Studying lucid dreaming for my thesis has meant more and more to me as I’ve become more familiar with the topic.
At its core, the practice of lucid dreaming is not just a way for us to look at reality in ways that we may never have before, but it’s also a means of escapism. We all have unfulfilled desires: things we’d like to try, places that we’d like to go, and much more but they often get bogged down by our busy lives. So, it’s amazing that with some practice, we can close our eyes and be transported to this world where anything is possible.
In my case, I see lucid dreaming as a way to get more out of my day. It’s a tool that I can use to explore the depths of my own mind without any outside distractions. Once I wake up, I emerge with the type of inspiration that allows me to make a more meaningful impact on my creative endeavors. By documenting what I experience in these dreams, I can build on it in my waking life.
The experience you have in these dreams isn’t just made up of random events and ideas, the things you see come from your own experience.
This is why I’ve started to look at the films, music, places I go, and art that I consume more closely. Developing an awareness for what matters to me the most is what helps to color this journey through my subconscious. For example, one of my favorite movies is No Country for Old Men —the films dark plot aside— this films landscapes remind me of the open and airy environments that I’d like to be in. I think of these open spaces as meditative, making you feel a bit small but giving you the extended silence and space that promotes deep thinking.
Especially since I’m a person that would rather live and work in cities, the desert feels like a pause, a place free of people and all the distractions that crowd my mind. Compared to a place like New York that towers over you and pressures you to be in constant motion, the wide open space of the desert gives me the feeling of endless possibilities. This reminds me of the mind-expanding and reflective nature of lucid dreams — your sleep state is a time when all the external stimuli is shut out and you have a chance to dive deeper into who you are. Lucid dreaming gives freedom from daily distractions and helps me approach my wake state in a more curious and appreciative way.
Ben Thomas’s photography is another example, the way I look at his work is to try and step into it, and figure out exactly what I gain from it. Much like the dream world, each of these photos take scenes from our own world and alter them in a very vivid way, creating an improved looking version of reality—one that heightens your emotions. Certain photos make me want to dive deeper into this world, especially with their euphoria-inducing color schemes, so euphoric that I feel that I can hear them.
Com Truise and Tychos music often comes to mind when I think of these photos —mostly because their music has this unique quality of mentally transporting me to a different place when I hear it. What usually comes to mind are relaxing, sun-soaked landscapes, or even sprawling “futuristic” cities—it’s the type of music that inspires creative thought.
All this is to say that my goal through my lucid dreams is to figuring out how I can merge these landscapes, photos, and music in a way that expresses how I truly feel. This all stems from a desire to show what this alternate world looks like—in a way that feels intentional.
Think of lucid dreaming as productive way to enhance your side hustle, career, personal life, or to find your calling: most of all it’s a great lens for looking at the world differently. Lucid dreaming could even be a source of entertainment for you—there’s no crime in that.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments about lucid dreaming and what you could see yourself doing with it.
