We spend nearly a third of our lives asleep. Did you know you could be using that time to do whatever you like? e.g. fly, travel the universe, meet people, or even hone real world skills. Every night thousands of people do exactly that with lucid dreaming.
What is Lucid Dreaming?
Lucid dreaming is being conscious while you are dreaming. This usually occurs while in the midst of a dream you realize that what is happening is not real, but in fact is a dream. Once lucid you can explore the dream world and do whatever you can imagine. Many report lucid dreams as intensely vivid and real.
The term 'Lucid Dreaming' was coined by Frederik van Eeden in 1913. Since then there have been countless studies done on lucid dreaming to prove its reality, how it works, benefits, and how to do it.
Benefits of Lucid Dreaming
Besides being able to live your fantasy? Lucid dreams can be used as a creative outlet, for solving problems, healing from trauma, or developing real world skills.
Since lucid dreaming is a vivid form of mental imagery it can be used to rehearse for real life. Examples include preparing for a public speech or performance, improving an athletic skill, or a solving a problem. By rehearsing a skill in a dream you develop neural pathways. This works in the same way that study subjects have improved their shots from the free throw line just by visualizing.
How to Have Lucid Dreams
For a select few lucid dreaming comes natural, but for the rest of us it takes effort and diligence. Lucid dreaming is a skill that can be learned and become easier over time.
Dream Journal
The very first step is to work on remembering your dreams. If you cannot recall your dreams how will you know if you were ever lucid? When you remember your dreams you become familiar with what they are like, making it easier to recognize that you are dreaming.
The best way to improve dream recall is to keep a dream journal. Get a notebook and keep it beside your bed. Upon awakening try to recall all of the details of the dream and then write it down immediately. Do not wait until the morning or you may forget about the dream. You don't have to write every detail of the dream in the middle of the night, but can write down some key points to help you remember it in the morning.
If you do not currently ever remember dreams that is okay. Just by setting the intention to remember your dreams before you go to sleep and getting a dream journal you will find that you will start to remember dreams. Once you are remembering at least one dream a night you can move onto the next step.
Reality Tests
This is a good beginner technique. Decide to do the following exercise several times a day. This could be a set time (e.g. hourly) or when you do something during the day. For example every time you walk through a door, look in a mirror, or look at the time. Also do it anytime you think of it.
- Do a reality test - There are a couple ways to check if what you are experiencing is real or not. One popular method is to look at a digital watch or to read some text. Then look away and re-read the watch or text. If when you look again the numbers or letters have changed, congratulations you are dreaming. Research shows that 75% of the time the text will have changed, or the numbers will be jumbled or strange symbols. Another popular reality check is to plug your nose with your hand and try to breath in through your nose. If you can still breath with your nose plugged, you are dreaming.
- Imagine that you are dreaming - If you aren't dreaming imagine that you are. Imagine as vividly as possible that what you are seeing, hearing, smelling, or feeling is all a dream. Recreate in yourself the feeling that you are dreaming.
- Visualize yourself doing what you want - Decide on what you would like to do in your dreams. e.g. fly, meet people, explore the dream world, etc. While continuing to visualize that you are dreaming imagine yourself doing your chosen activity.
There are other techniques but the reality check is a good start. I will talk about others in future posts.
My Experience
I have been interested in lucid dreaming for years. During periods where I was actively trying to have lucid dreams I was able to realize that I was dreaming but instead of remaining in the dream I woke up. I haven't tried to achieve lucidity in a few years and I want to start again.
I currently recall a few dreams a week. I am going to start keeping a dream journal again and performing reality checks throughout the day. I will document my results here as I go.
This challenge is to go from zero lucid dreams to having my first.
Join me and have your first lucid dream. Share what works for you and your experiences. Lets do this!