Thomas Wharton is a contemporary Canadian writer whose works have been published in Canada, the United States, Britain, France, Italy, Japan, and other countries. His first novel, Icefields, won the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book in Canada and the Caribbean in 1996, and his collection of stories, The Logogryph, was shortlisted for the International Dublin Literary Award.
In a recent publication in The Globe and Mail, Wharton shared his experience with lucid dreaming, which helps him cope with life’s challenges and inspires his creative writing. The author describes his first experience with lucidity as euphoric: “Suddenly, as if someone had switched on a light, it hit me: I’m dreaming this. All at once the murky world of the dream became as solid, colourful and three-dimensional as waking life…. And even more exhilarating, I realized my own mind was creating all of this, which meant I could make anything happen that I wished.”
Over time, he discovered that lucid dreams could be beneficial. Parts of his latest novel, The Book of Rain, were taken from lucid dreams (LDs). He intentionally directed the dream plot, and after waking up, he remembered and recorded it in detail. Wharton wanted to access the part of his mind where creativity rules rather than rely on rational, logical thinking.
The writer often uses dream journaling, self-motivational talk, and reality checks. His first LDs were accidental and mostly caused by stress and disrupted sleep patterns. It took time to make this practice regular.
He tried various supplements and technical devices but eventually abandoned them. The author found that supplements had side effects and disrupted his sleep, while devices are bulky and ineffective. However, the writer hopes that someday, an invention will make lucid dreaming practice available to everyone, and anyone interested will be able to explore the infinite expanses of their minds.
Have ideas for creative work ever come to you in a phase state (lucid dreams, sleep paralysis, etc.)?
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