An introduction for the curious
Quick introduction to Lucid Dreaming - general overview with pointers to finding more in-depth information.
Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Forward
- What is a Lucid Dream?
- What do you really need to know to experience a Lucid Dream?
- Gaining and Improving Dream Recall
- Becoming Aware You Are Dreaming
- Staying In The Dream
- What can you do in a Lucid Dream?
- Onward
- A Few Useful Links
Acknowledgments
My journey into the amazing universe of Lucid Dreaming would not have gone far or lasted long if it were not for the many wonderful and helpful people I have met and befriended along the way. The experience of becoming aware in a dream is truly awesome, but sharing it with friends who know the experience makes Lucid Dreaming a fun and enjoyable pursuit beyond the relatively rare time spent dreaming. I encourage you to seek out and participate in one of the several well established online communities dedicated to Lucid Dreaming. I can be found on the forums of Mortal Mist; my user name is 'pj'.
People who pursue Lucid Dreaming tend to be exceptionally sensitive and intelligent souls, with a high representation of artists, musicians, engineers and other creative types. It is a special privilege to be counted among them.
Forward
The purpose of this guide is to provide a sort of "tourist's guide"; for those considering the exploration of lucid dreaming. Details are readily available online and elsewhere, but direction in finding and using those details is not always clear. Lucid Dreaming has been practiced for hundreds of years, resulting in many paths available to attain the same ends. What do you really need to know to experience a Lucid Dream for yourself? How do you get started?
Read on, aspiring oneironaut.
What is a Lucid Dream?
A lucid dream happens when you are aware you are dreaming. The physiological reality of Lucid Dreaming has been proved by Dr. Stephen LaBerge and confirmed by other scientists. It is a real experience, though difficult to believe until experiencing it for yourself.
Being aware of the dream can be so incredible that words really fail to convey the majesty and magic of it. You can be the absolute master of your dream world! The very laws of nature can be bent and broken. No experience is beyond your reach, no feat too difficult or risky. If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.
What do you really need to know to experience a Lucid Dream?
Lucid Dreaming only requires figuring out that you are dreaming. There are myriad ways to do this, and we'll touch on a couple of the most basic techniques shortly. Figuring out you are dreaming, however, is only one third of the challenge. Once aware, you want to stay in the dream as long as possible, which isn't always easy. Many are startled awake as quickly as they gain lucidity. You will also want to remember the experience when it is over. What good is the most amazing lucid dream anybody ever had if it isn't remembered?
You need three things: ability to recall your dreams, a technique to become aware you are dreaming, and strategies to stay in the dream once you get there.
Gaining and Improving Dream Recall
Everybody dreams, but not everybody recalls dreams. Even those with good recall tend to have periods when they cannot remember dreams. Dream recall is a skill that improves with practice, so start practicing! It is often recommended to keep a Dream Journal (DJ) of some kind. A DJ provides a place to take notes, record dreams, track success and can help motivate you to work on recall.
It is said that 10% of recall of our most recent dream is lost on waking, with 50% gone within five minutes and 90% gone within ten—statistics that are consistent with my experiences. It is thus critical to get some notes down as quickly as possible on waking. If you do not remember anything, try at least to capture feelings or emotions. Getting in the habit of recalling dreams the moment you wake will help you improve your recall. Keep practicing until you can reliably recall at least parts of a couple dreams each night, and search the internet for more information on improving dream recall if you continue to struggle.
Becoming Aware You Are Dreaming
Many methods have been developed to become aware you are dreaming, but they all boil down to two general techniques; becoming aware once you are already dreaming, (DILD or Dream Initiated Lucid Dream,) and hanging onto a thread of consciousness while falling asleep, (WILD or Wake Initiated Lucid Dream.)
Most people start out with DILD and its many variations, as it is a natural next step once you have established a dream journal and some recall. DILD involves recognizing Dream Signs from your journal—situations, people and things that commonly occur in your dreams, and practicing doing Reality Checks (RCs) any time you encounter those Dream Signs while you are awake. Reality Checks are simply ways to determine if you are dreaming or awake. Common reality checks include pinching your nose and seeing if you can still breathe through it or trying to poke a finger through the palm of your hand. The hope is that you will eventually recognize a Dream Sign while dreaming and do a Reality Check—and viola! Click here to learn more about DILD
The WILD methods are both rewarding and challenging. Trying to stay conscious while falling asleep requires discipline and practice, and can be frustrating for people trying to have their first lucid dream. While not recommended for beginners, there is certainly no harm in trying! Click here to learn more about WILD
One useful technique to enhance the chances of getting lucid is Wake Back To Bed (WBTB). This is simply waking up at some point during the night, usually after at least a few hours of sound sleep, and staying awake for a time while engaging your mind to get it to "wake up" a bit. The amount of time this takes varies from person to person; you don't want to be so awake that you have trouble getting back to sleep, but you do want to have your awareness sharpened a bit. Doing WBTB, followed by any induction method, will dramatically enhance your chances of having a Lucid Dream.
Staying In The Dream
It is common to wake up immediately when discovering you are actually dreaming. The excitement of achieving lucidity the first couple times is pretty overwhelming, especially when recognizing that everything you were only moments ago convinced was real exists only in your mind. The key to staying in the dream seems to be keeping your "senses", (your dream senses, of course,) occupied with things in your dream. Touch something. Focus on the ground or your hands or feet. Rub your hands together. Spin, hard and fast. Anything you can do to improve awareness of your dream surroundings can help you stabilize and stay in the dream.
If you do find yourself awake, do a quick Reality Check - you might be experiencing a False Awakening (FA)! If you find you are still dreaming, enjoy your next Lucid Dream.
What can you do in a Lucid Dream?
You can do ANYTHING. Believing you can do anything is another matter, so work on it! I enjoy flying, playing instruments I don't really know, passing through solid objects and mirrors and just exploring the worlds my brain conjures up.
Onward
Lucid Dreaming is real. I do it pretty regularly, and it seems to be a capability we all share. Those who have experienced Lucid Dreams will generally agree they can be truly amazing and profound experiences.
Why is it that relatively few people are aware of this human capacity? One reason may be Lucid Dreaming being embraced and promoted in spiritual and occult circles, lending a supernatural aura to the whole concept. The practice of Lucid Dreaming stands quite well on its own and without these sorts of trappings. Like any practice, it can be (and most often is) approached from an entirely secular perspective.
It costs nothing to try it for yourself, though there are many out there who would be pleased to sell you supplements and other things "guaranteed" to get you lucid. Many of these work to one degree or another, but you don't need any of them to get started on your own journey into Lucid Dreaming.
I hope you found this little primer helpful! Perhaps I'll see you in your dreams.