It’s easy to assume you are *yourself* in the lucid dream.
But there’s not just one way to be “lucid,” or knowing you are dreaming.
Honestly, “I” am less a static identity, and more a vantage point.
So who really is the dreamer?
The dreamer is the mythic figure behind the thoughts we have, the moves we make, and the roles we play.
Without knowing it, we embody archetypal powers, leading us to fuller, richer expressions of ourselves.. in our dreams and in waking life.
What’s your default lucid archetype? Of course, consciousness shifts in an instant. Check out all the archetypes below and notice which ones you resonate with, and which ones you don’t.
The Philosopher
When you embody the Philosopher, you value inquiry, reason, and abstract thinking in your lucid dreams. As a scientist, you ask questions and test hypotheses. You may use the dream for practicing waking life skills or discovering new solutions to your creative problems. When imbalanced, the Philosopher may distrust emotions in fear of losing self-awareness. You may also try to control too much in the dream, losing opportunities for spontaneous wisdom or healing imagery. In maturity, this powerful center of gravity is a prized form of consciousness allowing you to explore the dream with precision, artistry and focus to discover the nature of reality.
The Sage
When you emerge in a dream as the Sage, you value insight, discernment and direct experience. You may use the dream for meditation, for witnessing phenomena as it self-arises. You may be interested in listening to wise figures, spirit guides or guardian angels to receive fresh perspective. As a dream naturalist, you make room for the beauty of spontaneous images and listen actively to original music as it emerges from the lucid mind. When imbalanced, the Sage may lead to unsustainable levels of passivity that lead to premature awakening or loss of lucidity. In maturity, this is a profound way of knowing in the dream valued for centuries by spiritual seekers, meditators and theologians.
The Magician
When you have the Magician’s cloak on, you value willpower, intuition, passion and taking initiative in your lucid dreams. As a dream explorer, you create new experiences by transforming aspects and revealing new landscapes. This is also the domain of magic, where well chosen words and symbols ripple outwards with energetic power. When imbalanced, the Magician may get too heated and end up in cycles of emotional dream drama or wake up too soon from excitement. In maturity, this style of lucidity is that of the shamanic dream warrior or tantric practitioner, harnessing powerful emotional energies and transforming it for your purpose.
The Mystic
With the Mystic’s garb on, you value surrender, deep emotions and spontaneity in your lucid dreams. Recovered memories, soul reclamation and ancestral wisdom are outcomes of your lucidity. Not afraid of strong emotions, you may experience peaks of joy, erotic ecstasy and catharsis. As a healer, you may also be more comfortable than others with lucid dreams involving confrontation and initiation. When imbalanced, the Mystic can descend into victimhood and masochism. In maturity, when balanced with good boundaries, compassion and playfulness, this style of lucidity is prized by shamanic cultures around the world as the gateway to healing and uncanny information.
Now that you’ve seen all 4 archetypes, which one do you feel you embody the most? The least?
Noticing your decision making patterns in lucid dreams is an under-appreciated key to developing your lucid dreaming skills.
You may resonate with all, in one way or another. This is good news — that means you have excellent cognitive flexibility, and can shift your vantage for whatever the dream brings to you.
Still, knowing your default lucid dreaming archetype is a key to succeeding in whatever motivation you have for your dreamlife, as well as for breaking through your particular lucid roadblocks to greater success.
More about your guide:
I’m Ryan Hurd, and I’ve been teaching dream studies for over twenty years: to graduate students, kindergarteners, teens, elder groups, and everyone in between. And I’ve been cooking up this lucid archetype system for over a decade. It’s remarkably practical, and best of all, it’s easy to apply to your own dream life, no matter where you are feeling stuck.
So check your email and confirm your interest in hearing more from me about lucid dreaming. I’ll send you more thought-provoking content that’s sure to ignite your lucidity. You can unsubscribe at any time.
And get ready… because we are going live with this material in a brand new lucid dreaming course in late June 2024!