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So You Want To Be A Lucid Dreamer...
Do you want to dream lucidly? Knowing what you want to do is a good start, but it's not
all you'll need to do. There are several different methods you can use.
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.
You go to bed and sleep, and then you wake up. Maybe you remember fragments of a
dream or an entire dream; maybe you don’t remember dreaming at all. This adds up to a
pretty boring experience.
We have to sleep so we won’t be tired through the day when we have things we must do.
How would you like to be a part of what is going on in your dreams?
What if you could be an active instead of passive participant in your dreams? What if you
could take control of your dream instead of being controlled by it? Someone who has
managed to become a lucid dreamer can do all of this – they are not bound by anything
except for their imagination.
If you want to become a lucid dreamer, how do you manage it? There are two main
ways. The first is what's called a dream initiated lucid dream, or DILD. That's when the
dreamer realizes they're dreaming in the middle of a dream, restoring their consciousness
without leaving the dreaming state itself.
Method number two is a wake initiated lucid dream, or WILD. This is when the dreamer
begins awake, then goes to being asleep, but without losing consciousness. The dreamer
enters their dream as though via a door, instead of waking up inside a dream he or she is
already having.
So, what methods can you use to induce these kinds of lucid dreaming states?
Dream Recall
If you want to become a lucid dreamer, one of the easiest ways is to begin by learning
dream recall. Dream recall is nothing more than being able to remember your dreams.
Learning to remember you dreams makes it easier for you to recognize that you are in a
dream while sleeping – you are more than likely to either have the same dream moiré
than once, or at least have elements which recur in your dreams.
The best way to practice dream recall is through keeping a dream journal. This is a tool
in which you write down whatever you can remember about your dream so you can recall
it in the future. Do this right after you wake up - dreams are harder to remember the
longer you wait.
Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams or MILD
Developed by renowned lucid dream researcher Dr. Stephen LaBerge, this technique
works by telling yourself to recognize a certain object or situation when you see it in your
dreams. When you see this object, it triggers the realization that you are in a dreaming,
allowing you to begin lucid dreaming.
Wake-Back-to-Bed (WBTB)
Go to sleep as usual but only for five or six hours, set your alarm if need be. When you
wake up from this, don’t go back to bed; instead occupy yourself with something to keep
you awake. Think about lucid dreaming or watch some TV. After about an hour go back
to sleep
The creator of this, Stephen LaBerge believes it has a success rate of sixty percent
because you awoke during REM sleep which is the time when you are dreaming. It is like
informing your brain that you want to be aware of your dreaming, to have lucid dreams.
Cycle Adjustment Technique
Developed by Daniel Love, in this technique you first acclimate yourself to waking 90
minutes earlier than usual. Then alternate waking early with waking at your usual time.
When you wake up at the later (regular) time, your body will begin to stir 90 minutes
earlier, giving you a much better chance at achieving a state of lucid dreaming, at least
during this 90 minutes.
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 any number of ways to keep your mind alert, count, controlled breathing
techniques or concentrated relaxation are all great ways to keep the mind alert. It is a bit
like hypnotizing your self. This works best if you are not exhausted, try it during an
afternoon nap.
They now have tools you can use to make it even easier to induce lucid dreams. You can
get dreaming masks and devices with strobe lights to help you get into the right state of
dreaming.
However, the most reliable method of all is to listen to binaural sound frequencies (also
called binaural beats) on headphones.
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.
Combined with self affirmations and sessions of self hypnosis, these methods make it
easy to become a lucid dreamer. You just need the practice and determination.
Being a Lucid Dreamer Is Incredible! |
