Avatar Movie - A Jaunt into a Lucid Dream Fantasy World

Last week I went to see James Cameron's movie-of-the-year Avatar in all its 3D IMAX glory. I'd seen the trailer and thought it looked cool, but other than that had no major expectations. I certainly didn't anticipate the quality of the virtual reality world to remind me so vividly of my favorite lucid dreams...

A New Kind of Virtual Reality

Watching Avatar in 3D was a truly impressive experience. It showcased how fast entertainment technology is developing, being so immersing that it makes you wonder how far are we from creating an almost Matrix-quality virtual reality game ourselves... The movie featured an imagination-rich fantasy environment, filled with alien life forms, epic landscapes and awe-inspiring robotic armies. But CGI-phobes needn't worry - even without the amazing visuals, you are still left with a refreshingly non-formulaic story and a variety of interesting characters.

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream

But why did Avatar remind me so much of lucid dreaming? First, the story revolves around a crippled man who "goes to sleep" during which his mind is scientifically transferred into the body of a blue, 12-foot alien. In this form, he explores extraterrestrial rainforests, fights savage alien beasts, flies on the backs of dragons and battles 20-foot robot walkers in the process of saving a civilization from a tyrannical invader. The central theme of altered states of consciousness and mind separating from body adheres to the notion of our minds wandering while our bodies are asleep. A lucid dream indeed.

A Taste of Lucidity

What's more, the surreal artwork of Avatar lends beautifully to many scenes favored by lucid dreamers - rainforests, waterfalls, oceans, nature - as the characters passed over them in full flight. I gobbled up these visual feasts and stored them away to re-live in my next lucid dreams. Seeing it all in 3D was even more fantastic - visually, the movie experience was rich as a lucid dream itself!

The flight scenes in particular were stunning. Coming back to the ground on Pandora (the planet on which Avatar is set), the vivid forest flora gave an adrenaline shot to the imagination. But perhaps most importantly, the seamless blend of real-life actors and CGI left me with an openness to blend reality with imagination. And that, at least in part, is what lucid dreaming is all about.

Avatar in 3D is a Must

If you've never experienced a lucid dream, seize the opportunity to see this movie in an IMAX theatre now - you surely won't regret it. And for the lucid dreamers among us, you will smile as you realize the exact moment I became lucid in this movie. It has the rush, the intensity and the newborn freedom that accompanies the onset of a lucid dream. In fact, I'd be surprised if James Cameron wasn't a lucid dreamer himself...

Receive The World of Lucid Dreaming
Newsletter Every Month for FREE!

This monthly newsletter is packed with valuable tips and advice for lucid dreamers, with feature articles, special offers and freebies to help you master the art of dreaming lucid. I NEVER spam and you you can unsubscribe at any time.