How To Lucid Dream

By Article Guy On February 23, 2010 Under Mental Health

You want to have a lucid dream. That much you are sure of; however, what you are not at all sure of is how to go about having one.

So, what is so good about being a lucid dreamer? What would you gain from it? In order to understand the advantages of being aware when you are dreaming, we need to examine what regular sleep actually is.

What is different about lucid dreaming? Normally, you lay down and you’re out for six to eight hours. Maybe you remember your dreams, maybe not. The usual � not all that interesting, really.

The sleep we normally have fulfills the purpose of allowing us to rest up for the next day.However, what would it be like if you were able to control your dreams? Instead of being a spectator to your dreams, what if you could be an active participant?

Consider the idea of taking control of your own dreams. What would it feel like to purpose what direction your dreams would take you? Explore new worlds that are only limited to your control and imagination. This is what it means to be a lucid dreamer, kind of the ultimate fantasy world where you call all the shots.

How can a person achieve this? How do you learn to be a lucid dreamer? DILD refers to a dream initiated lucid dream. You need to realize you are dreaming. In other words, if you are dreaming and know it, you are having a lucid dream.

Another popular method is to have a wake initiated lucid dream (WILD); this is a straight shot from awake to asleep with no lapse in your consciousness. This is usually achieved by purposefully retaining awareness during the hypnagoogic state, which directly precedes sleep.

How do you go about achieving these two states of lucid dreaming?

Dream Recall

You will need to learn how to remember your dreams if you want to be able to have lucid dreams. It is referred to as dream recall, the ability to remember your dreams. If you can remember your dreams you are more likely to realize when you are dreaming because many of the dreams you have will be the same or almost the same.

Writing down everything you can recall dreaming, this is called keeping a dream journal. The more you do this the more likely you will be to remember your dreams. If possible do this as soon as you wake up as this is the time when you will remember the most about your dreams.

Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD)

This method was developed by top lucid dreaming researcher Dr. Stephen LaBerge. The idea is to affirm to yourself that you will remember something when you see it in a dream � then when you do, you will realize that you are dreaming and begin to assert control over your dream.

WBTB refers to Wake Back to Bed

In this technique, you sleep and set your alarm for only a few hours from the time that you go to bed. Upon awakening, don’t go right back to sleep � stay awake for about an hour, then go back to bed.

Cycle Adjustment Technique

As the name suggests this technique is all about cycling your sleep. Go to bed at your normal time but for a week set an alarm to wake you one and a half hours early. You should continue to do this for around 7 days. Once your body has settled somewhat into this routine, begin to alternate your wake up times. One day normal, wake up time the next early, on your normal days you will be trying to wake up early and should increase lucid dream chances.

Developed by Daniel Love, this involves setting your alarm to wake about 90 minutes earlier than usual; once you acclimate to this, set your alarm to wake you up alternately early and at the time you used to get up. At those times when you wake up at the usual time, you’ll be accustomed to waking early. This means that you are more likely to lucid dream during this last hour and a half.

WILD refers to Wake Initiation of Lucid Dreams

To get into this correct frame of mind if you will there are a few tricks you can use. Focus seems to be key so try to focus your mind on things like your breathing, counting, perhaps chant or meditate. In a way, you are practicing self-hypnosis. Use this technique when you are not extremely tired, perhaps during a late nap.

Some of the methods which can keep you mentally alert are chanting, being aware of your breathing, counting, and picturing yourself climbing up or down stairs and focusing on relaxing your body from head to toe. All of these techniques fall under the umbrella of self hypnosis. The best time to use this technique is when you are not physically tired, especially in the afternoon.

The sounds bring the two sides of the brain in synch. Your brainwaves are then converted to REM waves the time during sleep when you dream and the frequency at which lucid dreams occur.

With self-hypnosis and a conscious preparedness before you go to sleep anyone can practice lucid dreaming.

Binaural beats induce lucid dreaming by causing the hemispheres of your brain to work synchronously, making your brainwaves shift to the frequency required for lucid dreaming.

Anyone can learn to be a lucid dreamer. Practice the self hypnosis and keep telling yourself when awake that you will be aware when you are dreaming. This will prepare you for your lucid dream experience.