What is Lucid Dreaming?

Lucid dreaming is the act of dreaming and being aware that you are in a dream. This can be a very powerful tool when used to its full potential, although it is a very difficult skill to learn. While lucid dreaming, one can often control what occurs in their dream as well. Lucid dreaming, like other dreaming occurs during rem sleep and is experienced by many people. Most however only report having had this experience a few times in their life and did not know what it was when it occurred. Some people however experience lucid dreams regularly and use them to work out problems, to practice skills, to be creative or find inspiration, or even just to have fun. When one is clearly lucid dreaming, he or she can fully control what happens, and can do literally anything they can imagine.

Although records of lucid dreaming can be found as far back as 415 AD, many who have not lucid dreamed have debated whether or not it is a real phenomena. Recently, scientists have found data proving that time passes similarly to the way it does in real life in a lucid dream by asking subjects to make eye movements in their lucid dream at the beginning and end of a ten second period. The data gathered helped to prove that people do in fact lucid dream, something that was previously difficult to prove without experiencing one.

So how can I lucid dream? Well there are a variety of methods of lucid dreaming, and everyone is different. Common ones however include MILD, WILD, or the wake back to sleep methods. MILD lucid dreaming is when the dreamer falls asleep focused on having a lucid dream. You have to make it your intention to have a lucid dream, and you must repeat to yourself in your head as you fall asleep "I will know when I'm dreaming and I will be able to control the dream". You will then fall asleep, and with luck, "awaken", in a dream world. The WILD method, or wake induced lucid dreaming is when you keep consciousness and fall straight into a lucid dream. This technique is much more difficult to use, and requires skill and practice lucid dreaming. Lastly, there is my personal favorite method, the wake back to sleep method. This is when the dreamer sets an alarm for the middle of the night, generally 5 or 6 hours into sleep. This is when rem sleep will likely be about to start. The dreamer wakes up, and stays awake for 15-45 minutes, does something such as getting a drink of water or making a snack, and thinks about the intention to lucid dream before going back to sleep.

With all of the lucid dreaming techniques, a few additional practices should be used. A dream journal should be kept so that dreams can be remembered. Remembering dreams strengthens the connection between the dreaming mind and conscious mind. Reality checks should also be used. Look at a clock, or count to ten on your fingers. Do this periodically throughout the day, and the habit will carry into dreams. When done while dreaming however, the time might be off, or extra fingers may appear, indicating that you are in a dream. You can then try to control things. Lastly, a lucid dreaming mask can be used which emits light in times of rem sleep to indicate that you are dreaming. Similarly a light alarm clock may be used which flashes light when programmed to.

Personally, I have used lucid dreaming a few dozen times, although it took me months of practice to learn and I have still not mastered it. I find it difficult to do, and often have to use the wake back to sleep method. I also find that afternoon naps can be good times for lucid dreaming as well. Some cool things to do while lucid dreaming include looking in a mirror, flying, practicing sports or skills (snowboarding or waterskiing for me), or solving problems that were bugging you during the day. Sometime I'll write about a specific dream I had or share a dream journal.
Thats all for today.

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--Aaron