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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
 Posted - Nov 20 2008 : 5:08:01 PM
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Namaste Friends,
The past two nights I have been plagued with dreams about doing drugs. These are very vivid and I am even halfway lucid....not lucid enough to stop myself, but lucid enough to know I am dreaming. I have had many drug addictions in my day, but one I never really had was one to crack cocaine. This is a drug that has overtaken my city in the past ten years or so. It is very easy to come by. Anyways, I have had much experience using crack, but never had an addiction to it, so this is partially why these dreams are a little disturbing to me. These aren't me fantasizing about the good old days, 'cause my drugs of choice back then were meth and heroin. So what is going on here? Both nights, in both dreams I was REALLY enjoying getting high on crack. Not a good thing for me to be experiencing at this stage of my life, even if it is just a dream. One positive thing that came out of the dream was me being lucid enough to know I was dreaming and coming to the realization somehow that I need to attend an NA meeting even though I have never been to one before. I have cancelled my weekly meditation group which is scheduled to meet tonight so that I can attend one because of this. So don't worry about me relapsing or starting up a fresh addiction, I am just hoping someone here can shed some light on how one might go about forcing away unwanted dreams?
Love,
Carson |
Edited by - CarsonZi on Nov 20 2008 5:16:48 PM |
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Nov 20 2008 : 6:06:32 PM
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I think the dreams arise for a reason. In a great book on dream yoga called The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep by Tenzin Rinpoche he seems to believe that dreams are the result of "karmic seeds". He sees dreams as a way of working out karma so I think to block or escape the dream may be counterproductive, not to mention impossible. The fact that it is crack I do not think is very significant. I think it is the fact that it is you doing drugs and that could be the result of your dormant (or maybe not dormant) addiction that causes you inner turmoil. Not to sound pop-psychology, it just seems like an obvious explanation. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if there isn't an inner turmoil going on about addiction then the dreams would not bother you.
Maybe check into the book I recommended, or read up on lucidity as a means of overcoming dream obstacles.
good websites are
www.dreamviews.com
www.ld4all.com
Tenzin Rinpoche I imagine would recommend you seize the opportunity in the dream to become fully lucid and then make the decision that would be in the interest of "sterilizing" the karmic seed of your addiction. |
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Divineis
Canada
420 Posts |
Posted - Nov 20 2008 : 8:39:18 PM
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It's possible to plant seeds for dreaming, just with auto-suggestion before sleep. I think ld4all suggests some methods for doing the above. I think there's also a section for suggestions on facing dream "demons".
I read a book on the subject too, but most of the methods presented involved lucid dreaming to face monsters and nightmares and what have you not (it was by stephen laberge I'm pretty sure. I can't remember the title, but it was pretty interesting)
Some suggested methods were things like calling on dream guides or speaking to people in dreams to ask them why they're there. I reckon you could even "step back from the picture". Like float outside of yourself and see things from another point of view, maybe ask your own self about what this dream means. Oh man, my favorite ever method for changing a dream scene, and it's literally the trippiest feeling ever, just close your eyes while dreaming, no need to oppen them back up, and just imagine a new dream scene, and voila, you're there. Opening them back up can be used for waking up from your dream too .
Recurring dreams are usually pretty kickass for inducing lucid dreams too. Basically, just being mindful of "if I'm ever in this situation again, I am dreaming" is a great way to get pretty lucid while in the dream state.
... reality checks, definetly my favorite method for lucidity. That and recurring dreams\dream themes.
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anthony574
USA
549 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2008 : 10:57:36 AM
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| It's quite an amazing parallel between lucid dreaming and lucid living. in the dream the answer would be to become fully lucid, enough to have mastery over the dream scenario. so it is in waking life. |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2008 : 11:08:56 AM
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Hi Anthony,
quote:
Originally posted by anthony574
I think the dreams arise for a reason.....Tenzin Rinpoche seems to believe that dreams are the result of "karmic seeds".....I think it is the fact that it is you doing drugs and that could be the result of your dormant (or maybe not dormant) addiction that causes you inner turmoil.....I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if there isn't an inner turmoil going on about addiction then the dreams would not bother you.
I too agree that dreams arise for a reason. We might not always know what that reason is at the time, but I'm confident that these dreams were indeed the result of my struggling with addiction. No need to "go out on a limb" to say that if there isn't inner turmoil over addiction the dream wouldn't bother me, it's true. The dreams bothered me very much because it really created a strong desire in my mind to use hard drugs again. And I wanted to follow through with it. This is why I decided to go to my first NA meeting last night.
[quote]Originally posted by anthony574
Maybe check into the book I recommended, or read up on lucidity as a means of overcoming dream obstacles.
good websites are
www.dreamviews.com
www.ld4all.com
Tenzin Rinpoche I imagine would recommend you seize the opportunity in the dream to become fully lucid and then make the decision that would be in the interest of "sterilizing" the karmic seed of your addiction.
[/quote]
Thanks for the links and the book idea. I just got my first ever library card a little while ago because I wanted to read Yogananda's "The Second Coming Of Christ" and didn't want to buy the two volume set to read it, so if nothing else I will rent the Rinpoche book from the library and give it a thorough read through. I have much experience with lucid dreaming and have read many books on how to do it etc. etc. but quite honestly I have always been lucid in most of my dreams. Lucid enough to know I am dreaming about 90% of the time, and lucid enough to do as I wish while dreaming about 30-40% of those times. Upon further inspection I realize now that my problem with these drug dreams wasn't that I wasn't lucid enough to change the dreams, but that I didn't WANT to change the dreams. I wanted to get high. This was I think what pushed the idea of going to a meeting into my head. (which was still in the dream) I have never thought about going to an NA meeting before as I have always thought the 12 Steps were a bit of a joke, but as I smoked hit after hit of crack in my dreams, I realized that I NEEDED to go to a meeting. And I think I'm going to keep going. I met a lot of people I can relate to and who are going through the exact same s@#$ as me and want to help me, and want me to help them, stay clean. I think the community is the greatest strength of NA/AA. The steps are whatever to me....the community is the asset IMO. Anyways, getting off track here, just wanted to say thanks for the info and the book suggestion, I will make the best of it!
Hi Divineis,
Thanks for all the suggestions! You obviously must be a "dreamer", as they say in the movie "Waking Life" (one of my favorites). As I said to Anthony574 above, being lucid in these dreams I don't think is truly the issue. The desire to use again is the biggest issue, and it is showing up in my dreams because I'm not acting out on it during the day, or really entertaining the thoughts when they arise. I'm pretty sure now that in order to fully conquer the drug dreams I am going to have to delve deep into the desire to use when it arises and just sit with that feeling and let it subside naturally instead of stuffing it away somewhere and denying the thought came up. Hopefully this won't be too unbearable and I will be strong enough to withstand the pressure to use. I think that is where NA will come in for me should I feel as if I am about to cave. Anyways, thank you both for the kind and thoughtful suggestions. Namaste.
Love,
Carson |
Edited by - CarsonZi on Nov 21 2008 11:27:14 AM |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2008 : 11:51:04 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by anthony574
It's quite an amazing parallel between lucid dreaming and lucid living. in the dream the answer would be to become fully lucid, enough to have mastery over the dream scenario. so it is in waking life.
Yes an amazing parallel indeed.....WAKE UP! |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2008 : 1:24:56 PM
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Carson,
Dreams of using among recovering addicts is a very common thing.. and I am sure you know that already. Just google something like "using dreams recovering addict". I have heard of people who have been off drugs for years and still have using dreams once in awhile. People think it is a sign that they may start using again.. but addiction professionals/counsellors actually consider it a good sign... because while you are still using, you will not have the dreams of using.. it's only when you are on the process of recovery that you will have such dreams. It does not mean you will start using again and personally I think such dreams are a sign of something being released.. purification. Let it go.. don't give it too much thought. I think great things are going on in you.. and your practices are taking care of all that needs to get taken care of.
Wish you all the best. |
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CarsonZi
Canada
3189 Posts |
Posted - Nov 21 2008 : 1:48:24 PM
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Thank you Shanti for your comforting and encouraging words. I do indeed know that it is common in my situation to dream of using, but what really caught me off guard was the substance in my dream as it is one of the only hard drugs I did NOT get addicted to. I have had many using dreams where I am using my substances of choice, but this one left me feeling a little confused and a little "out of control" and with a really strong desire to use. With the other dreams I knew why I was having them, and came out of them feeling still in control as I had already beat that addiction. This one felt more like a premonition than anything and it scared me because I don't want to go back to that...even if I've never been there.(with that substance) I hope you are right and this is just purification and release, but to be safe I'm going to go to meetings as often as I can, and obviously keep up with my practices. Thanks again for the support.
Love,
Carson |
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VIL
USA
586 Posts |
Posted - Nov 22 2008 : 12:50:20 AM
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Hey, Carson, I stumbled upon this video by Enrique Inglesias called "Addicted". In the video he dreams that he's using drugs. I know that you can't get youtube videos, so I figured I'd post the lyrics:
"Have I told you how good it feels to be me,
when I'm in you?
I can only stay clean
when you are around.
Don't let me fall.
If I close my eyes forever,
would it ease the pain?
Could I breathe again?
[Chorus:]
Maybe I'm addicted,
I'm out of control,
but you're the drug
that keeps me from dying.
Maybe I'm a liar,
but all I really know is
you're the only reason I'm trying.
I am wasted away,
I made a million mistakes.
Am I too late?
There is a storm in my head;
it rains on my bed
when you are not here.
I'm not afraid of dying,
but I am afraid of losing you.
[Chorus:]
Maybe I'm addicted,
I'm out of control,
but you're the drug
that keeps me from dying.
Maybe I'm a liar,
but all I really know is
you're the only reason I'm trying.
When you're lying next to me
love is going through to me.
Oh it's beautiful.
Everything is clear to me
'till I hit reality
and I lose it all...
I lose it all...
I lose it all.
I lose it all...
Nah nah nah
nah nah nah....
Nah nah nah nah nah nah.....
nah nah nah nah nah nah....
You're the only reason,
Yeah, you're the only reason I'm trying,
Oh, I'm trying, I'm trying, I'm trying,
Don't want to lose it all,
Don't want to lose it all,
I'm trying, I'm trying..
I'm trying ...
Yeah, you know I'm addicted,
You know I'm addicted,
Yeah, you know I'm addicted...."
http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric....ics-Enrique-
Take care:
VIL
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Edited by - VIL on Nov 22 2008 02:16:19 AM |
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How to block unwanted dreams?
