benjhenry

What you get is not always what you see...

16 posts in this topic

Images in dreams are often generated by expectation. As soon as I think, 'There's a wolf nearby', I'll see a wolf (or perhaps something less terrifying...). But in lucid dreaming I have enjoyed moments when my subconscious surprises me. I've recently been generating ideas for a book cover in my lucid dreams, and it's fascinating to look at a canvas and try to work out why you have been presented with that collection of images? Where do they come from? Are they all memory fragments, or a synthesis? Will we ever know?

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5 hours ago, benjhenry said:

Images in dreams are often generated by expectation. As soon as I think, 'There's a wolf nearby', I'll see a wolf (or perhaps something less terrifying...). But in lucid dreaming I have enjoyed moments when my subconscious surprises me. I've recently been generating ideas for a book cover in my lucid dreams, and it's fascinating to look at a canvas and try to work out why you have been presented with that collection of images? Where do they come from? Are they all memory fragments, or a synthesis? Will we ever know?

You’re playing with form. Wouldn’t it be better to realise the formless.


"Not believing your own thoughts, you’re free from the primal desire: the thought that reality should be different than it is. You realise the wordless, the unthinkable. You understand that any mystery is only what you yourself have created. In fact, there’s no mystery. Everything is as clear as day. It’s simple, because there really isn’t anything. There’s only the story appearing now. And not even that.” — Byron Katie

 

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@benjhenry anything I'd say would be wrong, but this is something that lucid dreamers do discuss. I call it "the man behind the curtain", but only for fun.  Your question is posed from the perspective of the dream-self,  so of course there can be a god of the dream as well. Which one are you, if either? 


Check out my lucid dreaming anthology series, Stars of Clay  

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@seeking_brilliance 'Which one are you, if either?' is such a good question, and one I often ask. Sometimes it feels like you are in control, but generally that there is something more powerful (if only your subconscious) calling the shots, and the part of you trying to alter the dreamscape is not so effective.

I have a copy of that book! I read it about 10 years ago and remember enjoying it - I'll give it another look, and see if it sheds any light on what I'm wondering now.

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5 hours ago, benjhenry said:

@How to be wise Much of life is a play with form, and 'better' is subjective, but I'm interested in what you mean?

Pursuing enlightenment rather than dabbling with lucid dreaming.


"Not believing your own thoughts, you’re free from the primal desire: the thought that reality should be different than it is. You realise the wordless, the unthinkable. You understand that any mystery is only what you yourself have created. In fact, there’s no mystery. Everything is as clear as day. It’s simple, because there really isn’t anything. There’s only the story appearing now. And not even that.” — Byron Katie

 

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1 hour ago, How to be wise said:

Pursuing enlightenment rather than dabbling with lucid dreaming.

Why should he listen to you on what to pursue? Have you pursued and found enlightenment? 


Check out my lucid dreaming anthology series, Stars of Clay  

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58 minutes ago, seeking_brilliance said:

Why should he listen to you on what to pursue? Have you pursued and found enlightenment? 

Of course. It was the first thing I did, even before life purpose.


"Not believing your own thoughts, you’re free from the primal desire: the thought that reality should be different than it is. You realise the wordless, the unthinkable. You understand that any mystery is only what you yourself have created. In fact, there’s no mystery. Everything is as clear as day. It’s simple, because there really isn’t anything. There’s only the story appearing now. And not even that.” — Byron Katie

 

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@How to be wise

 

From the Gospel of Thomas 

2. And Jesus said,

Let the one who seeks

continue seeking

until what is sought is found.

 

When that which is sought is found

the seeker will be wise.

 

Once wise, the seeker

will transcend all

and will attain rest

and will Be at Peace

concerning everything.

 

 


Check out my lucid dreaming anthology series, Stars of Clay  

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On 14/01/2021 at 6:02 PM, seeking_brilliance said:

@How to be wise So what is enlightenment and where did you find it? 

Enlightenment is just a very high level of consciousness. Or a great reduction of your ego and it’s habits. I found it through meditation and self inquiry. More specifically The Work of Byron Katie.


"Not believing your own thoughts, you’re free from the primal desire: the thought that reality should be different than it is. You realise the wordless, the unthinkable. You understand that any mystery is only what you yourself have created. In fact, there’s no mystery. Everything is as clear as day. It’s simple, because there really isn’t anything. There’s only the story appearing now. And not even that.” — Byron Katie

 

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1 minute ago, How to be wise said:

Enlightenment is just a very high level of consciousness. Or a great reduction of your ego and it’s habits. I found it through meditation and self inquiry. More specifically The Work of Byron Katie.

So the poster should.... Reach a "very high level of consciousness. Or a great reduction of your ego and it’s habits" before dabbling with lucid dreaming? What would be good reasons for that? 


Check out my lucid dreaming anthology series, Stars of Clay  

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I should have signed up to email alerts - I've only just stumbled on this again! I'm currently reading 'Being Aware of Being Aware' by Rupert Spira, in which it says 'Enlightenment or awakening is not a particular experience or state of mind that may be achieved by practising hard enough or meditating long enough. It is the recognition of the very nature of the mind.' I can't say I agree with (or perhaps understand) everything he says in the book, but I do agree with this - that enlightenment is not something to be pursued. As such, I don't think one should choose to seek enlightenment over other activities, be it lucid dreaming or watching a good film! You could always say, 'Why do that when you could be pursuing enlightenment', but I think it's important to enjoy the world, question ourselves and explore the mind - and lucid dreaming is a great way of doing that.

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