Lucid Dreaming Lucid Waking Lucid Being
Lucid Dreaming Lucid Waking Lucid Being
Summary
“Individuation” (in a Jungian sense) refers to a type of psychic growth,
through which the fragmented self becomes more whole through a process
of integration. Lucid dreaming also involves a kind of “individuation,” in
that for the lucid dreamer, two disparate "selves," the waking self and the
dream self, integrate to some extent into an expanded "lucid dreaming self."
In lucid dreaming the waking self, dormant during ordinary dreaming,
becomes activated and integrated with the dreaming self. In a similar way,
in lucid waking, the dreaming self becomes activated and integrated with
the waking self in waking life, making available an enhanced sense of
Beingness, as well as abilities not available to the waking self normally. As in
lucid dreaming, in the beginning stages this state of consciousness often
proves unstable, both as to duration as well as to the degree of integration
achieved.
A “lucid waker” will experience both the physical and dreaming worlds
simultaneously to some degree. As the dreaming world seems predominantly
a world of meaning, this overlay will also result in experiencing more – or at
least meaningfully intending more – with regard to what comes through the
physical senses. In theory, effective healers and people who demonstrate
high functioning psi in the waking state must to some extent experience
lucid waking in order to do what they do, either in healing, or in perceiving
psi information. When healers see auras, they may well do so by looking at
the world through their “dream eyes,” as well as through their physical eyes.
Waking precognitive or remote viewing visions may provide useful psi
information. This workshop will explore methods for developing enhanced
Lucid Beingness in both waking and dreaming states.
Introduction
"Ordinary" States of Consciousness
First, let's take a look at a basic diagram that depicts different consciousness
states. (For more information on this model – including more diagrams - see
the "The Lucidity Continuum" )
Figure 1 uses a simple two dimensional model of consciousness to
represent key aspects for three different "ordinary" states as I experience
them. In this diagram, the area inside the parabola represents the field of
consciousness, and the area outside corresponds to "physical" reality. The
transparency or opaqueness of the limiting line of the parabola at the
bottom indicates awareness or non-awareness of the physical world. The
illuminated area within the parabola represents the light of awareness that
defines the self as experienced and the functioning available to it, which for
my waking consciousness seems mostly cognitive.
The bubble of awareness represents the "conscious self" for any particular
state. Obviously this "conscious self" for waking can vary markedly from the
"conscious self" for dreaming. Because of the phenomenon of state specific
learning, this could explain the poor dream recall experienced by many, as
the result of "bubbles of awareness" for the states of "ordinary waking" and
"ordinary dreaming" having little or no overlap. This may also explain why
lying comfortably in bed after waking up (in an intermediary state) can
facilitate the development of dream recall.
The waking self brings in the thinking aspect, the dreaming self the feeling
aspect, and the spiritual self the knowing/creating aspect. Full lucidity
requires a balance between all three aspects. In lucid dreams the waking
ego does not exist separately, but has become an integrated and valued
aspect of a greater lucid dreaming self. In lucid dreams the waking self
integrates with the dreaming self, bringing enhanced waking state cognitive
abilities to the dreamer.
Many people think that lucid waking involves more of the same – more
mindfulness, more thoughtfulness, more conscious awareness brought into
the waking state. But this kind of “lucid waking” does not require
individuation with other aspects of self, but rather an amplification of
characteristics already present in the waking self, and not the integration of
other, different, aspects of one's greater Beingness.
In lucid waking as I define it, the dreaming self integrates with the waking
self in WPR, bringing an enhanced sense of meaning, beingness, and dream
state abilities to the "lucid waker," normally not available to the waking self.
As in lucid dreaming, in the beginning stages lucid waking usually proves
unstable, both as to duration as well as to the degree of integration
achieved.
Now, in lucid dreams when the waking self tries to dominate the dreaming
self, this usually results in either the lucid dreamer waking up after a very
short experience, or the dreamer having a lucid but powerless dream (can’t
fly, or even move, for example), where dreaming self abilities become
unavailable because the waking self aspect has overpowered, rather than
integrated with, the dreaming self.
I spent some years studying and working with Jack Schwarz, respected not
only for his validated healing and clairvoyant talents, but for his mind-body
abilities. In the 1970’s Jack demonstrated mind over matter effects to
incredulous scientists in laboratories at the Menninger Foundation and the
Langley Porter Institute. For example, while hooked up to an array of
electrodes, he would first roll a 6 inch sailmaker's needle on the floor “to
sterilize it”, and then after placing himself in a state of deep meditation,
push it right through his biceps, and out the other side. After leaving it in for
a few seconds, he would remove it. So long as he maintained this meditative
state, he would not bleed, and incredibly within seconds the holes would
disappear, as if “drawn tight by invisible purse strings.”
Back in 1979, while walking to lunch with Jack, he offhandedly told me that
it seemed normal for him to see "dreams on the walls" during the day - a
comment that began my interest in lucid waking. Most of us apparently only
experience dreams at night, but there exists some evidence that they
continue during the day, but we just don’t notice them - any more than we
notice the moon in the sky during the day as contrasted with during the
night. Jack had learned to tell the difference between waking dreams and
waking reality perceptions, and I believe that a large part of his
extraordinary abilities derived from a lucid waking state that he could enter
into at will.
Conclusion
As I see it, the "Reality Matrix" works something like a video game, one that
we have chosen to play. However, it apparently imposes so many
limitations on the players that, according to some religious sources, success
(winning the game by achieving “enlightenment”), may take tens of
thousands of lifetimes to achieve.
In the movie, Morpheus described The Matrix as “a prison that you cannot
smell or taste or touch. A prison . . . for your mind." This view may derive
from the teachings of G. I. Gurdjieff who repeatedly reminded his students
that "If a man in prison was at any time to have a chance of escape, then
he must first of all realize that he is in prison." However, this realization
only marks the beginning of lucidity, just as recognizing that one dreams
only marks the beginning of lucidity for a dreamer.
Learning to face our fears – and learning how to transcend them – may
constitute one of the most important lessons that we need to learn in life.
Both lucid dreaming and lucid waking provide valuable venues and
opportunities for learning this lesson. We can choose to consciously choose
to de-limit ourselves, to expand our horizons and our perceptions, learning
how to see through the illusion and to perceive deeper layers of reality
beneath. In short, to become MORE LUCID, MORE WHOLE, whether
awake, asleep, or dreaming.
I opened this workshop by quoting a Hermetic maxim, to which I'll now give
my own interpretation: "When the Below corresponds to the Above, and the
Above corresponds to the Below, this will accomplish the miracle of the One
Thing."
Perhaps the “miracle of the One Thing” refers to the realization of a Super-
Lucid Self, where the waking self, dreaming self, and spiritual self aspects
align and integrate, no longer fragmented, to create a Greater Whole. If so,
the ancient alchemists and I share the same goal.
2. The LDIT. If you have a lucid dream, ask for guidance on a subject that
interests you, and then look for an answer to show up in the dream
environment, using the Lucid Dream Information Technique.
2. Look for omens and portents. Ask for guidance on a subject that
interests you, very much as you would in a lucid dream, and then look for an
answer to show up through a waking life event. For example, while at home
you might wonder whether to invest in a certain start-up company, and ask
for guidance. You walk out the door and see a dead duck on the sidewalk, or
alternatively, you might see a healthy baby held by a loving mother.
You can also intentionally make use of oracles, which can seem as easy as
opening a book randomly and blindly placing your finger on a passage to get
an answer, or simply stepping outside and looking at the shape of passing
clouds. If you want to do things a little more formally, feel free to use any
method of divination that appeals to you - casting the runes, doing a Tarot
Card reading, tossing coins to determine an I Ching hexagram, etc. Also,
feel free to download and add a divination app to your cell phone or iPod if
you feel so inclined, a variety exist, many of them free.
5. Peper, E., Kawakami, M., and Wilson, V.S. (2005). “The Physiological
correlates of body piercing by a yoga master: Control of pain and bleeding.”
Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine Journal. 14(3), 223-237. (PDF file of
this paper available by e-mail from alef1@msn.com )