some very nice points you raised there Wond3rland.
I find this interesting:
"WE DON’T HAVE TO TRY TO DREAM - isn’t that odd?
WE ONLY HAVE TO TRY TO LUCID DREAM - isn’t that odder? "
I will try to make my perspective as clear as possible.
First of all, we don’t have to try to dream, just as we do not have to try to wake up.
Seeing one reality as superior to another is just an erroneous assumption that has its roots in cultural beliefs about the superiority and infallibility of the ‘physical’ universe.
As a natural thing, a rule-set that has been imposed on us to facilitate our growth and therefore, ‘god’ 's growth , if you call ‘him’ that way.
We typically stay in the ‘waking reality’ for some time, then phase to the ‘dreaming reality’.
note
While some people have ‘disorders’ causing them to sleep once in a couple of days only, others tend to sleep for more than 12 hours a day.
Why do we have to try to lucid dream?
As I already pointed out before, I do not appreciate it when someone talks for more than himself, not to mention, for the whole of humanity.
As your suspicion suggests, it is indeed possible to reach a state where lucidity is a normal byproduct of dreams. I can say that it is probably easier than you think and not that related to inner peace. Although inner peace has a major influence on lucid dreaming (and every other aspect of anyone’s life), you don’t have to achieve ‘perfect’ inner peace for that state of mind.
You’ll be surprised but it is entirely possible for one to try to be not lucid, having lucid dreams as his normal dream experience while having normal dreams as more unusual.
Again, the point of view claiming that ‘we only have to try to lucid dream’ indicates on a belief you have , regardless of how many people might share that belief with you right this very moment.
Don’t be fooled into believing that something is absolute because some, no matter how much, people are experiencing it. (not to mention the fact that each of them is handling a somewhat different thing)
But, again, as I suspect, your intuition was right on spot, once again, when you sensed that there is something ‘deeper’ involved here.
The way I see it,
the reason is very simple (putting aside beliefs and fears for a moment, which alone are very effective)
and the reason is…
Most people do not lucid dream naturally because they do not lucid live naturally.
Don’t throw that stone at me yet
Most people tend to live their lives on an automatic pilot kind of way.
Doing everything they are doing out of ingrained beliefs and habit patterns.
So, they just go day by day with their activities without really consciously thinking and making choices. Just going on minute after minute, autopilot!
See what I’m saying ?
Just try…
Try for one day, to think about every moment and every action you take, really consider if that’s good or not , if that action will be rewarding or not ? Do you really want to take that action ? This goes from scratching your forehead to eating a biscuit to going on line to what you are doing in the evening… Anything and everything.
The question that ought to be raised is what is lucidity ?
What does being lucid mean ?
According to the dictionary, being lucid means, having a clear mind, being able to clearly express oneself.
So , are you not lucid in every dream according to that definition ?
Sure you are!
Why, you’re just as lucid as you are here, and possibly more.
Your communication skills do not evaporate or decrease.
Your intelligence does not diminish and your sense of self surely remains the same.
So , what does change ?
The only difference is that you are not aware of being in a dreaming state.
There’s a huge difference between that lack of awareness and considering yourself to not be lucid , so I do consider the term lucid dreaming quite erroneous.
So let’s examine a common modern western.
He goes through his day , mostly , almost entirely, on autopilot.
He goes to sleep , ‘loses’ his consciousness for a while and then enters the dream state.
Now, again, remember, there is no fundamental difference between waking - dreaming, except for the one you consider. Both are different types of experiences.
No one is superior to the other.
This is where it gets fairly easy…
He enters the dream, he experiences a reality, much like the physical one, he can feel the chair he’s sitting on, he sees the trees outside his window, he smells the food coming from outside, and he hears the music from the other room. He fundamentally cannot differentiate between the two realities, because, fundamentally, there isn’t any difference. There’s more types of experiences, and all are valid. Different and valid
Combine this with the ingrained beliefs almost all of the westerns have of the superiority of the physical waking life and it becomes clear to understand why, when first bumping into this reality, he does not consider it to be something other than physical.
Now, as always, just as he wakes up, he turns on the autopilot mode. He loves that one !
And goes around doing whatever he’s doing, on autopilot.
You are probably aware of the nature of that reality to be no less rich than the physical one. Is there an emotion you cannot experience in a dream ? Love, hate, fear, anger? etc… is there an intellectual stimuli you cannot initiate in ? a sensual stimuli ? anything?
So, what is the difference? less stability, less certainty.
But that doesn’t make any difference to the western guy we are examining. His beliefs got him so convinced that this must be physical waking life , and he is so locked on autopilot that he doesn’t even begin to consider that possibility. Sure, if it was as slow and stable as the physical reality, he would probably notice, because he would have more time to digest as a result of the slower rate of activity.
So, let’s say,
his dream starts in a hotel, he wakes up in a bed. Autopilot mode: on
gets out of bed, sees a friend of his, (does not even cross his attention how he got there and what’s his friend doing here), talks to her and they start kissing when someone enters the room and interrupts them, he feels uncomfortable and so immediately cease activity and leaves room , his phone rings, he answers and it’s his lawyer telling him something about a contract, his autopilot (based on his past experience, quality of consciousness, intents, fears etc…) leads him to worry and think deeply , ponder about that contract, by the time he’s through, he already completely forgot about his lawyer and that conversation, due to the nature of that reality and the lack of stability. But, do not fear, he’s already in a nice bar with his best friend drinking a beer and then the rest of the dream takes place in the bar and involves a certain lady… It does not matter what happens, a midget can shoot right from his ass and he would still not realize it’s a dream. Why?
You should have your own answer by now.
So, now , this guy wakes up. If the dream was completely nonsense and he’s not in touch with himself, he won’t remember any of it, probably. If it was somewhat realistic , maybe he will, only to realize then that it was a dream .
But , most importantly, what does he do then ?
Turns on Autopilot .
gets up, washes his teeth, takes a shower, eat breakfast, and go on an emotional/intellectual/sociological/physical autopilot mode…
Think about this:
If you are truly considering every choice you make , every minute of the day, constantly being aware of what and why you are doing what you are doing.
Can you enter a dream not ‘lucid’ . Isn’t that what’s lucidity is all about ?
Isn’t that where it springs from ?