Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming
Book by Stephen LaBerge
Book Review by Syed Nasir Ali Naqvi (B.S. Physics from SNS, NUST. Class of 2024)
There are many forms of art; there’s one which we commonly refer to as art, other forms of art consumption include music, cuisine, fashion, sports, and so on. Deeper down the hole are more obscure forms like mathematics, architecture, or even warfare. Each such category offers a distinct class of aesthetic endeavors, however possibilities manifest themselves as restrictions when art becomes subject to definition, such as the sketch artist confined to a two dimensional sheet of paper, or the chef whose culinary delights won’t be known for longevity. But after going through the works of Stephen LaBerge, a psychophysiologist at Stanford and the founder of the Lucidity Institute, there is enough evidence to believe there may be an exception to this rule.
Dreaming, a marvelous orchestration performed by the human brain when the body is asleep. A universe within oneself which manifests every night, and yet, none marvel at this mystical art let alone ponder over it. Dr. Stephen LaBerge, a fierce opponent of this neglectful convention, with his seminal work ‘Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming’, goes through the science and art of dreaming, while ultimately setting out on a mission to persuade the common populace about the role that dreams play in our daily life.
The initial argument is quite straightforward; the average person spends one-third of his life sleeping, thus being oblivious one’s nocturnal adventures is analogous to cutting their lifespan by a third. However, that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as the primal cause to delve deeper into ones own dreams is the capability to perform LITERALLY ANYTHING when one has achieved the state of lucidity – being aware you are dreaming. Might it be visiting realms of fantasies, performing physically impossible activities (flying as an example), undertake spiritual/religious excursions, or even meeting a lost friend or a dead relative. Before heading to the next paragraph, the reader is advised to ponder over any experiences they have been yearning for.
Of course, questions arise, and the author takes the liberty of addressing them. For me, whatever question I had about this overlooked art, was addressed and I didn’t feel the need to look for other sources to address my queries. The foremost question that commonly appears is; “Can I lucid dream if I …..?” A trend noted through LaBerge’s book is clear on any such ambiguity; if you can think it while awake, you can do it while asleep. And since everyone can dream, everyone can lucid dream! (Dreams, in a sense, are the brains way to organize information, people that claim they don’t dream are often victims of forgetting dreams, a key difference)
Another recurring theme is that many people invested in divine or psychoanalytic aspects of dream often believe that dreams have deep-seating meanings and interpretations. Most contemporary science writers would take a harsh tone to such questions but LaBerge refrains from such a dichotomy (a trait I repeatedly admired) and definitely takes such questions in serious consideration with accounts describing the variance pertaining to the perceptions of dreams across numerous cultures & religions, and abundant references to the meditative practices carried out by Ancient Zen Buddhists.
Finally, how ‘real’ can dreams even be? Well, there are many altered states of consciousness (Sleep-paralysis & Psychedelic states are a few examples) other than one’s waking state with varying measures for our so called ‘real-ness’. For the case of lucid dreaming, the dreamer is the pilot, and if practiced enough, lucid dreams can be MORE REAL THAN REAL LIFE! Quite akin to hyper-awareness customary to Near-Death experiences. It must be noted that LaBerge’s claims are well backed by scientific literature & the numerous anecdotal references which clutter the book.
Now to the main question, how do you even do Lucid dreaming? The author probes deep into multiple methods (WBTB, WILD, DILD, MILD for those curious.) however I will introduce just one, the method of Reality Check’s. If one really wants to dream better, one must live better, whilst in ones dream, your logical reasoning ability slumps rapidly so the best way to become a better dreamer is to become more observant and conscious in your waking state. This consists of constantly taking note of your surroundings to check whether everything is as it should be i.e. obeying the laws of Physics & common sense. An example of a more reliable reality is checking for change in words when looking away; a street sign won’t change its message when you look away, but the same will not be the case in a dream. The content of the upcoming chapters build up on this and contain elaborate [yet simple] methods on stabilizing dreams, enhancing control of surroundings, and bending the dream-world to your will..
But this book is not a mere instruction manual (though I concede it would still be equally fun), the author’s end goal with this book is about the benefits dreams have on awake day to day life. LaBerge strongly advocates for the therapeutic value of dreaming since dreams are the bridge between your conscious and subconscious mind, which also happens to be the site for mental health issues. While LaBerge doesn’t present a bottom-line for dream interpretation, he repeatedly digresses into the topic of dreams as a portrayal of ones emotional state whilst going to every possible length to convey the benefits lucid dreaming may have on mental health. Such warmth and care for readers gives the book a sense of emotional bondage, any reader may end up feeling a sense of uplift after reading the book regardless of whether they practice lucid dreaming or not.
For me, a good author is one who can at the end of the book convince me that the cause he/she advocates is worth investing yourself in. Dr LaBerge goes one step further, because not only does he convince me that lucid dreaming is an art worth occupying myself in, but made me believe that I am wasting a fair fraction of my life & potential if I don’t adopt this practice (not a stretch). And, I can personally attest, that of the myriad of books or cinema I have encountered in my life, none ever changed me & my worldview so drastically (in numerous facets of life). Of course, this brief review can’t help but cover little else than a pinch in contrast to what the author conveys himself, and in turn, that too is miniscule when compared with the vast world of Lucid Dreaming that has been set forth for you to explore.