Many beginners question their levels of lucidity
in conscious dreams. They may assume that because they couldn't control
other dream characters, they were not lucid at all. Or they fret over
their ability to morph the scenery at will. Is there a definitive point
where someone can say they had a lucid dream?
Yes, there is. If you have ever had the conscious awareness
(or knowing) that you were acting inside the dream world, then you had
a lucid dream. Equally, if you have ever been able to willfully control
parts of the dream world, you were lucid. A lucid dream can last one
second - or one hour!
"The ten thousand states of mind are
hallucinatory. Hallucinations are real. Dreams are real. But there are
some things more real."
~ Rama
In Tibetan Buddhism, Dream Yoga
is known as "apprehending the dream". This simply means becoming aware
of the unreal nature of the dream state, and is reflected by either the
awareness or control of the dream world.
Of course, there is a big difference between a
passing awareness of the dream world, and full conscious lucidity. Even
though there is no scientific classification of these states (yet), I
will describe the different levels of lucidity here.
A Non-Lucid Dream
This is the default dream state, where you are
totally unaware that you are dreaming. It may be hazy and illogical -
or vivid and highly evocative. Either way, you have no conscious
awareness or control, and you automatically accept the reality of the
dream world as being completely real.
Non-lucid dreams are created entirely by the
subconscious mind. They are usually based on memories and experience,
coupled with the unconscious brain's conceptual understanding of
reality. Since they are not literal, you can interpret your dreams based on recurring dream themes and symbology.
A Semi-Lucid Dream
The
lowest levels of lucidity occur with a semi-lucid dream, which may
involve the realization that you are dreaming. Perhaps something very
illogical happens and you question where you are. Or maybe you practice
meditation or Dream Yoga which teaches you to be more self aware.
Once you realize you are dreaming, your
conscious brain will wake up. The first few times you will feel quite
alien in this new reality, and have trouble doing anything that
conflicts with the normal laws of physics. If you can't immediately fly
in your lucid dream, or teleport to an exotic beach location - don't be
deterred. You can't do this in real life and your conscious brain
doesn't expect it to happen here either.
The good news is, as you explore your lucid
dream world, you will start to notice little inconsistencies. And the
part of your conscious brain that is responsible for influencing the
dream will start writing a new rule book. Encountering higher levels of
lucidity is like learning to walk all over again. Soon you will be able
to soar above the clouds, run through solid objects and create entire
new dream scenes. See how to control your dreams for more specific advice on this.
A Fully Lucid Dream
To experience a fully lucid dream, you will
probably need a good amount of direct experience of lucidity. That's my
assumption anyway. Don't get me wrong - my early lucid dreams were
highly exhilarating - but in no way did I have control of my entire
surroundings. First I had to get to grips with staying lucid for more
than ten seconds; then it was a challenge to control my immediate
environment. However, once I mastered each of these skills, they stayed
with me.
A
fully lucid dream means having complete awareness that you are in a
dream world. You understand that it is the creation of your own mind,
and that you can manipulate any element at will. You can teleport across
the universe at the speed of thought, morph yourself into an atom, or
independently direct the actions of any other dream character.
But lucid dreaming is not just about dream
control. Anyone who has ever experienced a lucid dream knows that. It
is about having conscious awareness of the dream state, which is often
even more intense than waking reality.
For instance, you can float in the air above a
city and observe hundreds of people in the streets below, going about
their business. You can take a back seat and allow the dream to be
guided by your subconscious mind, while having absolute conscious
awareness of your part in it.
This is the real beauty of lucid dreaming; it
is your gateway to an alternate reality, where you can observe your own
existence in a far richer context.
The Highest Levels of Lucidity
What is the absolute highest level of lucidity
possible? Can it be defined, or is it like asking what's beyond the
edge of the universe?
Tibetan Buddhism has incorporated the art of
Dream Yoga for at least a thousand years. Compared to modern lucid dream
research (which has only been around for the last 30 years) the
Buddhist monks have a major head start.
Buddhists believe the ultimate goal in Dream
Yoga is to attain full conscious awareness, then dissolve the dream
state. That doesn't mean waking up. Instead, they aim to remain fully
lucid and consciously aware while asleep. Deprived of any physical
stimulus from the sleeping body, or any conceptual stimulus from the
dreaming mind, they are able to observe the purest form of conscious
awareness. That sounds like an excellent goal for any lucid dreamer.
