The Lucid Dream Exchange


Conversing with Dream Figures:
Ten Rules for Successful Conversations

© Robert Waggoner 2007

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Many lucid dreamers experience little success when conversing with dream figures. In their lucid dreams, questions often result in blank stares, cryptic responses or looks of bewilderment. After a number of one-sided conversations, many lucid dreamers come to believe that dream figures have nothing intelligent to say. Au contraire, mon cheri - like speaking fractured French in Paris, conversing in lucid dreams carries unspoken rules of dream realm etiquette. When followed lucidly, these rules should result in more interesting and varied dream conversations. Sadly, the waking world promotes unfortunate biases about the dreaming realm, and many of us bring those biases into our lucid dreaming conversations. Look at these ego-loaded Common Assumptions about Dream Figures:

1)   All dream figures exist as an expression of me,
2)   All dream figures are symbolic,
3)   In my dream, I dream them into being with the unspoken assumption that when my dream ends, the dream figures end.
Lucid dreamers would do well to suspend these common assumptions and approach dream figures with these ‘Ten Rules for Successful Lucid Dream Conversations’:
1)   Do not insult the dream figure by expressing your prejudiced assumptions: ‘You are a creation of my mind!’ or ‘Do you know I am dreaming you?’ Most dream figures just stare at you, when you say those things. Instead ask something showing more awareness, like ‘Who are you?’ or ‘What do you represent?’ or ‘Why are you here?’ Then, listen for their response.
2)   Ask more specific questions, as opposed to general questions. Asking general questions like, ‘What is my purpose in life?’ may lead to cryptic responses, like ‘To live.’ Instead ask more specific questions like ‘ What does this white horse symbolize?’
3)   When you have a choice, look for the most appropriate or intelligent dream figure to talk with. If you see Aunt Nelly, but remember that Aunt Nelly seemed a pathological liar, asking her questions may lead to questionable results.
4)   For questions of a conceptual nature (or if no intelligent dream figures appear), it may be best to simply ‘Ask the Dream.’ Simply shout out your question to the Dream - and wait for the response!!
5)   In the visually symbolic realm of dreaming, the best result may come when your question starts, ‘Show me’. For example, ‘Show me my ideal self!’ or ‘Show me an expression of the Divine!’ By asking for a visual scene, you flow with the nature of dreaming.
6)   If confused by the response, ask for clarification!! Too often, lucid dreamers walk away confused, when instead, a follow up question would clarify things.
7)   See the answer in broad terms. It may come as a feeling, or an image, or words or a symbol or all of these! Expecting or accepting only verbal responses seems short-sighted.
8)   Develop your most important question/s in the waking state. Sometimes in the excitement of being lucid, you may be unable to think of anything, or come up with something silly, e.g., ‘Tell me why I like fig newtons!’
9)   Come with a sense of open-ness to the conversation; come with a desire to learn, and not a desire to tell.
10)   Recognize your influence in the process and the ‘Expectation Effect’. If you expect something, don’t be surprised when you get it. And if you get something unexpected, don’t toss it away and ignore it. Don’t be blind to what you do not want to see.

By practicing these rules of lucid dream etiquette, lucid dreamers seem more likely to have an actual exchange of ideas - a true conversation. With experience, lucid dreamers may begin to alter their assumptions away from the ‘common dream assumptions’ and to a broader view, such as my Lucid Dreaming Assumption: Dream figures exist in varying degrees of permanency and awareness.
Some dream figures may be ‘thought-forms’ or brief expressions - symbolic representations of some day residue or emotional issue. Some dream figures may be ‘aspect-forms’ or symbolic representations of some ongoing-issue for our selves with semi-permanence. Some dream figures may be ‘core aspect-forms’ or symbolic representations of some permanent feature of our psyche, or some permanent issue in our psyche; they may feel ‘at home’ and ‘alive’ in the dreaming, reappearing at appropriate times, and having insight into our waking and dreaming life. Some dream figures may represent the larger Self, the Inner Ego or ‘dreamer of the dream’ which may have a deeper life and understanding than the Waking Ego. Also, they may be conversant with other means of expression via concepts, emotions, light, energy, etc.

Lastly, though obviously complex, some dream figures may represent something ‘outside’ our conception of our waking-ego-self; these dream figures may represent the deceased, the living, aspects of greater consciousness, other incarnations, etc., or they may be the symbolic representations of that knowledge somehow passed on telepathically or in some unknown manner.

Lucid dreaming has much to teach, and if taken seriously, might overturn many of the common assumptions that many dreamers and dream researchers hold onto. By approaching dream figures with a more open attitude, a more curious attitude, and a desire for conversation, lucid dreamers help to uncover the truer nature of dream figures.

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