Is Lucid Dreaming a Form of Meditation?

[HAGART]

I recently got interested in meditation and believe that it is the key to successful W.I.L.D.s (Wake Induced Lucid Dreams).

Basically the overall concept of meditation, as I have read, is to clear the mind of conscious thought and focus on the subconscious. Nothing is good or bad, all subjective perception is cast aside and you become alone with your subconscious thought. Body position doesn't really matter, as long as you are comfortable and can breath right. (If that requires a Breath-Right-Nasal-Strip so be it) I mean whatever a Zen Buddist Lucid Dream Master appears to be doing on the outside, it is what we are doing on the INSIDE that counts.

Anyway, back on point. I have heard that after meditation you feel a sense of well being and at peace with yourself. In a lucid dream I tie up all the loose ends of my subconscious desires and awaken feeling more spiritual and at peace with myself. Sounds very similar. Perhaps lucid dreaming is a type of meditation. Even if it is a lucid nightmare, and you suffer, I still feel better in the morning. As though I got everything off my 'mental chest'.

So what do you think? Is lucid dreaming a form of meditation? The two are intertwined and if you can do one, the other comes naturally. Those are my thoughts. What do you think?

[jamiealexander]

I know what you're trying to say. I think you could class lucid dreaming and meditation as a form of complete awareness, rather than saying meditation and lucid dreaming are the same. They seem to both result in the same state of consciousness, but appear to be two separate things.

I really think lucid dreamers who are not practicing meditation will be severely leaving lucid dreams on the table. The two go hand in hand. It's not really just WILD's, DEILD's or all that good stuff. To bring yourself up to a high level of meditation means you just become aware in the middle of a dream without the need for dream signs or reality checks. It really closes the awareness gap between the dream/real world.

[Peter]

I really think lucid dreamers who are not practicing meditation will be severely leaving lucid dreams on the table.

I dont agree with this as I dont meditate in any sense that I am aware of and have a lot of lucid dreams.

[jamiealexander]

I really think lucid dreamers who are not practicing meditation will be severely leaving lucid dreams on the table.

I dont agree with this as I dont meditate in any sense that I am aware of and have a lot of lucid dreams.

I never said you couldn't have a lot without meditation. I just said you were leaving them on the table. Could you have more if you meditated? Maybe, who knows.

I was meaning more the people I speak to through email or on forums who say they only have one or two a month, sometimes once per week maximum. And they try all these things like supplements, devices and even down to the foods they eat like apples and bananas. If those people started doing 'proper' meditation I think it would help them to no end.

But I agree that it's something you shouldn't care about. Why should you if you're doing fine just now?

[Jack Reacher]

I used to meditate, now whenever I start doing it I already feel as if I am in a good state of mind, and that I have no real need to improve it, so I just stop. While trying to meditate other thoughts are on the back of my mind saying yeah this is all very well and all but I would rather be doing my uni work.

I find that studying maths does a better job of slowing my mind down, as it forces me to concetrate on something that is so far removed from my normal thoughts, but thats just me.

[jamiealexander]

I used to meditate, now whenever I start doing it I already feel as if I am in a good state of mind, and that I have no real need to improve it, so I just stop. While trying to meditate other thoughts are on the back of my mind saying yeah this is all very well and all but I would rather be doing my uni work.

I find that studying maths does a better job of slowing my mind down, as it forces me to concetrate on something that is so far removed from my normal thoughts, but thats just me.

Don't take this the wrong way, but it doesn't sound like meditation. If you have thoughts in your mind then it's maybe just resting.

[HAGART]

I agree that mediation can enhance lucid dreaming. However I already knew I was dreaming and therefore lucid from the get-go. I was meditative during the hypnogogic state. Which can be hard for most people. I just relaxed and focused on my breathing and the imagery and sounds that seem to just come out of nowhere and allowed it to go from there.

I didn't need to do reality checks, I just knew. But there is an overlap between the two isn't there. (meditation and lucid dreaming) I have never meditated before... or did I during lucid dreams and hypnogocic states and just didn't know it?

I still plan to practice meditation, but I have a feeling I can only lucid dream when my BODY is ready for it. You can meditate anytime but your body has to be willing to dream before you can lucid dream or especially W.I.L.D. (And the BRAIN is still the BODY. It is just an organ at our mind's disposal if you will) Its a creature of habit just like our stomachs are. They love routine. But our minds..... well.... have a mind of their own.... (that's deep).l

[jamiealexander]

I sounds like you do meditate. Focusing on something, whether it's imagery, sounds, or breathing is a form of meditative induction.

[HAGART]

Good. That's what I thought.
But I still plan to practice meditation.
But I I may not do it in the conventional way.
But focusing on pure thought and ignoring our "chatty" conscious thought....
THAT'S MY NEXT STEP AND WHERE I WANT TO BE.
(It's still fun to be yourself and have fun though. We are just intelligent monkeys. But monkeys non the same and you have to love our antics!)

[jamiealexander]

This is what I do if you want to have a look - http://lucidability.com/lucid-trance/