The Erratic Oneironaut - Issue #71
August 15, 2011
Realizing The DreamWhether or not a dream is a pure construct of human consciousness can be debated. The ability to influence a dream with our consciousness, however, is well established. Lucid dreaming, Mortal Mist's reason to exist, is one of the most powerful and consistent ways to influence and interact with our dreams, and is available to anybody who chooses to invest the effort.
The Mortal Mist community started as a dream. Once a few others began sharing and exerting their influence over that dream, it gained substance, form and direction. As well established as it now seems to be in our realities, it continues to exist only because others still share the dream.
Like any dream, it is easy enough to let what goes on here play out without exerting our influence. If all involved were to choose that route, the magic keeping this place alive would just fade away and the dream would end, as all dreams do. If even a few of us remain aware of our ability to influence this dream, however, it may continue survive and flourish.
This place isn't perfect. It never was and never will be. It can be better though - much better! It can be more interesting, more encouraging, friendlier, deeper and better suited to our primary mission of exploring and promoting the art and science of lucid dreaming. If you find anything unfair, uncomfortable, unfriendly, boring or routine here, you have the choice of giving up, leaving, going with the flow, or working to change and improve things.
Like all your dreams, this place is yours to change, improve and build on - should you choose to become aware of that potential.
Modding Our MineCraft ServerPlease remember that we are planning some major changes to our MineCraft server. We will be switching to a Bukkit server, which accepts a myriad of plug-ins. The possibilities of a Bukkit server include multiple worlds with different characteristics, vastly enhanced creative powers, economic and survival elements and much more. If you have any interest or thoughts in what might be done, please chime in here:
http://mortalmist.com/forum/index.php?topic=4492.msg117608#msg117608
August Lucid Challenges:Basic: Ask a DC where he lives, or complete one of your own goals.
Intermediate: Explore a pyramid, or complete two of your own goals.
Advanced: Transform into a building, or complete three of your own goals.
August Monthly Meeting Place - The Year 2525
Please record all of your visits to The Year 2525
here.Making it to The Year 2525 while lucid and talking to another person there will earn a Gold Award. Making it to The Year 2525 while lucid but not talking to another person there will earn a Silver Award. Making it to The Year 2525 in a non-lucid dream will earn a bronze award. Credit will be given for any year visited in the song: 2525, 3535, 4545, 5555, 6565, 7510, 8510, 9595, 10000.
Remember to watch for a lucid dream from August to be featured! Post suggestions in this thread:
http://mortalmist.com/forum/index.php?topic=4687.msg120691#msg120691
Closing ThoughtsI was recently talking to my Amish buddy about how age affects our attitudes. He's about ten years older than me and a recognized Elder in his community. We are both now well into that "middle age" and beyond thing.
We agreed that it is easier to learn in youth - easier to accumulate knowledge. As we grow older and learn more, it becomes more and more apparent how much we don't know and never will know. With age comes an increasing humility and recognition for just how small a role we play in this world.
The wisdom that comes with increasing experience, we concluded, is an honest acceptance and appreciation for all we will never know and how small our influence really is. This wisdom allows us to focus our remaining energy and attention on those things that can be influenced and changed, and to discern better those perceived opportunities that are worthy of our most precious, irrecoverable resources.
Whether the Mortal Mist community is worthy of our precious time and attention is a decision we must each make for ourselves. In order to make that decision, however, we must first become conscious to the opportunity. Until we wake up to our dreams, we never know they ARE dreams. . .
. . . until they have ended.
Until next time,
pj. . .
CARPE NOCTEM
