Starchild dream

[Raevenskye]

If you are good at doing it, go for the million dollar challenge

would if i could! i'd prob just have another weird starchild dream, or one about hamsters turning into green peas at the hands of a mad scientist (yes...I had that one too)...

 

[Tom Levine]

I've had a few bouts with sleep paralysis too, and it's no fun. Usually the threatening person is someone who has broken into my house, and is watching me, or wants to harm me...after the initial panic of trying to awaken and being unable to, i tell myself to go back to sleep for a few minutes, and then try again. After about 2 or 3 rounds of that, I'm usually able to wake myself up. I often feel like I've been drugged, tho.
I definitely think being able to lucid-dream has helped me overcome nightmares, and insomnia to some point.

That's an excellent description of the experience, and of how to overcome it. For me, it involves concentrating on moving a body-part, which instantly brings me awake. Turning the neck seems to be the easiest. In addition, I've found that sleeping facing to the right (right side of head on pillow) causes more problems than facing to the left, or sleeping facing stomach down. It makes me wonder if there might be a physiological explanation for this, perhaps more blood flow to one hemisphere of the brain versus the other. I've found greater success with OBE's and Lucid Dreaming in the very same position (head on pillow facing right, or facing stomach down). Most likely, it is a personal thing. My brain is FAR different from the other, normal folk, I'm quite sure

One other point, back to Rick's observations. I think he's right about sleep deprivation, and perhaps even stress. But only in terms of whether or not, for me, it is an incumbent nightmare (sleep paralysis) versus a lucide dream or OBE. Sleep deprivation and stress, probably, have something to do with whatever that switch is in the mind, which regulates moving from one conscious state to another (alpha-beta-theta-delta-rem-gamma-etc.). Indeed, sleep deprivation is one method Shamans use to create halucinations, or to visit the spirit realm, depending on your world-view. I think it's reasonable to say that they can all be connected.

would if i could! i'd prob just have another weird starchild dream, or one about hamsters turning into green peas at the hands of a mad scientist (yes...I had that one too)...

...And tonight, in this weeks episode of "The Rodent", our mad scientist will be played by sir Richard Gere.

 

[Raevenskye]

Tom, I've noticed that lucid dreaming/meditation/visiting another realm/whatever is easier on one side vs. the other, too! For me, it's also the right side! I thought the same thing about blood flow to the brain, stimulation of the brain inside the skull, etc. Now I'm really curious! I just thought I was most likely insane-o....hehe. I wonder what side I was sleeping on when I had the hamster dream hehe

 

[Rick Deckard]

Indeed, sleep deprivation is one method Shamans use to create halucinations, or to visit the spirit realm, depending on your world-view.

If I've been awake for more than 24 hours, my brain will sometimes introduce 'movement' to static objects. It reminds of stories in the 1980's I saw about 'moving' statues of the Virgin Mary - if I stare at an image of a person for long enough, they appear to move slightly.

The human brain is a funny thing...

Take a look a this :

That's right - squares A and B are *exactly the same* shade of grey. I checked the RGB values in photoshop. But your brain makes comparisons with the surrounding squares and gives you two different 'shades' of grey in your mind...

 

[Aaron LeClair]

I've either had lucid dreams I was having sleep paralysis, or have had SP many times. It happened when I was digging into many abduction cases and theories etc. More so than I do now. I haven't had SP in a long time.

I had a friend who described what turned out to be SP when we were teenagers. I had never heard of SP before, but told him that he may have had a waking dream, which is another label for SP. Turns out my guess was right. I later learned about SP via exploring the abduction phenomena

I'm not sure I'm following the image Rick posted. The squares are the same color but only look like they aren't? If so, which shade is the right one I wonder.

 

[Rick Deckard]

I'm not sure I'm following the image Rick posted. The squares are the same color but only look like they aren't?

Yeah, sorry for going off topic...I sort of branched off talking about how my brain incorrectly processes image information when it's been deprived of sleep...

...anyway, the two squares are *exactly* the same shade of grey, but your brain *perceives* them to be different based on the brightness/contrast of the *surrounding* squares.

I found it quite surprising - you can't always trust what you see...although that *shouldn't* be contrued as proof that people are *always* mistaken when they see 'something out of the ordinary'.

Here, I drew a line between the two squares to prove they're the same shade (BTW, this shatters the 'illusion'):

If that still doesn't convince you then your only option is to load the first image into photoshop and test the RGB values for yourself...

 

[Aaron LeClair]

I don't mind off topic at all. Where dreams go, so does the brain so you weren't off in my opinion anyway. I wasn't sure if I was interpreting what the image example was referring to is all.

The line you drew looks like it changes shades as it goes from one square to another. Is this also a part of the illusion?

Ever play the game Q-Bert? Ever notice how the board would turn upside down on you from time to time?

It took me awhile, but if you look at some of the blocks and try to see them as upside down, you can. The brain can interpret it either way.
http://www.acorn-gaming.org.uk/Emulation/qbert.gif

 

[Rick Deckard]

Ever play the game Q-Bert? Ever notice how the board would turn upside down on you from time to time?

It took me awhile, but if you look at some of the blocks and try to see them as upside down, you can. The brain can interpret it either way.
http://www.acorn-gaming.org.uk/Emulation/qbert.gif

Escher was the 'master' of optical illusions - his images played on that very idea...

M. C. Escher - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Aaron LeClair]

Escher was the 'master' of optical illusions - his images played on that very idea...

M. C. Escher - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What, he inspire Q-Bert? I'm surprised I remember that game. But I still remember pong, now that I think of it.

I've came across a lot of brain tricks on the net etc. Never bother keeping the links unfortunately.

 

[Rick Deckard]

What, he inspire Q-Bert?

Possibly

Actually, if you remember, later on in the game some of the creatures that bounce from the top square sometimes start from one of the other corners and bounce along a different axis - the vertical 'cube' walls become their floors, if you see what I mean...their point-of-view has been rotated 120 degrees.

Did that make sense to you?

 

[Tom Levine]

Tom, I've noticed that lucid dreaming/meditation/visiting another realm/whatever is easier on one side vs. the other, too! For me, it's also the right side! I thought the same thing about blood flow to the brain, stimulation of the brain inside the skull, etc. Now I'm really curious! I just thought I was most likely insane-o....hehe. I wonder what side I was sleeping on when I had the hamster dream hehe

Hey, that's really cool that we both had the same observation! It's been a while, but I think the um, right side of the brain has more creative-cognitive function, versus the left side which is more analytical? Or, I might have that mixed up. In any event, perhaps sleeping on one side does in fact excite activity in one hemisphere versus the other. Hmmm. Perhaps there is something to that.

If I've been awake for more than 24 hours, my brain will sometimes introduce 'movement' to static objects....

That, and LSD...

...That's right - squares A and B are *exactly the same* shade of grey.....

...And one other example, is extremely high fevers. Ever have one of those, like up around 104? I had a very high fever when I was younger, and totally halucinated. It's fair to say that I was absolutely insane. I had to go to the emergency room. When the fever broke, everything was normal again. It's a wonder our minds keep equilibrium as well as it does, over the years.

Oh, but I'm perfectly fine now

I've either had lucid dreams I was having sleep paralysis, or have had SP many times. It happened when I was digging into many abduction cases and theories etc..

I think that makes complete sense. The Doctor that wrote that book on Lucid Dreams back when (can't remember his name, don't feel like rummaging through the bookcase, anyway...), indicated that one method would be to write down the suggestion that you will have a lucid dream, 2 or 3 times, throughout the day, for 30 days, practically guaranteeing success with Lucid Dreaming. The "suggestion" method is reworded in multiple ways by many different people of course. The point is that I think, psychologically, it goes back to Freud's subconscious, and it's inability to communicate well, directly with the conscious. So, through suggestion, one can advise it on what you would like it to do, using its own language, readers digest version. It is no wonder, in that context, that serious investigation into the abduction phenomenon, would result in "SP" and other related states of mind.

Possibly

Actually, if you remember, later on in the game...

You guys lost me on the Q-bert thing. I was more a pinball machine guy.

Freewheelin dialog at it's best, eh?!

 

[Rick Deckard]

You guys lost me on the Q-bert thing. I was more a pinball machine guy.

Don't worry about Q-Bert it's a very old game - I've been playing computer games for 25 years now (jeez, I've never thought about that before) and they offer way more than TV and movies ever could...

...and with the latest hardware, *truly* interactive worlds are possible and I mean total freedom to do as you please.

Lucid dreaming in a box.

 

[Aaron LeClair]

Possibly

Actually, if you remember, later on in the game some of the creatures that bounce from the top square sometimes start from one of the other corners and bounce along a different axis - the vertical 'cube' walls become their floors, if you see what I mean...their point-of-view has been rotated 120 degrees.

Did that make sense to you?

Yes, I had to think about it several seconds though. I forgot all about those advanced levels.

 

[alucard]

Ravenskye, I know you do not know me but when I saw your name I swear I knew you from somewhere, maybe it's just the username but I get the strongest feeling I know you somehow. I assure you I am not some nutcase stalker its just that seeing your name triggered something in my memory, maybe from another website or someone else using your username , sorry if its my mistake it could be a million reasons I have heard that name but It just struck me as wierd. Alucard

 

[Ally]

Since this has turned into a lucid dream, sleep paralysis ISH thread I would like to share an experience.

I have had many lucid dreams, OBE's and abduction experiences. I never quite inderstood the sleep paralysis expereince until I thought I had one but later I am not sure if that was accurate.

I was visiting my family for Christmas in Dallas. On Decmember 26, 2004. I kind of woke up but could not move. I felt this extreme fear that I could not put into words and I saw what looked like white ,not solid white, liquid pouring over rmy face. This experience only lasted for a few seconds but it stuck with me all day.

A few days later I connected the 9.1 sumatra earhtquake and the devastating tsunami to my experience. Has anyone else had a sleep paralysis/vision before?