This is Part 2 in the series, click here to go back to the start.
'Myths are public dreams. Dreams are private myths.' - Joseph Campbell
Weeks later.
You all know the dream. You're being chased by some unseen attacker, you turn to run but your legs don't cooperate. It's like you're wading through deep mud while you feel the demon bearing down on you. This is exactly where I found myself, pursued by a shadow monster that I couldn't see. Without looking, I sensed he was gigantic, bigger than a bear and the only thing I knew for certain was the inevitability of my doom. Then in an instant as before something changed; the focus shifted and I knew exactly what was going on. By now I could feel the warmth of the shadow monster's breath on the back of my neck. Fearlessly, I turned to face it. There it stood looming over me, gnashing its teeth and reaching out with long sharp claws. Calmly and decisively I spoke, 'I am dreaming and there is nothing you can do to me. This is my house'. I stared directly into the pitch black void of his face. The monster recoiled, his body language changed, he dropped his hands, hung his head and slowly shuffled back into the shadows. Not only did I lose the fear but I wanted more of this demon, I wanted to know him and where he came from. I called out but my voice echoed hopelessly into the nothing. I found myself alone again.
Breathing slowly and taking in my surroundings, I saw I was standing on a footpath at night, illuminated via a streetlight but beyond that only darkness. I walked to the corner and was surprised to be standing on a bustling suburban street in the middle of the afternoon. While quietly appreciating the new environment, something which should have been obvious occurred to me. Flight. Probably the most common ability sought by dreamers, I don’t know how I didn’t think of it sooner. I took a deep breath, concentrated my thoughts and slowly began levitating. I floated just inches above the ground at first, I was calm, centered. After several minutes of quiet meditation I started to push higher. I rose through the tree branches and felt the texture of the leaves as I passed. Soon I could see all the way to the horizon. I saw rolling hills and forests, a house in the country with smoke rising from the chimney, someone in the yard was putting out the washing and a happy dog bounded through the grass. I felt a cold wind on my face; I tried to remain calm while trying not to try too hard. I really didn't want to lose the view. This was my dominion, an inner universe to engage all my senses in a perfectly realistic simulation. I inhaled deeply, I felt at peace and didn't want to ever leave this place.
It had been several weeks since my first lucid experience and it seemed that like anything else, this was an ability that could be practiced and improved upon. I'd already maintained my lucidity longer than the first time but I needed to push it even further. I needed to know what would happen, to know where this leads. It was with that thought, that I pivoted in the sky and pointed towards a mountain far on the horizon. I flew at an incredible speed through the air. I saw the country house I’d sighted before and dove down for a closer look, almost causing myself to crash through the middle of a tall pine tree before correcting, swiveling my body and shooting way up into the clouds, towards the sun. The wind was so intense my eyes started to get blurry. I tried to blink it away but the details remained out of focus. I started falling, feeling how Icarus felt. The wind was deafening. Reality broke apart. The colour fell from the world and I landed hard in my bed. With racing heart I turned on my bedside light, reached for my notebook and tried to get it all down with as much detail but as little legibility as possible. Things were getting interesting.