there’s a guy i’ve known through a forum for the past 6-7 years. he’s about my age. the thing is, he has a terrific imagination. he has so many ideas that could easily make very compelling video games or books, usually they’re like fantasy or steampunk + magic kind of stories, involving gods and ancient machines. he keeps a dream journal, and he posts some of his dreams now and then, which are usually fantastic. i asked him if he has had lucid dreams (yeah i just used the term outright with him), and he said he has but not lately, so i’m trying to encourage him to get into it. but at the same time i’m not sure if he cares too much about it. i think i’m kinda selfish though because i want to read the awesome LDs he has. he already has great recall, and it seems like he’s a natural so i’m thinking it should be a snap for him.
i don’t want to push my luck though. i don’t think he’s really all that interested in consciously trying to LD.
All too often, all too often. The way I usually approach it is someone is very down to earth/practical/non-new age is to discuss basic facts; and present it in as scientific sounding manner as possible. I present it so they understand that dreams are a natural everyday occurrence and that a lucid dream is nothing more than a dream where you know you’re dreaming.
I usually try to get them to remember a past dream they’ve had like this, without using the word lucid, since that seems to get some people giving weird looks right of the bat. I have them recall the fun things they did, and then If they seem receptive I talk about more about LD’s and why they are so awesome. Depending on the person, I will also share my example of LD usefulness by explaining to them how I worked on and improved my golf swing using just LDing, I never touched a club in this period, but managed to make a pretty dramatic swing change.
Alot of making lucid dreaming come off well is not sounding too spiritual or far out. Be simple, and factual, and lead them through basic tenets, getting agreement as you move through each one. If you can get some sort of hook as to why LD’s are so amazing, so much the better.
@littlenemo: well, like you said it does have to end up being his decision. I wonder why so many people when they have a great talent in something can be so reluctant to share it? I suppose that they don’t like being put in the spotlight, or perhaps in the end they don’t want to put something forth so personal to them…
@Lucidity_Master: Yep, the laid back approach is the way to go. Of course, I’ve had one instance where I telling something about a dream where I was aware, and they said they get them too. Encouraged, I asked him about it, and he said he’s terrified of them. Why is there all this fear behind dreaming?