I used to feel only 1 BIG shift, accompanied with a lot of noise, often fast falling/backwards flying and some vibrations. But recently, I've been able to feel a light, first shift (loosing the feel of my body, feel a bit like I'm foating) but I'm still very aware of my head. Also, I get excited (YEAH, my WILD is working) and I fully wake up again. :(

Who has experience with this and has a good technique to stay relaxed and to get past this stage?

Quote from: Sara on April 23, 2008, 02:14:30 AMI used to feel only 1 BIG shift, accompanied with a lot of noise, often fast falling/backwards flying and some vibrations. But recently, I've been able to feel a light, first shift (loosing the feel of my body, feel a bit like I'm foating) but I'm still very aware of my head. Also, I get excited (YEAH, my WILD is working) and I fully wake up again. :(

Who has experience with this and has a good technique to stay relaxed and to get past this stage?

This is the exact technique I have for my WILD - pretty much...

I have it all over at DV - maybe I should revisit, rewrite and repost over here. Basically for me, I found the more I tried the shorter I needed to be in this transitional period. So now I am only in this state for a very short time, compared to before.

I think now because you are used to these sensations and are so aware of your technique that you don't need these sensations to be so strong and for so long. I would go on the basis that you are getting used to your experiences and now when you feel these sensations go with them, don't thin kabout staying relaxed or that it might not work, but think that it is working and you are pretty much lucid.

It's easy for me to say this but actually doing it is another matter, but remember that you are used to the feelings now so they may not feel as stong as they once did.

The topic of extended-time dreams came up in chat over the weekend.  The idea intrigues me as much as dream sharing does, and I know there are some here who have experienced this.

Research shows that our perception of time in dreams closely parallels the actual passage of time.  Yet there are those situations where dreams can span days, weeks - and even, in some extreme cases, years.  I've had dreams seem to span a day or so, but never more than that.

I'd love to talk about this phenomenon and try to figure out a way to deliberately induce it.  Have you ever experienced extended time dreaming?  If so, was it lucid?  Did it just happen, or was it intentional?  Can you remember the circumstances and point to possible influencing factors?

Thank you!

That would be the ultimate; to be able to subjectively experience extended lengths of time in dreams.  I look forward to hearing from anybody on this subject as well.

This is an interestging thread. I presume you are referring to Laberges experiments where a lucid dreamer used eye motion to signal to the real world lab tech, how time was passing in their lucid dream.

Bear in mind of course that dream lucidity is a very special state. I'm unclear how well that conclusion applies to non-lucids.

On one hand, it is easy to use the argument that disjoint scenes creates a perception that much time has passed. That lends credibility to extrapolating Laberges conclusions to non-lucids.

On the flip side, I have found it curious over the years, how I often find myself in high stress scenarios in non lucids at the same time my alarm is going off. I have always wondered whether the alarm actuallly goes off first, and then the non lucid dream story compresses and tends toward an unpleasant or stressful circumstance that I wake out of, in sync with the alarm?

I have no idea how we would prove or disprove these theories for non lucids unfortunately.

I also heard something like that... but never made it successfully. I read somewhere that one should look to a watch (a dream time watch) and ask (or order gently) for the time to stop. And hopefully, the dream could be prolonged.

I have to research more on this though. If I find something I'll post it.

OK, found this:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Dream-Interpretation-2204/2009/10/Lucid-Dream-Lengths.htm

I know when they do experiments and measure it, time passes about the same for the person dreaming as it is on the watch, but they do that when the person is lucid and trying to do the experiment, so that just means when a person is concentrating on it, it is the same.

We've probably all had dreams where it "seems like" several days have passed; we know it is "later", but we don't necessarily subjectively experience all the time in between.

However, there are some people, including people here, who have dreams that really feel like they are living days or weeks or more in a single dream.  That is the kind of thing pj and I were discussing in chat the other day.

One thing I don't know, which I realize now I had just been assuming, is whether or not the dreams are lucid.  I thought they must be, considering the people, but I'm not sure now.  Lucid would be better.

Well, I don't remember if I've had any experiences personally where I've been able to distinguish whether a long dream was just a long REM cycle or a 'compressed dream', but there are stories from the people in my family who follow the 'old ways' about crossover experiences that take place in the space of one breath.  I've never been able to repeat this, or any OOBE for that matter, but my father and at least one of my great grandparents or grandparents have said that they have gone and seen loved ones that have passed over, and that to do it and come back you have to be back before you take another breath.

Take that with a grain of salt, but I've seen my father blank out for a second or two and when he 'comes back' he describes a vision that would have taken five to ten minutes to dream were the time he was experiencing and our time the same.  That, I think, may be brought on by his Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (see TLE and Paranormal Experience), but it shows that it should, theoretically, be possible.

Ugh, time dilation. Yeah, has had these dreams that seem like they last far more hours than they actually do, practiced making it such, though every single time I was "successful" it ended with me having a headache for the rest of the day, the longer the dream seemed to last, the stronger the headache was, dunno if thats placebo or something but its annoying... so whenever lucid, I try to avoid time dilation and try to wake myself when its present. (When a dream has been going for longer than one or two hours) Luckily, this doesn't happen often, if at all, once every few years.

Anyway, when I try to extend the time passing in a dream, focusing on two things works really good, one would be a part of the dream, and the other is on counting the seconds, though it may be boring for people this way.

My own experience tells me that the perceived time is the same when in waking state and dreaming, though, perceived time is different in waking life, whether you are bored and having fun (experiments confirm). As consciousness one can experience that time ticks different from the physical to the non-physical, but that is not just dreaming

I just got in from seeing Avatar-3D.  Man, oh man it was like being in a lucid dream.  Needless to say, I've now got a ton of new things to try in my next lucid dream.

p.s. we are now having our first really significant wet snow event.  If I go MIA for a few days, it's because the power is out.  Last time it was out for five days.

I'm off to see that in a couple of hours. Really looking forward to it, especially now since your description of it.

Vex, you will find yourself doing tons of reality checks all the way through it.  It was so surreal!

So I guess that means I'll be coming out of the theater with chewed up fingers? ((my reflexive finger bite reality check)) Hoping the movie will lead to some kick ass dreams tonight.

That's why I had to gave up my "poke a finger in my eye" RC.

Yeah, those self abuse RCs can be deadly.

Quote from: pj on December 18, 2009, 03:53:37 PMThat's why I had to gave up my "poke a finger in my eye" RC.

Oh yea I remember when you used to that RC.   Finger-bite is worth the pain, I think, it's a good one.

I may get to civilization over the holidays, if the weather cooperates (which it looks like it might not again this year!) and we plan on seeing that hopefully.

I just reserved three tickets for the kids and me.  Talked me right into it.

Leaving in ten minutes!

I'm going to see it with 3D on Tuesday! I'm looking forward to it!

Ho.

Lee.

Crap.

That was one hell of a movie! Totally blown away by the scenery. I haven't walked away from a movie feeling that amazed and inspired in a loooong time. Going to see that one again, hopefully in IMax next time around. The 3D just sucks you right into the movie.

GOOD MOVIE!

I see you!

I see you.

I'm really excited about this movie. I can hardly wait to see it on my day off. I go to most of the 3-D movies, but I'm expecting this one to be beyond all of them so far. It's not Disney, it's James Cameron.

This is fascinating, and if I could do it, I'd end up spending most of my time in the dream world(s).  The closest I've experienced is falling asleep for 10 minutes and feeling the dream took longer (at least 15, less than 45).

I was really surprised by the quality of it - and not just of the effects.  It is a good plot, even though it is a fallback to an old standby in many ways.  The blending of CGI with filmed acting is by far and away the best I've ever seen and totally seamless.

And they world they created is beyond breath-taking.

It is indeed a good movie.

OMGTHISISTHEBESTMOVIEIHAVEEVERSEEN!!

And I didn't even see the 3D version! I just came back home after watching it with a friend. We both absolutely loved it!

I kept sitting there thinking "I gotta go there/do that in a lucid dream", and the movie was just so... pretty! And awesome plot!

PS: I see you!

I SEE YOU!!!

The part where the drivers established the links with their avatars...I was thinking the whole time WILD, OMG, THAT IS A WILD!

Yep, I tried my best to incubate Pandora and the Na'vi last night.  No luck

Aww, try again tonight!

When I watch a movie, I usually dream about it the following night, so tonight will probably be interesting! Though the same applies to movies I don't even get, and I didn't get the Matrix the first time I saw it. But I dreamt that I was trapped in a pod the following night, even though I didn't understand that part...

I can't wait to see this after reading this thread. I'd go today..but everything is shut down..nobody seems to be able to handle snow on this end of the U.S :( Perhaps In a day or two.

Along with WILDing, this is the one thing I'd like to be able to do at will more than anything else.

I've had this happen a few times; the most memorable was probably this, in which it really seemed as if at least a month had passed.

I'm aware of the experiments that show that in at least some lucid dreams, the rate of passage of time corresponds with RL.  I agree that this is probably usually the case.  But the experiments say nothing, (and it's hard to imagine an experiment that could) say anything about whether or not this is always the case.

I'm also aware that many times there is merely the illusion of passage of time, much like in movies.  I fully agree that this is what almost always happens too.

But..  And I'm not offering this as proof that I expect anyone to accept, I know it's possible, and is real in every way that subjectively matters, because I've experienced it.  I know it can really seem that way subjectively, and that's really what it's all about anyway.

Anyway, it's without doubt one of the most incredibly mind-blowing experiences I've ever had..  Doubting my sanity after waking up, or thinking I was trapped in the dreamworld forevermore..  Incredibly awesome.

I'd recommend it to anyone.  If only there was some way to make it happen..  I was thinking about this the last few days, and there's one thing they do all seem to have in common--they are all connected to particular "places" in dreams.  This is just speculation..  If you have a recurring place in your dreams, particularly one that holds great fascination for you, I think your best chances of "staying awhile" reside there.  I'm going to be trying this to see if it works..

The places I have in mind seem "set apart," in there own little universes, and therefore "have their own time."  You just need a reason to be (and stay) there.

Thanks for that insight mu, and confirming that it is possible to subjectively experience this.

For me, recurring anything in dreams is hard to do, so maybe that's why the extended dream-time never happens.  But that gives me something to work on towards that end.

Maybe this will be the thing to kick start my dreaming again.

Oh my god.  Two days later and it's still vivid in my head.  This is, without a doubt, one of the best (if not THE best) movies I've seen this year.  I highly recommend it to anyone who's able to easily reach a theater, and try to see it in 3d if you can.

Quote from: mu on December 20, 2009, 12:12:26 AMI'd recommend it to anyone.  If only there was some way to make it happen..  I was thinking about this the last few days, and there's one thing they do all seem to have in common--they are all connected to particular "places" in dreams.  This is just speculation..  If you have a recurring place in your dreams, particularly one that holds great fascination for you, I think your best chances of "staying awhile" reside there.  I'm going to be trying this to see if it works..

The places I have in mind seem "set apart," in there own little universes, and therefore "have their own time."  You just need a reason to be (and stay) there. Okay, I'm not convinced that this is possible for me.  But how will it happen if I don't try?  Guess I'll be planning a dream vacation to that island I used to go to/be at in my dreams sometimes.

Good luck, Alex!

I just wish I had a recurring place; maybe I'll have to just harder to make one!

Quote from: Moonbeam on December 20, 2009, 12:10:00 PMThanks for that insight mu, and confirming that it is possible to subjectively experience this.

For me, recurring anything in dreams is hard to do, so maybe that's why the extended dream-time never happens.  But that gives me something to work on towards that end. You're welcome.  I should add that a lot of my dreams seem very long in general.

Is there any particular quality that some of your dream places have, a certain inexplicable something that otherwise different places sometimes have in common?  (The "quality" I have in mind is quite indescribable, but easily recognized.)

In other words, I don't think it would have to be the same place, just a certain kind of place.  It seems recurring places are often of this kind.

Quote from: Alex Lou on December 21, 2009, 04:59:51 PMOkay, I'm not convinced that this is possible for me.  But how will it happen if I don't try?  Guess I'll be planning a dream vacation to that island I used to go to/be at in my dreams sometimes. Yes, good luck Alex.  You're a very talented dreamer!  I'm sure you can do this.

A recurring island sounds ideal.  Just remember, there is a great, ancient, unsolvable mystery on the island, and it will take a long time to discover all the clues, so you might as well make yourself at home..  After all, you can't leave until it's solved..

Yeah, wow. I saw it yesterday. Very beautiful movie. And It doesn't get any better than 3-D dragon riders.

The only bad thing is that to me it was so predictable. I could always tell what was going to happen. But that didn't take anything away from the wonder of it. I plan to go see it at least one more time.

I sure hope Cameron makes more movies set in Pandora. It's way too incredible of a place for just one movie.

Quote from: Caradon on December 22, 2009, 10:50:14 AMI sure hope Cameron makes more movies set in Pandora. It's way too incredible of a place for just one movie.

I read on a news site that he is planning to make it a trilogy, but he hasn't started writing the script yet.

I just came home from seeing it in 3D, it was a great experience!

Fantastic world they have created, would be fun to visit in dreams

A trilogy would be great!! I hope he does it.

I was thinking about the see you thing and what it means and got to wondering what would happen if you walked up to a DC while lucid, looked right into it's eyes and said, "I see you." Or even more interesting, looking into a mirror while stone cold lucid and saying it. I think there is potential for some trippy reactions. I hope I remember to try this, maybe make it my official greeting when lucid.

I'm going to rent the game soon as possible and play it, hope to induce some Avatar inspired dreams. Pandora is just begging for us to lucid explore it.

A trilogy would be kind of cool.  I really REALLY hope he explores and expands on his concepts of Ewah.  It was the metaphysical connection that made the first matrix so cool and the lack thereof that ruined the sequels.

I've been trying to incubate Pandora based dreams since last Friday with no luck.

Yay a trilogy!

Seeker maybe you should go watch it again. I got off work early today so I went and saw it again. I'm glad I did because I enjoyed it even more the second time around. I sat closer to the screen this time and it was a whole different experience. Man, I may as well have been dreaming because I felt as if I was actually there. I spent more time watching the environment around the characters this time too.

Wow.

I'm going to try the I see you thing in a dream too and see what happens. That could be cool. Good idea.

My main purpose in life from now on is to get to Pandora in an LD.

Mind-blowing, spectacular, epic.. loved it.

If I am ever able to visit Pandora in an LD, the I See You thing sounds very interesting.  It's almost a week now and no luck so far.  Maybe while attempting WILD tonight I can try.... 1...I see you 2...I see you 3...I see you....

We should make Pandora a monthly meeting place!

Suggest it to iadr!

But where in/on Pandora?  Home Tree, pre-destruction?

That would be fun.

That's cool, I saw it in 3D before seeing this thread, and I too was reality checking now and again. Very nicely done 3D.

Yes, it would be cool to visit Pandora. One of my favorite things in the movie, visuals wise, was how you could the gas planet in the sky as they orbited it. That would be quite a sight in a lucid dream.

Quote from: pj on December 24, 2009, 09:05:52 AMSuggest it to iadr!

But where in/on Pandora?  Home Tree, pre-destruction?

That would be fun.

Surely at night, where ever the location. There were just too many beautiful luminous things on that planet

I want to make the climb to the floating mountain where the banshees are. Then make the bond and go flying on one. That whole sequence is my favorite part of the movie.

I tried VILDing myself flying one of them yesterday. I was able to get a little bit of the sense of flying, and of the feel of the creatures beating wings. But that was as far as I got with it.