Dreaming with Awareness: Exploring Lucid Dreaming as a Bridge Between Reality and Meditation

Abstract

The article examines the phenomenon of lucid dreaming. The author assumes that lucid dreamers share the experiences typical of meditation practice and lucid dreaming is certainly more than becoming ‘awake’ in a dream state. Most lucid dreamers experience in lucid dreams more intense sense of presence, stillness and peace, joy, compassion and love. it is worthwhile mentioning that lucid dreaming is also different from just being mindful in the dream state as well. The most commonly experienced sensations during a lucid dream run as following: desire to control, desire to fly (most commonly experienced), joy, stillness and peace, euphoria, more intense sense of presence (commonly experienced), compassion, and love (quite commonly experienced). This shows lucid dreaming state is different from the state that ‘dream yoga’ or similar states in other religious traditions try to achieve.