How well do you know lucid dreaming? Are you sure?
If you're interested in the amazing world of lucid dreaming, it's really important to remember that your understanding of the subject depends entirely on the sources of information you choose. And remember, not all sources are equal!
Have you been making lucid choices?
Today we'll explore the various levels of quality and reliability in the information available about lucid dreaming.
It's really important to understand the differences between these sources, so that you can properly assess how well you understand lucid dreaming and, if needed, reassess the information you've been relying on.
Remember, that some sources may fall into multiple categories listed below, and when this is the case, they can be assigned the highest category (for example: many professional authors and teachers also run YouTube channels).
Navigating the Pyramid of Lucid Dreaming Sources: Your Journey Starts Here
1. Tier 1:
Researchers & Scientific Papers
Your VIP Pass to the Most Accurate Knowledge
At the peak of the pyramid, researchers provide the most accurate and reliable information on lucid dreaming.
They offer first-hand access to research findings and utilize well-established methodologies.
However, research papers and scientific texts can be quite heavy-reading, and may not be as inspiring or accessible as other forms of education. Yet, there is absolutely no denying that if you want to genuinely understand the current knowledge about lucid dreaming, the only hard facts can be found here.
Relying on information from researchers ensures that your understanding of lucid dreaming is based on credible scientific evidence.
Perks of researcher-based information include:
Peer-reviewed studies and experiments
Information is gathered in controlled environments and methodologies
Citations and collaboration with other experts in the field
Researchers have access to the latest technologies and resources
Academic conferences and presentations
2. Tier 2:
Teachers and Authors
Trustworthy Knowledge, Simplified for You
Teachers and authors act as a bridge between researchers and the general public, translating complex concepts into a more accessible language.
While their information is still reliable, it may not always cover the latest research or provide a deep understanding of intricate concepts.
Good lucid dreaming teachers blend scientific research with professional experience, training, and a human touch. Helping to make lucid dreaming more accessible and accurate.
Benefits of teacher and author-based information include:
They are trained professionals dedicated to the subject
They have years of experience, training and research
They offer academic courses and lectures with research-experienced instructors
They collaborate with fellow experts and offer up-to-date course materials
Books and articles authored by experts feature fact-checking and citations
3. Tier 3:
Enthusiast YouTubers & Bloggers
Fun and Engaging Content with a Pinch of Accuracy
Enthusiast YouTubers & Bloggers make lucid dreaming concepts more appealing and accessible to a broader audience.
However, generally they are only enthusiastic members of the public who lack any official training, therefore the accuracy and reliability of their information begins to diminish as we move further down the pyramid.
These sources are best used for inspiration and entertainment.
If you rely on these sources for factual information, then your understanding of lucid dreaming may be somewhat accurate, but potentially skewed or incomplete.
Key characteristics of enthusiast YouTuber-based information include:
Personal experiences and anecdotes, which may be subject to confirmation bias
Simplification or misrepresentation of complex ideas
Lack of accountability and fact-checking, with no peer-review or expert collaboration
No official training or experience
4. Tier 4:
Low-Tier YouTubers & Bloggers
Beware of Misinformation and Sensationalism
Low-tier YouTubers & Bloggers often create content with a very limited knowledge or understanding of lucid dreaming, often resorting to sensationalism and misinformation to attract views.
These content creators are normally more interested in personal fame than the subjects they share, and as a result, the quality of research is at an absolute minimum.
If you rely solely on this tier for your knowledge of lucid dreaming, your understanding is almost certainly flawed and misinformed.
Things to watch out for in low-tier YouTuber & Blogger based information include:
Sensationalism and clickbait content
Misrepresentation or misunderstanding of research and concepts
Repetition and misrepresentation of misinformation from other sources without understanding
No meaningful training or experience in the subject (not qualified to teach)
5. Tier 5:
Unverified Social Media and Forum Users
Tread Carefully with Unreliable and Misleading Information
The lowest level of the pyramid consists of unverified social media and forum users, who often share anecdotal evidence, personal experiences, and opinions related to lucid dreaming.
While lucid dream communities can be a great way for enthusiasts to come together, make friends, and share ideas, they are also a hotbed of tribalism and misinformation.
If you rely on this tier for your understanding of lucid dreaming, your knowledge is likely to be unreliable and/or misleading.
Lucid dream communities are best suited for developing friendships and sharing personal experiences. But remember, not everyone is going to be as honest as you!
Things to be cautious about with unverified social media and forum user-based information include:
Personal experiences that may be exaggerated or fabricated
Misinterpretation of research and spreading of myths and misconceptions
Echo chambers and confirmation bias, reinforcing misinformation through group consensus
Anonymity and lack of reputation, with no meaningful moderation or expert intervention
Tribalism and artificial social hierarchies that lend themselves to groupthink and fake authority.
Enhance Your Lucid Dreaming Knowledge by Choosing the Right Sources Responsibly
How well you understand lucid dreaming ultimately depends on the sources of information you rely on. And it is your personal responsibility to be mindful of how you learn!
If you find yourself primarily engaging with lower-level sources, such as low-tier YouTubers or unverified social media users, it is highly likely that your understanding of the subject is incomplete or incorrect.
So, if you want to truly deepen your knowledge of lucid dreaming, it's strongly recommended that you spend more time using credible sources like researchers, teachers, and authors, who provide accurate and reliable information.
Not only will you be learning from trained experts and professionals who have dedicated their life to the subject, you'll also be avoiding misinformation, disappointment, and many wasted hours.
Support Genuine Lucid Dreaming Experts, not Poor Copies
It's really important to recognize that some low-tier YouTubers & Bloggers may indulge in plagiarism, resulting in very poor copies of higher-tier creators' work.
Essentially, they are profiting from the hard work of others while, at the same time, misrepresenting that work!
By supporting this kind of behaviour, you are inadvertently depriving legitimate lucid dreaming sources of vital funding, which can negatively impact the development of new research and the sharing of accurate knowledge.
In other words, you're not only being misinformed, but you're harming the subject in the process!
When choosing your information sources, be extra mindful of this issue and make a real effort to support legitimate creators and experts in the field of lucid dreaming.
Be Lucid about Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreaming is more than knowing the names of a few techniques and belonging to a Discord community. It's also about learning to develop your powers of discernment.
It's vital to understand that the credentials and experience of your teachers & sources is no small matter, and can make the difference between you being an informed and intelligent lucid dreamer, or a bumbling mess of misinformation.
Taking the time to be lucid in your choices, you will be better equipped to discern the most valuable information and develop a well-rounded and accurate knowledge of the world of lucid dreaming.
Remember, it is your personal responsibility to make informed and intelligent choices about how you learn to lucid dream, and those choice will not only influence your own development as a lucid dreamer, but shape the nature of the lucid dreaming community and its research as well.
While all lucid dreaming sources offer something of value, remember that the quality and accuracy of the information, and the experience of those sharing it, can vary dramatically. Ranging from the idle speculations of untrained members of the public, through to the broad and extensive experience of a University Professor.
🧠 Thought Experiment Why learn from the bottom of the pyramid, where your information has been copied, degraded, and is often very wrong or incomplete, when you can go straight to the top and learn from the source?