By Luke Sumpter
Guest Writer for Wake Up World
Lucid Living
When we become lucid in the dream state, we become conscious within the dream and this phenomenon ultimately gives the dreamer control over decisions they make within the dream. I believe this metaphor can be applied to the waking state also. When we become lucid in life, it enables us to take control of our own actions and we become more consciously aware, therefore increasing the quality of our lives and those around us.
There is only one piece of technology within the known universe that can present to us a situation that seems so real that we are only made sure of its authenticity after the experience has come to a close; this being the mind in the dream state. Although within a dream we often experience the events either from a first person or third person perspective, the entire dreamscape itself is a projection of the subconscious mind. We experience the illusion of being a separate entity within a dream, separate from other people we encounter and interact with, separate from the emotional and physical stimulation we feel. However, all experiences are an intertwined, intermingled projection upon the unified plane of the unconscious mind, just as all waves rise up from and fall back into the ocean; they are one and the same.
The state of lucid dreaming occurs when a person becomes conscious within the dream state, this enables them to take complete control of what happens within the dreamscape, enabling them to erect buildings, master the art of flight and all sorts of extreme and exhilarating phenomena using only the creative forces of the mind, the imagination, as opposed to when we dream unconsciously. In that state we are subject to the happenings of the subconscious mind and find ourselves out of control and a victim to whatever circumstances unfold. I believe both dream states to be beneficial and each have the potential to offer us many lessons and teachings, if analysed in the correct ways.
Now, with this information in mind, it empowers us to question waking reality. If the mind is capable of creating a seemingly ‘real’ reality, what is to say that the waking state isn’t completely dependent upon the mind also? After all, the reality we have come to recognise as the waking state isn’t as external and matter-based as it appears. Science tells us that everything we experience is vibrating energy. Atoms are largely just empty space; the subatomic particles that form them vibrate with such intensity that they give the illusion of stillness and solid matter. Between the blades of a fan lies mainly empty space, yet when the fans blades reach a certain speed, it gives the illusion of a solid, plate-like object.
Our senses perceive this vibratory energy in their own unique ways which then trigger the nervous system to relay the data to the brain where, via several cognitive processes, a sensory tapestry is created within our consciousness, informing us of the details of the external, energetic world around us. Every sight, sound, smell, taste and touch occurs within ones consciousness, not externally. For example colour does not exist outside of us, what exists is energy. This energy is converted into colour via the biological sensory portal we have chosen to label as eyes, therefore the very existence of our minds is fundamental for colour, sound and other sensory stimulation to be present at all. Without the biological tools of our minds and senses to convert vibrating waves of energy into quantifiable sensations, perhaps vibrating waves of energy is all they shall remain.
Here are two studies that indicate that reality is possibly derived of the mind, and that the mind itself can have profound effects upon our reality:
- Double Split Experiment – http://54.186.177.103/joomla_ds/?view=featured
- The Placebo Effect – http://harvardmagazine.com/2013/01/the-placebo-phenomenon
In my next article (coming soon) we’ll explore how we can utilize this knowledge and apply it to our everyday waking lives.
About the author:
Luke Sumpter is 21 years old and resides in the UK. He is a writer and poet, and has a burning passion for mind-body medicine and mysticism. Luke is currently developing a community known as ‘The Art of Wellness’ to spread the message of holistic health, healing and philosophy.
You can connect with Luke via ‘The Art of Wellness’ on Facebook.
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