“A lucid dream, also known as a conscious dream, is a dream in which the person is aware that he or she is dreaming while the dream is in progress. During lucid dreams, it is possible to exert conscious control over the dream characters and environment, as well as to perform otherwise physically impossible feats. Lucid dreams can be extremely real and vivid depending on a person’s level of self-awareness during the lucid dream.”
Definition from Wikipedia
“A lucid dream, also known as a conscious dream, is a dream in which the person is aware that he or she is dreaming while the dream is in progress. During lucid dreams, it is possible to exert conscious control over the dream characters and environment, as well as to perform otherwise physically impossible feats. Lucid dreams can be extremely real and vivid depending on a person’s level of self-awareness during the lucid dream.”
Definition from Wikipedia
In this material world, we are all dreaming. We think all these things that are going on a real, but they are actually just a dream. In a dream, we think we have all these relationships with various people, we think we are accomplishing all sorts of things. Or, we may think that there is some danger occurring that we need to do something about.
As soon as we wake up, we forget the dream, we realize it was only a dream, and there is nothing relevant to our actual real life about it. We then concern ourselves with our “other dream”. Srila Prabhupad has explained that our lives here in the material world are only a dream, same as a dream we have at night. The only real difference is that we believe in this dream, we think we have a certain identity, and certain relationships, but when this life is over, and this body is gone, none of these things will exist any longer, just like our dream “life” doesn’t exist when we wake up.
Lucid dreaming means we become conscious of the fact that we are dreaming, even while still involved in the dream. We can also sometimes exert some control over events in the dream. In the same way, we can become conscious of the fact that we are dreaming during this life span of ours, and we can also exert control over the events in our life by taking to the process of Krishna consciousness, and engaging in activities that are actually of the soul, not the body, and therefore real, and of lasting value. If we do that, then we will not be wasting our valuable human life wandering around simply dreaming, and thinking all the while that it is real.
Hare Krishna
Navasi
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Comments
Sat, 03/08/2008 – 22:35 — thirtho
thirtho’s picture
Maya
In this material world, all thing is totally made by Maya.but we cant understand it in naked eye. we have to involve in various relationship without ignoring these relationship. we know all these relationship is one form of Maya. but what ll we do in tht time? the relationship between my soul and krishna is true and this relationship stay forever untill the death of my body..but i cant made this relationship forward for involvement in various relationship.on the other hand i m trying to do well in the relationship which is totally made by maya.i know what is the right answer for my question. and the answer is lucid dreaming however the soul of mine cant do tht appropriatly.
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Sun, 03/09/2008 – 10:56 — Navasi
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Relationships
Hare Krishna Thirtho,
Relationships can be a big struggle for a lot of people.
As you said, you know your relationship with Krishna is the actual one, but you still need the other relationship.
Well, we all need relationships with others…. “no man is an island”, as the saying goes.
So, the only thing to do is to make an effort to make that relationship Krishna conscious. Try to do some things together that involve Krishna.
Talk about Krishna together, read together, chant some japa together, these kinds of things.
If you feel unable to do even that because the relationship itself is in opposition to you being a devotee, because that person is not a devotee, then you can at least just chant or say “Krishna” around that person a lot.
You know, instill the Holy Name, make it a habit of yours, something they will think “oh, that Thirtho, he’s always saying “oh Krishna”…. “Hare Krishna” …
Just say those words as much as you can as an expression, like if you hurt your hand, say “Hare Krishna!”… or even just “Krishna!” instead of “ouch” or whatever you might normally say.
Other than that, at least you know it’s a dream, thus making it conscious, or lucid, as you said.
Hare Krishna!
Navasi
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Mon, 03/17/2008 – 07:45 — Radwinters
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Good tip
Thanks Navasi, this helps me today.
I have a bad habit of cursing which I would like to break. Maybe if I can learn to pray to Krishna or simply chant His name when I am frustrated, I can break the cursing habit.
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Mon, 03/17/2008 – 11:03 — Navasi
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Krishna
That’s great Rebecca, you’re right, if you just say (really loud helps 😉 “Krishna!” instead of the cursing, you will not only break the bad habit, but you’ll also be doing a lot of extra chanting! : )
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Sun, 03/02/2008 – 23:19 — Vashisht
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Life is lucid dream
Hare Krishna!
Yes, life is lucid dreams only Krishna is real. Thx for reminding mata Ji!
Hare Krishna!
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Mon, 03/03/2008 – 05:42 — Navasi
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Only When You Know It
Hare Krishna, Dear Vashisht,
Well, for you it’s a lucid dream, because you are aware that it’s a dream. For others, they are simply dreaming, with no awareness of that fact, therefore it’s not lucid at all….. Just Dreaming.
I’m going to go off topic now to say something else here.
Normally I would say “thank you for your comment Vashisht”…
Vashisht is one of my good friends here on connect, and we have many nice discussions of philosophy in my guest book. Well, he noticed my habit of always saying “thank you, please, I’m sorry” to him about things in the course of our discussions.
He asked me to please not say these things to him, because he is Indian, and they have such a great respect for their elders, that this makes him uncomfortable for me to be saying these things to him, since I am older (by quite a bit).
I think it’s wonderful to have such great respect for your elders this way. When I was growing up we were taught to have a lot of respect for our elders. Not to this degree, but a lot. I have noticed that as society in general gradually degenerates, there is less and less of this attitude of respecting your elders.
I think it’s a very wonderful and important attitude, and quality to have, to respect your elders. I admire it very much, even though I sometimes am so in the habit of saying these things, that I often forget and say it anyway.
So…. Vashisht, I appreciate your comments here.
(I think I can get away with that much 😉
Hare Krishna!
Love,
Navasi
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Tue, 03/04/2008 – 04:24 — Vashisht
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Lucid dream
Hare Krishna!
Mata ji, yes, life is lucid dream…i know that. But still i am in hand of maya (Illusion). Maya is too strong..my soul is weak. I am trying to strengthen my soul by chanting and in the association of devotee, may be one day i can cut this illusion and will able to see reality. I have hope 🙂
Hare Krishna!
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Tue, 03/04/2008 – 05:47 — Navasi
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Getting Free From Maya
Hare Krishna, Dear Vashisht,
Yes, Maya is very strong and difficult to become free from. Here’s a nice section of a purport from Bhagavad Gita As It Is where Srila Prabhupad talks about how to get free from Maya.
“Another meaning of guṇa is rope; it is to be understood that the conditioned soul is tightly tied by the ropes of illusion. A man bound by the hands and feet cannot free himself — he must be helped by a person who is unbound. Because the bound cannot help the bound, the rescuer must be liberated.
Therefore, only Lord Kṛṣṇa, or His bona fide representative the spiritual master, can release the conditioned soul. Without such superior help, one cannot be freed from the bondage of material nature.
Devotional service, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, can help one gain such release. Kṛṣṇa, being the Lord of illusory energy, can order this insurmountable energy to release the conditioned soul. He orders this release out of His causeless mercy on the surrendered soul and out of His paternal affection for the living entity, who is originally a beloved son of the Lord.
Therefore surrender unto the lotus feet of the Lord is the only means to get free from the clutches of the stringent material nature.”
Bhagavad Gita, 7.14, purport
So, it seems to me you are on the right track… keep chanting, that’s devotional service and surrender. Keep associating with devotees, that’s devotional service and surrender also. : )
Love,
Navasi
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Tue, 03/04/2008 – 07:40 — Vashisht
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bona fide representative
Hare Krishna!
Yes, bona fide representative or guru is requires to keep me in right direction, right now u and other devotee are my guru. May be sooner or later i will find a guru in person.
There is one saying …that Guru and God both are standing in front of me , whom i should touch the feet first.
The Guru is more important at that moment, because he is the only one due to his guidance and blessing i can see the God.
Hare Krishna!
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Tue, 03/04/2008 – 08:07 — Navasi
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Very Wise
You are very wise Vashisht, this is so true.
Without the guru we cannot know Krishna, and until you take initiation all devotees who are representing the instructions of Srila Prabhupad can act as instructing gurus for you.
Srila Prabhupad is the Jagat Guru, Spiritual Master of The Universe, and by following in his footsteps, following his teachings, and his instructions, then we can all come to know Krishna.
So, everything you’ve said is very wise. Good Thinking.
Hare Krishna!
Navasi