h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Do you ever have any lucid dreams? What do you decide to do, once you realize that you're dreaming?

But if you were dreaming, you would not know whether your were dreaming or not.....

But that's the thing about lucid dreams, isn't it? You're partly concious, and so you are able to direct your dreams.

I'm like that all the time...

And what do you do?

Nothing.

Unless you call 'awareness of dreaming' a willful act

Sorry, but I don't believe there is such a thing as a half awake dream state.
I believe that when you think you are directing what you are doing in a dream it is actually just a total dream, the dream is actually making you believe you are directing the dream.
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I do believe that I read once that most dreams actually occur in a short time before you wake up and actually only last around half a second, the dream of course may appear to last longer.

Almost all my dreams end up lucid very quickly, however they stay in the place they start, pretty much, and seems as they mostly involve other people, I can only "control" how the dream me reacts. Or I can "control" other people, but not myself. So maybe it's not proper lucid dreaming, I'm no expect.

I mean expert.

I have only experienced this once, last night. And I really was concious that it was only a dream. I thought "Hey, if this is a dream, I can imagine whatever I like", and so I decided the next door I went through led me to a beautiful beach, the next guy coming along would be my boyfriend (I don't have one in reality) and so on. I wish I could have this tonight as well.

You should read some Chuang-tzu..

>Sorry, but I don't believe there is such a thing as a half awake dream state.<

You're correct. There actually isn't

Neither 'consciousness' nor 'dreaming' exist as clearly defined, separate things, but are related portions of what might be referred to as a continuum of neural activity

In other words, dreaming, which is composed of bits of memory, is simply another mode of thinking.

I regard 'lucid dreaming' as a very creative mode of consciousness, rather than a state of actual sleep.

The body is very relaxed, but the cognitive brain areas can be very active.

Consciously directing the 'dream' is no more, or less, unlikely than consciously directing any other creative thought process.

Traveller in Time only dreaming lucid during holidays
"Well perhaps some Quikends too.

Sleep comes in waves, during the peaks you are nearly awake and some muscle reactions can be observed while at the bottoms you are completely incapacitated. The Rapid Eye Movement is during the peaks, as well as you are near concious. Deprived of sensory input your brain makes the best it can of the stray signals running in your brain. It is possible to get a grip of your experiences during the dream state. The control you have is per definition reduced, you would wake up if you take full control. Guiding single aspects of your dreams you can go wherever you want to go and do whatever you want to do, in the limits of what you allow yourself.

< A165530 > 'Lucid dreaming' and < A196328 > 'dreaming' "

< A164530 > even

I´ve never been able to direct my dreams. When I realize I´m dreaming I tend to just mentally sit back, and see what happens.

Traveller in Time on top
"That is the best way to relax, lucid dreams do not give any rest, mainly excitement. "

I've had 'lucid dremms' many times. You can, sometimes, control your dreams; make them less frightening, or direct them somewhat.

As most dreams tend to be from the 'first person angle' you need to be able to look at your hands (a lot more difficult than it sounds ). When you can do that (and realise you *are* dreaming) you're mind is in a state where you can 'control' the dream to a certain extent.

I don't know. Sometimes even when I'm lucid really bad stuff happens.

And does anyone else have any kind of feeling when they dream?

You mean, apart from pure unadulterated terror when you can't see your hands?

I had a lucid dream last week, but I chose to do really dull things in the dream, like mundane chores. I think I was simply trying to prove to myself that I could do what I wanted, and had no desire to do anything much fun, because knowing it wasn't real, made it as interesting as those chores.

And then I woke up.

Am I the only person who choses to do mundanity in a lucid dream?

I'd love to be able to do this - but I can't. The most I can do is be aware I'm dreaming when I'm having a nightmare and force myself to wake up.