Lucid dreaming is simply being aware that you are dreaming while you are in a dream. Learning how to do lucid dreaming intentionally is a personal growth tool. It may help you resolve personal problems because you're able to consciously take an active role in your dreams. It can also be a lot of fun!
Lucid dreaming is a challenging art to master, but there are steps that can be taken to help you achieve the state.
As you go to sleep, use the suggestion: "As I am dreaming tonight, I will realize I am dreaming" (use your own words).
It's important to do this as you are drifting off to sleep, but you can do it throughout the day as well. Sometimes as you are making this suggestion you may actually have a memory of a previous dream come to mind! Your attitude should be one of positive expectation, but gentle inviting rather than insisting or applying any type of pressure or anxiety.
Next, work on remembering your dreams after you wake up. By getting the mind used to remembering your dreams, you are creating a more deliberate connection of awareness between the conscious and unconscious mind. In fact, it's possible that you may already be having lucid dreams, but you aren't remembering them!
The final step is to attempt to stay in the twilight sleep state for as long as possible upon awakening. You will often have a dream just before you awake in the morning so if you can stay still and keep your eyes closed, you may be able to enter back into the dream, but with more conscious awareness - thus creating a type of lucid dream as you balance between the sleeping and waking states.
A common problem some people encounter with lucid dreaming is that they wake up as soon as they realize they're dreaming. This is because the work of making conscious choices while sleeping causes the conscious mind is rise from its slumber, thus arousing the wakening state.
This can be overcome with practice, but there is a technique that can help. Before you go to sleep, plan on what you will do in your lucid dreams. This removes an element of conscious choice during your dreams, which may help you stay in the dream state.
Before retiring at night take several deep breaths. Close your eyes and relax each muscle group in turn. Begine with your feet. Tense them and hold for a few seconds then release the tension and relax. Move up your body to your head until you have relaxed your entire body. Imagine that you are descending a long flight of stairs with ten steps. Breath with each step you take and repeat the word "relax". Once at the bottom imagine that you are in a tranquil setting and rest there awhile.
Now mentally tell yourself that when you awaken you will be fresh, rested, full of energy and will remember your last dream in vivid detail.
Have a pen and small book beside your bed and upon awakening immediately ask yourself, what did I dream last night? Focus on taking deep breaths. Then write down in your dream in as much detail as you can recall. This is an important step so don't overlook it!
After several days of this pratise look over your written dream accounts and look for recurring themes. I always have something to drink or some sort of drinking liquid in mine. Your "dream sign" may be different.
Now when retiring the next night go through your relaxation exercise and tell yourself that you will become aware that you are dreaming when you encounter your dream sign. Tell yourself that it is a sign that you should awaken in your dream.
Do this for several nights and you will experience a lucid dream. Remember to record your dream just after waking. Studies have shown that many people have lucid dreams then forget that they had them a short time after waking. Keeping a journal of your dream experiences keeps them fresh in your mind and trains your brain to remember them.
Don't be discouraged if you don't lucid dream at the start. This is a new skill that must be learned. If you persevere you will achieve results. Should you wish to accelerate your results you may wish to read the review of the lucid dreaming kit on the site below.
Both Dr. Barry Burns & Michael Anthony Mcgrath are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Dr. Barry Burns has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lucid Dream, Day Trading and Alternative Medicine. Dr. Barry Burns received his doctorate from the American Institute of Hypnotherapy. He studied Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Hypnosis and Dreams. Dr. Burns founded Wellspring Hypnotherapy, conducts seminars nationwide and is author of "Wide Awake," a book. Dr. Barry Burns's top article generates over 2900 views. to your Favourites.