Lucid Dreaming and Mysticism: A Personal Observation

Abstract

As I read the literature on lucid dreams, I see the occasional temptation to refer to un-usual lucid dream phenomena as mystical experiences, or to imply that it is. These phenomena include the “enlightenment” of knowing one is dreaming, the recognition that what one sees is part of oneself, the feeling of energy or currents through the body, the seeing of light, the feeling of levitation or that one is out of the body, the hearing of “divine” music, and many others. It is true that many lucid dream phenomena may be found in a wide variety of mystical literature, and the connection between dreaming and mystical experience is worthy of study. But a cautious language is called for.