Hi Sue\u2014<\/p>\n
Congratulations on figuring out how to become \u201clucid\u201d in a dream. It\u2019s not an easy trick to pull off, but you\u2019ve already identified two of the most frequent doorways that people use to enter their dreams consciously.<\/p>\n
A lucid dream is defined as a dream in which a dreamer knows he or she is dreaming\u2014while the dream still is occurring. It\u2019s an unusual state, because normally in dreams we don\u2019t recognize that we are dreaming (no matter how strange the dream is), until after we awaken from it. Then we lay there in bed and think, \u201cWhat a crazy dream I just had!\u201d<\/p>\n
For example, say we dream we are battling a white, albino tiger in the middle of the Roman Coliseum. In the dream, we are equipped with armor and a sword. We look up and see the stands are filled with yelling fans and citizens. In the distance, our lover shouts words of encouragement. Now the tiger approaches…<\/p>\n
Does it ever occur to us, in the midst of this bizarre scene, that the Coliseum today is a ruin, that we have never even been to Europe, say, or that, give or take, the era of men battling lions ended 1500 years ago? The entire scene is impossible, yet curiously, in a dream, most of us would never even pause to ask if it was real. And if the tiger suddenly were to metamorphose into our deceased father… most of us still wouldn\u2019t recognize the dream.<\/p>\n
Why are dreams so hard to recognize while we are in them, even if we are flying like Superman, giving birth to an elephant, or chasing a tornado through our living room? Scientists believe the dampening of our reflective abilities in dreams allows us to \u201cstay asleep\u201d during the intense activity of REM\u2014just as the paralysis of our bodies prevents us from acting out dreams physically. As your dream report accurately points out, though, there are exceptions to this general \u201crule\u201d of unconsciousness during sleep.<\/p>\n
The first exception occurs when we become frightened in a dream, to the point where we genuinely feel our life is in danger. In a flash of insight, we suddenly are able to recognize the incongruity of the dream. (I am not in Rome… I have never been in Rome…) This insight usually causes us to awaken physically from the dream. (For more information on awakening consciousness during dreams, please read excerpts from my book at this link: Stop Sleeping Through Your Dreams<\/a>.)<\/p>\n The second situation occurs when we teach ourselves, through recurring dreams, to learn to recognize the dreamscape. In your case, you realized your recurring dreams of nudity in public were great opportunities for having fun in the dreamscape\u2014if you could somehow teach yourself to recognize the dream in progress. With practice and attention, you were successful, and you had a great time!<\/p>\n Other good dreams to practice lucidity with are recurring dreams of flying, of falling, of being chased, or of being paralyzed. Once you recognize it\u2019s \u201cjust a dream,\u201d you can choose different endings for the dream. If you\u2019re being chased, you can challenge your attackers, and ask them to identify themselves. (They will.) If you\u2019re falling, you can work to land on solid ground. (You will feel better immediately.) If you\u2019re flying, you can aim your course even higher, and take a trip around the sun and moon. If you have a question that\u2019s been on your mind, you can ask a dream for a solution to your problem. The dreamscape also is a nice place to keep still, and to meditate.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the meaning of your lucid, \u201cnaked in public\u201d dream? Like anyone, you enjoy \u00a0expressing yourself\u2014free from the critique, criticism, and judgment of others. You want people to accept you \u201cas you are\u201d (in your birthday suit…)\u2014and we know it felt empowering!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Back to the original question<\/a><\/span>
Back to \u00a0list of <\/span>lucid dreams<\/span><\/a> <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","categories":[3042,3041],"class_list":["post-35650","articles","type-articles","status-publish","hentry","category-copy-of-taking-control","category-lucid-dreams-answer"],"acf":{"article_id":"633"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/damwebserver.com\/dreamdoctor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/35650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/damwebserver.com\/dreamdoctor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/damwebserver.com\/dreamdoctor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/articles"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/damwebserver.com\/dreamdoctor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/damwebserver.com\/dreamdoctor\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}