ROBERT WAGGONER. Individuation and lucid dreaming

Transcription

1 ROBERT WAGGONER Individuation and lucid dreaming 1

2 TOPIC Title Target Audience Credits Instructional level COURSE INFORMATION Individuation and Lucid Dreaming Jungian analysts and those in training, MFTs, LCSWs, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, therapists and others wishing to gain a deeper understanding of dreaming, and (post) Jungian dream work and Psychology 4 Continuing Education (CE) Credits Beginner Although Carl Jung claimed the existence and significance of the Self and a collective unconscious, many critics ignored his work as mystical and lacking scientific evidence. With the scientific validation of lucid dreaming in 1980, might we finally have a revolutionary tool to provide evidence for Jung s idea and consciously explore the remarkable state of dreaming? Connection to Jungian psychology and the Jung Platform Author, presenter and lucid dreamer, Robert Waggoner, believes that lucid dreaming can experimentally validate some of Jung s most powerful contentions, and give society clearer insight into the nature and principles of dreaming, the unconscious and the Self (or non-visible awareness behind the dream). While some have equated lucid dreaming with control of the dream, Waggoner argues that The sailor does not control the Sea; neither does the lucid dreamer control the Dream. Instead, experienced lucid dreamers come to work with the unconscious psyche in a co-creative manner, and realize the basic principles of the dreaming environment. Acquire techniques that will help you to become consciously aware in your dreams and learn how to maintain and prolong the lucid dreaming experience. Identify how your beliefs, expectations, focus, intent and will influence your experience of the lucid dreaming environment, and co-create dreaming along with the conscious unconscious. Objectives Obtain practical advice on how to experiment within lucid dreams, and go beyond your own expectations to the non-visible awareness behind the dream or inner Self (which happens to demonstrate the most creative awareness accessible). Assess the benefits of using lucid dreaming as a method of self-discovery, emotional healing and possibly physical healing. Identify means for personal and spiritual exploration in lucid dreaming. - Jung Platform four video lectures + one article Course materials - Lucid Dreaming; Gateway to the Inner Self by Robert Waggoner (2009) ISBN Course guide - Weekly question time with Robert Waggoner (Conference calls) 2

3 About Robert Waggoner Robert Waggoner introduced. Robert Waggoner is one of the world-wide recognized authorities on lucid dreaming. He is past President of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, and author of the acclaimed book, Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self. For the past ten years, he has been the co-editor of the online magazine, The Lucid Dream Exchange, the only ongoing publication devoted specifically to lucid dreaming. A lucid dreamer since 1975, he has logged more than 1,000 lucid dreams. Waggoner graduated summa cum laude from Drake University with a degree in psychology, and then pursued a business career while maintaining his interest in dreams and lucid dreaming. Since the publication of his book, he has spoken at numerous conferences and universities, like Sonoma State University, University of Washington, Evergreen State College, University of Michigan, Iowa State University, and been quoted in the print and news media. He has been recognized by eastern yogi s as living a western variant of the eastern tradition of Bon Buddhism, that is dream yoga. In this Jung Platform course Robert Waggoner deals with the same topics as in his book Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self. Experts in the area of dreaming have said the following about his book: Robert van de Castle: A truly extraordinary, horizon-expanding book! Robert Waggoner goes further and deeper than any of his predecessors in exploring the implications of lucid dreaming for our synthesized understanding of consciousness, reality and spirituality. Robert Moss: Robert Waggoner admirably fulfils his aim of bringing lucidity to lucid dreaming. His book is distinguished by its wealth of firsthand experience, and his clear recognition that, instead of seeking to control and manipulate our dreams, we should use the gift of lucidity to navigate a deeper reality and grow into connection with a deeper and wiser self. Stanley Krippner: In this remarkable book, Robert Waggoner has brought lucid dreaming to a level that is simultaneously higher and deeper than any previous explorer has taken the topic. Both auto-biographical and historical, theoretical and practical, psychodynamic and transpersonal, as well as adventurous and cautionary, lucid dreaming offers its readers instructions and insights that they will find nowhere else in the literature. They will learn how they can become awake and aware while asleep, and how this talent can change their lives. Machiel Klerk: Robert Waggoner s book is sensational, and cutting edge in the field of dreaming. 3

4 About this course In this course, you will encounter a thought provoking introduction to lucid dreaming from a lucid dreamer with more than 30 years of experience. While the outline for this course will largely coincide with the stages of lucidity that Robert Waggoner has defined and wrote about in his book Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self, you will be given insight into crucial realizations that led Waggoner and others to explore more deeply Jungian ideas about the actual nature of the collective unconscious and the Self. Lucid dreams can help you: develop your creativity, increase your physical health, develop psychologically and spiritually and give insight in any of your challenges or problems in life. In general you will learn more about the nature of dreams. Along the way, you will learn many of the techniques that Waggoner and others successfully use to become lucid, and the lesser known techniques to remain consciously aware in the dream state and constructively engage the mentally responsive dream environment. Moreover, you will be introduced to the mental physics of the lucid dream state, when you ponder Waggoner s query, Why does an apple fall in a lucid dream? From his book: The stages become progressively more complex and insightful over time. At the beginning, much like a new-born child, one finds the lucid dreamer focusing on his or her sensory experience, followed by an attempt to develop skills suited to maintaining and manipulating the dream environment. With practice the lucid dreamer moves into a more skill acquiring and purposeful period of thought, experiment, and action. This is followed by a new period of greater abstract reasoning and reflection. Finally, the lucid dreamer might consider the totality of his or her experience and posit a realm beyond this system or beyond the lucid dream. Jung Platform course Themes Topics Lecture 1 Why lucid dreaming matters? Lucid dreaming as relating to your Inner Self. Aware in the dream state, you learn lucid dreaming involves dynamic relationships in a mentally responsive, principled dream environment. - The scientific validation of lucid dreaming and how lucid dreaming involves relationships between the lucid dreamer, the dream state and the conscious unconscious, or Inner Self. - An overview of the potential benefits of lucid dreaming, such as improving mental and physical health, and consciously accessing the unconsciousness. Lecture 2 How you can achieve lucid awareness, and establish a stable lucid dream. Becoming lucidly aware has various pathways or incubation techniques, but most everyone learns the same basic rules for creating a stable lucid dream. - Lucid dream induction techniques require good dream recall and persistent effort. Techniques such as suggestion, the Finding Your Hands technique, MILD and others will be considered, along with Waggoner s MEME technique for stabilizing lucid dreams. Lecture 3 Investigating the principled dream state and the mental physics of dreaming. Manipulation of your self in a lucid dream will quickly show you the outlines of a principled dream environment that responds to your beliefs and expectations, among other factors. - Going deeper, you discover the nature of the mentally dynamic dream environment. As you learn to manipulate your mind, the lucid dream responds. With insight, you glimpse the awareness behind the dream or Inner Self. 4

5 Lecture 4 Interacting with your Inner Self, and its knowing. Article Application of lucid dreaming in relation to personal inner growth, physical and emotional healing. Neurobiological support for Waggoner s statements in the previous lectures. - As we examine interactions with the awareness behind the dream or Inner Self, we see that lucid dreaming can be used for spiritual growth and healing purposes. Hobson, A. (2009). The Neurobiology of Consciousness: Lucid Dreaming Wakes Up. International Journal of Dream Research, 2, Course objectives Upon completing this course you will: 1. Acquire techniques that will help you to become consciously aware in your dreams and learn how to maintain and prolong the lucid dreaming experience. 2. Identify how your beliefs, expectations, focus, intent and will influence your experience of the lucid dreaming environment, and co-create dreaming along with the conscious unconscious. 3. Obtain practical advice on how to experiment within lucid dreams, and go beyond your own expectations to the non-visible awareness behind the dream or inner Self (which happens to demonstrate the most creative awareness accessible). 4. Assess the benefits of using lucid dreaming as a method of self-discovery, emotional healing and possibly physical healing. 5. Identify means for personal and spiritual exploration in lucid dreaming. 5