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