| Lucid dreaming means dreaming while you know that | | | | that you have about dreams. Read the list often and |
| you are dreaming. The term was coined by Frederik | | | | look over it several times and concentrate on it |
| van Eeden who used the word "lucid" in the sense of | | | | before you go to bed.Can you read text in a dream? |
| mental clarity. With practice nearly anyone can | | | | Can you add numbers in a dream? These were some |
| experience lucid dreams.Lucidity is not the same as | | | | questions I had on my list at one time. I had read in a |
| dream control. It is possible to be lucid and have little | | | | dream book that it was not possible to read text or |
| control over the dream. However, becoming lucid in a | | | | to calculate numbers in a dream, but I didn't believe it. |
| dream is likely to increase your ability to deliberately | | | | I eventually found myself lucid in an office. I walked |
| influence the events within the dream. With practice | | | | over to a calendar on the wall and I read the text |
| you may extend the amount of control that you | | | | describing a New England farm house. I turned to |
| have over dream events. Many lucid dreamers | | | | another man there and said, "You see? You can read |
| choose to do something permitted only by the | | | | text in a dream!" I turned back to the calendar to |
| extraordinary freedom of the dream state, such as | | | | read again and found that the words had completely |
| flying.Some people have objections to lucid dreams. | | | | changed. That amazed me and I commented to the |
| They say that it is un-natural and could be harmful to | | | | other man about it. Next I walked over to a desk |
| the psyche. In my opinion this is not true at all. | | | | and found a calculator. I added and subtracted |
| Perhaps if all of our dreams were lucid and controlled | | | | numbers and came up with correct answers. Yes, |
| there may be some harm, but with our lucid dreams | | | | you can read text and perform mathematics in a |
| spread out among many "normal" dreams we have | | | | dream. I proved it to myself beyond any doubt and |
| plenty of time for non-lucid dreaming.While we are in | | | | with more confidence than I ever could have by |
| a dream our mind accepts what we see and feel as | | | | reading anything about dreams.Keep a Dream |
| reality. We often find ourselves in very unusual | | | | JournalKeeping a dream journal is one of the most |
| circumstances when compared to our waking life. | | | | effective tools to achieving lucid dreams. Try to write |
| You could be living in a different house or driving a | | | | down your dreams as soon after you wake up as |
| different car. The sky could be green and the river | | | | you can. Don't just write a narrative of what took |
| yellow. In most cases we accept these things as | | | | place in the dream. Record your thoughts and |
| being true. Why doesn't the mind "think" 'Hey! I don't | | | | emotions felt. This will help you later on as you |
| have this vehicle' or 'This isn't where I live!' or even | | | | develop your dreaming research. Be sure to note all |
| 'Hey! I know the sky isn't supposed to be that | | | | major elements, such as people, places, animals, |
| color!'This is what I call incongruities. Things in our | | | | etc.Keeping a dream journal will also help you a great |
| dreams that are not "normal". We must wonder, and | | | | deal in understanding your non-lucid dreams. As you |
| many have, why our mind so readily accepts | | | | continue to write in your journal and re-read your |
| anything we experience within our dreams as being | | | | previous entries you will begin to see parallels with |
| real. We know there are no monsters. We know the | | | | your dreams and your life. Gradually you will be able |
| proper colors for things. We know our home and our | | | | to recognize what the symbols in your dreams are |
| daily life. While we are dreaming we often forget | | | | really saying to you.Once lucid in a dream, people can |
| these things and we believe what we see in the | | | | often choose their actions and exert some deliberate |
| dream.Just knowing this and thinking about it can | | | | control over the dream content. This ability has been |
| actually help you on your way to a lucid dream | | | | utilized in the laboratory to study lucid dreaming and |
| experience. An incongruity is one of the triggers to | | | | dream psychophysiology. For example, proof that |
| lucid dreaming. A trigger is that which inspires or | | | | lucid dreams occur in REM sleep was achieved by |
| begins lucidity.Here is an example of this from one of | | | | having subjects give a prearranged distinct signal with |
| my own lucid dreams:I was driving a blue Ford Bronco | | | | deliberate eye movements to mark the points in time |
| down a dirt road. I think it was a late 70's model. | | | | when they realized they were dreaming. The |
| There was a young boy in the passenger seat. I was | | | | dreamers' reports of the eye movements they had |
| giving him a ride because his motorcycle had run out | | | | made in the dreams corresponded exactly to their |
| of gas. The bike was in the back. Suddenly I realized | | | | physical eye movements as recorded by means of |
| it. I did not own a blue Bronco! In the dream I | | | | electro-oculograms on a polygraph record. Reports |
| slammed on the breaks and held my hands up. "I | | | | from experiments conducted using eye movement |
| don't own a Ford bronco!" I said, "I am dreaming!" | | | | signaling in lucid dreams can be found in the literature |
| from that point on I was lucid.A recurring dream or | | | | (Dane, 1984; Fenwick et al., 1984; Hearne, 1978; |
| nightmare can also be used as a trigger. If you have | | | | LaBerge, Nagel, Dement & Zarcone, 1981; Ogilvie, |
| a recurring dream make a conscious effort to realize | | | | Hunt, Kushniruk, & Newman, 1983).What Are The |
| that you are dreaming the next time you are in that | | | | Benefits of Lucid Dreaming?The scientific study of |
| situation. If the dream involves a certain person or | | | | dreaming and REM sleepA variety of psychological |
| place try to think as you go to sleep, "The next time | | | | and recreational applications.Lucid dreaming can be a |
| I see that house I will know that I am dreaming". | | | | powerful tool for overcoming nightmaresIn therapy, |
| Since the dream is recurring it wont be long before | | | | lucid dreams appear to be promising for providing |
| you see that house, person, etc. This may take | | | | personal insight, assisting with integration, and as a |
| several attempts. Don't be discouraged if it doesn't | | | | safe environment for experimentation with new |
| work the very first time.Another technique that | | | | behaviors (LaBerge & Rheingold, 1990).Many lay |
| works for a lot of people is asking yourself "Am I | | | | people are attracted to lucid dreaming because it |
| dreaming?" and leaving notes for yourself. Several | | | | offers an outlet for fantasy, an opportunity for |
| times a day ask yourself the question aloud. Also | | | | adventure unfettered by the laws of physics or |
| write the question on a note and put it on the | | | | society, and free of risk. As such, lucid dreaming is |
| refrigerator. Put the same message in other places | | | | for many a source of creative and inspiring |
| where you will see them throughout the day. Many | | | | recreation. Anecdotes indicate that lucid dreams are |
| people will find them self asking that question or | | | | helpful for artistic creativity, problem-solving, and |
| seeing the question written on a note while they are | | | | practicing skills for waking life (LaBerge & Rheingold, |
| actually dreaming. This will trigger a lucid dream.My | | | | 1990).Dreams hold the most vivid mental images |
| first lucid dream, that is the first one I had when I | | | | attainable by most people. Lucid dreaming is probably |
| was trying to achieve lucidity, was triggered by a | | | | the best method for achieving the benefits such as |
| flying dream.Try to go to sleep in the same place and | | | | enhancing physical performance, learning, |
| around the same time as much as possible. It is best | | | | remembering and facilitating healing.REFERENCESDane, |
| to sleep with silence as music or other sounds can | | | | J. (1984). An empirical evaluation of two techniques |
| affect your dreaming. If you do choose to listen to | | | | for lucid dream induction. Unpublished doctoral |
| music while you are going to sleep choose soft and | | | | dissertation, Georgia State Univ.Fenwick, P., |
| soothing music, preferably without vocals. Use the | | | | Schatzman, M., Worsley, A., Adams, J., Stone, S., & |
| same music each time. Before you go to sleep | | | | Baker, A. (1984). Lucid dreaming: Correspondence |
| concentrate on a trigger. My first time I said, "tonight | | | | between dreamed and actual events in one subject |
| I will fly", aloud several times and I concentrated on | | | | during REM sleep. Biological Psychol, 18, |
| it. The second night I had a flying dream but I did not | | | | 243-252.Hearne, K. M. T. (1978). Lucid dreams: An |
| become lucid. On the fourth night I had another flying | | | | electrophysiological and psychological study. |
| dream and at that time I became lucid. I was then | | | | Unpublished doctoral dissertation, U of |
| able to fly to wherever I wanted to!The trigger or | | | | Liverpool.LaBerge, S., Nagel, L., Dement, W., & |
| combination of triggers that you use will depend upon | | | | Zarcone, V. (1981). Lucid dreaming verified by |
| you. If you have a common dream theme this is a | | | | volitional communication during REM sleep. Perceptual |
| great trigger. Just concentrate on the next time that | | | | & Motor Skills, 52, 727-732.Ogilvie, R., Hunt, H., |
| you see or experience that you will be dreaming. | | | | Kushniruk, A. & Newman, J. (1983). Lucid dreams and |
| Think of it as often as you can while you are | | | | the arousal continuum. Sleep Research, 12, |
| awake.Lucid dreamers often comment to themselves | | | | 182.LaBerge, S. & Rheingold, H. (1990). Exploring the |
| in dreams. You may say aloud, "This is a dream! I | | | | world of lucid |
| know that I am dreaming."Make a list of questions | | | | dreaming. New York: Ballantine. |