| In addition to lucid dreams, there are five main types of | | | | mirror. Alternatively, maybe you realize there are no |
| dreams - normal dreams, daydreams, false | | | | other cars on the road with you. Sometimes even |
| awakenings, nightmares and psychic dreams. Consider | | | | when you do a reality check it won't be enough to |
| the features of each of these hypnotic states and | | | | bring you out of your false awakening. It can take a lot |
| how each can take you into the phenomenal world | | | | to get your conscious brain to wake up. Sometimes |
| that is lucid dreaming. | | | | you need to have a specific event happen in order to |
| 1. Normal Dreams | | | | trigger your conscious brain and to come out of a |
| While the term "normal dreams" may seem like a | | | | false awakening. |
| contradiction, it simply refers to your usual types of | | | | Multiple False Awakenings |
| dreams when you don't know that you are dreaming. | | | | Some individuals report several false awakenings in |
| A typical dream is when you could be having coffee | | | | quick succession. These individuals are stuck in what |
| with the President and not think anything is out of | | | | seems like a never-ending cycle and are tired of |
| place; you accept your dream as reality. | | | | getting ready for work several times in a day. If you |
| Every single night individuals have a normal dream. | | | | have this happen to you often, it is a good idea to start |
| These dreams come from your REM sleep and are | | | | the habit of doing reality checks when you wake up |
| necessary to your survival. Without these dreams you | | | | and give yourself a chance. After recognizing a false |
| could die. When you get the eight-hour standard of | | | | awakening two things can happen: you can get |
| sleep you will dream for about 100 minutes, with longer | | | | shocked into waking up or you can have a lucid |
| and more vivid dreams happening just a few minutes | | | | dream. |
| before you wake up. | | | | The most important thing to remember is that false |
| Interpreting Dreams | | | | awakenings aren't harmful even though they may be |
| The subconscious mind sends up important messages | | | | frustrating. They can be very vivid, but they are often |
| through our normal jeans. These dreams come from | | | | not nightmarish in content. At most, false awakenings |
| your thoughts and experiences during the day and | | | | provide you with a fascinating subject to talk about the |
| occasionally memories from a long time ago. During | | | | next day. |
| these dreams, you mind can release repressed fears, | | | | 4. Nightmares |
| anxieties and desires through a coded language | | | | Within the western world and culture, nightmares are |
| known as conceptual imagery that comes from the | | | | considered normal dreams that have a scary twist. |
| subconscious brain. | | | | Often you don't know you are dreaming during a |
| Spontaneous Lucidity | | | | nightmare so the subconscious takes everything as if it |
| These normal dreams are also the main gateway to | | | | is really happening. Sometimes nightmares can be vivid |
| lucid dreams. When you have a normal dream, it is | | | | enough that the sensory system becomes triggered |
| easy to become spontaneously lucid. All you need is | | | | and you can actually feel pain. This can be a very |
| for you to consciously realize that you are dreaming. | | | | unnerving experience. |
| This turns on your conscious brain and the sensory | | | | A dream analysis suggests that when you are chased |
| system so that your dream looks, feels, sounds, smells | | | | by a monster or other dark character in a nightmare |
| and even tastes like it's happening in reality. | | | | this is a representation of your evolutionary fear of |
| Even the most bizarre experiences can feel very real, | | | | being hunted. Children are much more vulnerable to |
| such as shape shifting or at least to the point of what | | | | nightmares than adults are and therefore report this |
| your body expects the sensation to feel like. When | | | | type of dream most often. Studies have proven that |
| you forget that you are dreaming your lucid dream will | | | | most nightmares are the result of sickness, stress, |
| return to a normal dream and you will lose all | | | | trauma and drugs or alcohol. |
| conscious control and awareness of the dream again. | | | | How to Stop Nightmares |
| 2. Daydreams | | | | The best way to deal with nightmares and these |
| Scientific studies have found that for an amazing | | | | recurring types of dreams is with lucidity. Question your |
| 70-120 minutes per day people will daydream. At this | | | | reality and you will be better able to recognize a |
| time, you are semi-awake, but not asleep. However, | | | | nightmare when it happens, especially if you plant a |
| you also aren't completely in tune with reality at this | | | | monster as your dream symbol. When you think of this |
| time either. Often this form of lucidity starts with a | | | | symbol during your waking life then do a quick reality |
| compelling thought, memory or fantasy regarding the | | | | check. Then when the same symbol appears in your |
| future and your imagination soon gets away from you. | | | | dream, your reality test will change to lucidity. Then you |
| As the daydream continues, you become more | | | | simply need to find the courage to confront the |
| immersed in your private fantasyland. | | | | monster in your lucid dream state and take care of it |
| Daydreaming is actually an important part of dream | | | | once and for all. |
| research. As with other forms of dreams, you enter a | | | | 5. Psychic Dreams |
| hypnotic trance and your subconscious thoughts are | | | | Psychic dreams can come in the form of daydreams, |
| allowed to rise to the surface. During daydreams, the | | | | normal dreams, lucid dreams and even nightmares if |
| right or creative side of your brain become dominant | | | | they are something that is predicting a disaster. Many |
| and you lose your awareness of reality. Often your | | | | dreams foretell the future in some way. Often the |
| deeper worries or concerns will come to the surface | | | | rational exception is that our subconscious mind is |
| at this time, usually by acting themselves out through | | | | bringing together small pieces of information and |
| the daydream. This can increase your negativity, so | | | | making an intuitive decision regarding the future. |
| when you start fantasizing about bad situation you | | | | However, we could also be tuning into a receptive |
| should try to change it into a positive outcome. | | | | state and receive message coming from somewhere |
| Rehearsing the Future | | | | else. |
| A lot successful people will use their daydreams as a | | | | Some individuals believe that psychic dreams or any |
| way to visualize their success in the future. For | | | | form of dream requires our spirit to leave our body |
| athletes they will often imagine winning their next big | | | | and we go on to explore alternate versions of reality. |
| game. Business leaders use daydreams to mentally | | | | These individuals believe your psychic dreams are a |
| rehearse for an important speech. These individuals | | | | result of viewing the future in one of these different |
| see a positive outcome and can help make their | | | | realities. |
| daydream a reality. You can even consider an event in | | | | Finding Experiential Evidence |
| the past and reenact it to provide a different outcome. | | | | While a lot of people report having psychic dreams, it |
| This kind of daydreaming is very healthy for individuals | | | | is difficult to define the difference between coincidental |
| since you are temporarily able to get away from the | | | | events and genuine prophetic dreams. Since psychic |
| difficulties of reality and release your frustrations | | | | dreams are very random in nature, it is difficult to gain |
| without having to do anything physical. | | | | clear results in a laboratory experiment. However, you |
| Setting a Lucid Dream Intention | | | | can still gather your own experiential evidence. Next |
| You can also use daydreams in order to start your | | | | time you are in a lucid state, ask your dream to show |
| next lucid dream. To do this make a mental list of | | | | the future. If nothing, happen then try again. You may |
| three things that you want to accomplish in your | | | | be surprised by what happens. When you wake up be |
| conscious dream and visualize how to get there. Say | | | | sure to record the details and see if your lucid dream |
| you want to learn the piano, fly to the moon and meet | | | | comes true. |
| aliens. First, picture the concert hall (where you are | | | | Lucid Dreams |
| most likely to find a piano), then imagine what it is like | | | | Lucid dreams are the best type and are likely the |
| to fly up and go through the roof into the night sky. | | | | reason you are reading this article. Many lucid dreams |
| Picture yourself landing on the moon and finding a | | | | spontaneously take shape from normal dreams. All |
| group of aliens that are super-intelligent and sitting in a | | | | you need to do is teach yourself to question the reality |
| crater. You will have an interesting conversation with | | | | around you and you will experience lucid dreams more |
| the aliens, gaining a lot of insights that come directly | | | | often. |
| from your unconscious mind. | | | | You can also enter a lucid dream state by walking |
| When you become lucid next time, you will instinctively | | | | your brain from a conscious state directly into a dream |
| remember your daydream and start to perform it in | | | | state. Tibetan Buddhists have used this technique for |
| the vivid detail of the reality of a lucid dream. When | | | | nearly 1,000 years and is now known as Wake |
| you don't do this preparation, you are likely to just | | | | Induced Lucid Dreams. This technique requires a |
| move around and examine the dreamscape. While this | | | | two-step process of meditation and inducing sleep |
| is fun, it is better to have some goals in mind to get the | | | | paralysis. Soon you can enter your own lucid dream |
| most out of your lucid dreams. | | | | world. |
| 3. False Awakenings | | | | What Defines a Lucid Dream? |
| Have you even seen the movie Groundhog Day? This | | | | A lucid dream is essentially any dream in which you |
| is a bit like a false awakening. You wake up normally | | | | know that you are dreaming and/or can control and |
| and go about your daily routine and get half way to | | | | direct your awareness. This is the simply definition and |
| work before you realize that you are still dreaming. | | | | the complete truth. You don't need to have 100% |
| This is a very weird place to be. False awakenings are | | | | control with lucid dreams. Often times you can only |
| a vivid form of dreams. They often start in your | | | | control your movements or simply follow the action |
| bedroom with you waking up and somehow your brain | | | | that is taking place around you. You can also be in a |
| follows every detail of the room as it should be in | | | | lucid state and completely aware of your dream, but |
| reality. Unless you are like a lucid dreamer and question | | | | unable to take any control; just a silent observer in the |
| your reality upon waking, you often won't realize the | | | | beautiful dream world. It is easy to see why many |
| difference. | | | | individuals use lucid dreams as a way to fulfill desires |
| How to Shake a False Awakening | | | | that they can't achieve in reality. However, once you |
| In order to come out of a false awakening you | | | | look past this novelty feature you will see that lucid |
| typically need something obvious and shocking. Maybe | | | | dreams provide you with a brilliant insight into the |
| you see yourself 20 years older in the bathroom | | | | subconscious mind. |