Beings in lucid dreams

[Allofyoush]

I've encountered a variety of beings and creatures in my dreams, both lucid and non lucid. How do you refer to these beings? So far the humanlike beings that I can erase or destroy in lucid dreams are just "dream people" (these are generic people who start to attack when they know I'm lucid), while the more focused and purposeful humanlike beings who have more unique personalities and whom I cannot destroy with dream powers I call "administrators". What other types of beings are there and how do you refer to them? I'm a beginner lucid dreamer/astralite so I undoubtedly have not encountered much.

 

[duager]

Speaking as someone familiar with both the lucid dreaming community and the history of dream exploration, I'd start with an important distinction: there is no universally accepted taxonomy of dream beings. The names people use—"dream people," "administrators," "guides," "entities," "astral beings," "thoughtforms," and so on—are interpretations, not objective categories.

What you've already noticed is actually one of the oldest observations in lucid dreaming: not all dream characters behave the same way.

The easiest category is what you call "dream people." Many lucid dreamers call them NPCs, background characters, extras, or generic dream figures. They often seem to exist only to fill the environment. They may have little memory, little autonomy, and can often be altered, erased, frozen, or transformed through dream control. They tend to react mechanically when questioned.

The second category resembles what many experienced lucid dreamers call autonomous dream characters. These are not necessarily "administrators," but they feel different. They have stable personalities, surprising responses, emotional depth, and sometimes seem aware of the dreamer's intentions before the dreamer speaks. They often resist manipulation. Some lucid dreamers report that attempts to erase them fail, produce unexpected consequences, or simply don't work. Your term "administrator" is actually quite close to what many people independently invent. Various dream communities have called these figures "controllers", "overseers", "gatekeepers", etc..

 

[Allofyoush]

Speaking as someone familiar with both the lucid dreaming community and the history of dream exploration, I'd start with an important distinction: there is no universally accepted taxonomy of dream beings. The names people use—"dream people," "administrators," "guides," "entities," "astral beings," "thoughtforms," and so on—are interpretations, not objective categories.

What you've already noticed is actually one of the oldest observations in lucid dreaming: not all dream characters behave the same way.

The easiest category is what you call "dream people." Many lucid dreamers call them NPCs, background characters, extras, or generic dream figures. They often seem to exist only to fill the environment. They may have little memory, little autonomy, and can often be altered, erased, frozen, or transformed through dream control. They tend to react mechanically when questioned.

The second category resembles what many experienced lucid dreamers call autonomous dream characters. These are not necessarily "administrators," but they feel different. They have stable personalities, surprising responses, emotional depth, and sometimes seem aware of the dreamer's intentions before the dreamer speaks. They often resist manipulation. Some lucid dreamers report that attempts to erase them fail, produce unexpected consequences, or simply don't work. Your term "administrator" is actually quite close to what many people independently invent. Various dream communities have called these figures "controllers", "overseers", "gatekeepers", etc..

That's actually really cool! It's neat to get confirmation of my experiences. I've been trying to lucid dream since my last encounters but have not yet had success. Each time I have though, I've felt that there is a level or two above the administrators/controllers. When I requested an ambassador to Lord Morpheus, these guys showed up. It felt as if they were there to protect the dream from manipulation and to put me back to sleep. But it also made me feel that if I do it the right way, I could get past them to encounter beings with true autonomy, such as ancestors or deities with real personalities. Am I correct in this assumption or am I barking up the wrong dreamtree?

 

[Keldan]

Am I correct in this assumption or am I barking up the wrong dreamtree?

Yes, dreams have different ranks. Many people experience dream figures as background characters, but those all belong to subconscious dreams. Meaning they are all different expressions of your own subconscious.

Once you move beyond those ranks, you will encounter fully autonomous figures. And you can even summon them when you wake up too.

 

[Allofyoush]

Yes, dreams have different ranks. Many people experience dream figures as background characters, but those all belong to subconscious dreams. Meaning they are all different expressions of your own subconscious.

Once you move beyond those ranks, you will encounter fully autonomous figures. And you can even summon them when you wake up too.

Some of the first things I would like to do is contact ancestors and find my spirit guide/familiars/animals. Any advice on how to do this or what steps I should focus on before going this route?

 

[Keldan]

Some of the first things I would like to do is contact ancestors and find my spirit guide/familiars/animals. Any advice on how to do this or what steps I should focus on before going this route?

The thing about the spiritual is that it’s deeply personal. Someone can tell you to do X, Y, and Z but that doesn’t mean it will work the same way for you. It will even backfire and work against you instead of helping, because everyone’s skills of learning, sensing, dreaming, and interacting with the spiritual are different. That is one reason many people struggle on the spiritual path. They ask someone more experienced how to get there. But what worked for one person will not work for another.

As for dreaming, I would be careful with the idea of destroying dream figures. It works because the figures are only weak projections of your own subconscious. But other times, trying to erase or attack them doesn’t work because they’re a stronger projection. Trying to destroy them even when you can’t simply means you are suppressing something of your own subconscious rather than understanding it. Asking yourself questions can be more useful.

 

[Allofyoush]

The thing about the spiritual is that it’s deeply personal. Someone can tell you to do X, Y, and Z but that doesn’t mean it will work the same way for you. It will even backfire and work against you instead of helping, because everyone’s skills of learning, sensing, dreaming, and interacting with the spiritual are different. That is one reason many people struggle on the spiritual path. They ask someone more experienced how to get there. But what worked for one person will not work for another.

As for dreaming, I would be careful with the idea of destroying dream figures. It works because the figures are only weak projections of your own subconscious. But other times, trying to erase or attack them doesn’t work because they’re a stronger projection. Trying to destroy them even when you can’t simply means you are suppressing something of your own subconscious rather than understanding it. Asking yourself questions can be more useful.

I often find myself in conflict with dream beings in lucid and non lucid dreams. Should I attempt to talk to all of them instead of fighting them? How can I break out of the habit of conflict? It seems automatic and somewhat out of my control...

 

[Digiquo]

I often find myself in conflict with dream beings in lucid and non lucid dreams. Should I attempt to talk to all of them instead of fighting them? How can I break out of the habit of conflict? It seems automatic and somewhat out of my control...

I recently discovered in my own practicing of lucid dreaming that my dream self and my waking self are two different people, that is to say, two personalities with their own motivations and desires. So even though I can achieve lucid dreaming, my lucid self is not particularly interested in doing the things my waking self wished to do while lucid dreaming. It's still me, but a different me.
I'm currently researching ways to bring these two selves of me into alignment with one another so it is a seamless experience of consciousness between sleeping and wakefulness.
Since you struggle with conflict with beings even when lucid dreaming, I'm guessing with entities that are not initially hostile, your dream self is highly aggressive and/or confrontational, while your waking self is not. Achieving alignment will be the key here. I have read though that alignment isn't necessarily whipping your dream self into your waking self, but will almost certainly require compromise from both parties. Overcoming reluctance to change your own waking personality will likely be the deciding factor in your success.

 

[Allofyoush]

I recently discovered in my own practicing of lucid dreaming that my dream self and my waking self are two different people, that is to say, two personalities with their own motivations and desires. So even though I can achieve lucid dreaming, my lucid self is not particularly interested in doing the things my waking self wished to do while lucid dreaming. It's still me, but a different me.
I'm currently researching ways to bring these two selves of me into alignment with one another so it is a seamless experience of consciousness between sleeping and wakefulness.
Since you struggle with conflict with beings even when lucid dreaming, I'm guessing with entities that are not initially hostile, your dream self is highly aggressive and/or confrontational, while your waking self is not. Achieving alignment will be the key here. I have read though that alignment isn't necessarily whipping your dream self into your waking self, but will almost certainly require compromise from both parties. Overcoming reluctance to change your own waking personality will likely be the deciding factor in your success.

So true!! I often feel like a different person altogether when I'm in dream. It's very strange, especially when I analyze the dream later and question why I was being so aggressive or reclusive. My dream self is highly confrontational and angry, and I think it may have to do with my own repressed rage that gets a release when I'm asleep. I just don't know how to control it or work with it. It almost feels as if my "shadow" gains control.