Hi Sue—
Congratulations on figuring out how to become “lucid” in a dream. It’s not an easy trick to pull off, but you’ve already identified two of the most frequent doorways that people use to enter their dreams consciously.
A lucid dream is defined as a dream in which a dreamer knows he or she is dreaming—while the dream still is occurring. It’s an unusual state, because normally in dreams we don’t recognize that we are dreaming (no matter how strange the dream is), until after we awaken from it. Then we lay there in bed and think, “What a crazy dream I just had!”
For example, say we dream we are battling a white, albino tiger in the middle of the Roman Coliseum. In the dream, we are equipped with armor and a sword. We look up and see the stands are filled with yelling fans and citizens. In the distance, our lover shouts words of encouragement. Now the tiger approaches...
Does it ever occur to us, in the midst of this bizarre scene, that the Coliseum today is a ruin, that we have never even been to Europe, say, or that, give or take, the era of men battling lions ended 1500 years ago? The entire scene is impossible, yet curiously, in a dream, most of us would never even pause to ask if it was real. And if the tiger suddenly were to metamorphose into our deceased father... most of us still wouldn’t recognize the dream.
Why are dreams so hard to recognize while we are in them, even if we are flying like Superman, giving birth to an elephant, or chasing a tornado through our living room? Scientists believe the dampening of our reflective abilities in dreams allows us to “stay asleep” during the intense activity of REM—just as the paralysis of our bodies prevents us from acting out dreams physically. As your dream report accurately points out, though, there are exceptions to this general “rule” of unconsciousness during sleep.
The first exception occurs when we become frightened in a dream, to the point where we genuinely feel our life is in danger. In a flash of insight, we suddenly are able to recognize the incongruity of the dream. (I am not in Rome... I have never been in Rome...) This insight usually causes us to awaken physically from the dream. (For more information on awakening consciousness during dreams, please read excerpts from my book at this link: Stop Sleeping Through Your Dreams.)
The second situation occurs when we teach ourselves, through recurring dreams, to learn to recognize the dreamscape. In your case, you realized your recurring dreams of nudity in public were great opportunities for having fun in the dreamscape—if you could somehow teach yourself to recognize the dream in progress. With practice and attention, you were successful, and you had a great time!
Other good dreams to practice lucidity with are recurring dreams of flying, of falling, of being chased, or of being paralyzed. Once you recognize it’s “just a dream,” you can choose different endings for the dream. If you’re being chased, you can challenge your attackers, and ask them to identify themselves. (They will.) If you’re falling, you can work to land on solid ground. (You will feel better immediately.) If you’re flying, you can aim your course even higher, and take a trip around the sun and moon. If you have a question that’s been on your mind, you can ask a dream for a solution to your problem. The dreamscape also is a nice place to keep still, and to meditate.
What’s the meaning of your lucid, “naked in public” dream? Like anyone, you enjoy expressing yourself—free from the critique, criticism, and judgment of others. You want people to accept you “as you are” (in your birthday suit...)—and we know it felt empowering!
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