New research suggests that intentional/lucid dreaming and shared dreaming are possible. The actual technology for lucid dream induction is similar to technology shown in the scifi movie Inception, starring Leonardo DiCaprio as a corporate spy able to hack into people’s dreams. According to Dream Analyst/ Researcher Craig Webb, his research has uncovered reports of shared dreaming, dream intrusions, as well as information gathering via dreams and dream-related practices like remote viewing.
There is also ongoing research about what practical benefits are possible, what risks are present, and how dream-related technologies can help induce mind-body exploration for humankind.
Webb states there is evidence an invisible "Innernet" that connect all people, much as much as the Internet links us in the physical world. Furthermore, Webb adds that more people are using dreams and lucid dreaming to explore this inner frontier to tap its potential. The results from his online research shows that from over 1000 participants, 70% have experienced lucid (i.e. conscious) dreams, with the 73.5% of all the male dreamers having become consciously aware during a dream at least once, being slightly higher than the percentage of females (65.5%) that have dreamt lucidly.
In other research, Webb uses NovaDreamer, a sleep mask that monitors rapid-eye-movements (REM) of dreamers and gives visible and auditory feedback cues which seeks to improve dream recall but also, like the PASIV device used by Leonardo DiCaprio in the Inception movie, triggers lucid dreams without awakening the dream. Webb believes the benefits of lucid dreaming may include resolving nightmares, healing, gaining new creative insights, solving problems and experiencing adventure. The risks, however, include privacy invasion and not being grounded in normal waking life.
Lucid dreams allows the dreamer to be not just an unconscious actor as in most dreams which are remembered only after waking, but instead to consciously guide the action, to varying degrees, while the dream is happening.
