Lucid dream

A lucid dream is any dream during which the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming.

During lucid dreaming, the dreamer may allegedly be able to exert some degree of control over the dream characters, narrative, and environment.

The term 'lucid dream' was coined by Dutch author and psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden in his 1913 article A Study of Dreams, though descriptions of dreamers being aware that they are dreaming predates the term, and is closely related to ancient meditative praxis originating in India.

History

Western history

Ancient

The earliest references to a phenomenon comparable to that now signified by the term 'lucid dream' In Western culture are found in ancient Greek writings. For example, the philosopher Aristotle wrote: 'often when one is asleep, there is something in consciousness which declares that what then presents itself is but a dream'. Meanwhile, the physician Galen of Pergamon used lucid dreams as a form of therapy. In addition, a letter written by St. Augustine of Hippo in 415 AD tells the story of a dreamer, Doctor Gennadius, and refers to lucid dreaming.

Lucid Dreams

"Lucid Dreams" is a single from the Scottish band Franz Ferdinand, appearing on their third album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand.

Pre-album version (single release)

Originally only listenable through a static-covered stream on the band's website and the video game Madden NFL 09, it was released as a single through iTunes on 19 August 2008 (despite an earlier message on the band's diary having stated "it's not a single"). This version is available as an iTunes bonus track to the album and also as a B-side to "No You Girls" in a slightly different mix.

Album version

The single differs from the version that appears on Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, which has been described by several reviewers as the highlight of the album. The pre-album bridge now starts the song, the chorus has been revised and the original second verse and ending are omitted. The song crossfades into a three-minute acid house instrumental piece with about three minutes left in the song (this is used as the song's outro).

Lucid Dreams 0096

Lucid Dreams 0096 is a 1996 ambient album, on the em:t label. It is credited to "0096", but this is merely the sequential catalogue number of the disc, labelled in em:t’s house style – the actual instrumentation on the album was provided by Miasma and Bad Data, two em:t artists.

Origins

Writer, philosopher and psychologist Celia Green had already recorded one track for the em:t label – In the Extreme, which was featured on 1995's "2295" compilation. A quote from Green also featured on the CD's sleevenotes. In the Extreme featured Green reading extracts and epithets from her books The Human Evasion and Advice to Clever Children. Em:t judged the track to have enough merit to commission an entire album featuring Green, with an overarching theme, and thus Lucid Dreams was created.

Overview

The bulk of the album is taken up by Celia Green reading extracts from her book Lucid Dreams: The Paradox of Consciousness During Sleep, as well as some new material. Green describes the phenomenon of lucid dreaming and its many aspects; its relation to waking life and perception, its erotic possibilities, relation to nightmares, and so forth. Interspersed among these are instances of actual dreams, read out by voice artists.