A Guide to Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreaming is a matter of patience and habit. It is something that can be intriguing but it is often misunderstood. One can learn how to lucid dream but it involves practice and training of the mind just like learning a new instrument. Here we will go through one way you can learn how to be lucid.
A few steps to start are :
1.
Make a dream journal. A book you write your dreams in every time you wake up from a dream. Even if its in the middle of the night, just write down a sentence which will be enough to stimulate memory of the dream in the morning. Most people stop writing a dream because they can’t remember it well enough but the trick is to keep writing whatever you remember without thinking about the details. This will probably trigger certain missing parts while moving forward. This will eventually help you remember dreams much better and in detail.
2.
Dream signals and reality checks are important aspects in this journey of lucid dreaming. You need to pay attention to things that occur often in your dreams, these will be your dream signals. They will tell your mind to recognize that this happens only in your dreams. Certain ways to create your dream signals is Reality Checks. These need to be done 24 hours a day. Especially when you’re sleeping. One of the most effective reality checks is the nose pinch technique where you close your mouth and nose and try to breath. If you’re able to breath, you’re dreaming. Another common reality check for lucid dreamers is the light switch technique where if the light in the room doesn’t switch off, then you’re probably dreaming. It is important to do these all the time so that your mind remembers to do these reality checks while you’re asleep. This needs to be made a habit.
3.
Practicing MILD is something that is also an important habit to learn for effective lucid dreaming. Before one goes to bed yo need to tell yourself that you intend to remember that you’re dreaming while in your dream. Every time you wake up in the middle of the night try to remember a dream that you have just had. Pick a dream sign.(One of the reasons why you need a dream journal) Remind yourself again that you intend to remember that you’re dreaming while in a dream. Now when you’re noticing a dream sign in a dream you need to do a reality check and you’ll watch yourself become lucid. Then continue planning on what you will do when you’re lucid. This way you will condition yourself to get used to being lucid. And you will not be snapped out of dream beacuse you expected yourself to get lucid.
Practicing these steps over time will help you become more aware while you’re dreaming.
Some questions you can ask yourself while dreaming :
Awareness : Do you know anything that you normally wouldn’t know?
Action : Am I or anyone else doing something that should be impossible?Feats of strength, defying physics, etc.
Form - Is anything or anyone taking a different or impossible form? Is your childhood friend with you, but they haven't aged? Of course, check your fingers.
Context - Am I somewhere or somewhen that is not possible? Ask how you got where you are. Trace your path in your mind. Go back several locations.
Lucidity does not equal Dream Control. Dream control is a completely separate skill that may show up well established from your first dream or may take time to develop and master, which can take practice and increased awareness over time.