Am I lucid dreaming?

[ananas]

Hi everybody! After seaching on google for the answer, I ended up here!
Im from a non-english speaking country, so keep that in mind when you read my posts.

I have for a long time been having been in a strange condition during my sleep!
Before I write any further i can ensure you that im not using medicine, drugs or any other stuff that might force this kind of things!

When I go to sleep, I often end up in a strange condition!
Im in a state where im in a dream, but still fully function to think and feel!
If im flying in my dream, then i can feel the tickling in my stomack like you are falling. (but still im not afraid of anything)
During this stage, I allso get white flashes sometimes! Really strong clear white flashes wich can be felt in my eyes, even if im sleeping! Its no serious pain, but maybe something like looking into the flash of a camera.

Do you guys have any idea of what this is?
It happens maybe 5 times pr week without me forcing it to happen!


If i had seen someone writing this, without having the same experience then i would think the person is completely insane!
I can ensure you guys that I am 100% healty:)

[Dr. Condensate]

Well this is indeed dreaming, and you apparently have managed a certain degree of dream control (flying.) If you are entirely aware that it is a dream, it is lucid dreaming. Dream control and lucidity tend to go hand in hand, but can be separate. The white flashes are probably dream induced hallucinations. Similar to those caused during the hypnagogic state. They might also be related to synesthesia, a specific case of it in which non-visual real world sensory data is converted into visual data by your dream. It could just be real world light affecting your dream perceptions.
We welcome you greatly here, and hope you enjoy sharing your dreaming experiences with us.
Happy dreaming.
_________________
"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night."-Edgar A. Poe

[ananas]

Thank you for the quick answer!
I did not leave any topic in the welcome section, since i thought i would not stay, but after reading your post then i guess there is more to dreaming then i thought.
Maybe i should utilize it to the fullest, if this is something that the average people have to force into them self (Life aint that long you now, we should use all the ability we have at any given time, i belive)

Flying was just an example of what I can do! I thought that stating that i can fly would mean that i can walk around allso, wich i can do!
When this started to happen, then i dident know if it was a curse or a small gift!
In the beginning I thought that it was the first step towards some kind of mental desiese or something! After a while when i got used to it, I was not so nervous anymore!
I have never spent a moment of my wakening time to prepare for this stuff, it just happend!

Maybe if there are variables that can enhance the experience then i will try it!
I mean, there is a certain rush in having the ability to feel that you are falling houndreds of meter, but still be 100% calm and now that you wont die!

I will stick around here and read what you guys are doing, i dont think i will write so much in the beginning since i clearly dont have anything to contribute with ...(yet )

PS: As for the part of the light flashing coming from a real world source:
Im from Scandinavia, there aint that much light here anyway at this time of the year .. Im lucky if i see daylight by 11 am sometimes

[Dr. Condensate]

No problem. There is definitely a lot to know about dreaming. Infact, some Ph.Ds dedicate their life to the study of dreams. Some even specialize in lucid dreaming. Stephen LaBerge is an example. Yes it is common for most people to have trouble with dream control and lucid dreaming. Some people just find it hard to become aware while in a dream. Part of this is due to tendency of your mind to inhibit some of your mental faculties while in dream space. Others become aware they are dreaming but have trouble controlling the dream. This might be because of problems with expectation or confidence. People with a lot of doubt in themselves tend to find dream control difficult. This is because the secret of dream control lies in expectation. If you doubt you can fly, you won't. This is also why a lot of times people will predict what happens in their nightmares before it happens. They are causing it to happen in essence.
Flying is, as you said one of a great many different things you can do as part of dream control. Other examples include: displaying other superhuman powers, shaping your world, creating/destroying people, summoning objects, assembling buildings or cities, changing the laws of physics. The list goes on and on.
Many people first began to have lucid dreams before they tried to, or even knew what it was. I am on of these people. I had my first lucid dream at the age of five years. A lucid dream is: A dream in which one attains awareness that he or she is dreaming. Practicing lucid dreaming has a great many applications. It helped me appreciate my waking life more. It helped me figure out more about myself. It increased the vividness of my dreams overall. It also gives me a place to escape to where anything is possible (almost like my own personal matrix.) Tim Post, himself, the founder of this website, gave a similar analogy. I encourage you to maintain your lucid dream practice.

There are different techniques for becoming lucid.
DILD - You become aware that you are dreaming while in the middle of the dream. The causes for this vary. Something not making sense, inconsistent perception, etc...
WBTB - You wake up from a dream and go back to sleep. Sometimes this causes you to enter the dream world again, but this time fully aware that you are dreaming.
MILD - You basically will yourself into having a lucid dream, after performing many pracitices to prepare for reality checks and whatnot. Before going to sleep, you think thoughts over and over like,"I will have a lucid dream tonight."
WILD - One of the most advanced methods. Mastery over this technique might take a little practice. You basically relax completely both physically and mentally. You don't think about anything in particular. When the occasional thought passes into your consciousness, merely observe it, rather than focus on it. After a certain amount of time you will enter the hypnagogic state. The state between wakefulness and dreaming. Here you will hallucinate. Wait until you can no longer feel the sensations of reality (yourself lying in bed.) This is where you assume total control and establish a setting for your lucid dream. You have to stay conscious this whole time.

*During WILDs you may have an experience with sleep paralysis. A condition in which you are awake, but your body has gone to sleep and paralysed itself. This prevents you from moving. Often this state is accompanied by various hallucinations. Tingling, buzzing, sensation of being suffocated or crushed. Imagery may include demonic beings hovering over you, or even attacking you. Try not to let any of these hallucinations scare you. They are just a product of your mind. Hallucinations in this state tend to be very vivid and realistic. Easily passing for reality to the unaware.*

And about the lack of light where you live.
Synesthesia makes it so that light is not a requirement.
Synesthesia - A direct link communication between two or more sensory portions of the brain. This can cause people to see things when they hear certain sounds, feel things when they see certain images, etc... This could mean that sounds, feelings, tastes, or even smells, from your waking life might be converted into flashing lights in your dream. Fairly low probability though.

Is that enough to get you interested?
_________________
"Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night."-Edgar A. Poe

[Lence]

I agree with Dr. Condensate. Nice overview btw.

However I must also say: don't let anyone "tell you" what YOU are experiencing. Only you know. All this terminology and explanation are just labels - a good framework to use while you're fully awake in this physical reality. It's normal we try to understand what is happening, but remember, the map is not the territory. The exploring you must do yourself.

[Dr. Condensate]