Dear Robert Waggoner,
I came across your books after I started to experience vivid dreams. I dream almost every night for 1 1/2 years now. I remember most of them and write them on a journal. In dreams, I’m fully conscious and it feels real even after I wake up. In most dreams, I take control of my decisions and how to respond to situations consciously. Sometimes, when I speak to dream characters, scenes change (automatically) accordingly to my thoughts and many times, there are voices speaking to me with wisdom. But, the only missing thing is I don’t realize that I’m dreaming. I often see some signs like time (watches, clocks) or mirrors but I never become lucid. There’s one dream that I told myself “let’s check on the wall to see if I’m in a dream” (but I said this automatically like the Me in a dream already realize and lucid but never say it out loud). Once, I touched the wall with cold water running over, instead of realize that I was in a dream, it felt so real especially how cold the water was. I got shocked and I thought it was the reality instead!
I also had experiences of multi layer dreams and precognitive dream but I wasn’t conscious enough to become lucid.
Then, I found your books and I followed instructions…the hands checking and mantra before sleep then for some reason, I hardly recall any dreams anymore. I used to dream 2-3 stories each night and remember most of them. Now, the minute I open my eyes, dreams are gone. During the first week of making intention to become lucid, I also had trouble sleeping. I didn’t even focus intensely before sleep. It was more like making a wish before bed. It’s been 10 days now that I don’t remember any dreams and I feel stuck and foggy in my consciousness like the bridge is jammed.
I’m Buddhist and meditate regularly. I would like to thank you for your amazing works on how you merge dreams with mindfulness. It would be wonderful if you could help explain what is happening to me and solutions. Your reply and suggestions would be very much help.
Thank you very much!
Ellen
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for your note and description of your experience.
Here is my suggestion:
- Do not try to become lucid. So, do not perform any of the lucid dream induction practices.
- Instead, before sleep, tell yourself, “Tonight I will clearly remember the most important dream of the night.” Repeat it softly in your mind, and make it your intent.
- Write down your dream (or dreams).
Many of us can remember “the most important dream” and then see that our regular dreaming continues without any trouble. For you, I feel it is important to return to that understanding, and see that you continue to have regular dreams.
Regarding your experience of trying to lucid dream (and then it appears suddenly having no dream recall), I assume that a connection exists. Since I can only guess as to the reasons why, my first guess would be that you are both attracted to and frightened by the idea of lucid dreaming (which means that you have an inner conflict about it). Or my second guess, lucid dreaming seems like a powerful spiritual practice and this both attracts and concerns you (so again, you have a bit of an inner conflict). The result? You don’t remember anything.
Does that sound a little bit correct?
If so, then you might want to have a conversation with your self and try to resolve the concern or fear. For example, you could tell yourself, “Millions of people have a lucid dream each night this week. It’s easy and natural. There is nothing to be concerned about.”
Or you could read the research paper by Ursula Voss of Lucid Dreaming in German School Children — where she engages 694 German school children between the ages of 6 and 19 — and finds that about 20% of the eight year olds have already had a lucid dream. It’s natural. Of the entire group, about 51% has had at least one lucid dream. For most, it simply happened spontaneously. Again, that means it is natural and okay for you to allow yourself to have a lucid dream. 😉
Hope these suggestions work for you. Lucid wishes!