There's No Place Like Home (Except Lucid Dreams, of Course!)

Popular culture has utilized the "dream sequence" as a classic formula for storytelling and entertaining. Dreams themselves are mentioned in all types of media ranging from songs, to art pieces, to movies. Why is the dream so popularized in modern media but not talked about more in day to day interactions? Through this weeks blog, I will attempt to analysis why dreams are the perfect framework for any storytelling medium and how this relates back to learning the art of lucid dreaming.

Released in 1939, The Wizard of Oz quickly became one of the most historically significant movie productions ever released. Considered to be one of the first successful colored films, Dorothy and Toto stole the hearts of Americans as they traveled into a magical world of bright visuals, exciting new creatures, and exhilarating adventures. The Wizard of Oz was not only successful for its plot line, however. Subconsciously, the fact that Dorothy is sleeping in her bed back in Kansas during the duration of the movie adds to the classic effect.

After Dorothy is knocked unconscious during a tornado back on her home farm, she drifts away into the land of Oz. As the movie switches from black and white to color during this moment, it becomes extremely clear that within a dream, everything becomes possible. While Dorothy does not realize she is dreaming during the storm, she does obtain the ability to speak to magical beings and act heroically to save the day from the wicked witch. One of the most overlooked messages from the movie is that dreams are a place of escape, discovery, and resolution. Without dreaming, Dorothy may not have had the capability to unravel her unconscious stresses and defeat her metaphorical nemesis.

In 2010, the movie Inception was released and continued popularizing the infinite inner-workings of dreams. Considerably more dense, Inception lays its plot within the idea that dreams within dreams (and lucid dreaming) can carry a power unlike any other. While lucid dreaming may not actually give you this type of experience, it is intriguing to note how revered it is by Hollywood.

These few examples of dreams being utilized as a frameworks for past and modern works showcase the significance society places on dreams. To gain as much as possible from your own dreams requires the descipline to recognize when they are occuring, to record details, and to analyze its meaning when conscious. If all of these things can be accomplished, then you too may see the world in a brand new color!

Next week, I plan on detailing the scientific research currently being conducted on the practice of lucid dreaming. Most importantly, I wish to generate more confidence in trying to learn the ability and reassure you, the reader, that anyone can accomplish this goal. Feel free to send me comments or contact me in person if you have any more questions regarding how to make that last jump to truly dream in the most beneficial way possible.

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Image provided by Sam Howzit

Image provided by Pierre-Alexandre Garneau

Only a Figment of Imagination?

How can we prove the existence of something if we cannot see, test, or experience it ourselves. Outside of the lucid dreaming community, scrutiny surrounds the legitimacy of the practice and many people claim it simply does not exist. For some, the lack of success in regards to lucid dreaming leads them to believe it cannot be accomplished, and that it is merely fabricated to gain attention. I may not be able to prove that lucid dreaming exists, but I can provide some reassuring facts that justify trying to learn the ability.

Even if someone never achieves the ability to lucid dream, practicing to gain the capability still reaps several benefits. For example, the repetitive nature of trying to lucid dream teaches discipline and encourages memory retention. Additionally, considering the meaning behind dreams (even those that are not lucid) can be beneficial for psychological and emotional improvement. Dreams provide a window into our subconscious stresses, and the focus on such dreams can lead to increased recognition of how to fix real life issues.

Furthermore, practicing lucid dreaming involves the imagination. Even before lucid dreaming is accomplished, it is natural to imagine what the experience is like and how someone would spend that extra time. This continued use of one's imagination can also improve creativity and problem solving skills.

Lastly, continued belief that someone can achieve a lucid dreaming state can help build self confidence and resilience. Believing in something you can't see may seem illogical to some people, but in a greater sense it allows for self-reflection. If someone chooses to disregard lucid dreaming as a myth, it harms no one. They would only be missing out on the opportunity to experience a new situation in which they could have ultimate power with no repercussions.

In my experience, I never struggled with the legitimacy of lucid dreaming because I discovered it on accident before I began any research. On the other hand, I can see why people have doubts. Many argue that lucid dreaming is simply made up by other people, and in a sense this is true. The dreams themselves still come from individuals' brains while they sleep; however, they retain the power to control their dream once they realize they are sleeping. Most people have had at least one dream in their life where they realize they are dreaming. Lucid dreams only require one more step: to remain asleep and realize you can do whatever you want.

In addition, many testimonies are available that advocate for the practice of lucid dreaming. Searching for "lucid dreaming experiences" on the internet yields countless articles and journals detailing the activity. With so many people claiming they can lucid dream, doesn't that add some sort of legitimacy? I truly believe anyone can learn to lucid dream, with a little practice, and that the benefits of learning outweigh the costs. Next week, I plan to show how dreams play a large role in pop culture today and I will highlight a few specific artifacts that rely on dreams to relay bigger messages.

Image Credits (in order of appearance):

Image provided by Ibai

Image provided by Marie-Chantale Turgeon

Everyone Can Improve

As promised, I will showcase an example of my past week's successes, failures, and assumed meanings behind my dreams.  For those of you who have read my blogs since the very beginning, I hope keeping a dream journal really helped in the past week.  If you are just joining in, I mentioned last week to my readers how helpful keeping a record of your dream memories can be when it comes to analyzing their meaning in real life.  Now, finally, down to my example week.

This week was a tough one for me, especially when it came to dreams.  Out of the past seven sleeps, I can only recall three dreams.  In addition, only one of those dreams was a lucid dream. For my first dream, I recorded a voice memo on my iPhone during the wee hours of Sunday morning.  The first thing I said into the microphone was "I did not lucid dream last night."  Frustrating. Regardless, the majority of my recollections from the nighttime wandering dealt with school.  I struggled to find a classroom to take an exam in, I found it impossible to navigate my bike to class, and I received two assignments back as zero percents.  Obviously, this dream needs little analysis.  I was stressed about school during Sunday morning. Why would this be?  Simple: I had a chemistry test on Monday.

After my Chemistry exam was over, I did not remember my dream until Tuesday night's slumber.  My record of the dream is scribbled on an index card next to my bed; however, I do not need the card to remember the dream because it was a lucid dream.  I credit my increased sleep time for encouraging the lucid dream to occur (getting more rest generally makes lucid dreaming come more easily for me).

During the Tuesday night dream, I was sitting atop a small hill during dusk when I noticed that every single tree in the small forest around me was of the same species.  I was so preoccupied by this fact that I suddenly realized that this could not be reality.  Directly after my discovery, I did a fact check. I recalled that my body was asleep in my dorm room and that the next day was Wednesday.  I entered into the forest and wondered what I wanted to do. Unfortunately, I reached no conclusion about what to accomplish with my time in the dream, as no issues were pressing at the time. Instead, I gave in and decided to enjoy my dream.  For the remainder of the dream (which was not very long) I played with my dog in the woods, flew a jet airplane, and watched the sky.

Finally, on Wednesday night, I recorded a dream that was hard to follow and especially confusing to decode.  While I slept, I imagined that I needed to cross a river for some reason, but that I lacked the ability to swim.  I panicked and tried to build a small raft but it fell apart as soon as I entered the waters.  While in the water, I became extremely cold and it reminded me of winter.  The only other part of the dream I can remember is not being able to turn on a lamp on a desk in a room that resembled my dorm room.

While I have yet to decrypt my dream from Wednesday night, this week has shown me that I too can still improve my quality and quantity of lucid dreaming and dream recall.  In addition, many of you may raise the classic question of how can I prove that lucid dreams exist? Next week, I will explore this theoretical question and attempt to persuade non-lucid dreamers that anyone is possible of achieving this goal.

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Image provided by DVIDSHUB

Image provided by Leland Jackson

Dreams Impact Reality

Before I even became interested in the concept of lucid dreaming, I was already intrigued by what dreams meant. Dream retention can callow individuals to break down what their subconscious brain is trying to tell them and devise real-life problem solving techniques. However, before I explain why lucid dreaming can help make your dreams a reality, I want to tell you a story. As an Eagle Scout, I have heard this story numerous times on camping trips, and it is commonly known by many Boy Scouts.

Baden Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts of America, met is wife in a very interesting manner.  To start the story off right, it is important to note that Powell was extremely intrigued by dreams and their meaning. He even kept a dream journal in which he recorded significant or confusing aspects of his nighttime wanderings.

One particular night, he was approached by a bright figure in a dream. Powell recognized that the bright figure as Saint Peter and the figure then asked him to travel to America as soon as possible and spread the idea of Scouting. Baden Powell instantly recorded this dream in his dream journal and contemplated its meaning for a several days. Was he really meant to do this? In the end, Powell felt inspired enough to purchase a boat ticket and prepared to make the journey.

During January of 1912, during the trip to New York to continue the Scouting World Tour, Powell met his future wife Olave St. Clair Soames on the ship. Although he was 55 years old and she was only 23, they shared the same birthday and began to bond. The two became engaged and married soon after! Through this event, the founder of BSA solidified his belief that dreams carried great power. Later in life, he even treated migraines with dream analysis and different sleeping locations throughout his house.

The main takeaway from this story is that without the ability to retain his dream, Baden Powell may have never met his wife who ended up helping the spread of Scouting throughout America. Dream memory is an important skill that can allow one to analyze mental issues and imbalances in life, and to make necessary adjustments.

In relation to this blog, lucid dreaming is claimed to dramatically increase dream retention.  From personal experience, I always remember lucid dreams, while I struggle to remember regular dreams.  Additionally, becoming aware of how important dreams can be encourages me to utilize a dream journal.  Writing a brief description or making an audio recording of a dream immediately after you wake up acts insures so that if you can return to scrutinize your dream later. Most dreams can only be recalled within the first few minutes of waking up, so it is important to put pencil to paper fast!

In the upcoming week, I encourage you to jot down a few main points from your dreams and see if your dream retention begins to improve. Baden Powell benefitted from recalling his dreams, and so can you!  I will showcase an example of how this next weeks successes and failure go for me in the following blog. Stay positive and keep trying!

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Image provided by Tadie88

Image provided by HalinaV