What is Lucid Dreaming? How to Lucid Dream?

Have you feel when you're dreaming, you're surprised to know that you are dreaming???


A lucid dream is a dream in which you know you are dreaming. Typically this happens when the dreamer experiences something strange, and when they stop to question their reality, they realize they are in a dream. Lucid dreams happen naturally on occasion, although some people may have them naturally more often than others. The definition of lucid dreaming may be simple, but there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding it.

Misconceptions

The definition of lucid dreaming may be simple, but just like many other things which are relatively unknown by the public, there are a lot of misconceptions surrounding it.


A dream isn't lucid unless you control it

There is some confusion about the difference between lucidity and dream control. The two are related, but one can happen without the other. For example, many lucid dreamers experience little or no control in some dreams. On the other hand, it is possible to exercise some dream control without being aware that it is a dream. Typically the dream plot will explain this by making the dreamer believe that they have some sort of god-like power over everything. Dream control, by our definition, can be either conscious or unconscious.


Lucid dreaming is new age

Because almost everyone has lucid dreams naturally every once in a while, we know that lucid dreaming is not limited by any one viewpoint. There are historical records which speak of lucid dreaming going back thousands of years--so it is hardly a new phenomenon. There is no need to have any spiritual beliefs to enjoy lucid dreams.


Lucid dreaming advocates escapism

Lucid dreaming occurs while you are sleeping; it is not meant at all to infringe upon your involvement in the real world. While many lucid dreamers enjoy writing down their dreams, talking about their dreams, and planning fun lucid dreams, this is generally no different from any other hobby. In fact, playing a video game or watching a movie will take you out of the “real world” more than lucid dreaming will.


Lucid dreaming is unnatural, involves "dark arts," or is occult related

Many religious or spiritual sects lump lucid dreaming in with occult practices and activities. Lucid dreams often occur naturally and there is nothing occult about them. On the contrary, many great religious epiphanies and messages came in the form of dreams; sometimes lucid dreams. Our dreams are what we make them; whether we wish to give them spiritual significance or not is up to us.


Dreams contain messages that are lost with lucid dreaming

As of this writing, there are many theories about why dreams exist and what purpose they serve, but so far none of these theories has been proven. One theory is that our dreams contain important or useful messages about our lives. Considering that many people do not even remember their dreams, let alone pay them any attention, changing the dream plot in a fraction of one's dreams is in comparison not nearly as problematic for any message-sending done through dreams. Lucid dreaming also requires very good dream recall, so even if a fraction of these messages are lost in lucid dreams, you are likely remembering many more regular dreams than you ever did before, and on top of that, giving them more attention than ever. Lastly, if we consider that it is our mind that gives us the message through dreams, even if lucid, there is high chances that the message will show regardless.


Levels of Lucidity & Dream Control

Lucid dreaming was defined as becoming aware you are dreaming; the actual level of awareness varies, however. When the level of lucidity is high you are well aware that nothing you experience is real, and you realize that you have nothing to fear—you cannot be harmed by any situations that may seem precarious. With low-level lucidity, although partially aware you are dreaming, you are not aware enough to have a great impact on your dream—you may accept some aspects of your dream that you would not normally accept in the ordinary world (you may not find it at all strange that your dog flies around the living room, etc.) With low-level lucidity your realization may also quickly fade and you may accept the whole dream as reality.

A lucid dream is a completely natural and healthy experience. It is just like any other dream except for the small difference of your knowledge that it is a dream. It has nothing to do with new age, the occult, or escapism, nor can it harm you any more than a regular dream could.

How to Practice Lucid Dreaming???

Lucid dreams usually occur while a person is in the middle of a regular dream and suddenly realizes that they are dreaming. Once you realize this, you have the ability to control your dreams, which is pretty much the most essential part of lucid dreaming.

Steps

1. During the day, repeatedly ask "Am I dreaming" and perform some reality checks whenever you remember. With practice, if it happens enough, you will automatically remember it during your dreams and do it.


2. Keep a dream journal. This is perhaps the most important step towards lucid dreaming. Keep it close by your bed at night, and write in it immediately after waking. Or you can keep a recording device if you find it easier to repeat your dream out loud. This helps you recognize your common dream elements (people from your past, specific places, etc.), and also tells your brain that you are serious about remembering your dreams! It will also help you to recognize things that are unique to your dreams. You will be able to recognize your own "dream signs." These will be recurring things or events that you may notice in your dreams.


3. Learn the best time to have a lucid dream. By being aware of your personal sleep schedule, you can arrange your sleep pattern to help induce lucid dreams.

• Studies strongly suggest that a nap a few hours after waking in the morning is the most common time to have a lucid dream.
• Lucid dreams are strongly associated with REM sleep. REM sleep is more abundant just before the final awakening. This means they most commonly occur right before waking up. (Sleep-onset REM is a symptom of narcolepsy. If you have lucid dreams right after falling asleep, you may wish to consider seeking medical advice from a sleep medicine specialist. However, there are studies which show people can recall dreams after being awakened during non-REM sleep).
• Dreams usually run in 60-minute (Weiten Psych book 2004) cycles during sleep. If you are working on dream recall, it may be helpful to try waking yourself up during one of these cycles (interrupted dreams are often the ones we remember).

4. Try Stephen Laberge's mnemonic induction of lucid dreaming (MILD) technique.

• Set your alarm clock to wake you up 4 1/2, 6, or 7 1/2 hours after falling asleep.
• When you are awakened by your alarm clock, try to remember the dream as much as possible.
• When you think you have remembered as much as you can, return to your place of rest, imagining that you are in your previous dream, and becoming aware that you are dreaming. Say to yourself, "I will be aware that I'm dreaming," or something similar. Do this until you think that it has "sunk in." Then go to sleep.
• If random thoughts pop up when you are trying to fall asleep, repeat the imagining, self-suggestion part, and try again. Don't worry if you think it's taking a long time. The longer it takes, the more likely it will 'sink in,' and the more likely you will have a lucid dream.

5. Attempt the WBTB (Wake Back To Bed) Technique. This is the most successful technique.

• Set your alarm clock to 5 hours after you fall asleep.
• Fall asleep.
• After you wake up, stay up for an hour with your mind focused on lucidity and lucidity only.
• Go back to sleep using the MILD technique.

7. Another technique for overall "dream awareness" is the Diamond Method of meditation, which can shortcut the overall learning curve, of Lucid Dreaming.

When one meditates, try to visualize your life, both awake and dream-life as facets on a diamond. Some choose to call this "diamond" the Universe, others God, and even "your Spirit." The point here is to begin to recognize that life is happening all at once. It is only our "Perception" that arranges our dramas into linear or "timed" order. So just as a diamond just is, each facet if viewed as an individual experience, still is going on at the same time the "Dream Body" experiences as well. This method is also known by Remote Viewers. Remember it is just a slight shift in awareness that this exercise calls for.

8. Try marking an "A" (which stands for "awake") on your palm. Every time you notice the "A" during your waking hours challenge whether you are awake or asleep. Eventually you may see the "A" in your sleep and become lucid.

9. Get into the habit of doing reality checks. Do at least three reality checks every time
something seems out of the ordinary, strongly frustrating, or nonsensical, and that habit will carry on into your dreams. In a dream, these will tell you that you are sleeping, allowing you to become lucid. In order to remember to do reality checks in dreams, you need to establish a habit of doing reality checks in real life. One way to do a reality check is to look for "dream signs" (elements that frequently occur during your dreams, look for these in your dream journal), or things that would not normally exist in real life, and then conduct the reality checks. When these actions become habit, a person will begin to do them in her or his dreams, and can come to the conclusion that he/she is dreaming. Frequently doing reality checks can stabilize dreams. This is also known as DILD (Dream Induced Lucid Dreams). Some tactics include:

• Looking at a digital clock to see if it stays constant;
• Looking at a body of text, looking away, and then looking back to see if it has changed;
• Flipping a light switch;
• Looking in a mirror (your image will most often appear blurry or not appear at all in a dream). However, your figure can be horribly disfigured in a mirror, frightening you into nightmare or a dream.
• Pinching your nose closed and trying to breathe;
• Glancing at your hands, and asking yourself, "am I dreaming?" (when dreaming, you will most often see greater or fewer than five fingers on your hand);
• Jumping in the air; you are usually able to fly during dreams
• Poking yourself; when dreaming, your "flesh" might be more elastic than in real life; a common reality check is pushing your finger through the palm of your hand;
• Try leaning against a wall. In dreams, you will often fall through walls.

10. Prolong lucid dreams by spinning your body or falling backwards in the dream (suspected of prolonging REM), and rubbing your hands (prevents you from feeling the sensation of lying in bed). Take care while spinning. Remind yourself even as you spin or fall that you are dreaming, as you will find yourself in a completely different location when you stop spinning or hit the ground and may lose lucidity otherwise. If you feel a dream 'shakes' or is about to fade out, look down to the ground and visualize your surroundings, reminding yourself you are dreaming.

11. Look through previous dreams in your Dream Journal. If you start to notice patterns in your dreams, you will notice dream-signs, or certain things that continue to reappear in your dreams. This may be as basic as all dreams are in your backyard, or all your dreams have fans in them. Get into the habit of doing dream checks every time you see your dream sign, and eventually you'll see your dream sign IN a dream, do a check and realize you're dreaming.

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