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Tactics Of A Lucid Dreamer
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.
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.
Normal sleep is just a method of refreshing ourselves for the busyness of the next day.
However, it could be a lot more interesting if you could control the period of time in
which you're dreaming.
How would you like to control what you do while in your dream? Control the events that
happen in it in any way you like. A lucid dreamer is in complete control of their dreams.
They are able to enter the spiritual realm of existence far removed from what exists in the
physical waking hours.
This sounds great, but how can you become a lucid dreamer? There are two ways to
reach this state – one is by having a DLID, or dream initiated lucid dream. These are
instances where the dreamer has taught themselves to recognize that they are having a
dream and start to assert control over the direction of their dream.
The second method is to have a wake initiated lucid dream, or WILD. In these situations,
the dreamer goes from awake to lucid dream with no change in consciousness. The
dreamer simply begins dreaming without having the sensation of falling asleep.
So, what methods can you use to induce these kinds of lucid dreaming states?
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 or 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.
Wake-Back-to-Bed (WBTB)
This simple process has you taking no action except to set an alarm that will waken you
in less time than you normally sleep. For most of us about five or six hours will do it.
After the alarm awakens you do not try to fall back to sleep. For about an hour you
should read, watch TV or concentrate on lucid dreaming then go back to sleep.
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
This invention of Daniel Love is another way to have lucid dreams. This involves getting
up earlier. Get up an hour and a half earlier until you get used to it. After that switch back
to your regular time to get up. Keep switching back and forth. This way when you sleep
the later time period, you will be likely to lucid dream as your brain is used to awakening
earlier.
Wake Initiation of Lucid Dreams or WILD
Keep your mind aware and let your body sleep is the theory in this technique. Prepare to
go to sleep but imagine you are staring at a blank screen waiting for the movie to appear,
perhaps even daydream about something you like. Soon your dreams will begin to play
out and you will be aware enough to have a part in what happens there.
You need to stay aware; it is a lot like self hypnosis. This is not a good exercise to try
when you are tired as your mind may not stay as aware. Try to focus on things that
require brain activity such as doing math puzzles, jogging or anything to keep your mind
active. Breathe evenly and focus on relaxing every part of your body.
Like many other areas of our life, technology has made its mark. Today you can find
several electronic devices that can aid you in inducing lucid dreams. There are masks that
can detect when you enter REM sleep then use a vibration, sound or small lights to
induce lucidity.
Listen to binaural beats with headphones; this is a very effective way to achieve a lucid
dream.
This type of sound can alter your brain and bring you to the REM stage of sleep very
quickly. This is where your lucid dreaming will occur.
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.
Lucid Dreams Explained |
