Relevance of Dream Lucidity to Dream Theory Via Content Analysis

Abstract

For various reasons dream lucidity has not seemed especially relevant to dream theory--partly because little or no content analysis of these dreams has been attempted, and partly owing to what I think are two red herrings: First, so much discussion has gone into whether those dreams are part of REM physiology (they do seem to be)-with so little attention given to what they arere content--that what has been missed is that they can be taken as showing a rare but often spontaneous and unsought transformation that is the opposite of what Rechtschaffen calls the “single mindedness” or ordinary dreaming and so establishes an underlying cognitive dimension on which all dreams seem to vary. And this dimension, whatever else it is, involves a progressive cognitive—abstract transformation of ordinary dreaming. The rarity and existence of those dreams are of about equal importance theoretically!