Dreamsigns

[Basilus_West]

I don’t find a lot of information about dream signs. Is this subject obvious so much for everybody ? Thus, some questions :

=> What is exactly a dream sign ? This question could be like stupid, but I ask it because :

• I often dream of driving a car, but I never become lucid with it ;
• on the other hand, I rarely dream of UFO, but I generally become lucid when it happens.
  So, where is the dream sign ?
  => How do you collect dreamsigns ? Does it exist a classification ?
  => What do you do with this information once you get it ?
  => I’ve read that some dream signs are more useful than others. What do you know about it ?

[milod789]

Dream signs are unique to each individual. You may find that you dream about a specific topic often so that could be a dream sign. You may dream about people you don’t know or deceased relatives may show up in your dream. Those could be a dream sign. Basically you want to look for anything that will give you a clue that you are dreaming.

So, after you record your dreams in a dream journal you then analyze your dream and pick out things that are dream like about them. Things that should be flashing signs that say I am dreaming. These can be people, places, things, actions and even strong feelings. In time you will find that some dream signs happen every night or several times per week. These will be your main dream signs.

What I do is every night before I go to bed I will write down in my dream journal “tonight I will realize I am dreaming while dreaming.” Then I write dream signs and list all the main dream signs I want to look for while asleep.

I hope this answers your questions.

Happy dreaming

[Basilus_West]

Hi Basilus West,
Here is more information about dreamsigns.
Your lucid double, West Basilus

Dreamsigns definition and classification

A dreamsign is “a peculiar event or object in a dream that can be used as an indicator that you are dreaming” (Lynne Levitan, 1001 Nights of Lucid Dreaming). There are four main categories of dreamsigns as developed by Dr. Stephen LaBerge:

Action : You, another dream character, or thing does something unusual or impossible in waking life.

Context : The place or situation in the dream is strange.

Form : You, another character, or thing changes shape, or is oddly formed /transforms. This may include the presence of unusual clothing or hair.

Awareness : A peculiar thought, a strong emotion, an unusual sensation, or altered perceptions.

Recording dreamsigns

After you have recorded a dream, locate unusual things or occurrences within it that could have given you a clue that you were dreaming. Then try to place these signs in one of the four dreamsign categories. Recording these in a table not only helps develop your awareness of dreamsigns in and of itself, but will also allow you to determine what type of dreamsign most often causes you to gain lucidity.

Dreamsigns effectiveness

To determine your most effective dreamsigns, add up the total number of dreamsigns in each category. Add up the number of times this category was recognized.

Recognized / Total = % effectiveness

[r3m0t]

• I often dream of driving a car, but I never become lucid with it ;
• on the other hand, I rarely dream of UFO, but I generally become lucid when it happens.

I assume you are too young to drive a car, or don’t have a license.

These are both dreamsigns: if you notice them, then you become lucid. Also, you can’t do them in real life.

I think that formula for effectiveness is not very useful. It’s more important to know how often you actually get lucid from it.

Dreamsign “Accuracy”: Recognised / Total
Dreamsign “Frequency”: Nights Seen / Total Nights

Dreamsign “Usefulness”: Accuracy * Frequency

These terms I have just invented myself. Is good?

The UFO is therefore the more useful dreamsign, and the other one is not useful at all. I suggest you try to make it useful.

Look into that newish method, um… that MILD variation… Trancewave? Here you go.

[milod789]

I don’t think you need a mathematical formula to determine what your best dream sign is. All you need to do is keep a dream journal and study it.

Just pick out things that should be big flashing signs that say “I am dreaming” and occur frequently enough to be a reliable dream sigh. Then start to train your mind to recognize them.

We all have our own way of doing things.

Good luck and happy dreaming

[r3m0t]

Certainly not necessary milod789, I was only nitpicking.

[milod789]

r3m0t

I don’t know where that came from?

I was just trying to make the point to Basilus West not to worry about using a mathematical formula to pick out the “best”dream signs. IMO the important thing is to get to know your dreams and what’s dreamlike about them.

Sorry for any confusion and sorry if you felt it was some sort of attack against you. I assure you it was not.

[r3m0t]

milod789, next time, examine the smilies. <- content. I just thought the other formula wasn’t really good enough, because it was only about how good your dreamsigns are right now.

Use it… if you have 100 dreamsigns to pick from you can’t deal with all of them at the same time, certainly.

[Basilus_West]

@milod789

I was just trying to make the point to Basilus West not to worry about using a mathematical formula to pick out the “best”dream signs.

Of course, you don’t need to use them.
I think my formula comes from a S. LaBerge’s book. But what r3m0t post makes me realize, it’s that this operation doesn’t take in account a dreamsign, but a dreamsign category.
I wonder if this makes a difference.