Lucidity

A lucid dream, also known as conscious dream, is a dream in which the sleeper is aware that they are dreaming. When the dreamer is lucid, they can actively participate in and often manipulate the imaginary experiences in the dream environment. Lucid dreams can be extremely real and vivid depending on a person's level of self-awareness during the lucid dream.

A lucid dream can begin in one of three ways. A dream-initiated lucid dream (DILD) starts as a normal dream, and the dreamer eventually concludes that they are dreaming, while a wake-initiated lucid dream (WILD) occurs when the dreamer goes from a normal waking state directly into a dream state with no apparent lapse in consciousness. A mnemonic initiated lucid dream (MILD) can happen when the dreamer intentionally affirms him/herself that they will become lucid that night. This can sometimes happen due to dream-signs or spontaneously upon remembrance.

I dream almost every time I fall asleep. At least 98% of the time. They are usually very vivid and very memorable. I have recurring dreams that have been haunting me since my childhood. My mother has always said it is because of my wild imagination, but that has long since departed, and my dreams are becoming more real, so that doesn't make any sense. I started having lucid dreams a few years ago, and I had no idea what was happening to me. I never told anyone about it because I was afraid I would sound crazy. I had never heard of anything like that happening to anyone, unless they were crazy. I soon figured out that the dreams were induced by withdrawals from the medicine I was taking, Effexor. If I didn't take it for a day or two, I would have scary real dreams all night long. I used to make Landon wake me up every ten minutes so I could have some relief. When I fell back asleep, it would happen again. It seemed like there was nothing I could do. I tried to wake myself up by screaming or shaking wildly or pushing and hitting Landon but it was impossible. I finally talked to someone about it at work when I heard them telling someone else about his lucid dreams. I listened to his voice as he told the stories. He was so excited talking about it. You could tell he loved them, the complete opposite of my feelings. So I entered the conversation and since then it has pretty much changed my life. If you've never had a lucid dream, I highly suggest it. You can do anything you want in a lucid dream, even fly. Sean, the lucid lover, told me that at first, he was scared, but soon figured out that he could somewhat control what was going on, so he decided one day that he was going to try to fly. He ran down the road and jumped as high and as long as he could and he sort of floated along for a bit. It was exhilarating he said. He had never felt anything like that before in his life. So I decided I would try it. At first, it was weird. It seemed impossible. Sean insisted that it was, but I wasn't sure. When you're having a lucid dream, everything seems so real, its hard to distinguish dreams from reality. Very hard. And once you wake up, its still hard to realize you're awake. Lucid dreams are so real that you remember them as if they really happened, so I can almost say that I have flown. I ran and jumped off a building and one night and flew, or more glided to the ground, slowly and gracefully, like a pelican. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.

My lucid dreams as of late are very scary though, and I'm having a hard time trying to calm myself down while in them. The fear overwhelms me and I spend most of the dream just trying to wake myself up. I still wouldn't ever give this up. Its fantastic and I love it. I think its made my normal dreams more vivid, if that was even possible. The only problem I do have now, is that its really difficult for me to understand my memories. I never know if they really happened or not. I remember things like riding to the store on my little big wheels tricycle and getting Corn Flakes, which later turned out to be poisoned and everyone died. I remember having a best friend who was an android who was walking me home one time in the rain, and sacrificed herself to keep me dry by giving me her raincoat. I remember getting bitten by a cobra when I was 4 in my neighbour's backyard, being chased around a dark and smokey room full of mirrors by a man with red eyes, being chased into a little village in the middle of a forest by a giant that looked like Graeme Klassen, being cut, stabbed, drawn and quartered, raped and tortured in various other ways. I remember watching my family die by my own hands, them dying by someone else's hands, my father bathing my legless sister head first over the side of the bathtub and much much more. I remember these all as if they really happened. Clear as day. I wonder why I get gifted with such vivid dreams, and they're sick and twisted 75% of the time. I've had a lot of wonderful dreams, but mostly sick and twisted, or, full of adultery and sex. *sigh*