What Is Lucid Dreaming? And how to do it

[detportal 0]

For about a year, I kept having lucid dreams once a week. But I think I had some before that. The first dream I remember was simply being in my dining room, during the day, with my parents talking. But somehow I knew I was dreaming and tried to "walk away from the dream", as I called it then. In the dream, I felt myself move, but I had this really weird sensation from my legs, probably caused by sleep paralysis.

Then I woke up.

Another time, I was under the water befriending some of the sea creatures (weird, i know). Then some really dangerous, uh, monster came and I remember ordering some of those underwater animals to defend us (can't remember the whole thing, been almost 10 years). Then I remember just giving up for some reason, then, remembering I was in a dream, I blinked really hard to wake myself up.

I also remember defending my bedroom against some really weird man-eater after fooling it a few times. But then, at the last part of the dream, I realised it was a dream, and woke myself up.

I also remember dreaming that I was sleepwalking, consciously. Well, sleeprunning, more like. This happened after I read an article about sleepwalking whilst having nightmares. So while that dream was happening, I thought I was having a nightmare that triggered the sleepwalking.

 

 

A while after that, I began unvoluntarily used the WBTB (Wake Back to Bed) in combination with the WILD (Wake-Initiation of Lucid Dreams) technique to get Lucid Dreams. The wikibook didn't say anything about combining THOSE two, only about combining WBTB and MILD. I would wake up for no apparent reason, then go back to sleep, but it wasn't easy freeing every thought from my mind, so I ended up falling sleep without losing consciousness. It's a weird feeling: you feel a huge amount of energy and thought suddenly drain out of you. But you're still conscious. Then you feel yourself inflating with a strong tingling/numbing sensation on your limbs. (The wikibook didn't mention that inflating sensation, maybe I should add it). The first dream I remember having was a false-awakening, where I knew I was dreaming. My parents were there and I remember packing a suitcase for something. I didn't like it. I tried to wake myself up using the method I had used to stop other lucid dreams, but for some reason, it didn't work. At that point I realised it was no ordinary dream.

 

I used to hate lucid dreams, they didn't last much longer than a few minutes, after which I'd get a completely different normal dream, without knowing I was dreaming. On one ocassion, in my lucid dream, I asked one of the characters if they could stop me having these dreams, although when I woke up, I found that was quite pointless. I guess you DO still lose some of your right mind when you're in a lucid dream, compared to when you're in reality. But for some reason, I DID stop having lucid dreams after that.

 

Having hated these dreams for so long, I'm not sure whether I want to try them again, this time in a new light. I guess they could have many benefits: most of my dreams carry some sort of message regarding what will happen in the future, essentially dreaming of events before they happen. Now I'm thinking, if I can control my dreams, is it possible I could control the future?

Edited January 22, 2007 by detportal (see edit history)

[pokethamage 0]

I wish I could lucid-dream...I daydream that I'm a cool magical being all the time...

[Warrockers_Of_America 0]

Lucid dreaming is the conscious perception of one's state while dreaming, resulting in a much clearer (lucid from Latin, lux "light") experience and sometimes enabling direct control over the content of the dream, a realistic world that is completely in the control of the dreamer.[1] The complete experience from start to finish is called a lucid dream. Stephen LaBerge, a popular author and experimenter on the subject, has defined it as "dreaming while knowing that you are dreaming."[2]LaBerge and his associates have called people who purposely explore the possibilities of lucid dreaming oneironauts (literally from the Greek ονειροναύτες, meaning "dream sailors"). The topic attracts the attention of a diverse and eclectic group: psychologists, self-help authors, New Age groups, mystics, occultists, ufologists and artists. This list is by no means exhaustive nor does interest in lucid dreaming apply necessarily to each group.The validity of lucid dreaming as a scientifically verified phenomenon is well-established [3]. Researchers such as Allan Hobson with his neurophysiological approach to dreaming have helped to push the understanding of lucid dreaming into a less speculative realm.[edit] Scientific researchA number of universities conduct continued research into the techniques and effects of lucid dreaming, as do some independent agencies such as LaBerge's The Lucidity Institute. Jungian psychology, for example, seems to indicate that non-lucid (or partly lucid) dreaming is a way to achieve self-understanding. At present, there are no known cases where lucid dreaming has caused damage on either a psychological or physiological level. However, it would be very difficult to determine whether some form of lucid dreaming might prevent one from receiving a benefit from normal dreaming.The first book on lucid dreams to recognize their uniqueness and scientific potential was Celia Green's 1968 study Lucid Dreams. Reviewing the past literature, as well as new data from subjects of her own, Green analysed the main characteristics of such dreams, and concluded that they were a category of experience quite distinct from ordinary dreams. She predicted that they would turn out to be associated with REM sleep. Green was also the first to link lucid dreams to the phenomenon of false awakenings.The first scientific support for lucid dreaming came in the late 1970s from the efforts of a British parapsychologist Keith Hearne, and a volunteer named Alan Worsley, who used eye movement signals on a polysomnograph machine to signal the onset of lucidity. Philosopher Norman Malcolm's 1959 text Dreaming argued against the possibility of checking the accuracy of dream reports in this way, but this experiment proved that actions agreed upon during waking life could be recalled and performed once lucid in a dream. Similar experiments were duplicated by Stephen LaBerge at Stanford University for his doctoral dissertation some years later. Interestingly, LaBerge had no knowledge of Hearne and Worsley's previous experiments at that time, probably due to the lack of publication of Hearne's work.During the 1980s, further scientific evidence to confirm the existence of lucid dreaming was produced as lucid dreamers were able to demonstrate to researchers that they were consciously aware of being in a dream state (usually again by using eye movement signals).[4] Additionally, techniques were developed which have been experimentally proven to enhance the likelihood of achieving this state.[5]One unresolved question on the neurophysiological nature of lucid dreaming concerns the electrical activity in the frontal cortex, which is generally reduced during normal sleep.[6] The behavior of the frontal cortex has not at present been crucially analyzed with respect to lucid dreaming.[edit] HistoryEven though it has only come to the attention of the general public in the last few decades, lucid dreaming is not a modern discovery.In the Old Testament in the Song of Solomon 5:2, there is some debate as to whether lucid dreaming is mentioned. The New Living Translation of this verse reads as follows: "One night as I was sleeping, my heart awakened in a dream. I heard the voice of my lover. He was knocking at my bedroom door...". Other translations are more literal. The Revised Standard Version of the same passage states only that "I slept, but my heart was awake ...". Even this is a matter of interpretation; the original Hebrew reads "אני ישנה ולבי ער קול דודי דופק" and a very literal translation would be "I [am] asleep and my heart [is] awake; the voice of my beloved [is] knocking". Whilst the RSV's interpretation of "and" as "but" is entirely reasonable, it remains an interpretation only. From this it is not at all clear whether the narrating woman is relating a dreamstate. Of course this is no proof that the text in the Old Testament was relating to lucidity, but there is a chance that it was. It is in the fifth century that we have one of the earliest written examples of a lucid dream, in a letter written by St. Augustine of Hippo in 415.[7] As early as the eighth century, Tibetan Buddhists were practising a form of yoga supposed to maintain full waking consciousness while in the dream state.[8] An early recorded lucid dreamer was the philosopher and physician Sir Thomas Browne (1605?1682). Browne was fascinated by the world of dreams and stated of his own ability to lucid dream in his Religio Medici: "... yet in one dream I can compose a whole Comedy, behold the action, apprehend the jests and laugh my self awake at the conceits thereof;"[9] Marquis d'Hervey de Saint-Denys was probably the first person to argue that it is possible for anyone to learn to dream consciously. In 1867, he published his book Dreams and how to Guide Them, in which he documented more than twenty years of his own research into dreams. The term "lucid dreaming" was coined by Dutch author and psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden in his 1913 book A Study of Dreams.[10] This book was highly anecdotal and not embraced by the scientific community. The term itself is considered by some to be a misnomer because it means much more than just "clear or vivid" dreaming.[11] A better term might have been "conscious dreaming". On the other hand, the term ?lucid? was used by van Eeden in its sense of ?having insight?, as in the phrase ?a lucid interval? applied to someone in temporary remission from a psychosis, rather than as referring to the perceptual quality of the experience, which may or may not be clear and vivid. To that extent van Eeden?s phrase may still be considered appropriate. In the 1950s the Senoi hunter-gatherers of Malaysia were reported to make extensive use of lucid dreaming to ensure mental health, although later studies refuted these claims.[12] [edit] Achieving and recognisingMany people report having experienced a lucid dream during their lives, often in childhood. Although lucid dreaming is a conditioned skill[13], achieving lucid dreams on a regular basis can be difficult and is uncommon, even with training. Despite this difficulty, techniques have been developed to achieve a lucid dreaming state intentionally.There are some factors which can affect the ability to experience lucid dreams:Meditation, and involvement in consciousness focusing activities can strengthen the ability to experience lucid dreams.[14] Children seem to have lucid dreams more easily than adults do. The ability to sleep appears to decrease when people get older.[15] Hypnotism may help induce lucidity [16] Induction techniques can help much in becoming lucid. Dream recall, the ability to remember one's dreams, is often practiced in conjunction with learning to lucid dream. A better dream recall ability makes one more aware of their dreams in general as well as allowing one to remember if they did have a lucid dream. [17][edit] Common induction techniques[edit] Reality testingReality testing is a common method that people use to determine whether or not they are dreaming. It involves performing an action with results that are difficult to re-create in a dream. By practicing these techniques during waking life, one may eventually dream of performing a reality check?which will usually fail?helping the dreamer realize that they are dreaming. Common reality tests include:Holding one's nose, then breathing through it. Dreamers will be able to breath through your nose, even though it is pinched shut. [citation needed] Read some text, look away, and read it again, or to look at your watch and remember the time, then look away and look back. Observers have found that, in a dream, the text or time will often have changed.[18] Flipping a light switch or looking into a mirror. Light switches rarely work properly in dreams, and reflections from a mirror often appear to be blurred, distorted or incorrect.[19] Pinching oneself or hitting an object hard. The acute pain usually cannot be felt in dreams. Another form of reality testing involves identifying one's dream signs, clues that one is dreaming. Dream signs are often categorized as follows:Action ? The dreamer, another dream character, or a thing does something unusual or impossible in waking life, such as photos in a magazine or newspaper becoming 3-dimensional with full movement. Context ? The place or situation in the dream is strange. Form ? The dreamer, another character, or a thing changes shape, or is oddly formed or transforms; this may include the presence of unusual clothing or hair, or a third person view of the dreamer. Awareness ? A peculiar thought, a strong emotion, an unusual sensation, or altered perceptions. In some cases when moving one's head from side to side, one may notice a strange stuttering or 'strobing' of the image. Cohesion ? Sometimes the dreamer may seem to "teleport" to a completely different location in a dream, with no transition whatsoever. Though occurrences like these may seem out of place in waking life, they may seem perfectly normal to a dreaming mind and learning to pick up on these dream signs will help in recognizing that one is dreaming.[edit] Mnemonic induction of lucid dreams (MILD)The mnemonic induction of lucid dreams is a common technique used to induce a lucid dream at will by setting an intention, while falling asleep, to remember to recognize that one is dreaming, or to remember to look for dream signs. Because it is easy to master (almost everyone sets intentions frequently), it is ideal for those who have never practiced lucid dreaming induction techniques before.[edit] Wake-back-to-bed (WBTB)The wake-back-to-bed technique is often the easiest way to induce a lucid dream. The method involves going to sleep tired and waking up five hours later. Then, focusing all thoughts on lucid dreaming, staying awake for an hour and going back to sleep while practicing the MILD method. A 60% success rate has been shown in research using this technique.[20] This is because the REM cycles get longer as the night goes on, and this technique takes advantage of the best REM cycle of the night. Because this REM cycle is longer and deeper, gaining lucidity during this time may result in a more lengthy lucid dream.[20][edit] Wake-initiated lucid dream (WILD)The wake-initiated lucid dream "occurs when the sleeper enters REM sleep with unbroken self-awareness directly from the waking state".[21] The key to this technique is recognising the hypnagogic stage, which is within the border of being awake and being asleep. If a person is successful in staying aware while this stage occurs, they will eventually enter the dream state while being fully aware that it is a dream. Because one does not have to recognise a cue in order to induce a lucid dream using this technique, it tends to be more reliable than other techniques. There are key times at which this technique is best used; while success at night after being awake for a long time is very difficult, it is relatively easy after being awake for 15 or so minutes and in the afternoon during a nap. Users of this technique often count, envision themselves climbing or descending stairs, chanting to themselves, exploring elaborate, passive sexual fantasies, controlling their breathing, concentrating on relaxing their body from their toes to their head, allowing images to flow through their "mind's eye" and envisioning themselves jumping into the image, or any various form of concentration to keep their mind awake, while still being calm enough to let their body sleep. During the actual transition into the dreamstate, one is likely to experience sleep paralysis, including rapid vibrations[22], a sequence of very loud sounds and a feeling of twirling into another state of body awareness, "to drift off into another dimension". Also there is frequently a sensation of falling rapidly or dropping through the bed as one enters the dreamstate or the sensation of entering a dark black room from which one can induce any dream scenario of one's choosing, simply by concentrating on it. The key to being successful is to not panic, especially during the transition which can be quite sudden.[edit] Cycle adjustment technique (CAT)The cycle adjustment technique, developed by Daniel Love[23], is an effective way to induce lucid dreaming. It involves adjusting one's sleep cycle to encourage awareness during the later part of the sleep. First, the person wakes up 90 minutes before normal wake time until their sleep cycle begins to adjust (Love suggests at least a week for this stage). During this 90 minute period regular reality tests are performed. After this initial period is complete, the normal wake times and early wake times alternate daily. On the days with the normal wake times, the body is ready to wake up and perform reality tests yet remains asleep and dreaming. These sleep cycle adjustments should create favourable psychological and biological conditions for lucidity.[edit] Don Juan's techniqueThis technique is the one endorsed by Carlos Castaneda's fictional guide, Don Juan, in the book Journey to Ixtlan. Before going to sleep one must look at one's hands and say to oneself: "Later, when I am dreaming, I will look at my hands and realize that I am dreaming." While dreaming, one must look at one's hands, then look around and repeat the procedure throughout the dream.[24][25]See also: The Art of Dreaming (a book by Castaneda) [edit] Induction devicesLucid dream induction is possible by the use of a physical device. The general principle works by taking advantage of the natural phenomenon of incorporating external stimuli into one's dreams. Usually a device is worn while sleeping that can detect when the sleeper enters a REM phase and triggers a noise and/or flashing lights with the goal of these stimuli being incorporated into the dreamer's dream. For example flashing lights might be translated to a car's headlights in a dream. A well known dream induction device is the Nova Dreamer [26]; however, as of 2006, the device is no longer manufactured.A different method of inducing with electronic aids is using software to remind one to do reality checks, such as Lucille made by Harry Bosma.[27] Electronic devices are not the only tools for lucidity. It is very common to listen to various sound files at night just before falling asleep.Other associated phenomena Rapid eye movement (REM) and communication during sleep: during dreaming sleep the eyes move rapidly. Scientific research has found that these eye movements correspond to the direction in which the dreamer is "looking" in his/her dreamscape; this apparently enabled trained lucid dreamers to communicate the content of their dreams as they were happening to researchers by using eye movement signals.[28]. This research produced various results, such as that events in dreams take place in real time rather than going by in a flash. False awakenings: In a false awakening, one suddenly dreams of having been awakened. Commonly in a false awakening the room is identical to the room that the person fell asleep in, with several small subtle differences. If the person was lucid, he/she often believes that he/she is no longer dreaming, and may start exiting their room etc. Since the person is actually still dreaming, this is called a "false awakening". This is often a nemesis in the art of lucid dreaming because it usually causes people to give up their awareness of being in a dream, but it can also cause someone to become lucid if the person does a reality check whenever he/she awakens. People who keep a dream journal and write down their dreams upon awakening sometimes report having to write down the same dream multiple times because of this phenomenon. Sleep paralysis: During REM sleep the body is paralyzed by a mechanism in the brain, because otherwise the movements which occur in the dream would actually cause the body to move. However, it is possible for this mechanism to be triggered before, during, or after normal sleep while the brain awakens. This can lead to a state where a person is lying in his or her bed and he or she feels frozen. Hypnagogic hallucinations may occur in this state, especially auditory ones.

[Thorned Rose 0]

Warrockers, that's thread number two that I have found you copy/pasting stuff. If you do it, please credit it with the author or website and also if you keep doing this, you are going to get in trouble - forums are about ideas, thoughts, opinions etc. It's not a place to go pasting information from other websites.

[rval 0]

Lucid dreaming is the conscious perception of one's state while dreaming, resulting in a much clearer (lucid from Latin, lux "light") experience and sometimes enabling direct control over the content of the dream, a realistic world that is completely in the control of the dreamer.The complete experience from start to finish is called a lucid dream. Stephen LaBerge, a popular author and experimenter on the subject, has defined it as "dreaming while knowing that you are dreaming."LaBerge and his associates have called people who purposely explore the possibilities of lucid dreaming oneironauts (literally from the Greek ονειροναύτες, meaning "dream sailors"). The topic attracts the attention of a diverse and eclectic group: psychologists, self-help authors, New Age groups, mystics, occultists, ufologists and artists. This list is by no means exhaustive nor does interest in lucid dreaming apply necessarily to each group.The validity of lucid dreaming as a scientifically verified phenomenon is well-established.Researchers such as Allan Hobson with his neurophysiological approach to dreaming have helped to push the understanding of lucid dreaming into a less speculative realm.

[everflame 0]

Until recently I had these dreams of time distorsion....some of my days turned out to be more than 40 hours long. The thing is I dream I overslept...like waking up in the middle afternoon, and then do something and suddenly I awake in 10 in the morning....I live my day and suddenly when I open my eyes it turns out to be 7AM the same day and my phone is going to ring in 15 mins, calling me to wake up. Lord I miss those, hope they'll return to me someday. Maybe I'll find a way to do even cooler stuff with my mind while sleeping.

Edited February 24, 2007 by everflame (see edit history)

[techclave 0]

WOW WOW WOW !!!!That was my first reaction when i saw this thread .. I saw the movie Vanilla Sky casting Tom Cruise .. In the movie too, the events and the story are based upon Lucid Dreaming. He opts for a Lucid Dream programm from an organization called Life Extension in the movie. I do not know what Lucid dreaming really is.. But according to the movie, one can go back to a particular part of life in their memory, and resume living the rest of their life from that point in their dreams.. This dream is monitored by the "life Extension" staff. The person's sub concious mind has a lot do do with how his "Lucid Dream Life" proceeds. Since all the characters in the new dream world are created for the person entering into Lucid dream, they can be influenced by what the Lucid Dreamer thinks. I saw this movie and was wondering how good it would be if we really do have a technique like this. This thread seems to be something amazing in that regard. Anways, i have to check out what it is really all about.

[serverph 0]

i happen to have the brainwave generator which has also been documented in the wiki link in the first post. and one of several presets available is that for lucid dreaming. by playing binaural beats into your ears, and changing your brainstate to create a suitable mode for lucid dreaming, it is fairly easy to induce lucid dreaming.

 

i can generate a 30-min audio file which anybody can use to help in your quest for lucid dreaming. but more easily, you can simply download the brainwave generator software here, and download the lucid dreaming preset here. it's the one i use for lucid dreaming (among other things which the brainwave generator is used for).

 

to add more info on the different issues which cropped up after the initial post, and to give a more concise and brief account on the topic: http://www.lucidity.com/LucidDreamingFAQ2.html

[jtmcpherson 0]

that is a rather cool post i thought it was like dreaming while on some kind of drug. meh shows how much i know.

[midnightvamp 1]

There's been a couple times where I've realized that I've been dreaming, but once I do, it doesn't seem to last all that long before I wake up. Mind you, that's probably because I'm half-awake which is why I'm realizing that I'm still dreaming anyway.But I was able to have some fun... mind you, I don't think that even in a dream I could make myself walk though a wall, but then again, you never know because I was flying in some of my dreams lol...I don't think that I'd want to try and kill myself. Because like some people have mentioned, then what if I'm confusing the real world with the dream, and really do kill myself? It doesn't seem worth it enough to me and I really don't have the desire, fake or other wise, to die.There was this one time though while I was dreaming that I thought I really was dying (and I didn't know that I was just dreaming). But in the dream, I couldn't breathe, my head felt like it was in a vice and my eyes were bleeding and stuff. It was creepy, and scarey and very painful.When I did wake up, I found out I was buried under a ton of blankets and comforters and I guess I ran out of air. My bad head ache was still there for a long time afterwards, and I had to go and check to make sure that I hadn't popped all the blood vessels in my eyes, cause I was sure I must have since it felt so real.It was terrifying, and I really don't want to feel that again. No more sleeping with my head under all the blankets, no matter how cold it gets.Anyway, I think I'll go and check out those links, cause you've all got me interested in trying this lucid dreaming thing again. I almost can't wait to go to sleep now, but I should get that reading in first, so I know what to do lol

[prasanna 0]

i didn't know this..untill i read this, but i m amused how it works..can anyone explain,i feel it is more like the concept of affirmation.so, is there anyone practising this seriously ?how do we go about this..any personal experiences to share..hope to read more

Edited March 5, 2007 by prasanna (see edit history)

[Jayke 0]

To be able to control your dreams, I think that is an amazing ability. I happen to be able to remember my dreams easily and in detail, they spark up wonderful ideas when the subconcious of your mind clashes togethor. But Lucid Dreaming? Amazing, if the skill is even possible to master, I would be more than happy to give it a shot.

[adriantc 0]

That is very interesting... I will look into it!When I was young (not that I'm very old now... barely 19 years old ) I was able to control my dreams. I used to dream I could teleport somehow and I could control wherever I wanted to go.Beside that I was able to realise that it was only a dream. That doesn't happen anymore. Guess we loose that ability with time.I think it is better that way since during the night the brain should rest and not stay awake...

Edited March 5, 2007 by adriantc (see edit history)

[jamers 0]

Oh wow, I've had dreams like that before, I LOVE them, it's so amazing, I always get really mad when I eventually wake up :DArticle mentioned sleep paralysis, I had that happen to me... Now that is not fun, it was really one of the worst experiences I've had though, much different...

Very true about the paralysis. This happened to me once while in a lucid dream and I could not wake up and started to panic. I was so freaked out that when I woke up my pillow was soaking wet with sweat and I was still not sure if I was awake and so I had to wake up my room mate to make sure I was awake. This is the only time I ever had what I consider to be a nightmare. So, if you plan to practice lucid dreaming be warned about not being able to wake yourself. Just let your dream play out I guess.

I recall trying to call out and not hearing anything, but sensing that maybe I was moaning loudly in my sleep.
Man that was really scary.

[Zee iShow 0]

Alot of people are very angry because of certain dreams they may have that keep them awake. You should try turning off electronic items, as they will not make anything any better. When you sleep, you are in a state of mind that is being controlled by you. It takes calmness, and you have to try to sleep. Once you fall asleep and you are in a dream that YOU want to control, try changing your thoughts and changing the scene of the dream. You have to believe it is possible or else you'll be just struggling. You have to convince yourself it is possible.If you become able to do this, good for you. If you keep doing this each dream you have...you may become in full control.

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