This is Not a Lucid Dream

Image by Eunice Stahl.

Dream of the Week: This is Not a Lucid Dream

This week's dream is an experience of False Awakening, which is when you dream that you have woken up, but you're still asleep!

This experience happens quite often to those with high dream recall and lucid dreamers. It's always good practice to ask yourself if you are dreaming each time you wake up so that you have a better chance of catching these False Awakenings.

Anyway, this is a funny little dream to help demonstrate how our minds can trick us out of lucidity!

Dream #1533
This is Not a Lucid Dream

I wake up slowly from a vivid dream I was just having and sit up in bed (though not my real life bed or bedroom - the first clue!). I take in the scene, but nothing unusual strikes me. My partner is sleeping soundly next to me, and everything seems in order. I lay back down intending to become lucid in my next dream and quietly count my breaths.

Soon, I feel entirely relaxed and know that I will soon be in a dream. I imagine rocking my body without actually moving it to help get me into a lucid state. It works! The vision of motion becomes the dream, and I'm able to get out of bed even though I'm aware I'm still asleep.

I rub my hands together to further stabilize the dream (a common technique in lucid dreaming), hold my hands on the floor to "ground" it, and shout out loud, "Stabilize! Stabilize!" I want this dream to be as clear and stable as possible, so I do all the techniques.

My partner sits up in the bed and says, "What are you doing? Why are you yelling?"

"Wait. What? You can hear me? I'm not in a dream?" I ask.

"No, this is not a lucid dream."

I sheepishly get off the floor and crawl back into bed, feeling pretty silly about yelling into nothing and being caught for it.

And then I wake up for real. 🤣

Note: I took a lucid dreaming supplement called Galantamine on Saturday night to boost my chances of becoming lucid. It’s quite effective for me!

Weekly Stats:

23 Total, 06 Lucid

• ⚡️ 1,528 - Wing Ride
• 💭 1,529 - English Professor
• 💭 1,530 - Train Station Lockers
• 💭 1,531 - 90 Days
• 🤣 1,532 - Awkward Microphone Use
• 🤣 1,533 - This is Not a Lucid Dream
• 💭 1,534 - Swimming with Dolphins
• ⏱ 1,535 - Moving to West Virginia
• 💭 1,536 - Old Dog, Old House
• 💭 1,537 - Show Me the Data
• 💭 1,538 - How Could You?
• ⏱ 1,539 - Sad Rooms
• 💭 1,540 - Rude Hospitality
• ⚡️ 1,541 - Will Smith, Through the Walls*
• 🤣 1,542 - Party at the Neighbor's*
• ⚡️ 1,543 - "Always be a Dreamer"*
• ⚡️ 1,544 - Chased Through Ornaments*
• ⚡️ 1,545 - Tobey Maguire, Raver Bedroom*
• 💭 1,546 - Gaming Launch Event*
• ⚡️ 1,547 - Train, Falling, Bear, Mirror*
• 💭 1,548 - Family Drive to Iceland*
• 💭 1,549 - Accidental Unplug*
• 💭 1,550 - Filmed at a Dark Club*
• 🕷 1,551 - Terror House

⚡️Lucid, ⏱Recurring, 🤣Silly, 🕷Nightmare

*Night with Galantamine Use

“What are you doing? Why are you yelling?”

— Dream #1,535

Dive into Bed, Come out of Pool

Image by Allison McCarthy (me!)

Dream of the Week: Dive into Bed, Come out of Pool

I'm snorkeling in the ocean with some other people, focused on taking pictures of the fantastic, colorful fish. Suddenly, I'm pulled out of the water and find myself back in my childhood home, standing in front of a bed. I had so much fun snorkeling with the fish that I feel an extreme sense of urgency to get back there right away! I look out the window of the bedroom and see a pool in the backyard. It occurs to me that the pool is where I must have just been swimming. I think there must be a kind of portal from the pool to the bedroom, and the only way I can get back in the water is if I "jump" into the bed.

At first, I'm unsure if it will work and pitifully plop into the bed only to bounce right back up. I'm still so convinced that this will work, I ignore the first failure and try again, diving into the beg again, this time with full confidence. And it works! I disappear into the sheets and come up from the surface of the pool in the backyard. It's thrilling! I splash about with utter joy, walking out of the pool laughing. I have a slight inclination that could be a dream, but never actually become lucid. I notice a glowing light over by the fence and go to check it out. When I get to the fence, I see the back door to the house is open and wonder if I should go inside. I wake up.

Note: Non-lucid dreams can be just as fun! Even though I was nearly lucid, knowing this situation was special, I still had so much fun in this dream. I woke up with the same sense of amazement and delight. Carry these feelings with you!

Weekly Stats:

13 Total, 02 Lucid

• 👏 1,515 - Dive into Bed, Come out of Pool
• 💭 1,516 - Luxury Airplane
• 💭 1,517 - Cabin Mystery
• 💭 1,518 - I Need to Tell You Something
• ⚡️ 1,519 - Creative Ocean
• 💭 1,520 - Office Weddings
• 🎨 1,521 - Miniature Escape Game
• 💭 1,522 - Lucid Dream Definition
• 🎨 1,523 - Fantasy Story
• ⚡️ 1,524 - Ferarri Boat
• ⏱ 1,525 - Winter Storm Landing
• 💭 1,526 - Gathering of the Past
• 💭 1,527 - Whimsical Hotel Check-In

⚡️Lucid, ⏱Recurring, 🎨Creative, 👏Great One

Terry Crews, Dream Guide

Image by Helena Lopes

Dream of the Past: Terry Crews, Dream Guide

Pulling another one from the archives this week, because it’s just so memorable! This dream is one of my all-time favorites.

Dream #0081
Terry Crews, Dream Guide
July 2018

I am jumping off the fire escape and running down a city block, unsure of what I am running from. I come across a fenced-in alley area and meet up with Terry Crews. I have a mild sense of lucidity at this point but I don't question why he's there with me.

We then run together to some unknown place and I feel like we're simply running away from the darkness of the night. We turn a corner and run down a hill where a group of slime monsters are in our way. We stop dead in our tracks and I am afraid. These alien monsters are oozing with scary bug features that are constantly moving and morphing into frightening shapes. These creatures solidify my lucidity - this has to be a dream! ⚡️

I turn to Terry who nods with a smile. I turn back around to the creatures knowing that I must give them love. I shout that I love them and that they were wonderful creatures. I shout that I am not afraid. Suddenly the creatures turn into a group of small horses and run off up a hill and out of sight. I am thrilled!

I turn back to Terry and ask him "Who are you? What do you represent?" He doesn't say anything, looking at me blankly. I ask him again, "What do you represent?" He kind of glazes over and says, "I am the one that brought you here." I'm shocked and delighted by his response and wake up.

ProTip: Hug your nightmare figures! They can transform into something magical in your dream and heal something hidden in your life.

Weekly Stats:

19 Total, 01 Lucid

• 💭 1,496 - Executive Visit
• ⏱ 1,497 - Leaving
• 💭 1,498 - Pet Boa Constrictor
• 💭 1,499 - Club Performance
• 💭 1,500 - Shopping Incident
• 💭 1,501 - Lost in the Amusement Park
• 💭 1,502 - Left in the Parking Garage
• 💭 1,503 - Possessed Teddy Bear
• ⏱ 1,504 - Coyote False Awakening
• 💭 1,505 - Sleepover Mansion
• 🤣 1,506 - At the Mall with Wes Craven
• 💭 1,507 - Restaurant Car Thief
• 💭 1,508 - Dangerous Supply Drop
• ⚡️ 1,509 - Lucid Dream Dipping
• 💭 1,510 - Faulty Subway Line
• 💭 1,511 - 1,000 Dreamers
• 💭 1,512 - We'll Miss Breakfast
• 💭 1,513 - Over Crowded Cafeteria
• 🤣 1,514 - Parachute to Set

⚡️Lucid, ⏱Recurring, 🤣Silly

Light Magic, Dark Magic

Image by Josh Marshall

Dream of the Week: Light Magic, Dark Magic

It’s an expansive open hillside with an eerie quiet that often accompanies the anticipation of a big, destructive event. Something is about to happen. The guard is marching forward in steady confidence, and I am in line, ready. We climb a hill and see our enemy in the distance — two sides, two lines, ready to face battle. The moment before the charge, we both hang in electric silence. And then chaos.

The front lines rush to meet in the middle, where weapons collide, and blood sheds. The power over darkness and light hangs in the balance, with both sides fighting for control. On the side of light, I am pushing forward, keeping my watch on the edges of our line, ready for a surprise attack from the side. A mysterious figure dressed in black appears and rushes toward me with impenetrable determination. There’s only one way forward - to rush toward it with matching fervor knowing there can be no winner in this dual.

While the war wages on elsewhere, we face each other head to head. As he runs, he lifts his hands to emit a black magic smoke, and I raise mine to emit a white magic smoke in response. At the moment right before our magic and our bodies collide, an understanding that we will “cancel” each other out” washes over me. We will both be transported somewhere else and will we “die” here. I am unafraid as the force of our impact opens a window to somewhere else, waking me up.

ProTip: Galantamine is a supplement that can be used to induce lucid dreams. I took 8mg on Saturday during a week-long dream workshop.

Weekly Stats:

26 Total, 11 Lucid

• ⚡️ 1,470 - Sucked out of a Nightmare
• ⚡️ 1,471 - Family Swim Time
• 🤣 1,472 - The Masked Employee
• 🤣 1,473 - Batman YouTube Clip
• 💭 1,474 - Ambulance
• 💭 1,475 - Cash Tip
• 💭 1,476 - Police Raid
• 🕷 1,477 - Shocking Abandonment
• 💭 1,478 - Stuck in a Hole
• 💭 1,479 - Apology
• 💭 1,480 - Compromised Bank Account
• ⚡️ 1,481 - "Perfect" Meditation Spot
• 👏 1,482 - Light Magic, Dark Magic
• 💭 1,483 - Night Office Escape*
• ⚡️ 1,484 - Cartoon Flying*
• ⚡️ 1,485 - Ikea Catalogue*
• ⚡️ 1,486 - High School Friend*
• 💭 1,487 - Calm Kayaking*
• ⚡️ 1,488 - Dream People in a Room*
• ⚡️ 1,489 - Office Mirrors*
• ⚡️ 1,490 - Magdalla*
• ⚡️ 1,491 - Ice Cream Pop*
• 🕷 1,492 - Something is Wrong*
• ⚡️ 1,493 - Dance Circle Physicist
• 💭 1,494 - Product Leak
• 🎨 1,495 - Chemistry Ship

⚡️Lucid, 🤣Silly, 🎨Creative, 🕷Nightmare 👏 Great One *Night of Galantamine Use

October Dream Summary

I keep extensive dream spreadsheets that track 85 different dreamy metrics. I like to see where I can find patterns and better understand how I dream and how I can become lucid more often. I love the data!⁠ ⁠ I also love to do little reports for myself each month. In October, I recorded 88 total dreams, 80 of which were regular (or non-lucid) and 8 were lucid dreams.⁠ ⁠ That's down from my average per month (on average about 18% of my dreams are lucid). I attribute this dip in lucid goodness to getting lazy with the practices and feeling stressed out at work. Stress and laziness are dream killers!⁠ ⁠ As always, practice makes perfect. When I practice more and pay attention more, I have more lucid dreams. You can too!⁠

---

1,482

All-Time Total
As of October 31, 2019
Since June 7, 2018

88

October Total
September - 70
August - 81

80

October Regular
September - 64
August - 70

08

October Lucid (9%)
September - 8 (11%)
August - 11 (14%)

Panic on the Tram

Image by Luiz Felipe

Dream of the Week: Panic on the Tram

I’m on a crowded tram from the airport to an unknown city. We’ve just come out of a tunnel, and an older woman is struggling to open a window to get some air. The window is stuck, and she gets flustered. We get to the first tram stop, but the door is jammed. The woman panics, rushing around the tight space erratically.

The situation seems fine, and I feel very calm. I feel bad that the woman is worked up. I know just a few deep breaths will help her. I maneuver my way to her and grab her hand that is still wrestling with the window. I hold it tightly and stand next to her, letting her know that it will be OK. She squeezes back, and we take a few deep breaths together.

I tell her a technician will fix the doors soon and that she can focus on breathing. She calms down and is immediately grateful. The tram moves forward with the door still stuck, and she gets worries again. I tell her that I will get off with her at the next step, and we can come back here together so we can get her back on her way together. I carry her to a seat in the front of the tram so she can see out the window while we ride to the next stop. I wake up feeling so happy for being there for her.

Note: Dream Characters are thought to be a representation of you. Helping them can be a cathartic experience. Always be kind.

Weekly Stats:

12 Total, 0 Lucid

• 💭 1,457 - Drinks After Work
• ⏱ 1,458 - Fifth Time in Grad School
• 💭 1,459 - Singapore Hotel
• 💭 1,460 - Meditation Store
• 👏 1,461 - Panic on the Tram
• 🤣 1,462 - R/GA Kiss Cam
• 🤣 1,463 - Ian & Patrick in the Park
• 🤣 1,464 - Swimming Baby Ghost
• 💭 1,465 - Epic Fight at Work
• 💭 1,466 - Mudslide Hike
• ⏱ 1,467 - Used to Live in Your Dorm
• 💭 1,468 -Movie Outfit Change

⏱Recurring, 🤣Silly, 👏 Great One

The Shelves

Image by Angelina

Dream of the Week: The Shelves (or Shocked it’s a Dream!)

I'm outside a shared backyard area with several homes leading out into the yard. I've left the back door to my house open and notice several other back doors open as well. I'm sitting on the ground, tending to something in the grass when I see a giant cardboard flying through the sky like a plane. A cat jumps out of it, landing in the trees nearby.

I'm super confused and wonder if this might very well be a dream. I'm pretty doubtful but do a reality check anyway. I look at my hand to see if my fingers look extra gangly or if they're moving like wavy noodles. Nope, my hands look normal. I like to follow-up a hand check by pulling on my finger to see if it stretches. In a dream, it elongates like silly putty. To my utter surprise, it stretches out in colorful bands. Even though I frequently become lucid, this time felt particularly surprising and so delightfully unbelievable. ⚡️

Lucid, I feel overwhelming joy and curiosity about where I am. There are apartments covered in vines all around me, so I decide to fly up to a vine. I think that if I launch myself up from here, I will boost to another place entirely. I rock to the left and count, 1...2...3… and launch myself back into the sky… and hit a giant wooden shelving unit. Not really my goal.

I decide to keep going forward and push through the back of the shelf. I break through the wall and encounter… another wooden wall. I push through the next wall and break into a large wooden room filled with shelves packed with books, toys, and stuffed animals.

There's so much to see here! I love this playful room and can't wait to see all the things. I climb through the wall and put my hand on the floor to "hold" the dream in place even though it's already stable, vivid, and clear. I look closer at a row of books to check out the titles for exciting clues. I remember how unstable words are in dreams, knowing that if I look at them, they'll be gibberish and scramble up. Words never stay put and are equally hard to remember, so I don't want to linger on words for very long.

The first book I see is light blue with the title, "Wilks Girl." I look away for a moment and wake up.

ProTip: No matter how much you think you might be awake, you might actually be dreaming! Test your reality several times so you can be absolutely certain.

Weekly Stats:

18 Total, 03 Lucid

• 💭 1,439 - Didn't Write the Jokes
• 💭 1,440 - Neighbor's Airbnb
• 💭 1,441 - Bully Brother
• 💭 1,442 - Phone Call
• 💭 1,443 - Old Man Teeth
• 💭 1,444 - Chicken Blame
• 💭 1,445 - Filtered Water
• 💭 1,446 - Job Levels
• 💭 1,447 - Website Critique
• ⚡️ 1,448 - The Shelves
• ⚡️ 1,449 - In the Basement
• 💭 1,450 - Hazardous Jellyfish
• 💭 1,451 - Interview in India
• 💭 1,452 - Colorful X-Ray
• ⚡️ 1,453 - Lucid Swimming
• 💭 1,454 - Nice Ballet Shoes
• 💭 1,455 - The Real Beach
• 💭 1,456 - Medicine Run

⚡️Lucid

Sky Mask, Tall Men, River Boats

Image by Andrew Ly

Dream of the Week: Sky Mask, Tall Men, River Boats

This lucid dream is actually from last week, but you’re not keeping track, so I’m breaking the rules, again. The usual suspects of lucid dream disruption came to be this week including lazy mindfulness, weak intentions, and stress at work, and going to bed far too late. It always amazes me how easily I can tell the difference between a healthy, mindful week and a messy, cluttered week, just by looking at my dreams.

October 6, 2019
Dream #1420
Sky Mask, Tall Men, River Boats
(I couldn’t think of a better title)

I'm lying awake in bed at dawn, quietly dangling between wakefulness and sleep, otherwise known as hypnagogia. Before long, I’m pulled into a dark and barely forming dream scene. ⚡️ I’m in the passenger seat of a car, but I can just barely see. Although lucid, I struggle to gain control. In an effort to stabilize, I clumsily crawl out of the front window and jump into a pitch black sky. There's nothing to see here and I get the feeling that the dream has yet to catch up to me.

I decide to do nothing and see what happens. In the vast darkness, a gigantic face emerges. It's a red stylized mask with a devil vibe to it. (See Hannya). It’s speaking to me but I can’t hear it. I try to speak back, but I can’t hear my own voice. I fall back and land in cluttered room.

The room is wobbly and hazy so, I try various techniques to stabilize the dream. First, I shout, “stabilize!” Then, I rub my hands together which settles the room. I put my hands on the floor as if to “hold” the dream in place. This does the trick and I finally feel stable in the room.

The walls are painted blue with hardwood floors and stuff against the walls. It feels like a workshop. I notice two impossibly tall, lanky men standing nearby. One is ominous with black, gangly hair (think Noel Fielding). Another is a tree-person hybrid. I approach the ominous guy and his eyes bulge out of his head like something out of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It's cartoonish and frightening but not really threatening.

The tree man swoops me up and looks at me delightfully. I ask him who he is. He says something like “baklava” but corrects himself with something equally silly that I don't understand. We both laugh at his gibberish. He walks me outside down a hill, places me down, and disappears.

The scene shifts and I'm on a river boat floating behind several boats in a group. A 10 year old Indian girl 10 is is sitting in front of me, rowing the boat. We’re at the end of the tour and come to a fork in the river. We're meant to go left and return, but she wants to go right to show me the flowers. We paddle to the right revealing an immensely beautiful area covered in marigolds of pink, orange, and red. As we paddle through the flowers, we come to local river boats. She has a crush on a boy in one of the boats and I realize why she wanted to come here. She paddles to his boat and they hug. I think it's very cute and wake up.

Note: Doing “nothing” can lead to surprising dream experiences. Sometimes, go into it with no goals at all and see what happens!

Weekly Stats:

17 Total, 0 Lucid

• 🎨 1,422 - Dust Artist
• 🤣 1,423 - Royal Oprah Sleepover
• ⏱ 1,424 - Parking Lot Crash
• 💭 1,425 - Jungle Course
• ⏱ 1,426 - Acting Studio
• 💭 1,427 - Antarctic Cargo Ship
• 💭 1,428 - Tropic Theft
• 🕷 1,429 - Escape the City
• 💭 1,430 - Chris Pratt Sadness
• 💭 1,431 - Pregnant Colleague
• 💭 1,432 - Going to the Pool
• 💭 1,433 - Christmas Ride
• 💭 1,434 - City Bus Delay
• 🎨 1,435 - Liquid Telekinesis
• 💭 1,436 - Neighborhood Walk
• 💭 1,437 - Family Cover Up
• 💭 1,438 - Headline News

⏱Recurring, 🤣Silly, 🎨Creative, 🕷Nightmare

The Shadow Bear

Dream of the Week: The Shadow Bear

Quick Setup: This week, I doubled up on prioritizing great sleep for myself. September was far too busy and I desperately needed to refocus my attention on duration and quality of sleep. my recall was through the roof! 32 dreams in a single week is the highest I’ve ever recorded with multiple nights seeing 6+ dreams. When I get out of sleep-balance and then re-attune myself, the benefits are immediately known. Prioritizing great sleeps leads to happier days and even better dreams! Always focus on great sleep and get more of it!

Dream #1,400
The Shadow Bear

⚡️ I'm lying in bed, sensing that the conditions are right for a waking induced lucid dream (WILD). I begin hearing distant buzzing sounds and realize that I'm on the right track. I'm able to maintain a strict body position and stay focused. I soon feel the sensation of being pulled forward, and the buzzing sound gets louder, signaling that I'm going into a dream. The scene is dark but forming. I see small purple lights above me as though I am passing through a tunnel.

Eventually, I come out of the tunnel and into a fully realized city scene in the middle of an overcast day. With lucid awareness, I'm sitting up in a bed that is floating above the city streets. I'm wearing a long, flowing black dress. I crawl around the bed, look at the city, and think about what to do next. The bed disappears, and day becomes night.

Now on the ground, I explore the city streets looking to chat with dream characters. I encounter a woman who seems slightly afraid of me when I say hello. She doesn't have much to say. I keep waking and notice clusters of plain white billboards stacked on top of each other up the sides of buildings. Hovering just above me is a cluster of closed umbrellas in different colors, all covered in water drops. I have no idea what to make of it.

I walk toward the end of a city block and encounter another woman. She seems to have a lively quality to her, so I say hello. She tells me that she doesn't have anything interesting to say, but says that there might be something interesting for me to see around the corner.

It’s very dark and very ominous where she wants me to, and I’m terrified. I take a deep breath and decide to face it. I walk forward, turn the corner, and see nothing but darkness and a slight orange glow. A sense of dread overtakes me as I can hear the deep, growling sound of an enormous creature obscured from view. The gnarls intensify as I walk toward it, my heart pounding. Huge, bulging eyes emerge from the darkness as I get closer. It's taking a lot of will power not to run away or wake up.

After a few moments of tip-toeing forward, I'm standing face-to-face with the creature - an impossibly gigantic brown bear growling ferociously at me with dripping fangs. Trembling but steadfast, I extend my arms out as if to invite it in for a hug. I nervously try to comfort the bear by saying things like, "It's OK. Don't worry; everything is alright. We're gonna be fine. We're the same. It's OK; it's OK." As I say these words, the bear shrinks and shrinks by the moment until it becomes a small, wiry, goat-like thing who looks like a thin, sad puppy. I wake up.

ProTip: It’s hard to stay focused and move toward frightening dream imagery, but embracing these dark aspects can have a profound impact on the following day… and even years to follow.

Weekly Stats:

32 Total, 02 Lucid

• ⏱ 1,390 - Apocalyptic Flood 🕷
• 💭 1,391 - Hair Appointment Mishaps
• 💭 1,392 - Ice Bouldering
• 🤣 1,393 - Bedroom Curtains
• 💭 1,394 - After Party
• 💭 1,395 - Parking Lot Drive
• 👏 1,396 - Midnight Rain Swimming
• 👏 1,397 - Coral Reef Pool House
• 💭 1,398 - Hometown Event
• 💭 1,399 - Childhood Neighborhood Mashup
• ⚡️ 1,400 - The Shadow Bear
• 💭 1,401 - Ever-Expanding Apartment
• 🎨 1,402 - Hideout Tree Screening
• 💭 1,403 - Dream Spreadsheet
• 💭 1,404 - Dream Videos
• ⏱ 1,405 - Family Flight
• 💭 1,406 - Brain Recovery
• 🕷 1,407 - Dodge or Die
• 💭 1,408 - Campaign Auditorium
• 💭 1,409 - Cats & Creatures
• 💭 1,410 - Understudy Speech
• 💭 1,411 - Train Station Mall
• 🎨 1,412 - Spreadsheet Actions
• ⏱ 1,413 - Extra Long Earthquake
• 💭 1,414 - Emily's Stuff
• 💭 1,415 - Breakfast Gathering
• 💭 1,416 - Getting to the Offsite
• 💭 1,417 - Neighborhood Suspense
• 🤣 1,418 - High School Christmas Labels
• 💭 1,419 - Modern Arcade Server
• ⚡️ 1,420 - Sky Mask, Tall Men, River Boats
• 💭 1,421 - Fake Family

⚡️Lucid, ⏱Recurring, 🤣Silly, 🎨Creative, 🕷Nightmare 👏 Great One

September Dream Summary

September was a whirlwind! Between the Netflix show launching, getting this little dream endeavor off the ground, and a busier-than-usual work month with my day job, I packed in waaaaay too much. I broke my first rule: prioritize great sleep! Which means, of course, my dreaming adventures were all over the place, broken, and scattered. I could barely remember tiny details, and I only inched out a few lucid experiences. I was tired. And not my best self.

So here we are, at the end of a blitzy month, culminating in a lackluster dreaming week. For the first time since I started this project last year, I did not have any lucid dreams the last week of September. My gut reaction Monday morning was pretty self-deprecating, "This is never going to happen again! It's over! I've lost it!"

What a ridiculous sentiment.

I had to remember my own wisdom. Lucid dreaming is a skill, and sometimes there will be downtimes. It takes a long time to get any good. But with balance and practice, it happens more frequently and at a higher quality. And sometimes, it doesn't go to plan.

So, don't give up if you're still trying! I will remember to do the same.

---

1,394

All-Time Total
As of September 30, 2019
Since June 7, 2018

72

September Total
August - 81
July - 92

64

September Regular
August - 70
July - 76

08

September Lucid (11%)
August - 11 (14%)
July - 16 (18%)

Cosmic Light Painting

Image by Honey Fangs

Dream of the Past: Cosmic Light Painting

Quick Setup: In September, I broke my first rule: prioritize great sleep! Which means my dreaming adventures were all over the place and broken. I could barely remember tiny details, and I only inched out a few lucid experiences. I was tired. And not my best self. So here we are, at the end of a blitzy month, culminating in a lackluster dreaming week. I did not have any lucid dreams this week. Or interesting regular dreams for that matter. My gut reaction yesterday was pretty self-deprecating, "It's over! I've lost it!"

What a ridiculous sentiment. I had to remember my own wisdom. Lucid dreaming is a skill, and sometimes there will be downtimes. So, don't give up if you're still trying. I have to remember that, too.

Anyway, for this week, let's go into the archives.

June 19, 2018
Dream #0032
Cosmic Light Painting

I'm in an overly ornate bathroom where every surface is made of dark green marble, including the stalls, toilets, and roof. Several menacing strangers file into the room and circle around me, judging me as though I'm in a courtroom. My anxiety surges, and I feel tears welling up. I cry out for help, but they continue their angry taunts. I thrust my arms to the side and run to the sink, pressing my hands against the cold marble — none of this makes sense. I'm in a dream! ⚡️

Now lucid, the room disappears, revealing a dark and empty place. I walk up to a wall and "swipe" across it with my palm pressed firmly against the white wall. My hand serves as a paintbrush and leaves a streak of glowing green light. I'm crazy blown away! I paint another stripe with my palm, this time blue light comes out — and a third time, pink light.

Having endless "light paint" in the palm of my hands, I wonder if I can go bigger and paint the entire room with "universe paint." I begin smearing my hands all over the walls, energetically trying to hit every nook. From out of my hands comes actual "universe paint" with stars and nebula and galaxies, all magically appearing on the walls. I step back to see the whole room covered. It has movement as if I'm really somewhere looking into the cosmos. With utter amazement and joy, I wake up.

ProTip: Seriously, don’t give up! There’s moments like this week’s dream of the past to be had.

Weekly Stats:

09 Total, 0 Lucid

• 🤣 1,378 - Topher Grace
• 💭 1,379 - In the Italian Ruins
• 💭 1,380 - Ticket to Work
• 💭 1,381 - The "MeToo" Standard
• 🤣 1,382 - Matthew McConaughey, Dog Walker
• 💭 1,383 - Presentation Podcast
• 💭 1,384 - Stranger Houses
• 💭 1,388 - It's not that Early
• 💭 1,389 - At the Library

🤣 Silly

Tropic Flight

Image by John Westrock

Dream of the Week: Tropic Flight

I’m climbing up a sand dune on a bright sunny day. The “camera” is closely zoomed in and focused on the golden sand and my hand climbing up it. Everything seems a little bit hazy, and I’m incredibly confused. I don’t know what I’m doing or why I’m here, and yet I still climb up, focused on my hand. I stop for a moment and notice that my hand seems strange as I clutch to the falling sand of the dune. It looks sort of off, but it’s not quite wavy like in many dreams before this. It’s not entirely stable either and kind of looks as though it’s under still water. I’m so confused, really trying to figure out what’s going on here. It finally occurs to me that this must be a dream! ⚡️

Now lucid and very curious about what this sandy place will offer, I scurry up the rest of the dune hoping to see a beautiful tropical beach once I get to the top. The intent is so strong that as soon I peek over the edge, I see gorgeous crystal blue waters quietly lapping on a beach in front of me. I am so thrilled! I immediately fly over the dunes and toward the tropical seas. I dip my hands into the water as I fly across the surface, just barely hovering above the top of the water. I fly back around to the dune, and a beautiful rock structure (think Arizona or Utah) has formed nearby. I’m having a blast! I continue flying toward the water and back again until the scene shifts before me. I’m now waiting in line to use the restroom that seems to be near the beach. I become impatient while I’m waiting and walk into a lounge area and snack shop that reminds me of a road trip rest stop. I look around for people to talk to, but everyone seems busy and in a hurry. I try to stop a guy on his way toward wherever he’s going, but he is startled and afraid of me when I interrupt him. Several small children are scattered in different places, sitting quietly on the floor. I suspect they might be interesting to chat with, but the dream fades.

ProTip: It’s important to have a goal before going to sleep so you can make the most of your lucid time. It’s easy to get caught up in flying over and over again without clear intentions.

Weekly Stats:

14 Total, 2 Lucid

• 💭 1,100 - Dream Title
• ⚡️ 1,365 - Waiting out the Storm
• 🕷 1,366 - Shooting Apocalypse
• 😂 1,367 - Drinks for Julia Roberts
• ⚡️ 1,368 - Tropic Flight
• 💭 1,369 - Purple Galantamine
• 💭 1,370 - Sleepover Flush
• 💭 1,371 - Lap Pool Jealousy
• ⏱ 1,372 - Crumbling City Drive
• ⏱ 1,373 - Relocated to New York
• 💭 1,374 - Slow Escalator
• 💭 1,375 - Airport Get Together
• 💭 1,376 - Spastic Group Wedding
• 💭 1,377 - School Check-up

⚡️Lucid, ⏱Recurring, 🤣Silly, 🕷Nightmare

Into the Star Dome

Image by Cherry Laithang

Dream of the Week: Into the Star Dome

I'm in a house that I understand to be my childhood home, though it looks nothing like it. My dad is there, but it's not my actual dad. He's just knocked on the door of my bedroom as I've gotten into bed to quietly prep for dreaming. Frustrated that he's keeping me awake, I walk to the door in a huff. He tells me that a girl and her dog are here to see me. I meet her downstairs, even more, annoyed because I don't know this girl and I don't know her dog. She talks to me about something related to waking up, and I brush her off, telling her that I need to go to sleep.

I'm back in my bed, settling down and begin my dream prep again. I'm then interrupted, this time the phone rings, and it's a colleague. I don't want to talk to her right now because I'm trying to dream, but she also tries to tell me something about waking up. I again become frustrated (not getting the undeniable hint). We talk for a little while longer about dreams and waking up until it occurs to me that I am in fact in a dream!⚡️

Now lucid, the bedroom disappears, and I'm left inside an expansive architectural structure with golden buttresses and empty space as if floating in nothing. I fly up to a buttress and hang on, knowing that if I let go, I will fall - and so I do. I feel the genuine sensation of falling at high speeds and land back to the floor, made of soft black material similar to sound-proof foam.

I'm now looking at what appears to be the back of a large set piece of an apartment building. The back of the set is facing me, and the front looks out into the void. I can see out the windows, and there's a glow of a neon sign. I want to know what the sign says, so I fly to the top, land on the edge looking out into the void.

Beyond the wall, playthings are floating about, including a long yellow playground slide and a circus bear tumbling over a beach ball. It's ridiculous! I fly out into the void and turn back to read the sign. The words are unstable, and I'm unable to comprehend them. I can only recall "CE CE."

All of a sudden, everything drops away, and I'm floating upward in the black void. I can feel the sensation of flying up, but I can't see anything, and I'm not doing anything to control it. I see slight faints of light swirling that almost resemble stars. I have a great sense of joy and awe.

Suddenly, I've come to a stop inside a room-sized, yet very dark dome. The setting begins to appear around me as I float in the air. I become surrounded by walls made of the same jagged sound-proof foam. A watery layer forms directly above me that is covering the upper part of the dome. I reach my hands up through the watery layer and realize that I'm touching the stars. The sensation is so magical and surprises me so much that I wake up.

Note: I’ve had several experiences that take place in a black void and they always have a very joyful quality. Do you have experiences in this “place?”

Weekly Stats:

17 Total, 5 Lucid

• 💭 1,348 - Days Off
• 🕷 1,349 - This is My Opus
• 🕷 1,350 - Awkward City Dinner
• 💭 1,351 - Dinner and a Movie
• 💭 1,352 - Dirty Diaper
• 💭 1,353 - Overnight Bags
• ⚡️ 1,354 - Playground
• 😂 1,355 - Baked Potato Dress
• 💭 1,356 - Blizzard Shopping
• 💭 1,357 - Earthquake Tilt
• ⚡️ 1,358 - Into the Star Dome 🔥
• ⚡️ 1,359 - Missing Sailing Captain
• 😂 1,360 - Puppy False Awakening
• 😂 1,361 - Bill Murray Escape Room
• ⚡️ 1,362 - Wild Africa Train
• 💭 1,363 - Absolut Fight
• ⚡️ 1,364 - Flying Dolphin Car

⚡️Lucid, 🔥 Favorite, 🤣Silly, 🕷Nightmare

The Sleeping Third - Official Launch!

It’s Launch Week!

The Sleeping Third has been quietly around since April, getting content together, posting weekly dreams, connecting with dream communities, and sleeping a lot. This project has been quite an incredible journey, and I am so thrilled to be officially launching it this week! I've learned so much about myself, about sleep and dreams, and truly put it all into practice. While I have always been into dreams since childhood, I turned up the volume over the last year and have developed a fantastic world inside my imagination.

I am chomping at the bit to share all of it with you!

To repeat my About Page word for word: The Sleeping Third is on a mission to elevate our connection to sleep and dream so that it's more playful, creative, and approachable for everyone.

Here you will find content on the importance of sleep and detailed information on what lucid dreaming is and how to do it consistently. There are resources to learn the practices and lots of dreams to read - one a week! There's also plenty of tips and stats from my very own sleep and dream practices - all to inspire you to dream a little brighter, sleep a lot more, and to use that third of your life you spend asleep in the most beautiful way possible. 

And in doing so, make us all better versions of our waking selves.

//

In the spirit of feeling so much excitement and stress for this week's launch, I am actively (and ironically) pausing a bit on my dream practice during this initial launch, so there will be no formal dream of the week today. Over the last week, my dreams are defiantly revealing my stress levels, presenting more than usual anxiety dreams and strange, hilarious ones too. And for the first time in a long time, no lucid dreams. But, It's all part of the process. I suspect this trend will also spill into next week for a few days, but I can't wait to get in the normal rhythm again and will post new dreams each Tuesday here and on Instagram.

Thank you for being here!

ProTip: When you’re stressed, press pause! Re-balance until you can find rest. Your dreams will be there when you’re ready.

Weekly Stats:

21 Total, 0 Lucid

• 💭 1,327 - Leaving the Airport
• 🤣 1,328 - Water Park Laughter
• 💭 1,329 - Catching a Ride
• 💭 1,330 - Shared Dreaming Movie
• 💭 1,331 - Health Care
• 🎨 1,332 - Grand Room Tree
• 💭 1,333 - High School Dismissal
• 💭 1,334 - Privacy Please
• 🤣 1,335 - Can't Dream in Camp
• 🤣 1,336 - Brad Pitt's House
• 💭 1,337 - Shark Tank
• 🤣 1,338 - Everyone is Cute
• 💭 1,339 - Tunnel Drive
• 💭 1,340 - Tool Factory
• 🤣 1,341 - Panda Gathering
• 💭 1,342 - Family House Plants
• 💭 1,343 - New Bridge
• 💭 1,344 - Laundry
• 🤣 1,345 - Motivational Pub
• 💭 1,346 - Babysitting Clog
• 💭 1,347 - Kid PSA

🤣Silly, 🎨Creative

Toward the Music

Dream of the Week: Toward the Music

⚡️ I'm actively practicing WILD (Waking Induced Lucid Dream) techniques, including breath counting and visualizations. I'm watching hypnagogic imagery get more complex before I find myself in a fully-formed dream scene, yes!

Lucid, I am standing on a large boulder along a path in a grassy field on an overcast day. I put my hands on the rocks to stabilize the dream and stand up to look around. I look at my hands as a reality check, but there's nothing unusual about them. I stretch one of my fingers, and it extends like Silly Putty, forming long strings. I repeat this across my hands, enjoying the strangeness of it all. How weird!

A young man and woman walk along the path in my direction. I wait for them to get close so I can talk to them. When they get near, I say hello, but the woman cowers away from me, disturbed by my presence. I let them pass, realizing they won't be any fun.

I consider what to do next, and hear faint music in the distance. It seems to be coming from a building far away at the end of the path. It occurs to me that all the dream characters in the scene are all walking along different paths headed toward the music. The music makes me feel happy and excited, so I walk toward it, too.

Not wanting to make too much progress without taking it all in, I pause for a moment and check out another building to my left. It's an incredibly tall, dark glass building with vibrant neon lights inside. I'm enthralled by the architecture and decide to explore. I peer inside the glass and see nothing at all, as though my mind chose not to furnish the building. I accept that there's nothing here for me, and continue along the way to the music.

I want to make faster progress, so I fly forward and stop just before hitting a big, green-leafy plant on a tall pedestal. It's so beautiful, so I give it a hug (yep, hugged a plant). An iridescent black bat comes flying toward me hovering above the plant and me. I am in awe of how insanely cool this creature looks! I notice another building nearby that has bright, colorful guitars adorned on the side of its facade. The pure delight of these little creative moments is so much fun! I become so happy and excited by it all that I wake myself up.

ProTip: Some dream figures just don’t want to talk to you. They’re busy in their own little world. Don’t be rude and leave those people be.

Weekly Stats:

17 Total, 3 Lucid

• 💭 1,310 - Antarctic Creature
• 💭 1,311 - Neighborhood Collapse
• 💭 1,312 - Neighborhood Kid
• 💭 1,313 - SNL Mashup & Trees
• 💭 1,314 - Section 11
• 💭 1,315 - Moving to Canada
• 💭 1,316 - JR Tech Event
• 💭 1,317 - No Longer Friends
• 🤣 1,318 - Billboard TV & Spider-Man
• 💭 1,319 - Party, City, Driving, Singing
• 💭 1,320 - Tiny Paper - False Keywords
• ⚡️ 1,321 - Commute to Ferry
• ⚡️ 1,322 - Dark Party
• 💭 1,323 - Water Park Time?
• 💭 1,324 - Dinner Jealosy
• 🤣 1,325 - The Nancys & The Tanyas
• ⚡️ 1,326 - Toward the Music

⚡️Lucid, 🤣Silly