"Chasing Butterflies" 06/20/2006 (Lucid)

“Chasing Butterflies”
06/20/2006  

Dream #1

(Lucid)

  

(Had some Calea and Melatonin before bed. Dreams were very vivid, but I went to sleep late, so the melatonin made me too groggy in the morning to remember everything. Got the Dreamviews.com Lucid Task of the Month - 'Catch a Butterfly' - done, though! :D )

I was in an unfamiliar bar. I remember feeling like a complete stranger in this place, and a lot of people were giving me the eye as if I didn't belong. I kept to myself, made my way to the counter and started to order a drink. Behind me, the door opened, and this big, 6 and 1/2 foot, 300-something pound dude walks in.

While the bartender was just about to turn to me and take my order, this big guy walks up to me from behind and shoves me out of the way - taking my spot at the bar and ordering his drink first. My mind began racing as I stared at this guy, knowing that he could probably crush me, if he wanted to. But finally, in the midst of my anger, it hit me: None of this was really happening. I was dreaming!

I stepped back up to him and we started to exchange words, but I can't recall what we said. He kept talking to me dismissively, though, as if it was in my best interest to leave him alone. I didn’t, of course. I can’t remember whether or not he attacked me first, but all I remember is picking this guy up with one hand and flattening him like a bug against the ceiling over the bar - and, by "flattened", I mean blood ran out of him like I was ringing a towel up over my head. A bit disturbing, and more graphic than I anticipated, but satisfying, nonetheless.

Now, with a moment to think, I looked around the bar as if to say “Hmm. Well, I’m lucid... Now what?” Then, I realized that, before falling asleep, I had been repeating “Gotta catch a butterfly. Gotta catch a butterfly.” The Lucid Task!!! That was my first order of business. Originally, I had planned to make some big elaborate scenario about either catching a giant butterfly or catching/fighting a butterfly/human hybrid, but this dream was feeling very unstable, so I took the easy route. I held up my hands as if I was holding an invisible basketball between them and began moving them slowly together. Just before they touched, I was able to just 'will' the butterfly to materialize in thin air, and it slipped down between my palms as I cupped my hands together. I could feel it fluttering around within the hollow space. Smiling, I opened my hands with a sense of victory and the butterfly flew out just as the scene changed or the dream ended. I can't remember if there was anything afterward.

(Original Artwork, available for purchase, at this link.)