Communal dream locations

[Pooka]

I just read Erin's article on Naptown, and I was intrigued-- and a little bit shocked, too. This doesn't relate directly to it, but the Naptown post certainly got me thinking about it again.

A few months ago, I was exploring a desert in a lucid dream and happened across a Middle Eastern/Italian-looking city set in a vast valley or crater. I touched down near the greenish pond near the city center and chatted with a lady selling bread in a market stall nearby.

I was then (and I'm still) trying to get a better grasp on lucid dreaming, and I thought it might be interesting to see whether the old woman knew she was a figment in my dream or not. I informed her casually, "you know, all of this is all in my head. I'm making it all up." She replied very stiffly, "you may think so, but you're not the only dreamer to visit our city!"

Needless to say, I was a little upset at this. I clapped my hands and started a thunderstorm, just to prove I was still in control, and flew off in a huff.

Has anyone else had any experiences like this while dreaming lucidly-- have you ever visited a location that gave some indication of being more than just yours? I asked a few of my friends and family members to try to stop by this place, but few of them can dream lucidly. I've returned to the desert since, but I haven't worked up the nerve to revisit the city in the crater. It doesn't feel malevolent or anything-- just slightly foreign.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about this and compare experiences, if you have any!

[Adam]

I have had a couple of different dreams like that, but I wasn't lucid in any of them... One was out in a town after dark, so I can't really describe it, other than there were several two and three story buildings stacked close to each other. The other was in a modern shopping mall, and I was visiting a metaphysical store.

I haven't had one recently, though... but now that you mention it, it certainly is something to try again.

[Pooka]

Hmm, interesting, Adam. If you weren't lucid, how did you manage to pick up on the idea that other dreamers might be able to visit them? Or am I misconstruing your post? Sorry if I am, I'm a touch sleep-addled right now.

[Adam]

Well, I just felt like I was somewhere other than my own dream... and that some of the other characters were conscious people as well. I was on the edge of lucidity, knowing that I was in a dream, but still going with the flow. It wasn't scripted, as few of my dreams really are, but it wasn't a normal near-lucid dream either. It's hard to explain, but while I was dreaming, I knew with the part of me that was conscious that some of the other characters were dreamers as well, and most of them were fully lucid.

[Pooka]

Wow, that's pretty impressive! I didn't get the chance to meet or even sense any other dreamers in the city-- I was a little scared then-- but I'll definately look around the next time I'm there.

[greywolf330]

I think I once had an experience like that before, around six months ago:
I was walking around, when I became lucid for some reason. I was walking around what seemed to be a sort of hangout. It consisted of a bar and some chairs scattered in the open. I saw Somebody sitting in a chair, and for some reason I seemed to know him. I asked him, "Is this a place for lucid dreamers?" He gave a shy nod. I still don't know why I recognized him, almost like a long lost friend, or somebody I had once shared an insightful experience with. I lost lucidity and climbed onto a bicycle to once more have one of those falling dreams that I hate.

This is the only dream where it felt like I was with other people, ones that were also lucid dreaming.

[Pooka]

That's interesting, greywolf, and pretty exciting. My next question for you all is, of course, do you think two lucid dreamers could come in contact with each other through one of these places, even if it were simply by cahnce? Could two (or more) dreamers meet on purpose?

Perhaps, at the very least, dreamers could leave each other messages or tokens in the communal dream spot... as always, I wish I had another person interesting in LD in my house!

I believe Erin's written a bit about contacting others while they sleeps, so this is expanding a bit on that.

Edit: Right after posting this, I discovered the Crossroads experiment webpage. Has anyone had any experience with this site?

[elainevdw]

I've seen the site, but I'm not an accomplished enough lucid dreamer to try it out. It would be interesting to run an experiment through these forums about communal dream locations -- but we'd have to get some experienced dreamers to collaborate on it first!

[Pooka]

Indeed we should! That would be a great project, but, unfortunately, I'm not a good enough of a dreamer to accomplish it yet. I had two almost-lucid experiences last night out of my five dreams. It's frustrating, being so close.

[Paul C]

I'm willing for the experiment, when I gain far more experience of course.

And Pooka, 5 dreams? I'm not sure if I've ever remember that many within a single sleep, maybe 3-4 but not 5. So I think you're on the right track, lucid dreams will soon be yours, no doubt there.

[Pooka]

I had two lucid dreams last night-- my first lucid experiences in a month! I even completed one of my two dream tasks: I found a payphone and asked a dream character on the other end if he knew anything about my communal dream location. Unfortunately, he didn't, but we did have a nice chat and visited a carnival. With pirates!

The second task, of course, is to try to re-find the desert city while lucid.

It seems like we have quite a few people who're interested in this idea. How great! If anyone has any progress or visits any more strange, foreign-feeling locations, post and keep us updated.

[elainevdw]

Sweet! Pirates! Were there any ninjas?

Congrats on the two lucid dreams in one night. You must be thinking about this communal dream location a lot -- the discussion seems to have triggered some dreams for you!

[Pooka]

Nope, no ninjas, unfortunately. I think my subconcious sides in favor of pirates.

Thanks! Had I more time to spare on school day mornings, I think I would use wake-back-to-bed all the time.