Greetings, Dear Oneironauts!

Just jumping in here for a quick hello and a note of warm welcome to all who've recently joined our Forum, and heartfelt thanks to those who've continued to share thoughtful questions, commentary, and rich, inspiring dreams. I've been reading every message posted (great discussions on consciousness and WILDs!), but must admit Life's been all too whirly for the past couple of months here, and hence I've missed connecting with you all. Hopefully, brighter and lighter days ahead -- and a chance to respond more regularly to your messages soon.

Warm and abundant aloha to all, Keelin

Ralf! Thank you for the link to your presentation at ASD! Always good to hear from you and to see that your circles are ever-widening. You have much to share and an inspiring way of doing so.

I too miss our Maui Dreamers! Perhaps some will come to our retreat in October? What a sweet reunion that would be. ;)

Keep on dreaming the good dream and living the lucid life! Love, Keelin

Hi Dreamers,

This has happened before. In fact, it happens every time I'm in the midst of organizing a Dreaming and Awakening retreat....

Somehow, it's already October and I'm at Kalani, greeting a new group of oneironauts. I'm warning them to "Be on the lookout for the ODD!" But wait, I think to myself, we haven't yet mentioned the importance of the "How odd is it?" question. I wake abruptly and realize: Well that was odd enough, but I missed it! Okay, next time.........., but I'm too sleepy to even finish the thought, let alone sincerely set my intention. And for this, I pay the price!

Because now I'm back with the oneironauts, an eager, gregarious group of dreamers who appear very excited about being here for the program. And oops, I do it again. I miss the cue. This time, though the oddness is even more obvious, I'm still oblivious. As I'm beginning to explain the I REMEMBER game (of all things!), Ralf Penderak, our muchwhat beloved impish "Punisher" from Maui DreamCamp, suddenly appears beside me, fluttering all about like the ultimate hybrid human-butterfly.....

Okay, NEXT TIME!

Looking out for the Odd -- even though it's within, Keelin

Keelin, you didn't by any chance dream a house for sale, did you?

Paul

Hey, Keelin and all!

Fine to know my role changed and now I don't pass butterflies in your dreams, but became the butterfly. To be honest, a bumble-bee would fit better as a dream body for me...

ZZZooo(Get lucid!)ooommmm...

Ralf

Hi Dreamers..I woke yesterday morning and as soon as I opened my eyes I clearly heard a childs voice giggle?? Only for a quick second but very close [in my room] and clear and loud enough.. I felt I had a visitor..I also remember another experiance like that a couple of months ago where I woke to the sound of someone saying [good morning Tom]very clearly too! {Has anyone else experianced this upon wakeing}??? I thought about it and [theorized] that It could be a voice leaking through from the dream world into the wakeing world [but only for a second!There was no one outside it was four thirty in the morning and I was alone! And considering Im always recalling dreams almost every night its an interesting throry at least..any opinions to this experiance??Tom....

hi Tom, i had a related experience on a bus once. Me and my friend were travelling from New York to Arizona, running away from home as teen-agers(temporarily), and we took a greyhound. I was sleeping in a seat towards the back of the bus, and woke up to see an old man sleeping in a chair across from me. Some people came over to him and started pushing his shoulder, trying to awaken him. That's when I realized he was dead. I blinked, and there was nobody sitting there anymore. I guess it was a false awakening, but it seemed like there was no transition from that scene to really being awake. Maybe i was awake, but still had some borderline energies swirling in my cognitive perception. You probably know that sleep paralysis is often accompanied by noises and voices, but often of a macabre nature. I have experimented with trying to induce sleep paralysis to aid in lucidity(WILD), and I think that if one goes that route, techniques and exercizes borrowed from astral projection(like early Monroe stuff) is a good avenue.

Yes I see your point Calmplex..But is wakeing from normal sleep like wakeing from sleep paralysis? I heard the child like [giggle] about one second after I opened my eyes.. I did not have any memory of a dream that time when I awoke..I have heard voices like that while walking through cemeterys and some old empty buildings as a ghost hunter..I know of an indoor flea market where their security cameras once and a while pick up voices of people talking laughing and yelling and sometimes walking by after hours in a compleatly empty building! Im aware that many strange things happen in our physical world that we cant always explain.. But just imagine a dream going on where many dream carectors are talking and you are in the dream as you sleep..You sudenly start to awaken and as you leave the dream state {SOMEHOW} a dream carectors voice slips through but only for a second!!As you start to awaken in that small gap of time between [sleep and awakening... [A theory]I am staying in a new resedence now mabey that has something to do with it? Anyway this is just an unproven thought birthed by my own feelings from the experiance I guess..Well its getting late time to sleep and awaken in a dream..Tom..

Was "The Night Before Christmas" a lucid dream?

A fat man popping out of the fireplace?

Reindeer on the roof?

Great dreamsigns!!

Have a merry Christmas, everyone, and God Bless!

Paul

'Twas the night before christmas and here in my head I dreamed that I slept and was dreaming in bed.

This fearful conundrum Made me sit up, awake! Except that I wasn't, A dreadful mistake!

I flew to the window, threw open the sash, then flew through the ceiling with grace and penache!

And saw on my roof such a hideous sight I must have been dreaming! And, of course, I was right.

For over a fire, impaled on a stick a reindeer was roasting, a meal for St. Nick.

The shock of this vision Made me sit up in bed with a sigh of relief: "'Twas a dream in my head!"

When I happened to glance At the palm of my hand And saw written on it the words, "Ain't life grand?"

Now, over and ever I wake in my dream, and you think it's clever, and so it might seem.

But think about this when your next snooze is taken: Your dreams can't come true Unless you awaken!

Anonymous

HI everyone..When I do my nightly [intentions] aimed at my new dreams each night..I find atleast for me..The choice of words in my [intentions] varies greatly in the efects it has on my comming dreams each night.. I used to say things like..[When I dream I will wake and remember them] But this usualy happens regularly now so no need to say it any more..I also would say..[I will awaken In my dreams]... That phrase worked pretty well too...There were many other phrases I used.But none has had the efect of this one.. [ I will be lucid in my dream tonoght..I [WILL] this to happen!] or I will be by the ocean tonight..I [WILL] this to happen!]And shortly after that I would think..I am In control!! I dont always get the exact dream I want but It seems to atleast Intensify my dreams..and recalling them Is easyer for me..[Example] I also would also express my desire to meet a certain girl in the dream. Using the.. [I WILLThis to happen aproach] talked about above..my last four dreams I recalled as the dream unfolded a sometimes shadowy girl would aproach and become part of the unfolding dream story. And she looked much like the girl I asked to see as I voiced my [intent] before sleep using the... [I will this to happen aproach] also followed by an attitude of being in controll..The very first night I used this method my early morning longest [REM]]dream was a lucid wild as I apeared in this total lucid lifelike world where I was standing next to a street and this girl walked in front of me saying something I didnt quite catch..She smiled and looked straight at me. She looked exactly like the one I asked to see! I started to say How are you? With the excitement of [KNOWING] I was lucid I wanted to say more..But the excitement woke me up..I think this kind of defenant intention has worked the best for me so far.. Cool Dreams..Tom..

Tom:

Interesting post - and certainly worthy of its own thread, I believe. So I took the liberty and copied this post to a new thread in the "Learning Lucid Dreaming" forum called "Intent: Its Value and Nuance." Hopefully plenty of dreamers will join in with their experience/opinions/feelings about exercising intent in the quest for lucid dreams.

Thanks for your thoughts,

Peter

Dear Tom,

Last night before bed I tried your intention: "I WILL have a Lucid Dream tonight.' Well this morning I had a lucid dream without wearing the loaner ND mask. Perhaps this intention worked or perhaps it was the Japanese dinner I ate or perhaps it was the Melatonin and Turmeric I took, it's hard to tell. Anyway, in the dream I was in a living room and there was a large mirror on the wall to my left. There was also a big screen TV under the mirror that was turned off. There was a large analog clock on the wall to my right. The image of the clock was reflected in the mirror and TV screen. When I first looked at the clock the hands seemed to jump into place. I believe that oddity is what triggered lucidity. After that I would look in the mirror at the clock and notice the time then I would look at the clock and the time was different. I did this several times. Even when I looked at the clock reflected in the TV screen it would change. At one point the red second hand was going forward a few seconds then backwards, then forward. It was fascinating because I knew that each time I looked at the clock it would be a different time because that is how mechanisms behave in dreams, unpredictably. Near the clock was a woman bending over doing something. I said "Pat, each time I look at the clock the time is different.' I asked her to look at the clock and tell me what time she saw while I looked in the mirror. A few times she said one time while I saw another. I told her this was a dream because the time was different, but she didn't understand. She did not believe me and I said I can prove it by throwing an ear of corn through the wall next to her. I took a shot and the corn bounced off the wall with several kernels popping off. She looked at me as if she still didn't believe so I picked up the corn and tried again. This time it went right through the wall as if it was transparent. She looked surprised but did not say anything. Soon after that the lucidity faded. What I've noticed about lucid dreams while they are occurring is how normal and natural they feel, as if that is how dreams should be and that the non-lucid variety are not normal. Do you ever get this feeling? Tonight I will try your intention setting suggestion again and see what happens.

Regards,

Scot Stride

Hi Scot. Yes lucid dreams are more real feeling. I think mabey because of the more hightened senses and a more awake like conscienceness you remember it with..But for me normal dreams can be extreemly vivid too. And Ive had plenty of them in very vivid content. There are still other types of dreams that deserve a lot of recognition too.Epic dreams that merge that merge into the deepest core of ones emotions and leave a lasting life long efect..And other dreams that fortell or warn of a future event.. Scot. your dream above was very detailed and showed very good recall on your part..Lucid dreaming is very cool..I hope you are still testing diferent colored light..It sounded like you were on to something a little while back.. I have bought me a digital wall power socket timer to plug a tape recorder into..Im going to put a recorded message on it to remind me to become lucid during my peak dreaming hours.. Im going to record it on an endless loop casette. The digital wall timer will take care of shutting it off and turning it on..It has a wide range of programability down to as little as one minute! I will probably only run the message for about a minute or less at a time and then shut off for about five or ten minutes..And then repeate the message over and over during peak REM hours...And experiment with changeing the message to see what the efect It may have during [REM] sleep..Have you ever talked to a person [as a joke]while they sleep and notice [sometimes] they will repete what you say to them..At first I thought I would use pillow speakers..But now Im considering using a very [tiny] in the ear..ear plug..Only one I think..Because Im used to wearing ear plugs any way when I sleep so hopefully It wont desturb my sleep much.. and be easyer to hear clearly as I sleep without wakeing me up I hope..Any way keep me posted Scot.. Hi..Peter glad my post made some sense..With [intention] for me.. I do it long enough then my mind learns it..Like the [ habit] I have now of recalling my dreams.. So then I try another phrase to enter into my subconscience at night.But when I say [I WILL this to happen] It [seems] to cary more [authority] and [efect] for me along with the positive attitude of.. [IM IN CONTROL].. But as with dreams and life in general things can change from day to day..Cool dreams to all..Tom..

Tom and Scot, I have always avoided imperative statements like "Tonight, I WILL have a lucid dream", in favor of softer words, like "Tonight, I am ready to achieve lucidity", or "I know I can dream lucidly tonight." If I insist on having an LD, I'm setting myself up for a big disappointment and perhaps a loss of confidence if I fail to have one, which is quite likely.

Paul

p.s. Scot, the package is on the way!!!

... No really, there truly is a new thread in the "Learning Lucid Dreaming" forum called "Intent: Its Value and Nuance." It was set up just for this conversation.

Any chance we could move it there so other, browsing dreamers might find it and join in?

Thanks for helping out!

Peter

Lucidity News Flash Paul Sirotta Joins the Mod Squad

Please join Stephen, Keelin, Dominic, Brenda, and me in warmly welcoming Paul Sirotta to TLI Forum's Moderator Staff.

Most of you are no doubt familiar with Paul, a frequent contributor and veteran of the May "03 Dreaming and Awakening Retreat. He has started and lent his wisdom to many a conversation, and now he gets to keep an eye on them too!

So if you see the occasional post from him asking "what does any of this have to do with lucid dreaming?' don't worry ' he's not being pushy, he's just doing his job!

Peter

TLI Forum Moderator

VVVRRRRMMMM! VVVVRRRMMM! The new MODSQUAD member goes cruising the forum, seeking out evil New Age posts wherever they may lurk, as he fights for truth, justice, and lucid dream sex whenever possible!

Dear Oneironauts,

FYI: Stephen LaBerge will be featured in a 3-hour, live radio interview with George Noory on "Coast to Coast AM" tomorrow night, September 1-2, 2005, 11pm to 2am PDT. In addition, Russell Targ (who will be a guest presenter at our upcoming Dreaming and Awakening workshop in November!) will join Stephen in the last part of this interview. For those unfamiliar with the radio program, "Coast to Coast AM" is the largest overnight talk radio show in the US. To find local station affiliates, visit their website at http://www.coasttocoastam.com

Dear All,

Paul Sirotta lives in Biloxi, Mississippi about 1/2 mile from the beach. I hope he got out of there before Katrina hit. Paul, are you there??

Regards,

Scot Stride

Scot..I would guess Paul is at some emergency shelter where he cant access a computer.. hopefully he is ok.. But strangley enough I quote the last part of his last post....[ that is... If I ever have another lucid dream..which Im beginning to wonder about...]] But still Im shure people living that close to the beach got first warning..And since he is a doctor he may be helping injured people as well..Lets hope for the best..cheers..Tom

Great news, dear Dreamers!

Paul Sirotta, Ashley Goodrich and Tim Lyons are all fine. Sorry I don't have more detail, but at least we know this much.

Paul's brother informed me that Paul left Biloxi the day before the hurricane hit, and returned the day after to help at his hospital where he works as a radiologist.

I was able to reach Ashley & Tim directly. They're waiting to hear about family members, and meanwhile doing what they do best -- reaching out to others. They send their love and heartfelt thanks to all who expressed concern for their safety.

Let's hold on to only the best thoughts for all, Keelin

PHEW!

Keelin, Thanks for sharing. The news reports are getting REAlly scary and it's good to hear at least a tiny piece of good news about the situation there.

We're having a huge yard sale here at the temple this weekend and will be donating a portion of our profits to the rescue efforts. It seems like such a small drop in the bucket, but I know every bit counts.

--Ben

Dear All,

LaBerge Interview...

If anyone missed the LaBerge interview last night on Coast to Coast AM, I may be able to help you locate the 3 MP3 interview segments. Email inquiries to me at scot.stride@verizon.net

Regards,

Scot Stride

It...is....ALIVE!!!!!

Yes, fellow dreamers, I am alive and well in what used to be Biloxi, Mississippi. having ridden out Katrina in Hattiesburg, which also caught the eye wall. My home is not currently inhabitable, so I have been hole up at my hospital for 8 days now, without internet access until just today. Been working 24/7, since no other radiologist came back yet, so I'm completely frazzled. Good conditions for lucid dreaming, but none yet. Sleeping in my office on an air mattress is not exactly conducive.

I didn't know Ashley and Tim are down here, New Orleans, I presume. Can someone email me a number? If anyone has loved ones they need to search out, let me know and I'll try to find out.

I truly hope I never have to relive some of the things I've witnessed lately, and that none of you ever have to either. Many of my friends had everything taken but their lives. Many others have left town permanently. The carnage can't be captured on TV. This place will never be the same, that much is for certain.

However, as a show of nature it was truly indescribably awesome! I saw a tornado destroy a building not 100 yards from where I was standing Monday! I used to have frequent tornado dreams, scary enough, but this was worse.

I'm really not making much sense, I guess, but I wanted to let you know I'm ok. I probably won't post for awhile, until I get squared away again somewhere.

God bless, and thanks for thinking of us down here.

Paul WBTB: Wacked Biloxi To Bits

Dear Paul!

So good and reassuring to hear from you directly. Your brother let us know you had gotten out of town for your own good -- and returned to town for the good of others. "That's our Paul", I said to him.

We know you're overwhelmed with much too much to do, but so grateful you took a few moments to be in touch. Take very special care, dear friend, and we'll look forward to further word whenever you have the time. May your dreams be peaceful and restive.

Love, Keelin

WBTB: Welcome Back Treasured Biloxian

PS: I'll send Ashely & Tim's number to you in a private email. They're ok!

Great to hear you are okay Paul! I was on the verge of asking Keelin for another update! I know you have your own issues to deal with and you still went back to help others. That is really something to admire!

Take a Break Once in While To Read These Posts !!

WBTB: Will Bureaucracy Topple Bush?

Patricia, I'm not alone in that. The whole nation has turned out. There are people from out of state here to help, living with even fewer conveniences and services than most of our locals. We're all pulling together. It's really something to see!

Don't come down here if you've grown cynical about human nature. You might get arrested!

Love to everyone, and good night!

Paul

Paul,

I'm glad you are ok. Hope you can find a nice place to stay where you can relax from all this recent madness. Wishing you many happy lucid dream adventures and a new home.

Eve

Hi Paul! Howdy to Everyone too,

First off, Many Thanks to everyone who has sent word, well wishes, encouragement to 'hang the hell on for this one!' and warm light, calls, etc.

Paul, Really Glad to hear you are Okay (well, survived Katrina, that is;-) Bless you for holding the fort down at your hospital too. Let us know if there is Anything we can do for you personally...we are not far away! Keelin was kind enough to contact and let Tim and me know you were riding her out too, just on the dirty side this time. I fly out of Gulfport on bad weather occasions for the 'stump jumpers' crew changes when seas are too high for boats. I can Only imagine what is (not) left.

We evacuated the offshore folks and battened down rigs and platforms...and got the H out. I do reality checks when there are Mandatory and police escorted evacuations Inland, yet we Eggbeater drivers are always going the Opposite direction to retrieve the last, perhaps even unlucky suckers off the production facilities (Just one more hour of Prod = $$$$)...and end up skirting around and thru the outer bands of these monsters.

When "K" hit sustained 180+ mph offshore where we live and play...the "pilot pucker factor" exceeded MAX op limitations!

Anyway, Tim and I headed to the Tx line. We do have family that was in the line, but word they evacuated...just didn't hear from them for about 5 days. Still have many others in NO we cannot reach and can only send prayers out to. (My dad did residency in NO in dark ages, so still has many family/friends in the areas most damaged and still underwater).

As Paul says, this Katrina Scorned will continue to damage and impact lives for months and years to come. Unless you are down here, no words can describe the loss and destruction. But (and aside from gov't) to see the kindness and generosity pouring from Everyone, is what makes this country so special. Every thought helps, so please keep the light and positive thoughts coming! The worst is still yet to come unfortunately.

(and, we still have nearly 3 more months of "H" season to go...)

Love, Hugs and Light to everyone:-)

Not sleeping, but still hanging Lucid and Batty!

AK (ashley)

Water Brought Total Bedlam WET Beneath The Bedsheets

[Below, a repost in reply to Scot Stride's message under another topic]

Dear Scot and all,

Couldn't agree with you more! It would indeed be Stephen's dream come true (as well as that of the rest of us who moderate the site) to see the Forum completely re-organized and able to serve a more research-based and generally helpful purpose.

Your moderators do have a plan unfolding for revamping our beloved Forum which will hopefully allow all who visit to easily navigate the site and not miss the gems that are currently buried deep down in the archives.

As for modern clinical research, one of the goals of our current LD/Non-LD study is to find a handful of expert lucid dreamers to form a special Oneironaut Society for more extensive experiments that Stephen has in mind. What we're looking for are experienced lucid dreamers who will make a sincere commitment to follow detailed, procedural instructions and fill out reports accurately and completely. Research reports will be a key topic on the revamped site. If anyone would like to be considered as a candidate for this select group, the first step is to participate in the study -- and to complete the forms impeccably! For detailed instructions, see: http://www.lucidity.com/dreams4.html

Thank you, Scot, for once again shining the light on our goal and prompting us to work towards creating a more worthwhile Forum for all.

Brilliant dreams to all, Keelin

During part of one of my dreams last night, I was riding on a bus. In front of the bus there was a car, and its license plate said "KEELIN" and instead of a state, it said "Serotonin." Keelin, did ya find yourself driving in front of a bus last night at all in your dreams?? :P

Jason

Hi Jason,

Perhaps if I'd looked in my rearview mirror.... Or wait, maybe I was the car and needed that name tag of a license plate so you could recognize me! But alas, no recall of being anything other than a typical dream character last night.

If I were the vehicle, then who might have been steering me down the road in the Land of Odd, leading a busload of other dreamer characters? Might we have been on on our way to Kalani?

Better double check those license plate letters! Keleni

PS: There's still room on the bus to Dreaming & Awakening!

Jason,

Your dream of Keelin and Serotonin is a perfect lucidity cue!

Hi everyone emailing from Australia, empathy to all involved in Katrina.In Tasmania we are experiencing buckets of rain, floods everywhere. I found it quite intriguing about the car with the number plates with serotonin written on the back, as I had just emailed Keelin about anti deressants and any effects they may have on dream recall My partner has just started taking them ,and now is not remembering any dreams. If I am right isnt serotonin supposed to be helpfull in ballancing the chemicals in the brain. Does anyone know or have experienced anything helpful.I cannot tell you how envious of those people able to attend the upcoming retreat I am. At the moment even doing all the exersizes and suggestions I am having limited sucess. I have been an avid dreamer all my life and now I am concentrating on it, it seems as if I have gone backwardsI at least I know what a high LDS are having them from time to time over the years. Going back now for my nap and the nova dreamer my constant companion these days. Regards Serena.