Introduction:

Lucid dreaming is the state in which the individual is actively dreaming and at the same time is conscious of the fact that he/she is not awake but asleep and dreaming.  The phenomenological approach to studying lucid dreaming involves the dreamer sharing his/her lucid dream experience with another person and/or dream group and finding meaning within the content of the dream phenomena.
 "Although the dream is a private communication, it needs a social context for its fullest realization.  This does not mean that helpful work cannot be done working alone but rather, that a social context is a more powerful setting for the type of healing that can come about through dream work," (Wolman & Ullman, 529).

Dreaming is associated with both hemispheres of the brain.  The right hemisphere provides for the non-logical processing and involves visual images and emotional ideas.  The left hemisphere provides for the ability to recall and communicate the dreams by its verbal, logical, analytical, and rational thought capabilities.  Lucid dreaming requires both right and left brain activity.  Research using split-brain patients lends creditability to the assumption that activity in both the right and left brain hemispheres are necessary for lucid dreaming.  Without the connection between the two hemispheres, by the corpus callosum, the creativity and fantasy created in the right hemisphere cannot be effectively communicated to the left hemisphere where the phenomena can then be communicated to the individual and to others.

"The nature of dreams in split-brain patients has been studied by Klaus Hoppe, a psychoanalyst.  Hoppe analyzed the dreams of 12 split-brain patients and reported that patients after commissurotomy reveal a paucity of dreams, fantasies, and symbols.  Their dreams lack the characteristics of dream work, their fantasies are unimaginative, utilitarian, and tied to reality; their symbolization is concretistic, discursive, and rigid,"  (Springer & Deutsch, 295).
 

What Is Lucid Dreaming:

Lucid dreaming is an unconscious state in which active dreaming is taking place and the individual is conscious of being unconscious and dreaming.  This phenomena can also take place when the individual is in a conscious state, awake, and the then drops into a dreaming mode, as in a day dream, and is also aware that he/she is dreaming.

"'Lucid dreaming', as the phenomena of dreaming while knowing that one is dreaming is commonly termed, is arguably one of the most remarkable state of consciousness a normal person is likely to experience,"  (Wolman & Ullman, 159).
 

"Lucid dreaming seems something of a paradox:  while lucid dreamers are fully asleep to the external reality of the physical world, they are at the same time fully awake to the inner reality of their dream worlds,"  (Wolman & Ullman, 159).

Lucid dreams are initiated by the dreamer becoming aware that he/she is dreaming.  The conscious awareness of the unconscious state of dreaming are the result of a perceptual and rational interpretation that there are inconsistencies in the dream followed by the critical recognition that the bizarre or inconsistent events are a dream.  A cognitive sense that the dreamlikeness of the dream and emotional arousal, particularly anxiety, during the dream, can lead to the recognition, by dreamer, that he/she is having a dream.  Critical thinking and recognition are key cognitive activities associated with lucid dreaming, (Wolman & Ullman, 1986).

Lucid dreams may occur on nights following days of high levels of emotional arousal, particularly unpleasant social interactions.  High levels of activity prior to sleeping and awakening and returning back to sleep during the REM sleep cycle can also enhance the possibility for lucid dreaming.
 

The Benefits Of Lucid Dreaming:

The evaluation and analysis of the conscious/unconscious state of lucid dreaming can be helpful in understanding and developing the individual persona of the dreamer.  In my work with terminally ill people, I have found the analysis of their dreams to be enlightening and helpful in dealing with where they are mentally and emotionally in the dying process and how they are coping with eminent death.  The following example is from Carol, a fifty year old wife, mother and nurse, who learned that she had inoperable cancer five months before she had this dream.

     "My dream!  I hardly ever remember my dreams.  Last night I suddenly found myself crossing a wide stream and climbing up a bank.  It wasn't deep or dangerous feeling.  I entered an old cabin and everything felt damp.  I started cleaning out one of the kitchen cupboards.  It had pancake flour and other staples and they all looked as if they had been in there a very long time.  This sounds as if it could be a description of camp but the cabin was right by the water and the building didn't resemble camp at all.  I was aware of the presence of two hippie looking men as they put their knapsacks down.  They acted as if I wasn't there.  Suddenly a wave of fear swept over me as I looked out and saw that the water had become very violent.  It had a swift current and individual terribly powerful waves, about 2-3 feet wide and only about 3 feet high were randomly surging toward the cabin.  They were killer waves with the speed of a very fast bowling ball seeking its mark.  I was afraid.  I said, 'How did I get here, I don't want to be here'.  The men ignored me.  I told them I had to leave and I needed help.  Now that I think of it they were rather ghostlike, transparent.  They ignored me and I continued to watch the devastating power of the waves, trying to figure out if I could dodge them as the rest of the water was still rather peaceful.  The trouble was you couldn't tell where the next wave would strike.  I knew I had to chance it.  I thrust the cabin door open and ran out and instantly there was no water at all.  The sun was shining and I made my way down the bank and to my waiting car, walking in my bare feet with fresh mud oozing between my toes.  My heart was racing but I knew I was safe.  This sure is a symbolic dream.  In sorting it out I think I encountered death and took control of the situation and said, 'No, not now'.  A very heavy dream." (Faulkner, 5/10/85).

As the individual reflects on his/her dreams, he/she may discover things about him/her self that provide more understanding to his/her thinking and reaction to daily occurrences in life.  Creative thought and ideas can also brought to conscious awareness through lucid dreams.  In order for the dreamer to gain significant benefit from this conscious/unconscious human experience, he/she should share the experience with another person or a small group.  According to Kihlstrom (1987), a great deal of the complex cognitive activities that take place during dreaming can be devoted to stimuli that are outside of the personal phenomenal awareness of the individual.  The sharing of the lucid dream will help to disclose events within the dream that may not have been evident to the dreamer upon his/her reflection on the dream.

"By unloading excessive and obstructive emotional baggage, by allowing ourselves to become more known, we achieve a greater freedom in human relationships and a greater respect for the tolerance of others,"  (Wolman & Ullman, 527).
 

Phenomenological Approach To The Study Of Lucid Dreams:

The phenomenological method of human science inquiry looks into the subjective experiences of an individual as self-reported.  This methodology elicits the individual's inner experiences, determines its relative consistent features, and maps one's individual experience of specific human phenomena.  The method provides a description of the human experience, not an explanation.  Working with lucid dreamers, the phenomenologic method of inquiry is effective in developing data to identify consistent unconscious mental activity that then can be converted into useful information for the dreamer and the researcher.  In the work that I did with Carol, her dreams revealed an individual who was fighting death at all times, consciously and unconsciously.  Her fears and unconscious sense that she was losing her battle with her cancer were illustrated in her dreams.

"I had another terrible dream last night.  I was literally crawling out of a pit and this very lecherous bummy looking man was circling the rim.  I crossed over in the pit and went to climb out of the other side.  Just as I got to the top he reached out his hands and put them over the top of mine.  I screamed so loud I woke myself and Milt up.  I'm not sure of the significance but obviously I was in the pits and this was an evil influence of some sort.  It probably is symbolic of death and the Devil," (Faulkner, 5/15/85).

According to Ullman (1986), the phenomenological approach to dream work is a four stage process that involves the individual dreamer and the therapist/group, dependent whether the dream work is being done with an individual therapist or within a dream group.  In Stage 1, the dreamer relates his/her dream and clarifies the content of the dream.  Stage 2 the therapist/group share the feelings and metaphorical meanings that have been elicited from the shared dream.  The dreamer listens to the responses and continues to reflects on his/her dream.  During Stage 3 of the phenomenological approach to dream inquiry, the dreamer responds to the therapist/group's comments and assessments on his/her dream through active dialogue.  "The goal of the dialogue is to effect a sense of closure between the dreamer and the dream, (532)."  There are two parts to this dialogue.  One, additional self-disclosure by the dreamer.  This disclosure, and the amount of disclosure remain in the control of the dreamer.  In the second part, the therapist/group act as advocates for the dream and support its integrity and consistency so that its meaning is not lost in the dialogue.  In the fourth and final stage, after all the inquiry work has been completed, the dream is revisited by the dreamer and understanding and closure is made with the dream event.
 

Conclusion:

Lucid dreaming provides insight into conscious and unconscious thoughts and emotions of the dreamer.  Through the effective use of phenomenological inquiry methods both the dreamer and the researcher can come to a better understanding of the unconscious mind and its impact on the human experience.

The results of effective dream work, by the individual dreamer, are a sense of a greater honesty of self, emotional housecleaning and organization, appreciation of the self-healing aspects of dreams, and a creative resource for further personal development, (Wolman & Ullman).

Carol gained strength and personal courage through the analysis of her dreams and helped to prepare her for the physical, cognitive, and emotional toll that her terminal disease was to have on her life and those around her.

"It is strange how she (Carol's grandmother) came to me in my dream.  She was definitely disapproving.  Her life did not end on a happy note.  She spent 15 years in an antiquated nursing home with my grandfather as a daily visitor.  My father scorned her.  My mother never did like her and her role was at best dutiful.  I tried to remain loyal.  I always dragged Milt and the kids to visit her on Sunday evenings.  She waited all week for my visit.  With the arrival of each new baby, one of our first outings would be to show off the new addition to her.  She made quilts and embroidered bibs from her bed for us.  It never occurred to be to be judgmental about her.  I don't know if she gave up or not.  She didn't even like to have to get out of bed and sit in a chair.  She didn't like to be seen with a walker.  I don't remember any self pity.  I don't remember her complaining.  I know that she loved me.  I loved her.  In the later years she became somewhat of a duty to me and my visits lessened, but not without terrible guilt.

"Maybe her message to me in the dream was to not give up.  Maybe it was to endure this with dignity and courage.  It was with a knowing look that she was depending on me to make the right decisions, (Faulkner, 9/24/85).

The research of the phenomena of lucid dreams will continue to expand the human awareness of the powers of the unconscious mind and its ability to effect our conscious lives.  Through the use of phenomenological research, individuals and researchers will be able to tap into the boundless resources of the unconscious mind.

"Freud asserted that our conscious mental lives are determined by unconscious ideas, impulses, and emotions, as well as defense mechanisms unconsciously arrayed against them," (Kihlstrom, 1445).
 
 
References:

Gazzaniga, M.S. (1988)  Mind matters. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
 
Faulkner, C. (May-Sep 1985).  Diary of Carol Faulkner and personal interviews.

Kihlstrom, J.F. (1987).  The cognitive unconscious.  Science,  237,  1445-1452.
 
Krippner, S. (1990).  Introduction to Psychology of Consciousness  Study Guide,  Saybrook Institute.
 
Springer, S. & Deutsch, G.  (1989)  Left Brain, Right Brain.  New York: W.H. Freeman and Company
 
Wolman, B.B., & Ullman, M. (Eds.). (1986). Handbook of States of Consciousness.  Chapters 6, 15, 17 & 19.  New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold.