Are you sure you are lucid?

[loic]

Hi folks,

Just a quick question that has been bugging me?

How do you know you are lucid dreaming and not dreaming that you are lucid dreaming?

Having experienced both, I am pretty sure this is one of the traps you can fall in.

[MiBeloved]

In lucid dreams there is objective rational consciousness which is not present in dreaming about lucid dreaming where you just go along with whatever happens as if you are watching a movie and lost in it or as if you are entralled and captivated by a series of images.

[Anagogy]

Originally Posted by loic

Hi folks,

Just a quick question that has been bugging me?

How do you know you are lucid dreaming and not dreaming that you are lucid dreaming?

Honestly, I never knew there was a difference...

If you are dreaming and you are thinking the thought, "hey I'm dreaming right now," then generally, that means you are aware of the fact you are dreaming, which by definition would be a state of lucid dreaming. Its kinda one of those "you either know you're dreaming, or you don't" kind of scenarios. If you have a dream you are lucid dreaming, you are still lucid dreaming in other words.

Now, there are degrees of lucidity.

Things like:

• How logical are your thoughts?
  
• How focused are you?
  
• How much control over the dream environment do you have?
  
• Can you access your awake memories?

These are the type of questions which tell me how lucid I was.

Its important to get in the habit of performing a logical analysis of your state, when you come to the realization that you are dreaming. Turning this into a ritual will oftentimes increase the degree of clarity and control of your consciousness in your dreams.

[Albalida]

My gauge is, how satisfied/empowered did you feel upon waking? If very, then yes... even if this, erm, may kind of include the "false lucid dreams" where you dream of having powers but don't know that you're dreaming. If not so much, then no... even if this, uh, includes the "low level lucid dreams" where you know you're dreaming, but all you can remember wanting to do is go up to dream characters and say 'Ha you're not real' instead of other cooler pre-planned lucid stuff.

[pc99]

Originally Posted by Anagogy

Honestly, I never knew there was a difference...

If you are dreaming and you are thinking the thought, "hey I'm dreaming right now," then generally, that means you are aware of the fact you are dreaming, which by definition would be a state of lucid dreaming. Its kinda one of those "you either know you're dreaming, or you don't" kind of scenarios. If you have a dream you are lucid dreaming, you are still lucid dreaming in other words.

A few years ago I didn’t either.

I have had lucid dreams since I was a teenager. I don’t have them often, probably only 4 times a year. However, lately I’ve had a few experiences where my dream persona is lucid in a dream. This is a different experience. It’s almost like it’s 2 levels down. It’s not me lucid, it’s my dream me lucid in a dream.

Reading your degrees of lucidity I did notice one big difference between when it’s me lucid and when it’s my dream persona lucid. The difference would be the focus – when I’m lucid dreaming I wish to take control and do something out of the ordinary; when it’s my dream persona it’s more low key and almost trying to figure out what’s going on.

It’s hard to describe this; but, I guess it’s equally hard to describe a lucid dream to someone that’s never experienced one.

Thanks for your post because the degrees of lucidity was very helpful