Flying is a common hobby of lucid dreamers as there are no physical limitations in the space of phase states (i.e., lucid dreams, sleep paralysis, false awakenings, etc.). Yet, sometimes, dreamers find it difficult to do even a simple action such as open the door in a lucid dream. Why this is remains a mystery to scholars and practitioners.
Russian researchers from the Phase Research Center (Zhanna Zhunusova, Michael Raduga, and Andrey Shashkov) conducted an experiment involving 111 volunteers from the Elijah project. The participants were instructed to get into the phase state by any method they chose and try to take off with only intention and thought, without additional movements, i.e., without jumping, falling, or waving their hands.
As the authors expected, not everyone achieved success: only 70% of participants were able to get off the ground. Those who did it easily flew for more than 30 seconds in a row, while those who took off with effort were able to stay in the air for less than 10 seconds. Incidentally, the method of entering the phase state, as well as the gender and experience of the lucid dreamer did not seem to matter. The researchers divided the practitioners into groups based on these criteria, but there were no significant inter-group differences found.
There is no information yet as to why not everything is possible in the seemingly limitless world of the phase state. However, such experiments can create a map of restrictions. If we can learn their underlying causes, it will expand the range of our capabilities in the phase state and allow us to better understand the phenomenon.
What have you never been able to do in the phase state?
The article was published in September 2021 in the journal Dreaming.
