Lucid Dreaming

Expository Essay

Nate Czech

Lucid Dreaming Deep within the human mind, the desire to have the ability to experience/exhibit awareness and even control during a dream has plagued us. And since the late 1960‟s, the somewhat simple „solution‟ has been available to the general public, which is, of course, (induced) lucid dreaming. Most people with no knowledge on the subject would dismiss the possibility of Lucid Dreams a falsehood, but in reality their existence is well established, and has been researched and proven scientifically, as will be elaborated upon in a latter portion of this text. So what exactly is Lucid Dreaming? The proper definition of a lucid dream is “A dream in which one is aware that one is dreaming,” but it can really be much more than that. The term lucid itself means “characterized by clear perception or understanding”, which is slightly more meaningful that just „awareness‟. Lucid dreams can be realistic and vivid, very much so that sometimes people don‟t realize they are dreaming (yes, a little contradictory) which are called false awakenings. A false awakening usually entails waking up in your dream, and many times going through daily routines, like getting dressed, eating breakfast, etc. False awakenings predominantly end in the subject realizing he/she is dreaming, and losing control from there on out. Numerous wonder, “What would it be like in a Lucid Dream?” It would be similar to the film „Inception‟ (which was actually based on the Idea of Lucid Dreaming) other than the obvious fact that one could not communicate with anyone from the outside world, not entirely. Someone could have a conversation with somebody from their memory, but it would just be a projection of their sub consciousness. In a lucid dream, there is an increased amount of activity in the parietal lobes, which is what makes it a conscious experience. Celia Green's 1968 study “Lucid Dreams” was the first book to recognize the scientific potential of lucid dreams. She came to the conclusion that lucid dreams were a category of experience distinct from ordinary dreams, and predicted that they would turn out to be associated with REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. REM sleep is when the eyes shift rapidly when a person is dreaming. Scientific research has found that these eye movements may correspond to the direction the dreamer "looks" at in the dreamscape. This has enabled trained lucid dreamers to communicate with researchers while dreaming by using eye movement signals. The first evidence of this type was produced late 1970s by Keith Hearne, a British parapsychologist. A volunteer named Alan Worsley used eye movements to signal the onset of lucidity, which were recorded by a polysomnograph machine. There are two main ways to initiate a lucid dream. The first is involuntary, which is a dream-induced lucid dream. A dream-induced lucid dream begins as a normal dream, and the dreamer eventually concludes it is a dream. The second is a wake-induced lucid dream, which occurs when the subject goes from a normal waking state directly into dream state, with no lapse in consciousness. The second usually occurs deliberately, with the use of one of many methods of which only one will be discussed. Keep in mind this is just one method of many, none of

Expository Essay

Nate Czech

which are proven better than others. Quote: “Lie down and go to sleep. This works best if you are extremely tired. Lie on your back with your arms at your side and eyes closed. STAY PERFECTLY STILL. You must stay awake. Your brain will send signals to your body to see if you are ready to sleep. These signals include: getting an itch, changing your body position, wanting to blink or move your eyeballs (remember your eyes should be closed). YOU MUST IGNORE ALL OF THESE IMPULSES. After about 20-30 minutes you will feel a weight on your chest; you may even hear weird noises. You are now in sleep paralysis, if you open your eyes you will begin to hallucinate (dream with your eyes open) and you will not be able to move your body. Your body is now completely asleep. Now that you are aware you are dreaming, you can shut your eyes and begin to dream instantly. You will be fully aware you are dreaming and can now (with some practice) control your dreams.” End quote. In conclusion, Lucid Dreams are indeed scientifically and statistically proven, and if mastered can significantly improve the interestingness (yes, it is a word) of a dream. They have been theorized to be treatment to those who suffer from nightmares, depression, etc. Many use it as a form of meditation, some Tibetan Monks use a form of it called „Dream yoga‟. It can be a retreat from the daily world of reality and routine, and, to be honest, everybody wishes they could have the experience portrayed in „Inception‟.