| What are Lucid Dreams? | | | | to recall at least two dreams a night then you can |
| Lucid dreaming means dreaming while you know that | | | | start the steps to having a lucid dream. There are |
| you are dreaming, and when you know you are | | | | many ways to key yourself to the fact that you are |
| dreaming within a dream you can also alter the dream | | | | dreaming but I will discuss a couple of the easiest for |
| course, with practice you can also develop full control | | | | beginners. First there is Reality Testing (RT). How |
| over your dreams. You will be able to create anything | | | | reality testing is done, is you ask yourself "Am I |
| the mind can imagine, change the environment even | | | | dreaming?" Finding that out in a dream is not always |
| change your own appearance, have a chat with | | | | the easiest thing to do, but is usually quite obvious if |
| Abraham Lincoln or fly to the Grand Canyon. | | | | you are dreaming or not. If you find yourself in an |
| The earliest recorded lucid dreams date back to the | | | | unfamiliar place, or doing something or seeing |
| fifth century, the record came from a written letter by | | | | something that will not likely happen in reality, you will |
| St. Augustine in 415 A.D. Another well-known recorded | | | | know that you are dreaming. Now if you are in your |
| example of lucid dreaming came from eight century | | | | bed or in your own house, then you can try looking at |
| Tibetan Buddhists in the Tibetan Book of the Dead. | | | | something like a clock or reading a book or something, |
| The Buddhists wrote of a form of yoga designed to | | | | look away, then look back and see if the time is the |
| maintain full waking consciousness while in the dream | | | | same or the words you read are the same. Try |
| state. This ancient documentation of dreams is said to | | | | changing the color of something just by thinking about |
| be more advanced than the knowledge we posses | | | | it. Ask yourself this question "Am I dreaming?" several |
| today. | | | | times during the day, then you will be more apt to ask |
| People have been having lucid dreams for as long as | | | | yourself this in a dream. |
| the human mind has been dreaming. The first known | | | | The second way to realize that you are dreaming in a |
| use of the actual term "lucid dreaming" was by | | | | dream is to recognize a Dreamsign. When your |
| Frederik van Eeden in his work "A Study of Dreams" | | | | recognize this dreamsign you will realize that you are |
| which was published in the Proceedings of the Society | | | | dreaming. (ie. A pink elephant, meeting deceased |
| for Psychical Research in 1913. (Van Eeden also wrote | | | | people, or magically flying.) By keeping a dream journal |
| the novel The Bride of Dreams). Since then the term | | | | and going back and finding things that are common in |
| has become part of our mainstream. | | | | your dreams, you can choose a dreamsign that is |
| Steps to Lucid Dreaming | | | | unique to you. So when you see your dreamsign you |
| "I don't dream", have you ever heard someone say | | | | will realize your experience as a dream, and can then |
| this? Or have you even said this yourself? It is not a | | | | further the experiments or work you would like to do in |
| true statement, everybody dreams nightly, but some | | | | your dream. |
| people do not remember their dreams. The first step in | | | | Upon becoming Lucid |
| learning to have lucid dreams, like in my Intuition article, | | | | The biggest problem upon becoming lucid for newbies |
| is have the desire to want to remember your dreams. | | | | is that once they realize they are dreaming, they get |
| Now before going to bed, have a clear mind, tell | | | | so excited that it wakes them from their dream. |
| yourself that "I will remember my dream when I wake | | | | Actually experienced lucid dreamers can have this |
| up". This is a proven and effective way to help dream | | | | problem also. There are different ways to extend your |
| recall. Having a cluttered mind or worries can distract | | | | dreams, if your dream shows signs of ending some |
| you from remembering your dream in the morning. | | | | people have claimed success by spinning to help the |
| Have a regular sleep schedule, try and get a routine | | | | dream come back, in other words making their dream |
| going with a consistent bedtime and wake up time, this | | | | self start to spin like an ice skater, and remind yourself |
| will also aid you in your dream recollection. Avoid | | | | the next scene will be a dream, to ensure you are still |
| alcohol consumption or taking medication before going | | | | dreaming do a RT. Sometimes just running, or jumping |
| to bed. These things may hinder you from | | | | can prolong your dream. Once you become proficient |
| remembering your dreams. Diet also plays a big part in | | | | in achieving a Lucid Dream state, and are able to |
| dream recall, fatty foods or just eating right before you | | | | maintain this state to some degree, the next step will |
| go to bed will task your body with digesting food | | | | be controlling your dreams. |
| instead of getting the rest your body needs and will | | | | Controlling your Dream |
| divert your bodily resources from the brain. | | | | Now the fun part! Once you are lucid dreaming the |
| The most important step in recalling your dreams is to | | | | world is yours, anything you can imagine can happen in |
| keep a dream journal. Keep a pencil and a notebook | | | | your dream. Have you ever wanted to be a |
| or tape recorder next to your bed so that it will be | | | | superhero? Be able to turn invisible, to live as a |
| within reach as soon as you wake up. You want to | | | | millionaire, to sail around the world. The thing that I |
| make the task of recording your dreams as easy as | | | | personally have had experience with is flying in my |
| possible. Having a small lamp by your bed will help if | | | | dream, the first time you accomplish flight in your |
| you wake up from a dream in the middle of the night | | | | dream you will have the most amazing sense of |
| and need to record it. | | | | freedom that you have ever felt. Just think about it, if |
| Do not get out of bed immediately when you wake up, | | | | you could fly like a bird, the wind in your hair, the |
| lay there in your bed keeping your eyes closed and | | | | freedom to go anywhere, well you get the picture. |
| move as little as possible. Wake up slowly and stay | | | | People have used the experiences in their lucid |
| relaxed, hold on to your feelings you have and let your | | | | dreams to improve their waking lives also, for instance, |
| mind wander to the images of what you have just | | | | playing the piano better, improving at ice skating, or |
| dreamed, write down as many details as possible | | | | business success, some people even claim to have |
| about your dream, do not judge the content, just | | | | religious experiences. |
| record it, so later you can go back and evaluate it | | | | Science has only just begun to examine the process |
| when you are more aware. Talking to people about | | | | of lucid dreaming. Some researchers view it as an |
| your dreams to friends or participating in some on-line | | | | evolutionary development of mankind and our |
| forums will also help dream recall. | | | | consciousness expanding. Whether we are evolving or |
| How to Have a Lucid Dream | | | | have always had this ability, we certainly are not taking |
| Once you get your dream journal going and are able | | | | advantage of all it has to offer. |