Can You Feel Pain in Lucid Dreams?
I have heard many times that lucid dreams involve all the senses... so if touch is one of them wouldn't you have pain to go along with it? Pain is pretty much part of touch, like if you press your fingers on a desk you will feel it, but when you press too hard it obviously will begin to hurt. I understand that may be a hard thing to explain though, because the senses in a dream might be outrageously different, or not.
Rebecca says: Yes, you can feel pain in a lucid dream - but usually only if your awareness is specifically tuned into that sensation. I can only remember a few times when I've actually felt real pain while lucid dreaming.
For instance, if I jumped off a cliff and landed splat on the ground, it wouldn't necessarily hurt. Chances are, I'm focused on landing softly anyway. In fact, just like we avoid pain in the real world, I wouldn't mind guessing we avoid pain in lucid dreams without really thinking about it.
Even if you let your unconscious guide your lucid dream on your behalf and your dream takes a nasty turn, you can either endure the pain or demand that it stops. If you don't have the level of consciousness to stop the pain mentally, then you're not really lucid anymore and it should be dumbed down to the level of a normal - if somewhat vivid - dream.
The few times I've experienced pain in a lucid dream, it was very different from real pain. It was inconsistent with the cause, and stopped abruptly when the dream moved on. What's more, there was no psychological component, which can make real life pain so much worse.
About the author
Rebecca Turner is a science writer, illustrator, explorer of consciousness - and founder of World of Lucid Dreaming. She is currently studying for a biology degree in Auckland and blogging at her site Science Me.
The Anatomy of a Dreaming Supplement
A lot has happened in the last 5 months. But how did we go from business as usual to changing the face of the entire lucid dreaming supplements industry? It’s a story that I think will interest you – and you might even learn a thing or two in the process. When I was first taken on-board as Chief Lucidity Officer in 2016, one of the first things I was tasked with was taking a good look at our operations and giving things a bit of an overhaul.
Mind Awake: Lucid Dreaming and Mindfulness App
Want to become a skilled and knowledgeable Lucid Dreamer by taking a Mindful approach? Awaken the potentials of your mind and integrate with your dreams through the guided meditations in this truly awesome app. Lucid Dreaming and Mindfulness actually share the same origin.
How to remember your dreams
To lucid dream, I recommend being able to remember at least one vivid dream per night. That will boost your self awareness in dreams (making lucidity more likely) and also means you can actually remember your lucid dreams. Which is nice. Here are four detailed tips on how to remember your dreams more frequently. And if you don't think you dream at all - trust me, you almost certainly do. It takes an extraordinarily rare sleep disorder to deprive someone of dream sleep.
What Do Lucid Dreams Feel Like?
Years ago, before I had my first lucid dream, I had a very specific idea about what a lucid dream would feel like. I thought it would be intense and magical and a little bit spooky. This turned out to be a pretty accurate representation. Becoming aware in the dreamstate is like entering another world. One where physical laws can be manipulated (there is no spoon, Neo) and your fantasies can come true in an instant. There's definitely something magical about that - and it's as if the lucid dream world is a living, breathing organism that can react to your very thoughts.
How to have amazing lucid dreams
Experts agree that everyone is capable of having lucid dreams. Dreaming itself is a normal function of the mind. We all dream every night, even if we don't remember. And we all achieve conscious awareness while awake every single day. So what does it mean to combine these states? Why, the amazing ability to have conscious - or lucid - dreams. Sounds simple, doesn't it? So why do I keep hearing from people who say they can't achieve their first lucid dream?
Mugwort: Dream Sage of the Chumash Indians
It is estimated that these wise and wily Indians have been using mugwort in their healing and ritual practices for 13,000 years, where it is known as the ‘dream sage’. They use the herb to promote good dreams, which they consider an essential aspect of normal human functioning! But that’s not all...
