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Dream Lucidity and Near-Death Experience: A Personal Report
No full textAttempts to investigate correlations between the incidence of lucid dreaming and near-death experiences (NDEs) have so far been inconclusive (Lucidity Letter, Vol. 1, Nos. 2 and 3, 1982). The following are some observations following my own NDE in November, 1983, which suggests a new approach
Overview of the Development of Lucid Dream Research in Germany
No full textAs in other countries there were various reports of lucid dreams recorded through the centuries by German philosophers, poets and occultists. But these, as well as the investigations carried out by serious researchers, were completely ignored by scientists because they were based on personal experiences (see Schriever, 1935; Moers-Messmer, 1939). It wasn’t until 1959 at Johann Wolfgang Goethe University that an effective technique for inducing lucid dreams was developed and the first systematic investigations involving several subjects took place. In this article I will discuss the beginnings of this research as well as its further development. Aside from the purely chronological ordering of the individual steps of the development of the research, I would also like to provide a basic outline of the inner connections of the particular areas within the overall research program. This will require analyzing the development of individual branches of research abstracted from their actual chronological order
Experiencing the Divine in the Lucid Dream State
No full textHaving personally experienced numerous lucid dreams following incubation tasks centered around wanting to be in the presence of the Great Spirit, I realized that in every lucid dream I experienced the Divine differently. If I were looking for the Divine, my dream ego was actively searching, and usually found a Divine presence; however, if I let go of control, a Divine presence appeared to me. Since I didn’t have any expectation as to the form of the Divine, the outcome of my experiences was often unexpected. Thus I became very curious how other people experienced the Great Spirit in their lucid dreams
Psychological Content of "Consciousness" During Sleep in a TM Practitioner
No full textGackenbach (1988) recently concluded a review of the research examining differences in content between lucid and nonlucid dreams. It covered two types of data, self evaluations of the content by the dreamer, as well as content evaluations by independent judges. Both approaches were largely descriptive of the manifest level of content, although the self-evaluations involve some part of the latent content through the subjects’ need to describe their own experience
Manifest Content Analysis of Sleep Laboratory Collected Lucid and Nonlucid Dreams
No full textI have addressed two questions over the last ten years in my research program into lucid dreams: who is the individual who spontaneously experiences the lucid dream, that is, to find out if there is something unique about that person; and what is unique about the psychological experience of lucid sleep consciousness, beyond the awareness itself. I’m going to be talking about the latter today. Specifically, I’m going to be comparing sleep laboratory collected rapid eye movement (REM) lucid and nonlucid dreams
An Estimate of Lucid Dreaming Incidence
No full textPrevalence (how many people have ever had at least one lucid dream) and fre-quency (how often an individual experiences these dreams) are two ways of concep-tualizing lucid dreaming incidence. Seven surveys have attempted to ascertain the prevalence of lucid dreaming in both student (Palmer, 1979; LaBerge, 1985; Gackenbach, Rokes, Sachau & Snyder, 1984) and adult (Palmer, 1979; Kohr, 1980; Blackmore, 1984; Gackenbach, 1978; Gackenbach, Curren, LaBerge, Davidson & Maxwell, 1983) samples. Among the latter estimates of having had at least one lucid dream range from 100% (Gackenbach et al., 1983) to 47% (Blackmore, 1984). Both sample characteristic considerations and understanding of the concept clarify the picture. Kohr (1980), Gackenbach (1978) and Gackenbach et al. (1983) were all dealing with highly motivated adult samples, that is, people who have an unusually high interest in dreaming and/or lucid dreaming. Thus their estimates tend to run high (Kohr, 70%; Gackenbach, 76%; Gackenbach et al., 100%). In the Palmer (1979) and Blackmore (1984) surveys, adults were randomly chosen from the telephone directory in the case of the former and from the electoral register in the case of the latter. Consequently, their estimates are considerably more conservative: Palmer, 55% and Blackmore, 47%. However, there is no indication that Palmer and Blackmore attempted to verify that their respondents understood the concept
EEG Activity During Lucid Dreaming
No full textWe have been interested in the electrophysiological correlates of lucid dreaming (LD) since early work in this laboratory suggested a relationship between lucidity and alpha activity (Ogilvie, Hunt, Sawicki & McGowan, 1978; Ogilvie, Hunt, Tyson, Lucescu & Jeakins, 1982; Tyson, Ogilvie, & Hunt, 1984). Until now, this alphalucidity hypothesis had not been tested in our lab on high frequency lucid dreamers who signal while in the REM stage of sleep, and LaBerge (1980; 1981) had not observed any changes in alpha in signalled episodes of lucidity
Senoi, Kilton Stewart and The Mystique of Dreams: Further Thoughts on an Allegory About an Allegory
No full text"Senoi" dream theory, which is centered around the idea that we should share and control our dreams for spiritual development, is an attractive theory said to derive from an appealing, non-violent people living simply in the highlands of Malaysia. But the real story of "Senoi" dream theory can be a painful one for at least two reasons that go beyond the usual academic conflicts over the validity and usefulness of ideas. First, some people in the United States and elsewhere make their living off of it by leading dream groups; they therefore have more at stake than do professors who are secure in their jobs whether their ideas pan out or not. Second, the theory resonates with deeply held cultural and spiritual values that almost compel people to believe it; they therefore become very upset when it is questioned
Lucid Dreams and Out-of-Body Experiences: A Personal Case
No full textI have just finished LaBerge’s book, Lucid Dreaming, and was gratified to learn that the lucid dreams of not a few people have similar characteristics to my own. These include: 1. Testing of gravity to reassure oneself that one is really awake in a dream; 2. Varying degrees of lucidity, some so lucid that one fears one will become "stuck"; 3. Frequent inability to read any written or printed matter; 4. Need to remain emotionally detached from the dream to prolong it; 5. Experience of lucidity coming over one gradually or suddenly; and 6. Capacity for voluntary action in this dreamworld. My lucid dreams are tied up with another phenomenon, that of the outofbody experience. . . . The essential difference between [OBE] experiences and my lucid dreams is that I am totally conscious when I enter this other state of consciousness whereas my lucid dreams always begin with a nonlucid dream which then becomes lucid
A Discussion Between Charles Tart and Lucidity Letter Editor, Jayne Gackenbach, Examining Similarities Between Dream Lucidity, Witnessing and Self-Remembering
No full textGackenbach: "In a recent review of your book Waking Up, John Wren-Lewis said it was very relevant to those interested in lucid dreaming." Tart: "I was very honored that he would say that it is must reading for people who are into lucid dreams since lucid dreaming is mentioned only once in the book. You see, lucid waking is the topic of greatest interest to me nowadays.