From: siguy2@hotmail.com   
      
   On 3 Nov 2005 08:31:52 -0800, "Cyclotron"    
   wrote:   
      
   >Hello!   
   >   
   >Reading my dream diary so that I could classify them in the way the   
   >lucidity institute recommends I've found that most of my dreams have   
   >extraordinary backgrounds or subplots that are very removed from   
   >reality. The problem is I seem to have an amazing acceptance factor   
   >when it comes to weirdness happening around me because none of it ever   
   >prompts me to think "hey thats a bit weird, maybe I'm dreaming". Its   
   >quite frustrating, any advice?   
   >   
   >C   
   Hi Cyclo:   
   First of all, you need to do a little research into the nature of the   
   brain, perception and memory. For example, you'll find that the   
   prevailing theory to explain the universal nature of our accepting   
   bizzare surroundings in dreams is that the pre-frontal cortex is   
   "detached" during REM. It is in this area of the brain that we   
   constantly (and unconsciously) do "Reality Testing" during waking. In   
   other words, it contributes greatly to what we accept as "Reality".   
   Without it's constant testing and feedback as to what constitutes   
   reality, as in REM, the most psychedelic, unreal "visual" environs   
   that we travel through (and create, of course), seem quite mundane and   
   "normal".   
   Now, as to the second part, you might want to start a very simple, but   
   time-proven excercise that helps you to recognize (and "re-awaken)   
   this reality testing during REM is to, during the day, as you go about   
   your activities, pause for a second every 10 minutes or every hour, to   
   begin with, and ask yourself, "Is this REAL?".   
   It sounds quite innocent and silly, I know, but, after you go through   
   this ritual a couple hundred times, you'll find that you'll one night   
   find yourelf walking through a dreamscape and you'll ask yourself, "Is   
   this REAL?"...and you'll have one of those wonderful epiphanies where   
   EVERYTHING starts to make sense and you'll realize you're dreaming and   
   you'll answer, NO! This is a DREAM!!! and that will start an entirely   
   new chapter in your Inner Exploration of SELF.   
   hth   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)