Ridiculous! A Short Lucid Dream inspired by Harry Potter

Dream Journal
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I had a short lucid dream last night.

I dreamt I was some kind of prisoner. Weirdly enough, I had the feeling of being a 50-something years old man, in an Arabic country. I was in this dark, kind of underground prison. I was okay, til I notice this really big Tarantula (recurring dream sign, definitely symbolic of Fear and perhaps, other things too) moving within its web. I could see its long leg moving. I freaked out, and somehow, escaped. I was then searched after and tried to hide somewhere in bushes. But “guards” found me. I had no escape, I thought “I have no other way but to surrender.” And upon that thought, I completely relaxed, and the scene changed. I found myself in my childhood home. I realised it couldn’t be otherwise than being a dream ! I asserted it to be so aloud, and walked downstairs. My parents were there. I suddenly remembered the spider. Two nights ago, I had dreamt of being attacked by another really big spider (which had already chased a black widow) and I had crushed it. I thought “why not facing my fear again!”

I internally called forth a giant spider, expecting it to come out of the office door, and voilĂ !

I then remembered an idea I had had: I thought of a way of ridiculing my fear… I thought of Ron in The Prisoner Of Azkaban. I lifted my wand (obviously) and said “Ridiculous!” imagining wheels attached to its paws/claws … And it worked !!

The giant Tarantula started to slip just like in the movie. I could feel the joyful giggle in my guts upon waking up from that !

Afterwards, I turned to my parents and hugged them. I felt their kindness, it was incredibly healing. I went outside and remembered my 5 steps Healing Dream Plan. I started with asking the DreamSky: Show me what I need the most.

It seemed to respond with a flicker of light. As to validate the message/question. Nothing seem to happen, but I turned left and looked down to the grass, and two beautiful white geese were here. I can’t tell if that was the response or not, nor what that meant.

The dream started to fade, and I tried spinning. But once again, blackness. I woke up. Still feeling this sense of exhilaration and visceral laugh from the spider on wheels :grin: (I honestly didn’t feel like hugging my 8-leg friend. So, that was a first approach! Maybe next time…)

Anyways. The “Ridiculous” Technique may be interesting when working with fears…

Has anyone ever tried this ?! I’d be curious to hear other stories with that one :smile:

Ha. I always knew reading and watching Harry Potter over and over again was worth it… Really inspiring, Dream-Wise.

I can’t wait to get to the night I’ll be feasting in the Great Hall to celebrate my healing with Dumbledore. (That’s the final step of the plan. I’ll probably have chocolate cake.)

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Question: Have you ever listened to the audiobooks? The audio content read by Jim Dale are a different experience than reading the books, perhaps because alternative mental imagery is involved? When the first book initially came out I bought the audiobook for my daughter who used it to help her learn to read along with the novel. Later we noticed the narrator for other audiobooks, Stephen Fry, provided a very different experience. I was always puzzled that they didn’t provide female narration, as well. I wonder if video experiences versus the written word translate differently into the dream life?

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I have ! Well, actually, only the two first ones. I’ve read the first five books in English, the two last ones in French. As I use Audible, the only version I got to listen to was the one read by Stephen Fry. (I’m really fond of the British accent :grin:) But I had the opportunity to listen to some extracts read by Jim Dale and indeed, that’s a totally different experience! Not better or worse, just not the same…

The listening vs. reading vs. watching question is a really good one.

Which one impacts the dreaming mind the most? I remember, while reading the Fifth book last year, dreaming almost every single night about it all. Either being at Hogwarts, or characters appearing in my dreams, or being one of the characters of the book. I think movies do help to have a very “stable idea” or mind-map to explore imaginary worlds like these… one I could easily use to reproduce and explore those places upon wishing it in a dream (I can really picture the Great Hall! And the buffet, obviously.) but the book definitely had a greater impact in the sense that my imagination was working more deeply and freely. I have a few Lucid Dream Plans to explore Hogwarts in the back of my head (Like, Playing Quidditch must be pretty cool and a good training to work on mind flexibility through flying with an object. I’m still struggling with flying.).

Also I think the whole idea of using spells can help with learning to manipulate the dream. The power is obviously not in the words, but sometimes uttering words aloud can help manifest things, as it clarifies the intention. I tend to try to make things move just through sheer intent, but it doesn’t work as well as when announcing what I want to do. (There’s a similar shift in the book, I can’t remember exactly, but it must be the 6th, when students learn to cast spells silently, just in their mind. Interesting parallel.)

A little while ago, I made my dog flying in the air with “Wingardium Leviosa”. My dog seemed to be really happy about it ! So, if using a spell (inspired by the book or self-made) can help, I think that’s really good. Anyways, books (both reading and listening) offer a greater variety of ideas to explore… Books are always richer in terms of content, but movies can help giving a structure to start with. If that makes sense…

I need to read the 6th sometime. Currently listening to “The Three Pillars of Zen”, and having tons and tons of books on my waiting list, I’m not yet sure what to do next :smile:

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Could they be mantras?

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Well, I feel like they do act as mantras. Spells are words/sounds with an intent after all… But then… All language is sorcery! (“The highest form of magic” as Dumbledore says :wink:)

I really wonder though… is the power of mantras in the words themselves (can they inherently have power ?) or do they have the power we only give them ? The latter would make more sense. The intention behind the sound is ultimately what matters… If there’s no intent or feeling behind words, there’s no effect on oneself (when reciting a mantra/affirmation). It’d be like saying I’m sorry to someone while not meaning (thinking or feeling) it. Or as mechanically repeating “This is all a dream” throughout the day, with no conviction or real observation of the truth of such a statement! (Which still happens to me a lot ! - And lead me to repeat it mechanically… while dreaming! :grin: Therefore, no results.)

This really connects to the practice of illusory speech :grin:

Anyways. “Om Mani Padme Hum” and other mantras are said to have some magical qualities and effects over the practitioner who repeats them over long periods of time. But I’m pondering whether these mantras affect Westerners as much as, and in the same way than, it affects Tibetans (who thus, understand the words and meaning of those sounds). But maybe if the intent is here, the effects will be there too !

In the meanwhile, next time I have a lucid dream, I will try “Oculus Reparo” on my body. As long as I believe in it, whether a mantra or a wizard spell, something should happen ! I’ll let you know about that! :smile:

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What do you think the geese represented!?

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@TheNewOneironaut

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche said once that tibetan prayers are fine to be translated since prayers are about intent and aspiration.

Mantras are different, I have learned that some tibetan mantras have meaning, where each syllable has concrete meaning or is a symbol.
But, these mantras also have specific energy to them when sounded, which is beyond intellectual understanding, they seem to work on the energetic dimension of your body/energy/mind. Therefore, it does not make sense to try to translate these, since the effect would surely not be the same.

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My initial impression upon seeing them was that these were a couple. So I don’t know. I first felt it might have something to do with a relationship. But anyways. Overall, it was a positive feeling, of something peaceful. But then I had the wonderful idea to look it all up on the internet, and search for dream interpretation. I got completely confused.

I had another lucid dream last night (hurray!) and this time, it was a black elephant locked in a room/cage that I found. I entered the room and exploded the wall, freeing the elephant (which now had the size of a puppy, and had turned grey.) So. This once, I took my time to feel the dream instead of asking google for an answer straightaway. To me, the black elephant represented my inner power. It was my inner strength that was confined within, which I therefore unleashed. At least, the symbolically, it would make a lot of sense compared to what’s going on in my life.

Ha, and I tried to fly to Hogwarts again (what’s that obsession with Hogwarts ? Always happens within dreams!) I was unable to project myself out there (or apparate as wizards do. Except I’m no dream wizard, yet.) So I flew instead, superman style. And found the Quidditch Pitch. Since all my dream plans were unsuccessful, I played a little Quidditch, but upon gradually losing lucidity, it turned out to be more like Rugby. I scored though. And I woke up. Delighted.

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Yes it really wouldn’t make any sense to translate a mantra. There’s something special to them. I know there was a debate in ancient times concerning prononciation of mantras. Some would say that if it wasn’t properly pronounced (e.g.: the sanskrit way), even if recited a million times, it wouldn’t take effect on the practitioner. I read a story about it, where a monk had been reciting a mantra his whole life, and upon hearing him, an older monk told him he had mispronounced it for the whole time! But as the intention was there, he kept on going and reached enlightenment…

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My understanding is not to ridicule dream characters but to accept them calmly and lovingly if possible, as they’re all part of you. Easier said than done. The strong emotions in dreams sometimes are hard to cope with, and one can only go as far as one can in any dream scenario. I’ve tried to call back people I’ve fought with in dreams and it doesn’t work if I’m not ready. I sometimes have to accept myself doing bizarre stuff like biting off characters fingers (someone who had bullied me). That’s my experience anyway. I believe you have made some movement towards coming to terms with your inner spider. The two white geese is a lovely outcome. We all know geese fight, but they’re more highly evolved than spiders and share love and family feeling as opposed to solitary and persistent weaving of webs and eating of husbands’ heads, lol… I happen to love spiders, but, different things for each of us. Your unconscious seems to want a resolution and deepening of family feeling and I’m sure your parents do also, speaking as a parent and grandparent myself :slight_smile:
Jane

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