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Spirit of Ma'at: "The Dreamtime" — Vol 3, No 10 with Dominick Attasani by Julia Griffin
As Stephen LaBerge, founder of the Lucidity Institute, states on his website:
There is a state of consciousness in which any human being could experience anything imaginable. Each of us holds within us infinite possibilities. How many of us ever have the opportunity to taste even a hint of them? If we speak of our fantasies of wider vistas of life, we talk of our "dreams." In our dreams, we are free. A man in a dungeon can dream he is a king in a castle, and while he dreams, it is so. LaBerge says that recent research at Stanford University proves that it is possible for us to gain mastery over our dreaming. When that happens, lucid dreamers "...are free to do as they choose. This freedom, hard to imagine in our highly constrained waking reality, is astonishing, exhilarating, and inspiring. The laws of physics and society are repealed. The limits are only those of the dreamer's imagination. To find out more about lucid dreaming and how to achieve it, we spoke with Dr. LaBerge's colleague Dominick Attasani of the Lucidity Institute. Julia: How have you learned so much about lucid dreaming? Dominick: Dr. Stephen LaBerge, founder of the Lucidity Institute and one of the foremost authorities on dreaming, figured out how to capture lucid dreaming in the laboratory through brainwave hypology. Through this type of research, we have collected a great deal of data about lucid dreaming through the years. Julia: What are the differences between normal dreaming and a lucid dream? Dominick: Lucidity means mental clarity. In a normal dream, one experiences the dream but there is no awareness that one is dreaming. Becoming lucid in dreaming means that awareness of dreaming takes place. We are dreaming, and we know that we are dreaming. The quality of lucidity can vary. At a low level, one is aware to a certain extent. At a high level of lucid dreaming, one is very aware, and may have a clear focus. Lucid dreaming is not synonymous with having control in a dream. One can be awake in a dream but still have little control. However, the likelihood of being able to control a dream is greater in a lucid dream. Julia: What can you tell me about the construction and elements of a dream? Dominick: Our consciousness is a mental model of the world, constructed from mental images of all our experiences. So the mental body — known as the "phenomenal body" — is experienced during dreaming. In many ways, our dreams are a reflection of the entire psyche. And all dreams are directly related to our consciousness. The trials and tribulations experienced in dreaming are reflections of those experienced in life. A state of anger or fright experienced in real life is likely to be experienced in dreams. An understanding and kind attitude experienced on a daily basis is often reflected in very positive or enlightening dreams. Our subconscious translates information in incredibly minute detail. It is capable of reproducing any image in the mind in 3D, including solid walls, mountains, or people. If one thinks of dreaming about his bedroom, for example, imagine what the mind does to create this. There is depth, texture, lighting, walls, furniture — all of which are perfectly reproduced by the subconscious. It takes thousands of thoughts and images to perfectly create a dream. There is a Greater Eye that creates the whole. There also are certain consistent elements found in dreaming. A holodeck and a director are examples of these elements. The holodeck refers to a variety of images that can be called up or conjured. The director is what permits us to alter the reality of dreams with some plasticity. Julia: I understand that research has uncovered some dream limitations, even in lucid dreaming. Can you talk about these? Dominick: The structures of the Higher Mind and the reptilian mind seem to limit our actions in lucid dreaming. The reptilian mind limits us with regard to language and technology. For example, if we see writing in a dream, the phrase can be read once, and sometimes twice — but 99.9 percent of the time, the phrase cannot be read for a third time. And there often are problems with mechanical devices. For instance, it is difficult to turn on a light or read a digital clock in a dream. The Higher Mind also seems to have its limitations. If I want to imagine I am in Long Island with a girl I knew in high school, then I may dream that I am in Long Island with my wife, or a different girlfriend. I may never have the dream about the girl with whom I always wanted to make love. This seems to be a function of the Higher Mind — there are certain things it won't allow. It dictates or disallows certain elements in dreaming. Julia: I underestand that "dreamsigns" are slight errors or anomalies in dreaming that the lucid dreamer can learn to use as cues that he or she is in the dream state. Can you explain how this works? Dominick: There is some plasticity in dreaming. For example, the landscape can be controlled. We can learn to have limited control over our new environment that we have created in the subconscious. In the waking state, the breath or heartbeat can be controlled, but it is difficult to control all of the autonomic functions at once. The same is true with dreaming. There are usually one or more variables that are incorrect. A lamp may be a different color or the phone may not work. Again, the light might not turn on, or it can be difficult to read the clock. We call these dreamsigns. They are tiny errors in the reproduction of the mindscape in a dream. They are indicators, or signs, that we are dreaming. Dreamsigns can be used by dreamers to identify that they are in the dream state. Julia: The Lucidity Institute has techniques that can increase the probability of lucid dreaming. Can you review these? Dominick: Intent is of great importance in lucid dreaming, even more so than technique. And by "intent," we do not mean "intending to do well." But if "intent" is defined as an intense need or passion, then it is a tremendous factor in creating a lucid dream. So desire, or intent, is of primary importance. Once we decide that we have a strong desire to become lucid dreamers, then the first step is to recall and record our dreams using a dream journal. Two full-blown dreams may normally be recalled during each night of sleep. When the desire to recall dreams becomes consistent, the next stage is to become more conscious of ordinary awareness. This means making an effort during everyday reality to identify one's quality of awareness. For example, I am very aware while speaking about dreaming. I may not be very aware while attending to daily paperwork. Becoming more aware in daytime reality increases this skill in dreaming. Gaining awareness in a dream is the next step. We suggest to ourselves in the waking state that we will notice test our dreams — notice when they do not match physical reality. Some of the possible tests are proof of superpowers or superhuman abilities that tend to be common in dreams (pinching doesn't work, by the way). In dreams, we can fly, move our arms through walls, or jump to great heights. Dreamsigns also can be identified. For example, if a cow is purple rather than brown and white, that is a sign that we are dreaming. Morning napping can be used as a method of lucid dream induction. One study showed a 15-20 times increased likelihood of lucid dreaming through morning napping over those with no technique. You simply awaken one hour earlier than usual, then go back to sleep one hour later. Reading books about lucid dreaming during this one-hour time period increases positive results. Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreaming (MILD) can be used before returning to sleep. One starts with the intent of awakening from a dream and recalling it. Next, one forms an intention of recognizing the dream state. The recommended mantra is, "Next time I'm dreaming, I'll remember that I'm dreaming." Another way of inducing lucid dreaming is to recall the last dream of the night, or another recent dream, then imagine we are back in the dream and that we recognize the dream state. We can recall any dreamsigns that would idenfity this dream as different from normal reality. Then, when the dream state is acknowledged, we say, "I'm dreaming." We can repeat this method until we fall asleep or the intention is set. Lucid dreaming usually occurs within one to three weeks of beginning this practice. Julia: The NovaDreamer actually alerts the dreamer to awaken in the dream. Can you tell me about this? Dominick: The NovaDreamer is a biofeedback mask. It began as a $45,000 laboratory device, but it is now affordable for the general public. The NovaDreamer detects REM (rapid eye movement) sleep through infrared sensors of eye movement. Whenever eye movement occurs that resembles the REM state, it signals with this to the dreamer at five-minute intervals with a flashing red light. This enables dreamers to be aware that they are entering the REM state and may be having a dream. We use the lights because they don't affect sleep a great deal. We've found that if you hear a noise, you will awaken. If your child touches your ear, you'll immediately wake up to be sure that your ear is okay. But if the lights are turned on and off, you won't wake up. You may internalize the lights of the NovaDreamer in the dream — for instance, many people will dream that the streetlight starts blinking or a traffic light is blinking — but dreamers can learn to utilize the device to become aware of the dream state. Julia: What else have you discovered about dreaming through technology? Dominick: We use REM detectors to determine when someone is having a lucid dream. This type of lab work has taught us to how to map lucid dreams temporally. It has also taught us the physiology of lucid dreams. For instance, you won't experience a lifetime in a few seconds during a dream. It is possible to dream vignettes similar to those in movies — for example, you could watch a saga of several generations of a family in three or four hours — but you couldn't watch every detail. If someone counts out thirty seconds in a dream, it is pretty close to thirty seconds in real time. So we've learned about the perception of time in dreaming. We've also learned a lot about the frequency and timing of lucid dreams. In the first ninety minutes of sleep, most people have less than five minutes of REM, and that approximately forty-five minutes of REM are experienced between 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. We know that if you want to have lucid dreams, the morning is the best time. Julia: What have you learned about nightmares? This seems to be a common reason for not wanting to have more vivid dreams or recalling dreams. Dominick: Nightmares are often due to subconscious stresses. They also are images of the fragmented self that is seeking wholeness. The consciousness seeks to integrate these images. A state of fear could be the cause of a monster that chases one through a dream. It is common to awaken from a nightmare in a disturbed emotional state. There are two actions that consistently work with nightmares. The first is the knowledge that there is nothing to fear, and the second is extending absolutely unconditional love to the dream-creature. In this scenario, research has shown that the spiritual response you often hear is correct — sending love is the answer to nightmares. When you can truly send unconditional love, the dream-creature will change. It is possible to say in a lucid dream, "I can turn and talk to the monster. This dream image is part of me. I want to converse with it." A change will occur through facing the object or situation. Dr. LaBerge relates the dream of a terrifying ogre. He sent the creature unconditional love. The ogre changed its appearance and entered his heart chakra, filling it with tremendous love. Julia: What have you learned from research about Out of Body Experiences, or OBEs, and astral projection? Dominick: Our research has shown that OBEs and astral projection are the same. They are essentially the exteriorization of the self in a different physical reality. These terms refer to the state of having a physical sensation of being out of the physical body and awakening in the dreaming body. We know that in the laboratory OBEs occur in the same physiological state as lucid dreams. The main reason that people tend not to have more out-of-body or astral projection experiences is the fear of the superhuman portion of the consciousness. The vastness of the potential of these states lies wholly within our minds. Julia: Much of your emphasis is about dream control? What is gained by controlling our dreams? Dominick: Through lucid dreaming, we can reclaim the approximate one-third of our lives spent sleeping. Dreaming is free of any religious values or ethics. Anything you experience in a dream is appropriate — it is a way of experiencing life without judgment. There are different ways of seeking control in dreams. "Control" in this case means to influence the course of events. One can often choose the setting, topic, or people in a dream by focusing on this intention before sleeping. Concurrent control means altering the course of a dream consciously in "real time" — in other words, within the dream. Whether we are lucid or not, our actions in dreams can change the flow of the dream, but a lucid dreamer can change the course of a dream consciously.[1] Adventure seeking is a popular reason for lucid dreaming. We can climb Mount Everest in vivid detail by simply creating a detailed picture in our minds and intending to go there in our dreams. Experiencing incredible sex also is possible. Flying, or having superhuman powers, can be incredibly exciting. It's like having your own films and fantasies in 3D in perfect clarity, but they are created through the power of your perception. In the everyday world, our negative responses are representative of fractures in our consciousness. Rehearsal in the dream state can heal psychological fractures. For instance, one can practice giving a speech or having a loving response to one's partner as opposed to an angry response. Situations often change as the result of dream rehearsal. If you are growing in awareness, your dreamscape will often change as you change your behavior in dreams. It is also possible to dial down — to lessen the landscape if it is too dramatic — or dial up if you want to experience something more intensely. By asking the higher part of your consciousness to create a dreamscape, one can experience higher spirituality. Many people have ecstatic and lucid dreams of the type of perfect love found in spiritual books, or an experience of heaven. The Higher Mind also can take you into scenes of a type of "heaven" or place where you are greatly loved. In this case, the spirit guide or Higher Self will build the setting, because this is one type of dream in which the landscape can't be dictated by the dreamer. Julia: What is the value in having conscious dreams? I know that we have talked about adventures, rehearsal, and other topics, but what do you feel is the ultimate value of awakening within our dreams? Dominick: People have many different reasons for wanting to obtain lucidity in dreams. Personally, I think the value lies in self-integration. If the dream world is viewed as a reflection of our consciousness, then one can discover the parts of the psyche that haven't been integrated. That's introspection. On the highest level, we can connect with our spiritual selves without traditional or spiritual methodology. Dreaming is an evolutionary way to experience the soul. If dreaming is used to contact the spiritual self, we become more compassionate and authentic. Emotional states such as anger, fear, and competitiveness diminish. The awareness developed through lucid dreaming actually creates lucidity in life itself. Julia: You also have classes that are available to the general public. What can you tell me about these? Dominick: We offer a dream awakening workshop with Dr. Stephen LaBerge. The next class is in Hawaii on May 9-18. Participants will learn to develop the skills of lucid dreaming and mindfulness as well as the application of lucidity to all aspects of life. They also can take part in lucid dreaming research if they like. Membership in Lucidity Institute is also available for those who wish to learn more about lucid dreaming. They receive information on applications, new findings, and experiments to try at home. We encourage as many people as possible to learn about lucid dreaming and use it to grow and improve their lives.
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