In our western cultures people just don’t like to talk about certain things… For lots of people, if they can’t see, touch, even BUY a thing, it’s like that thing doesn’t exist…
From time to time I try to talk to people I meet about dreaming in general and try to talk about lucid dreaming at a later time. So far I have no other LD enthusiasts in person, but every now and then there is somebody who doesn’t think I’m crazy or something. Often people think that this state of mind is impossible to attain, very often people just react like “Aaaahhh, yes…what medication are you on?”, most of the time people just look at you and think that you are some kind of weirdo since LDing is nothing you can actually see on the outside and there is no visible (external) form of action involved, so if you can’t see it or if you can’t pay for it, then why should it be of interest…? (imagine this with comments such as “WHAAAAT? How can you sleep so much?” -> we’re talking about my 9 hours sleep compared to other people’s 6 or 7 hours which I personally find weird, since many of those 6 hour people tend to nod off at any given time 
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Morpheus
Only one of my friends is also into Luciding. I have tried to tell my other friends too, but they are all so woodheaded that they won’t take me seriously. :nono:
I just want them to have more fun with their dreams.
I think all parents should introduce their children with lucid dreams, atleast I will do it someday.
I talk to one of my friends about lucid dreaming and although hes not into it, he listens and comments. Another friend says hes realized he’s dreaming while in a dream but he’s . . . how can I put this . . . a little off. He thinks that you cannot actually be conscious while your dreaming. Yet hes had lucid dreams (although he doesn’t know the term)
I’ve talked to 2 of my friends about lucid dreaming and they thought it sounded cool. I don’t really know anyone who’s into it though. My parents think I could be making much better use of my time 
as a whole…this stupid fu*king brainwashed society will never accept, believe in, or understand lucidity or anything related to it until they see it on TV (the damn idiot box) in an advertisement or… until they kan buy it
Yeah, I know what you mean… sometimes I feel like there will be some kind of worldwide LD revolution, just as soon as someone brings out an infomercial for the Novadreamer. Control your dreams…and get a free set of steak knives! That can cut through shoes and cellphones! Call now! Stupid TV.
Generally I keep my dreaming exploits to myself these days. Most people just do not understand… Apart from sharing them occasionally on this forum of course. Sometimes though, I meet someone personally who really connects with my way of thinking. Like one girl I met was totally into dreaming. I spent the night at her flat, and we talked all night about all sorts of interesting stuff. At the end of the night she just hands me an object, and I am just saying to myself “Holy shit, this is just my biggest dream symbol!” She says “I want you to have it, I have been waiting for the right person to give it to.” I never once mentioned this thing, even though we talked about dreaming, but she just gave me it like it was made for me. Spooky. Sadly though I didn’t see her again after that.
However, the object she gave me is still with me of course. Just another signpost along the lonely old road of dreams. Heh…but that’s the way I like it really. My dreams are often too f@*ked up to be shared around anyway!
To be honest I quite like the fact that dreams are somewhat on the fringe of our modern society. In a way they still retain some mystery and intrigue. Mass coverage on tv etc would just cheapen them I think, like tv cheapens everything else it lays it’s dirty hands on. Remember, the owners of McDonalds don’t give an xxx about your health, just as the tv broadcasters don’t give an xxx about your intellect. They are all just out to boost their takings. No, I rather find my own way in the world of dreaming as much as possible. It is an intensely personal journey I think. Shit man, I got my own discovery channel playing every night. My only problem is tuning in on time, and remembering to record the good episodes!
I know exactly what you mean. I’m afraid to walk into the new age section in a book store just in case some one I know will see me there. I used to try talking about lucid dreaming with the people I knew. They just kind of looked at me weird and said, “ooookay, moving on now” or “What are you on?” Once I tried talking about it to my dad. He’s usually pretty open about this kind of stuff. Not LDing though. He kept insisting that it was impossible to be conscious in the dream state and that I shouldn’t believe everything I read. He didn’t care about what Laberge did. Ha. I bet he’d change his mind pretty fast if he saw it on discovery channel. And hopefully, someday lucid dreaming will catch a hold on society. Then we can all laugh in everyone’s faces.
yes that is exactly what its like for me. it really is too bad the media has been kept in the dark about this so ive made it my personal mission to inform them. i’ve been emailing the news places around my city and hoping that they’ll respond.
Only 5 people know about my LDing: my parents and my sister don’t ask questions about it so they leave me alone with it. I told one girlfriend of it, but we never talk about it. A few years ago I met a nice girl in a chatroom and it was only a few months ago I discovered she is some kind of a natural LDer. Unfortunately she doesn’t use her gift… But we talk about it a lot.
Last year we had to make a little work for philosophy. The subject I chose was LDs. I talked about almost every aspect of it, ranging from the scientific approach (van Eeden, Ouspensky, LaBerge,…) till the mystical part of LDing (the different ancient traditions which use LDs, usage of LDs in the process of Enlightenment,…). Three months I worked on it.
The result? I got only half of the points…
The reason? I had to concentrate only on the scientific approach and leave the “esoteric nonsense” behind (how can one say all these ancient traditions are “esoteric” or “nonsense”?? how narrow-minded can one be???)
Furthermore, the teacher found it was very confusing, so I think he didn’t understand it much (my mother read it, my sister read it; THEY understood it).
Damn, I was sóó angry when I read his comments…
I don’t know anyone here who has ever mentioned LDing. I tried to talk to people, but the expression I got back was something like “what’s a lunatic like him doing walking around”, even my parents thought I was a looper in all context of the word, so I sorta keep myself to myself now not that it bothers me or anything…sigh ah well
I have talked about to my firends about lucid dreaming. I didn’t mention the phrase lucid dreaming though. That might spook them and they might think its weird. I just described a LD i had to them (with magic powers) and they thought it was cool. One of them has had a LD, but i don’t think it was a high level LD and he doesn’t realise how good they can be.
Another friend says that he won’t try to even remember his dreams because he says he’s satisfied with life. I think that he’s just a bit unsure about it though.
P.S. mystic
Sometimes i think that we forget that teachers are human too 
To me it seems strange to picture some of my teachers with a life outside of school.
I think you’re teacher was just unsure and perhaps a little taken back by the idea of LDs. If there are any buletin boards that anyone can put things in you could put in instructions for remembering dreams and having LD dreams. Perhaps when the only topic around school is LDs you’re teacher will rethink your mark 
Who knows he may even have a LD.
Could be, but the thing I don’t understand is how can a teacher of philosophy even think these ancient traditions and religions are simply “esoteric nonsense”? As a philosopher he should be the first to emphasize the wisdom of these cultures or at least have the understanding there are forms of philosophical wisdom of great value in the world other than the Western ones.
Concerning his confusion with LDs, I tried to explain the phenomenon as simple and as clear as possible. Even my mom, who never really understood it, now understands how it works. He simply could have asked me about it after the lessons if it really was too difficult for him…
Hehe,it suprises me that on one hand we expect to be understood by people and wish they had more understanding towards us being fascinated by it and at the same time there are voices calling those “other” ppl stupid,woodheaded and else.Id think people of this forum would be more tolerant as they expect that tolerancy.
Everyone has its own interests,his own beliefs and his own expectations from life.One wants to make money and thinks dreams are waste of time.So?Its his way ,obviously he likes it like it is.Other might like career,another likes sex over anything else.Again-let it be.
Not everyone has to share dreaming interest.I understand how annoying it can be when you are fascinated by something but others seem just to ignore it.Imagine tho them trying to “sell” you their interests-“making money is thrilling,sleeping with another girl day by day is cool,maths is solution to the universe…”…so on so on…and when you say its not your way and for you making money or getting new girl everynight is a waste of time they`d call you stupid or so.
Everything is relative,theres no absolute good or bad,wise or stupid(at least not here and now).
Just because someones thinks dreaming is crap doesnt really make him even close to stupid:)
Cheer up:)
Thanks for giving a bit of perspective, Jack. I’ve been dumbfounded by other people’s unenthusiastic reactions to lucid dreaming, and have gotten a bit frustrated by it, but you’re right - each to their own. I think it is still important to spread the word about LDing though, as one day someone else is bound to find it interesting. I hope.
I wonder wether people’s sometimes weary reactions have anything to do with the term ‘lucid’, though. It’s not exactly a commonly used word, and people sometimes seem to have a little trouble negotiating it - what are it’s connotations? New-age? Hullucinogenic? I know the first time I came across the ‘Lucidity Institute’ I thought it sounded very quack-science-ey, like it was a front for a cult or something. Of course, I’m perfectly used to the term now, but I do notice odd looks when I use the word ‘lucid’. Does anyone have any ideas for a less conspicuous term to use when describing LDs to people for the first time?
Hmm…how about “conscious dreaming” 
Yeah, I say ‘conscious dreaming’ sometimes, but I wonder wether that is exciting enough - it seems just a bit too dry. Hmm. I’m probably being far too picky, but I do think people’s first impressions are realy important when they decide wether something is ‘for them’ or not.
One girl read my dream journal (one entry) and said “that is really weird”.
I believe people saying “i can control my dreams” isnt that weird. Like i hear people say, “when u have a nightmare, just tell it to go away.” So, i think some poeple have done it but dont think its that big of a deal. I would really hate it if LDing became a fad. People are just so stupid… On the other hand, it’d really be nice to have a friend who LDs. I dont talka bout it. I think its very personal.
I know when i was first introduced into LDs i thought it was a bit strange. I saw the term first used on a site with paranormal stuff like mind reading, psi stuff etc. Now i know better, but i can understand how some people can dispiss it without knowing any better. Its like judging a book by its cover.
And for that teacher, perhaps he is just a strange person, afterall he does teach philosophy. Perhaps he’s doing something profound that we just can’t see or perhaps not. Anyway it’s over now and some people are attracted to LD some aren’t, who are we to put our energy into those who aren’t and who’ll never be.