Abstract:
A 26 month dream diary (30,000+ words) was content analyzed using qualitative methods by three groups of graduate students in the mental health field under the guidance of the first author. Three phases characterized the diarist growth starting with an obsessive pursuit of OBE's which turned to a similar pursuit of lucid dreams. When the diarist was able to let go of the mechanics and the theory of "how to" he embraced the poetic, metaphoric aspects of his "ordinary" dream life and found a measure of self-awareness and understanding.
From OBE to Lucid to Nonlucid: A Qualitative Dream Diary Analysis
In several previous papers I have cautioned that when lucidity is pursued as an end in itself without a conscious effort to integrate this and related experiences into the context of the rest of one's life, the lucidity in sleep experience can amount to a defense against self-awareness rather than a deepening of self-awareness (Bonime et al, 1990; Gackenbach, 1987, 1991; Gackenbach & Bosveld, 1989; Gackenbach & Hunt, 1992). This is an important point in the face of the amount of media and public attention being paid to these experiences as well as the marketing perspective on dream lucidity which has emerged. This concern is illustrated herein in the dream diary which is content analyzed from a qualitative perspective.