A Field Guide to Lucid Dreaming (24 page)

The natives don’t always look like human beings either.

Everything is alive and interactive in a dream. You can talk to a

flower, ask a teapot a question, or even speak to the dream itself.

A friend of ours once had an entire conversation with a bed frame.

Seldom do we stop and think about the characters that popu-

late our dreams, but the question must be asked: Who are these

people? It might be easy to write them off as random figments

of our imaginations, projections of our own minds that we cre-

ate subconsciously, but is that all they are? Are dream characters

merely background extras, or is there more to them? If you were to

speak to them, could they talk back? Might they have something

interesting to say?

Now that you’re aware inside a dream, it’s time to pay atten-

tion to the local population. Here you’ll discover:

b How dream characters differ from one another.

b Who these natives are.

b How and why you should interact with them.

I decide to spend my time in the dream world more construc-

tively and go look for chrissie (the woman whom I’d met as

a dream guide in the previous lucid dream). I see her across a

crowded street, stood in the shadows at the side looking like a

spy again . . . I say to her “What should I do next in life?” She

says, “All I can say is it’s got something to do with a charity shop

and something to do with decoration.” And I wake up. —JAck G.

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Meet the Natives

As in waking life, you’ll meet all sorts of characters in the

dream world, each character with a different level of aware-

ness. Some are conscious of what’s going on around them, some

have messages to give, some look like friends or acquaintances and

some are freakin’ morons. While you will see a wide range of per-

sonalities throughout your explorations, we’ve found that dream

characters (as well as nightmarish figures) gravitate

toward one of three basic personality types:

The Sleepwalker

Awareness: low

The Sleepwalker lacks awareness.

These characters walk around like

Deadheads after a jam-band concert.

Try to talk with them and they’ll spit

out some irrational gibberish. Despite

their lack of intelligence, treat the

Sleepwalkers as people and not props.

What if these characters are important parts

of your psyche? Or here’s a wild idea: Could

they be other dreamers, wrapped up in other

dream projections, their own inner worlds

invisible to you? Since we’re not sure what

dream characters are, give them a little respect,

will ya?

If your dream was a movie, they’d be the underpaid extras.

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The Friend

Awareness: medium-normal

This native doesn’t need to be a

waking world buddy of yours to be

a friend. These characters are eager

to talk and answer questions, and

they make excellent conversational-

ists. They may not understand when

you ask them if they know they’re

dreaming, but they are great allies

to have around if you need backup

in defeating a nightmare.

If your dream was a movie, they’d be

the supporting characters.

The Guide

Awareness: high

This type of native seems to know much more

than you do. They usually appear with some

important information to communicate, to help

guide you through the landscape of the dream

world or give you much needed advice to your

waking world problems. These natives will have

a quality about them that seems uniquely their

own; their presence is quite powerful. Often the

dream itself will be stable and sharp when you

are around them, as if your own focus and con-

sciousness is somehow affected by theirs. These

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SPIRIT GUIDES

historically, the term “spirit guide” generally refers to one or more entities who
protect, teach, and heal you on your physical journey into spiritual awareness.

The idea pops up in many cultures. It’s believed that an individual may have
more than one spirit guide, and a guide may change over the course of

someone’s lifetime. These beings are here to help us when we are in turmoil or
seeking assistance.

natives don’t necessarily need to take human form. Guides can

come in any shape or size.

If your dream was a movie, they’d be Yoda.

Why You Should Interact with Them

Sure, you can speak and interact with any kind of dream charac-

ter, but why should you bother? There are many other amazing

things to do in a lucid dream after all. We believe this activity is

worth your time for the following reasons:

b
Guidance.
Most notably, dream characters are an excellent res-

ervoir of knowledge and wisdom. Dreamers will benefit greatly

by speaking with the natives and asking questions. Go on, ask

them something about themselves, about you, or about the

dream world. Think of them as your tour guides. They prob-

ably have a thing or two to teach you.

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b
healing.
Besides guidance, a run-in with a dream character

is an opportunity to heal and learn more about yourself. Say

you’re dreaming about your father who has passed away many

years ago. Speaking to him, asking him questions you may

have always wished to ask, could have profound effects on your

waking life. Not only that, but facing and confronting aggres-

sive or hostile dream characters can likewise lead to integration

and healing.

b
dream sex.
Here we go. Nearly every lucid dreamer has had

dream sex. Even the more spiritual practitioners have gotten

down and dirty from time to time. Given the freedom to do

whatever you please without limitation, it’s completely under-

standable to follow your natural urges. We won’t judge you

or try to make you feel guilty, we’d be hypocrites if we did.

The lifelike detail of a lucid dream means that dream sex is no

exception.

Having sex while lucid can be an incredible experience,

but it can also be very distracting. Don’t get us wrong, have as

much dream sex as you like. Sleep with all the celebrities, rock

stars, and crushes you can get your hands on, but just keep

an eye on the bigger picture. Remember that you’re conscious

in the landscape of your own inner world. There is much to

explore and discover here, so at some point you’ll want to zip

up and move on.

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Conversing with the Natives