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Lucid Dreams Explained
You've heard about lucid dreaming and you're sure that it is something you want to try.
However, you are at a loss as to how one becomes a lucid dreamer.
Why do you want to be a lucid dreamer? How will it help you? To understand the
rewards of this type of dreaming better, let’s look at common sleep experiences.
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.
Average sleep has a purpose it prepares our minds and bodies to carry out the duties of
the next day. However, consider the idea of managing your dreams consciously.
Instead of being helplessly caught up in whatever dreams your subconscious mind
decides to hand you, how about you controlling the action? A lucid dreamer can do this.
It is a new and fun world, a lot like being inside your own video game where you can fly
or wish for something and have it.
This sounds great the only thing left is the how. You can accomplish lucid dream state in
one of two ways. One, you can have a dream initiated lucid dream (DILD); this is where
while dreaming you become aware of the fact that you are dreaming. In this way, you
bring a level of consciousness into the dream.
The next way is called wake initiated lucid dream (WILD); in this process, you go from
wake to sleep stage with no loss of consciousness. To put it more simply you walk
through the door from here to your dreams instead of just happening upon them
What are the steps to begin having these lucid dream experiences?
Dream Recall
If you're interested in lucid dreaming, dream recall is one of the most effective ways of
learning to do it. Dream recall is the ability to remember your dreams. If you remember
them, you're more likely to be able to recognize them while you're asleep. That's because
most of us have the same dreams or dream elements more than once.
The best way to remember your dreams is of course to write them down. Keep a pen and
pad by the bed and immediately upon waking from a dream write it down. The reason
you want to write it immediately upon waking is so you do not forget any part of the
dream. Dreams tend to fade from our conscious mind rather quickly.
Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD)
This technique was developed by Dr. Stephen LaBerge, one of the lead scientists in the
field of lucid dreaming. To use this method, just tell yourself about an object or element
that you will remember. When you dream, there's a good chance you'll see this element,
then realize that you're dreaming.
WBTB refers to Wake Back to Bed
To use this process, go to sleep with an alarm set to wake you up five to six hours later.
When you wake up, don't go right back to sleep. Instead, do something else, like think
about lucid dreaming or read a book, for about an hour. Then go back to bed.
Dr, LaBerge says that his method has a 60% rate of success. Why is this? Basically, you
wake in the middle of an REM cycle, so when you return to sleep, you will have a better
chance of lucid dreaming.
Cycle Adjustment Technique
Daniel Love came up with this way to accomplish lucid dreaming. Start getting up an
hour and a half earlier. After you get used to this, go back to getting up at your usual
time. Since you are used to getting up earlier but don’t have to now, your mind is still
thinking you are awake, therefore you will be more likely to be aware in your dream.
Wake-initiation of Lucid Dreams (WILD)
The trick is to keep your conscious mind aware and let your physical body sleep. This
can prove to be very interesting. Lay back, close your eyes and wait for your dream to
begin. Imagine you have put a movie in the DVD player and you are waiting for it to
begin. Focus on the black screen until your dream begins to play out.
There are several different ways to hold onto awareness, including imagining going up or
down a flight of stairs, chanting, counting numbers, breaths, or anything else, breathing
control, and muscle relaxation. These and other self-hypnosis methods will give you
something to concentrate on, but don't do this when you're tired, or you may lose
consciousness.
In recent years, the advance of technology has brought us new devices to help us dream
lucidly. These include strobe lights, dreaming masks, and other gadgets thought to assist
with lucid dreaming.
One of the easiest, most reliable methods to induce lucid dreaming is by listening to
binaural beats and special sound frequencies through headphones.
The purpose is to synchronize both sides of the brain to create the REM frequency that is
required for lucid dreaming.
With a combination of self affirmations, self hypnosis and binaural sounds, being a lucid
dreamer is something anyone can do successfully.
Thoughts Of A Lucid Dreamer |
