Do you ever have a dream and you didn’t even realize that you were dreaming because it seemed so real? This is how lucid dreaming works. Lucid dreaming is something that usually happens by chance and people that have had it happen to them have different experiences such as traveling to different places.
Understanding Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreaming allows you to be aware and to even control the dreams you are having. Lucid dreaming has been a concept that has been around even since Aristotle. It is also called a hybrid state of consciousness where it happens during REM sleep, the dreaming sleep stage.
Lucid dreaming has been written about because it allows people to reach their dreams in a different way and to be able to be more creative and to go places, they never imagined they could go. A therapist, Dr. Ellis said, “lucid dreaming can bring you in touch with your own spiritual nature.”
It is even thought that when lucid dreaming, it can stop nightmares from happening. These dreams can change the way that you think and the way that you view dreaming. Dr. Ellis talked about how people that have lucid dreaming aren’t always good at it. There are some different tips that you can try that can help you to lucid dream better.
Tips for Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreaming is a natural thing, but you can make lucid dreaming happen more when you try these tips:
Testing Your Reality
The best way to know that you are dreaming is to think about your own reality. Sometimes you will wake up from your dreams quickly and might not get the full effect of them. When you are dreaming, you need to start asking if you are dreaming or not and this can help you to test your own reality.
Sleep More
It is hard to lucid dream if you aren’t sleeping. You have to get to the sleep stage of REM sleep in order to be able to even lucid dream. If you want to have these kinds of dreams, make sure that you are staying off the alcohol or drugs before going to bed and try to get at least 8 hours of sleep.
Make Suggestions
You can make suggestions to yourself in order to try to get yourself to a state of lucid dreaming. Clear your mind and say things such as:
- I will dream about things that I am aware of.
- When I dream, I will know that I am having a dream.
- In my dreams I will notice when things are strange and realize I am dreaming.
One of the best things that you can do is to write your dreams down right when you wake up so that you don’t forget them.
Dream Journaling
It is exciting to remember your dreams and if you want to make this happen, write down your dreams in your own dream journal. You can then remember your dreams when you wake up and you won’t forget important details.
Dream Themes
If you keep having dreams and they have the same things, note this. You are probably having a dream that will allow you to become more aware during it.
Nap
People that sleep lightly might not have lucid dreaming. If you are taking naps, you can start to go into REM sleep even when it isn’t your regular bedtime.
Castaneda Technique
There is a dreaming technique called Castaneda. Here is how to do it:
- Sit in a place that is comfortable and where you can clear your mind.
- Look at your hands and talk about how you will dream.
- Tell yourself that when you see your hands in your dream then you will know you are having a dream.
- Keep looking at your hands.
- Let your eyes unfocus and stay calm.
- After doing this for a few minutes, end the meditation.
- If you wake up in the middle of the night while you are dreaming, figure out if you saw your hands or not.
- While dreaming if your hands come into focus, tell yourself this is a dream.
- After waking up, write your dream down.
You can do this practice each night before you go to sleep. This can condition you in order to remember your dreams and to know that you have lucid dreaming.
Think About Your Dreaming Habits
There are ways that you can remember your dreams such as using the MILD technique. This means Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams and is a technique that can allow people to remember the dreams that they are having. Here is how MILD is used:
- Take time to remember your dream.
- Think of something that happened in the dream that didn’t make sense.
- Imagine that you are going back to your dream and going back to the thing that didn’t make sense. Take some kind of action.
- Think of yourself saying, “I want to remember and know that I am dreaming.”
- Say this each time before you go to sleep.
Be Patient
It is important to be patient and to not get overly worked up if you are having a lucid dream. If you get too excited, even in your dream, you will probably wake up.
Final Thoughts
Lucid dreaming can be exciting and fun. It does have some kind of risks, especially if you are someone that has some kind of mental disorder. Those that have different conditions might not have an easy time being in reality when they have lucid dreaming. This can cause them to not know when things are real or fake.
If you are someone that doesn’t have an easy time in your own reality, try to not lucid dream. Otherwise, people that don’t have mental disorders should safely be able to lucid dream. Make sure that you don’t get upset if you have a hard time waking up from your lucid dreaming because this happens sometimes.
Lucid dreaming happens when you are in a deep sleep and not when you are in your normal sleeping cycle. You need to wait until you feel peaceful in your waking self to try and do lucid dreaming.
Lucid dreaming is an experience that can take you to something you have never experienced before. Some people should avoid this kind of dreaming while others should set their intentions and see where they can go.
