Lucid Dream Or DMT Experience?

In the classic mythical or archetypal journey, Christopher Vogler explains, “The hero naturally encounters new Challenges and Tests, makes Allies and Enemies, and begins to learn the rules of the Special World.” So it is with lucid dreaming; dream figures, whether they take animal, human, or non-human form, often seem keen to initiate the lucid dreamer into the deeper possibilities of lucid dreaming.

The feeling we have on waking up from a dream is often a big clue as to the importance of the dream. Dreams can leave us feeling depleted or energised, depressed or buoyant, sad or happy, and the stronger the emotion is, the more the dream calls to be worked on, thought about, honoured in some way, and integrated into our waking life. In initiation lucid dreams, if we feel we’ve been shown something of value, it’s good to write down the dream and spend time reliv­ing it. What is it really showing us?

If we open our hearts to our lucid dream figures, we may find they have a great deal to teach us.

Tips for Interacting with Lucid Dream Figures

  •     Show gratitude: Thank dream figures who help you to become lucid! Offer them a gift (you can just look in your pocket for one or materialise it). If they’re people you know in waking life, thank them in person when you get the chance.
  •     Be respectful: Try not to assume that dream figures are made up solely by you and should therefore dance to your tune. Be open and respectful, and the potential for learning, healing, or understanding will automatically increase. Dreams are deeply mysterious: we do not yet know everything about them. Lucid dream figures may have plenty to teach us.
  •     Listen: Instead of telling dream figures that they don’t exist or that they are dreaming, try listening to their point of view—it may be enlightening!
  •     Be brave: Try not to flee from threatening lucid dream figures, as you stand to gain much more if you can stay calm and brave and question them in a friendly manner: “What do you want? Who or what do you represent? Do you have a message for me? Can we be friends?” Appease them with a gift. Breathe deeply; this calms just as well in dreams as in waking life.
  •     Fight: If you need to, fight! In certain dream situations, dream violence can be cathartic and help us confront psychological issues as an important step on the path to wholeness.
  •     Make friends: Follow the integration route of lucid dreaming and befriend your dream monsters. The simple act of hugging a negative dream figure in a whole­hearted way can release built-up anxieties and stress, and they may even become a powerful ally. A live dream friend is worth more than a dead dream enemy.

Clare R. Johnson, PhD, has researched lucid dreaming for two decades and is a life-long lucid dreamer. She is currently Vice President of the International Association for the Study of Dreams. Her nonfiction books include 'Llewellyn’s Complete Book of Lucid Dreaming and Dream Therapy' (out in the US/Canada as Mindful Dreaming). Her lucid-dream-inspired novels (as Clare Jay) are 'Dreamrunner' and 'Breathing in Colour'.

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