you can fly – and it is absolutely incredible.
The more you experience, the more you come to realize is possible. The terms “possible” and “impossible” don’t even fit when it comes to our dreams – you are limited only by your own imagination and creativity.
That doesn’t mean all lucid dreamers choose to control their dreams. Many just experience what comes, secure in the knowledge they are completely safe and nothing can happen that will have any consequences in the real world.
Whether you choose to control yourself or your world, the control is magical. Experiencing that magic is what keeps us lucid dreamers returning for more.
What can you do in lucid dreams
Jan 26th
Some will say: in lucid dreams, you can fly, you can eat whatever you want, you can visit landscapes from your imagination, you can have the most extraordinary experiences… I believe those explanations are incomplete. The best answer would be: there’s nothing you can’t do!
Think it, imagine it,… do it!
That’s right! Explaining the potentials of lucid dreaming is this simple. If you can imagine it, it can be done. And what you use lucid dreaming for, it’s up to you. Some use it to study, others for healing, others even to rehearse a skill. Some people live the most amazing experiences, so amazing there are no words to describe it.
In fact, one of the things lucid dreamers know, is the hollowness of words – hollowness, because they are insufficient to transmit others their experiences. The only way to understand their experiences is by experiencing it yourself. And is there a better way to fully understand the potentials of dreaming than by dreaming?
(The Dreams Foundation has a very interesting article about some of the waking life applications of lucid dreaming here).
Inquire within yourself
Jan 22nd
Many people out there, even within lucid dreaming communities, lose contact with the true meaning of a lucid dream. A lucid dream is simply a dream in which you are aware that you are dreaming. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’ve already had this interesting experience. Many people will merely shrug it off as “one of those things,” but others will take this special situation and use it to gain dream control. Which is exactly what it sounds like.
Lucid dreaming is the entryway to a world unlike any other. A world where you can rule or you can explore. A world where you can terrorize your nightmares and relive your favorite memories and moments as if they were real life. A world infinitely vast and only as expendable as your own imagination.
Now, if lucid dreaming is such a great thing, why do so few know about it? To be honest, I don’t know. It has been given a bad name, lobbed in with mysticism, and called a psuedoscience, but if you go out and ask someone, “Have you ever had a dream where you knew you were dreaming?” they will almost definitely say yes. Studies show that almost everyone will experience a lucid dream at some point in their life. So, if everyone has the ability to do it without any noticeable effort, isn’t it reasonable to think that those who do put effort into it could achieve this fantastical feat?
There are many methods to increase the frequency of lucid dreams, but the first step is almost always believing that this thing exists. Inside yourself is the most enjoyable experience in the world, all it takes is a little determination.
The Call Of The Dream
Jan 21st
My discovery of lucid dreaming was really more of a re-discovery, as I had some strange lucid dreams as a child. I didn’t know what they were though, so most of my life was spent in ignorance of what I was missing.
In February of 2006, I stumbled onto an online article talking about lucid dreaming. That night I had a brief lucid dream that ended with me running through a beautiful lush meadow with my dog. The experience was hyper-real to all my senses and seemed absolutely miraculous. I could run like the wind, do cartwheels, smell and feel the air as I rushed through it. . . and my joyous dog began turning into a panda as she ran along with me.
That taste was enough to know that I wanted to spend as much time in that magical place as possible. The anticipation of getting back there remains as intense as anything I’ve ever longed for in my life.
It is frustrating to try explaining this to people who haven’t experienced lucid dreams. There just aren’t words that can be put together to convey the majesty and magic of it. Even after four years of lucid dreaming, the passion to get back there and spend as much time as possible hasn’t waned a bit.
Anybody who has experienced a lucid dream will understand exactly what I’m talking about.
And to those of you who haven’t. . . all I can really think to say is that you quite literally have no idea what you are missing. There is no way you could possibly know.
But you can find out.
Lucid Dreaming Myths
Jan 19th
In a world filled with people who will go to almost any length to find diversion, entertainment and new experiences, why isn’t lucid dreaming more popular? Nothing is impossible in a lucid dream. Nothing is beyond reach or unattainable, and the experience is complete; from the dreamer’s perspective, the situations and sensations can be even more intense and realistic than anything waking life can provide. There is no risk of life and limb in these experiences, and no tangible cost.
It seems that lucid dreaming should be common knowledge and widely practiced. It is, quite simply, the ultimate form of entertainment, yet few ever learn enough about Lucid Dreaming to get past the preconceptions and misconceptions about it. In other words, not many people know what Lucid Dreaming really is.
To those who may be apprehensive, here are some common myths and misconceptions about Lucid Dreaming:
- Lucid dreaming is a spiritual, New Age or religious practice. There is no religious or spiritual aspect needed to learn lucid dreaming. While Lucid dreaming has been used in religious and spiritual traditions throughout history, so have many other practices including regular dreaming.
- Lucid Dreaming isn’t real. It is easy to believe that this is another one of those things that people either convince themselves about or claim to be able to do for status or other reasons. The reality of Lucid Dreaming has actually been proved scientifically, by Dr. Stephen Laberge and others. Even with this body of evidence, it really is difficult to fully believe until experienced for one’s self. Once you have your first lucid dream and know it for yourself, this becomes a non-issue.
- Lucid Dreaming is extremely difficult to achieve. Learning to lucid dream is accomplished through practice. Some experience lucidity immediately after learning the basics, while for others it can take a long time. Lucid Dreaming really isn’t difficult, but it can require patience and perseverance.
- Lucid Dreaming can ruin the ability to have regular dreams. I have been involved in practice and study of lucid dreaming for years and have never encountered or read accounts of anybody who has not been able to return to normal dreaming after learning to lucid dream. The problem for lucid dreamers is almost always quite the opposite – they want to experience more lucidity.
- Lucid Dreaming can make you lose touch with reality. As wonderful and hyper-real as lucid dreaming can be, it is still a dream. Again, in my years of involvement and research, I’ve never encountered or read accounts of anybody who has lost the ability to separate the real world from dreams. The practice of lucid dreaming will often actually enhance one’s awareness of the real world.
Lucid Dreaming is real, and it is safe. I do it pretty regularly, and it seems to be a capability we all share. Anybody who has experienced a Lucid Dream will agree they can be truly amazing and profound experiences.
It costs nothing to try it for yourself, though there are many out there who would be pleased to sell you devices, supplements, “secrets” and other things “guaranteed” to get you lucid. Many of these do work to one degree or another, but you don’t need any of them to get started on your own journey into Lucid Dreaming.
Would you like to learn more about Lucid Dreaming?
Public Dreaming – Thomas Metzinger
Jan 18th
A fascinating essay focusing on lucid dreaming and particularly on how the internet is influencing how we think and dream.
If it is true that the experience of controlling and sustaining your focus of attention is one of the deeper layers of phenomenal selfhood, then what we are currently witnessing is not only an organized attack on the space of consciousness per se but a mild form of depersonalization. New medial environments may therefore create a new form of waking consciousness that resembles weakly subjective states — a mixture of dreaming, dementia, intoxication, and infantilization. Now we all do this together, every day. I call it Public Dreaming.
Read the full article here.
