Lucid dreaming: discontinuity or continuity in consciousness?

Abstract

The notions of continuity and discontinuity are discussed in relation to the phenomenon of lucid dreaming (awareness of dreaming while dreaming). Lucid dreams seem to be more dreamlike than non-lucid dreams both in terms of their content and REM sleep physiology and therefore are more discontinuous with our waking experience. They also seem to represent some “crack” – discontinuity – in the ordinary autocreative process of dreaming or in the state of protoconsciousness as suggested by Hobson. However, it is argued here that the notion of lucidity in dreams, which is comparable to the notion of mindfulness in wakefulness, presents a possible continuity in self-reflective awareness or consciousness across the whole sleep-wake cycle.