Lucid Dreaming in Hypnagogic Sleep

The only way you can get better at lucid dreaming is through practice.  However, it can be difficult to practice lucid dreaming while fast asleep.  A good time to practice lucid dreaming is during hypnagogic sleep, or that fuzzy time in between being awake and being fast asleep. 

Hypnagogic sleep is great.  You may still see mostly black, you may feel the bed under you or hear noises in your bedroom, but you begin to see images coming through the black, similar to photograph negatives.  These images can differ from dreamer to dreamer.  Some people have full-fledged dream snippets and may hear things, too.  This is the time when people tend to hallucinate hearing someone call their name.

This is a great time to practice recognizing that you are dreaming.  I think it's easier to recognize that you are dreaming during hypnagogic dreams than regular dreams because the images are so dark in comparison to my normal dreams and I can feel the bed under me.  The only problem is that once you recognize that you are dreaming, you may wake up.  This is okay.  Don't worry about it.  However, if you are really tired, just relax and get some sleep in whatever phase you can. 

Another thing you can practice is manipulating your dreams.  You do this as gently as you can, since extreme concentration can wake you up.  If you see a blob of light or photo-negative gold in the darkness of your dreams, think about what that blob looks like.  A heart?  A face?  A pentagram?  The image may change or morph into what you want it or expect it to turn out to be.

As you get used to playing with the hypnagogic dreams this way, you can try to get more detail.  If you see a face, can you make that face look like a specific person?  Can you change the face from a man to a woman?  The face may change to what you want and then flow back into another.  Don't worry about it and don't kick yourself over it.  Just that brief flash is good enough.

Sweet dreams.

Dream Peter Reveals His True Voice: Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes

Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes

The story so far:

I've dreaming about Dream Peter since I was 16 (and now I'm -- er -- much older than 16.) He gets his name and face from Peter Gabriel.  He's been my friend, confidant, guide and source of great frustration.  Although I know that my subconscious thought him up in order to get me through my turbulent dream realm, he's such a complex and unpredictable character that I can't help but think of him as somehow a separate entity than myself.

There has been one problem that I haven't written about until now.  Peter's speaking voice in my dreams was often much different than the actual speaking voice of the real Peter Gabriel. (However, his singing voice is that of PG.)  He also was much taller than the real PG and often had scowls or mannerisms that the real PG just doesn't do.

I had to admit that this was disappointing.  I liked my Dream Peter to be as close to the real Peter as possible.  It also makes things much easier to explain on this blog.  "I dream about Peter Gabriel" is much easier to explain than "I dream about a Peter Gabriel that is taller, nastier and has a different speaking voice than the real Peter Gabriel.  Otherwise, they're two peas in a pod."

There also have been times that I have tried to "force" Dream Peter to be more like the real Peter Gabriel.  When I'm dreaming lucidly (aware that I am dreaming) I concentrate on what Dream Peter should look like so that he looks like the lovely PG.  Sometimes in this contest of wills I win but usually I don't.

And now I've recently discovered why.  My subconscious latched onto many men I'd seen on television or in the movies in my tender years, especially in the early 1980s.  Although Peter Gabriel would wind up eclipsing them all starting in 1986, he didn't entirely take control of the man I would wind up dreaming about for the rest of my  life.

When I was about 14 or so, I liked watching a television show called The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.  The actor who played Holmes was mesmerizing.  His name was Jeremy Brett.  However, the show was too hard for me to concentrate on and I moved on to other things.  But Holmes never really left my brain.

Last month, I finally wanted to trace down the source of Dream Peter's speaking voice, height and scowls.  I wanted to see if I could find a British actor with the voice I'd dreamt about since childhood.  I finally found an old episode of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes on YouTube and nearly fell out of my chair.

There he was.  I did some research on Jeremy Brett (1933 - 1995) and discovered that his real first name was Peter.  I felt something click in my brain.  Perhaps it was just a coincidence, but it was a major moment of realization for me.

So now I do not try to manipulate Dream Peter when he appears or talks to me in my dreams.  He is no longer a Peter Gabriel mimic but his own blend of Sherlock Holmes, Jeremy Brett and Peter Gabriel.  And a bit of myself, too. 

Peter Gabriel

What is Exploding Head Syndrome?

Relax. Exploding head syndrome isn't as bad as it sounds. People with exploding head syndrome will not recreate that infamous scene in Scanners (1981.)

Still, you do not want to get exploding head syndrome.  This is a strange sleep disorder where people hear sudden explosions or very loud crashes as they try to fall asleep.  After being pried off of the ceiling and changing their underwear, you can appreciate that it's very difficult for these folks to get back to sleep.

Other symptoms include waking up after hearing the noise in a cold sweat, having a metallic taste in the mouth, panting and very rapid heart rate.  All of these symptoms are also associated with fear.

People with exploding head syndrome may also hear voices calling out their names as they try to fall asleep.  This symptom is common to many people, but it rarely interrupts a good night's sleep.  Heck, I have it myself and I'm so used to it that it barely registers in my brain before I'm back asleep.

There is no known cause for exploding head syndrome, although it is thought to be triggered by periods of stress.  Of course, being waked every night by loud CRASH! BANG! BOOM! is stressful enough for most folks.  It is hypothesized that the stress somehow effects the middle ear, which causes the phantom noises.

Anyway, this is not a new phenomenon.  It was first described in 1920 and explained as "a snapping of the brain."  People most prone to exploding head syndrome are folks over 50.  Since this sleep condition comes and goes, many people with it may decide not to talk to their doctors about it when it eventually goes away.

There is no known cure for exploding head syndrome.

Sleep tight, kids.

The Nightmarish Art of Joshua Hoffine

Joshua Hoffine is an artist that recreates common children's nightmares in his disturbing retouched photographs.  Subjects include monsters living under the bed, a swarm of cockroaches coming out of a mother's mouth and disembodied arms creeping up on an unsuspecting little girl holding a teddy bear.  Hoffine often creates a set and even costumes for his nightmarish photographs.  He has sometimes cast his own daughter as a model for these photos. 

He lives and works in Kansas City, Missouri.  I'm now wondering what kind of a place Kansas City must be.  He is gaining a strong following of fans who love horror. He was recently featured in the New York Daily Times website in a slideshow of 12 images of childhood nightmares.  The one pictured here is titled simply "Bed."

I find his work very disturbing since he has able to recreate at least one childhood fear or nightmare that I still have as an adult.  I also find it a little disturbing that some of the children in the photographs wear only underpants.  I suppose this is to highlight how vulnerable we are to our fears.  I think I'll stick with written horror authors like Stephen King.  One comforting aspect to Hoffine's work is that when you see these images, you know that you aren't the only one who suffered from these nightmares.

BBC Documentary: "10 Things You Need to Know About Sleep"

EDIT: The video has been taken down by YouTube since this post first went online. I'm still keeping this post in the blog just in case someone manages to sneak it back onto YouTube again. Sorry!

Having trouble getting a good night's sleep?  You're not alone.  In the UK alone, there are millions of insomniacs.  This BBC documentary, presented by BBC news presenter Kate Silverton.  The documentary is just under 35 minutes long.  This is not the entire documentary, unfortunately.  Things it covers includes:

• How taking a bath about an hour before bedtime can help trick your body into getting sleep
• How one family member's insomnia can affect the whole family
• How spending less time in bed (sleep restriction) may help insomniacs get more sleep
• Why the afternoon is the best time for a 20 - 30 minute nap
• How what we drink before we sleep can impact the quality of our sleep

I just wish I could afford one of the blue lights talked about in the documentary.

Why People Buy Custom Made Cat Beds

Custom wood cat beds cost as much money as any wooden piece of furniture, whether its preassembled or not. That is because they are meant to last. Wood is tough and can last for generations is cared for properly. If your pet gets a taste for wood, spraying bitter apple or other deterrents that taste foul will keep the teeth away.

Cat beds made of foam or polyester have a tendency to rip and split. Even the sharpest claws will be thwarted by a custom wood cat bed. Using a wood touch-up pen can cover over any scratches that the cat manages. These pens are available at hardware stores. Many cat owners are willing to put up with a few touch-ups in order to make their home look luxurious.

What Will The Neighbor's Cats Think?

If you intend to live in the home you're in for the rest of your life and want to keep long lasting furniture that can be used for generations of cats to enjoy, consider a custom wood cat bed. Who knows? In one hundred years, custom wood cat beds might be all of the antique collector's rage as Shaker wooden chairs are now.

What your neighbors or their cats think of you ordering a custom wood cat bed for your cat's comfort is none of their concern. Many wood cat beds are also small enough for toy dogs to enjoy. If you are buying a custom wood cat bed and you don't have a pet, then perhaps the neighbors' and their cats' funny looks might be pertinent.

Getting a Cat Used to a New Bed

Cats love beds that are especially for them. They might not curl up on a custom wood cat bed right away. They may look at it sideways for a couple of weeks. Note where the cat usually sleeps and place the bed there. You can even rub a little catnip on to encourage Kitty to explore.

Be patient. Eventually they will get the message that this is a special place for only them. If you rush them, they might get frightened. This makes a bad association in the cat's mind. Let the cat discover the expensive custom wood cat bed at the cat's own pace.

In Conclusion

One of the advantages of custom wood cat beds is that they are so lovely to look at. They look like little antique toy chests or a platform to put dolls on. They blend well with any interior design. Many custom wood cat beds are made with unstained wood so you can stain it whatever color you choose. You can choose to put the cat's name put on it or add designs like paw prints.

Wood cat beds are not for every cat. It could be argued that they are more for the cat owner than the actual cat. The best places to find custom wood cat beds are pet supply stores on the Internet or in the classifieds of cat magazines.

Recommended Reading

• · Luxury for Cats. Patrice Farameh. teNeues; 2008.
• · Reader's Digest. "8 Crazy Cat Beds." http://www.rd.com/slideshows/8-crazy-cat-beds/
• · PetPlace.com. "Picking the Best Bed for Your Cat." http://www.petplace.com/cats/picking-the-best-bed-for-your-cat/page1.aspx

Never Argue with People in Your Dreams

One of the best things about lucid dreaming is interacting with the people in your dreams.  You can be truly yourself because you don't have to deal with these people on a regular basis.  But you can't get away with abusing dream people.  They come back to haunt you.  And if you dream about someone like my Dream Peter, you don't even want to argue with him.

For the most part, Dream Peter has been a huge positive in my life.  But he can also be a pain in the ass.  It's for this reason that I can't help but wonder if he's not entirely a part of my subconscious.  I mean, why would I purposely want to argue with myself during my very limited lucid dream time?  Well, we'll leave that question for another day.

In the dream, I was in England again, near where I used to live homeless near the banks of the Avon River.  I saw Peter walking down steps with a bicycle and he said unenthusiastically, "Oh, of COURSE you're here."  In real life, I had encountered Peter Gabriel and his friends biking from the nearest pub to where I was camped out.  They went so quickly by me and my dog that there was no way I could keep up.  Anyway, what could I say to him?  When you're homeless, the last person you want talking to you is your personal hero.

He allowed me to follow him as he biked along the canal paths.  I didn't have a bike (bastard!) but discovered that I could easily keep up with Dream Peter on foot since he kept encountering large obstacles in his path.  Every time he reached one of these obstacles, he would dismount, frown and carry the bike as he climbed over the obstacle.

I finally said, "Peter, why don't you just bike around the obstacles instead of going over them?"

The look he gave me would have curdled milk.  So I just shut up and wound up enjoying watching him needlessly struggle along the canal path. 

Which taught me that you should never argue with dream people.

I don't know if this dream was partially inspired by this video on YouTube, which I saw a couple of years after I became homed.  It was filmed in 1983 for Italian television.