An article on CelticBear’s blog talks about a comment made by neurologist Steven Novella which I found illuminating to the topic of lucid dreams. Asked a question about dreaming and the brain, Novella went on to explain that because you are in an altered state during your dreams, the dreamer is quite literally a different “you.”
I’ve long been searching for a simple way to convey to new lucid dreamers the subtleties of consciousness required to become lucid, but especially remain lucid, during a dream. You quite literally have to stabilize a sense of self while in an altered state (then again, what’s an unaltered state look like?)—much like trying to touch your nose with your eyes closed while intoxicated…so now you know the real reason why pinching your nose is such an effective reality test.
