I have always refrained from reviewing a book here due to my fear of coming across as pretentious or something similar. However, today that moment has finally arrived.
This is perhaps the most life-altering (in the true sense of the word) book I have ever read. I firmly believe that if this were a global bestseller, the world would be a better place, populated by happier, healthier, and more content individuals.
Of course, I'm not suggesting that simply reading this book will be sufficient and that your life will miraculously change for the better with a snap of your fingers. But if you are ready for it or willing to invest time and effort in some personal mental work, this book can serve as your guide and supporter. My humble experience has shown that this journey can bring a全新的 quantitative and qualitative enhancement to your life, which can occur at any moment, regardless of your age.
Even without considering the entire lucid dreaming aspect (which is quite prominent as the title implies), the book also provides a profound overview of the new frontiers of psychology that merge psychoanalytic knowledge with the latest neuroscientific discoveries. This is one of the greatest strengths of the book: its ability to maintain a scientific method and approach while also allowing for people's personal experiences and wisdom from different cultures.
If you are here, it probably means that you are already familiar with what lucid dreaming is and that I don't need to persuade you about how wonderful it would be to learn to master your dreams. If you don't and have no idea what lucid dreams are or why you should even care, I can simply direct you straight to the book, which will explain everything while serving as its most sincere and convincing advocate.
P.S. It took me almost a year to finish this book because I wanted it to be a companion for a long time. During this period, I have read many other books and had numerous mind-opening experiences. Every time I returned to this book, I had so many more thoughts and experiences that resonated within me. Honestly, I believe that this book and what it represents have given an input to my life that is indescribable in words.
So, thank you, Dr. LaBerge, and thank you to anyone who has stayed here until the end. Have a great life!
Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen LaBerge & Howard Rheingold is an extremely practical book. It caters to those who are intrigued by lucidity, which involves the practice of controlling one's dreams and conquering nightmares. The book comprehensively covers everything from the fundamental principles of lucid dreaming to what occurs after achieving it. It vividly illustrates numerous examples to assist readers in envisioning the possibilities and real-life experiences related to lucid dreaming. Additionally, at the end of every major topic, there are exercises provided. These exercises enable you to evaluate your progress and work towards reaching your goal. This book holds great interest for beginners who are eager to experiment in the fascinating world of lucid dreaming, as well as for active lucid dreamers and those who are extremely knowledgeable in this field. However, the only drawback is the lack of pictures and diagrams, which could have enhanced the reading experience and made it easier for people to understand the concepts.
LaBerge has a strong foundation on the topic. He thinks like a scientist, which makes all the knowledge in his work quite robust. I guess this is the reason why the book written in the 90s is still a good reference for many, just as it was back then.
The book is really enjoyable to read. It is easy to follow and stays far away from the meaning of dreams and interpretation. In my opinion, this makes it more objective and serious.
Personally, I achieved success with my lucid dreaming and shared it on r/LucidDreaming in Reddit. A vast number of users there mention it as the best first guide for beginners and those who want a path rather than a quick lesson on lucid dreaming. This shows the significance and value of LaBerge's work in the field of lucid dreaming.
Some truly intriguing exercises are presented, along with valuable pointers towards other works. However, in my humble opinion, LaBerge's own writing in this piece often veers into the rather fluffy feel-good late-night-infomercial-pitch territory. It seems that at times, the author sacrifices depth and substance for a more superficial and perhaps overly simplistic approach. While the exercises and pointers have their merits, the overall tone and style of the writing can make it difficult to take the work as seriously as one might hope. It would be beneficial if LaBerge could strike a better balance between engaging the reader and presenting a more intellectually rigorous and thought-provoking piece.