Active Imagination as an Alternative to Lucid Dreaming: Theory and Experimental Results
May 7, 2021 A. Turchin preprint
Active imagination, a Jungian technique, can partly replace lucid dreaming as a way to enter an altered state of consciousness, but it works effectively only for people with a visual imagination screen. In an open-label pilot experiment with 100 participants in Moscow, Russia (2004–2005), those with a visual imagination screen—mostly young females—achieved lucid-dream-like states through active imagination, while those with a mental imagination screen—mostly rational, mathematical males—did not attain equal visual or emotional intensity. No method moved individuals between groups. Active imagination surpasses lucid dreaming in reliability and accessibility, as it can be performed anywhere, even via text chat, and allows easier concentration and recall of results, though self-performed active imagination is less effective.