Lucid Dreaming - Real Live "Inception"

I love the movie "Inception."  I think it's one of the best movies in the history of movies.  If you haven't seen it, go see it right now.  It's intense, complex, and deep.  Here's a synopsis:

"Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming."

(Taken from IMDb)

The best part about watching "Inception," however, is seeing the similarities between it and lucid dreaming.  The definition of a lucid dream is "any dream in which one is aware that one is dreaming" (Wikipedia).  In gaining self-awareness, the dreamer has the potential to change, control, or construct their dreams.  Sound like hogwash?  I can attest that lucid dreaming is possible, because I have done it.

My experiences with lucid dreaming is limited but very exciting.  It started when I picked up a book called "Lucid Dreams in 30 Days: The Creative Sleep Program."  It's part philosophical and part workbook.  It explains some fascinating concepts about dream awareness and manipulation.  I don't want to make this post too long, so I'll just share one concept today: awareness.  I believe this single concept is the key to all lucid dreaming and can change the way you sleep forever, once it has been developed enough.  The book describes it perfectly:

"We'd like you to think of dreaming in much the same way you think of driving a car.  Remember all the times you've driven along the highway seemingly not paying attention at all.  All of a sudden you've looked at the road and realized that someone has been exerting judgment and control - and that someone you've recognized in a flash is you.  Dreaming works in a similar way.  You usually aren't consciously aware of your ability to control the action; but of course, right down to the exact words spoken by your dream characters, the very last brick in your dream house, and the precise number of petals on a flower in your dream garden, you alone are the author and designer of your dreams.  Realizing this fact is much like suddenly realizing that you are driving the car.  Waking up in your dreams, in other words, requires a subtle shift in attention, so that you learn to be more completely aware of what you're doing."

Some techniques for gaining awareness in your dreams is to practice recalling and recording dreams right after waking up.  Another is to ask yourself throughout the day "Am I dreaming?"  By developing a habit of consciously checking to make sure you are not dreaming, you might find yourself asking the same question in a dream, and being able to answer, "Yes."  There is a lot of information and techniques in the book that I won't get into.  Instead, I'll share with you the most exciting lucid dreaming experience I have ever had.

Up till this experience, my lucid dreaming experiences were small.  In this dream, however, I truly experienced awareness.  My anxiety often haunts me in my dreams, and in this case, a human-like demon had captured several of my brothers and was tearing into them with its sharp teeth.  I closed my eyes and thought, "This is a horrible dream!"  As soon as I thought these words, awareness flooded my mind.  "Wait a minute," I gasped.  "I'm dreaming.  I can change this right now."  So I approached the demon and said, "I'm tired of you being here.  Go away now."  The demon resisted, but I willed it to go away, and it just disappeared.  Poof!  I found myself alone, so I thought, "What now?"  I grinned and said, "I want to fly."  And I did!  I just took off into the sky like a bird.  My stomach lurched in fear and joy as I soared over the clouds.  It felt so real.  Unfortantely, I began to wake up shortly after taking flight.  There are techniques to prolong lucid dreaming, but I hadn't learned them yet.  But what a dream!

Image from luciddreaming.net

I have a lot to learn about lucid dreaming, but I've made a great start.  If I keep practicing, I can learn to banish anxiety whenever it tries to haunt my dreams.  Maybe I can even meet the characters in my book.  The possibilities are endless!  Even though I haven't experienced any true lucid dreams in a while, I have gained a certain amount of general awareness that allows me to make little tweaks and changes to my day-to-day dreams.  I'm sure I'll share more lucid dreams as I have them.  I'm sure my lucid dreams will never be as vivid (or as dangerous) as the dreams in "Inception," but the idea of creating my own dream world keeps me dreaming.  

My Adventures with Aromatherapy

Image from crowwing.com

Since I suffer from anxiety, I've looked into several natural remedies for the body.  Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of plant-derived, aromatic essential oils to promote physical and psychological well-being.  It is sometimes used in combination with massage and other therapeutic techniques as part of a holistic treatment approach (definition from TheFreeDictionary).  I like natural smells, like the kind from flowers, so I decided to give aromatherapy a try.  My mom bought me a collection of essential oils from Eden's Garden for Christmas.  She bought the synergy set, which came with cute, little bottles of:

Meditation = ylang ylang, patchouli, frankincense, clary sage, orange sweet, and thyme essential oils.
Stress Relief = bergamot, patchouli, blood orange, ylang, ylang, and grapefruit essential oils.
Aphrodisiac = ylang ylang, patchouli, orange sweet, lavender, sandalwood, and jasmine essential oils.
Relaxation =  lavender, marjoram, patchouli, mandarin, geranium, and chamomile essential oils.
Renew = frankincense, tea tree, rosemary, lemon, eucalyptus, and orange sweet essential oils.
Breathe Easy = peppermint, rosemary, lemon, and eucalyptus essential oils.

(Click on the different essential oils to learn more about them!)

Image from Eden's Garden

In the short time I've experimented with essential oils, I have learned 2 warnings and 2 positive experiences.

Warning #1: Essential oils are potent!

Essential oils are natural, but they are NOT subtle.  In fact, they are more like flowers on steroids!  When I first got my essential oils, I made the mistake of putting 5 drops of lavender in the water of my oil burner.  The smell was sweet, but it was so strong, it made me sick to my stomach.  The aroma penetrated my skin, my bones, my very soul!  Aromatherapy is the real deal!  I quickly learned to only put 2 drops of essential oil in my oil burner.  A little goes a long way.

Warning #2: Essential oils can give you giant zits!

I was feeling very earthy one day, and decided to dab a drop of lavender essential oil on the skin right above my collar bone.  That way, the healing aroma would rise into my nostrils as I went throughout my day.  It worked quite well, until I came home from work and looked in my mirror...

In the exact spot I dabbed the oil, I had grown the biggest, whitest zit I had ever seen!  I NEVER get zits on my chest, yet there it was, throbbing at me menacingly!  From now on, I try not to put the essential oil on my skin.

Positive Experience #1: Smelling essential oils makes me feel happy and zenny!
 
In a world where 'artificial' is the norm in just about every aspect of our lives, using something that is natural just makes me feel good.  In my opinion, half of the effectiveness of aromatherapy comes from the positive thoughts and feelings it invokes in me.  The essential oils (when diluted properly) smell wonderful, like the inside of a dream.  The aroma makes me feel like I'm smelling something far greater and purer than anything mankind can ever make by themselves.  The aroma is cleansing and penetrates deep.  I just like using them.  I haven't invested in a diffuser or anything cool like that, but I don't have to have one to enjoy aromatherapy right now.  For some really cool tips on how to use essential oils in your day-to-day life, just check out this articles by Eden's Garden: 40 Ways to Use.

Positive Experience #2: Essential oils have successfully chased my anxiety away.

 I am more of a believer in cognitive therapy verses more physical treatments when it comes to my anxiety.  I am especially leery of the seemingly 'mystical' treatments.  I mean, just because you made your pills out of organic seeds from some plant I haven't even heard of doesn't mean that it will cure my anxiety!  I do believe that these natural supplements have the ability to help control anxiety's power over the mind, but not every pill will work for every person who tries it.  And there are so many out there to try!  Perhaps I am a believer in cognitive therapy because the idea of researching and experimenting with so many supplements is just way too overwhelming.
I can testify, however, that aromatherapy definitely has some power over my anxiety.  One day, I was feeling anxious and jittery for no apparent reason.  That's the worse kind of anxiety: the kind that has no reason or purpose other than to torture me.  I decided to breathe in some lavender essential oil, which is the best oil for dealing with anxiety.  Within a couple breaths, my anxious feelings were gone!  I was shocked by how well it worked, cause as I said before, I'm not exactly a believer.  But I could not deny that the essential oil had calmed my body and mind.  I was thrilled!  To this day, I am a believer in the power and effectiveness aromatherapy.
Now, this does not mean that aromatherapy alone can control my anxiety, or that breathing lavender fumes will chase away any anxious feelings I have anytime, every time.  But I am happy that I have essential oils to use in my daily life.  They are just another part of my anxiety-conquering plan.  So if you have been considering experimenting with essential oils in your life, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do so.  Just remember, essential oils are stronger than you might think, so have a gas mask handy, just in case.  ;)