Dream setup: I back in time maybe 100 years outside my grandparents place, a small farmhouse. I’m at the road and they just had a winter storm so it’s the morning after and there’s 4 feet of snow in the driveway. I plan to clear my way in and get invited in for a meal for helping out. I remember standing there thinking, “ok I’m in a lucid dream so I should be able to just remove this snow” and proceeded to try different ways to get the snow to disappear and after a few different attempts I’m able to will the snow to disappear in a path with a bit of a hissing noise, then the dream continued from there.
so I guess that would be described as technically lucid but with a super low level of lucidity?
Ah, nice, I like that example! I've noticed different times at the past that I was aware of something in waking life without fully coming to the front of my brain, like when you're busy concentrating on something else... very interesting...
I find it a bit funny that even in my dream I remember distinctly thinking the words "This is a lucid dream, so..." 😀
Hi Jeff! The world lucidity is such a slippery one when it comes to this subject. Let's swap it out for two terms that are more accurate and practical: knowledge and critical thinking (I guess we could call this "understanding"). The "levels of lucidity" that a lot of people discuss are really just variations on the balance between these two elements.
For a waking life example:
1) I am sitting at my desk, I'm shivering a little, I'm aware (know) it is cold.
2) I am sitting at my desk, I'm shivering a little, I'm aware it's cold and think to myself, I should do something about that.
3). Same as above, but I realise that I should close the window and turn on the heating - and get up and do so.
In all instances I know it is cold (in the same way one knows one is dreaming), but there are different levels of how that knowledge is processed and understood. Reasons for this can vary, but often in case #1 it would be likely that I am preoccupied with a more compelling focus.
If we define lucid dreaming as "knowing you are dreaming", then there can be no levels of lucidity. And this is why I try to push back against such an oversimplification.
I'd say the best way to judge the quality score of your lucid dreaming is to assess the overall levels of:
a) Knowledge that you are dreaming.
b) Understanding of what that means.
c) Actions taken (as in are they logically aligned with your knowledge and understanding)
Of course, even when you know "it's all a dream" you may want to indulge in the storyline to maximise the enjoyment.
I hope that helps!