What is Lucid Dreaming exactly?
First of all, if you are reading this article, there are high chances you are already familiar with the topic. You either have heard about it from your friends or learned through your soul searching. If you are here for the techniques, skip to the methods paragraph.
In short, lucid dreaming is being aware that you are dreaming, while in a dream. In more advanced cases, overtaking the action of the dream to the extent of possible manifestation of your surroundings. isn’t it amazing, you would think – and that takes a lot of work, could easily take even years of practice.
There are two choices really – you can rest and allow for random dreams, or you can practice lucid dreaming. At first you will lose some sleep, because some methods can take some time. However, after some practice you will learn how to be in a meditative trance even when doing the methods below. Let’s continue exploring the techniques on how to induce awareness in your dreams…
Three main techniques for lucid dreaming practice
1. Hypnosis induced lucid dreaming (HILD)
First, choose an hour of the day when you are half way sleepy and half way awake. If you are able to awaken at 4-5 am in the morning it would be easiest, as the early morning/late night works for your right brain stimulation.
Lay down on you back and relax. Start by contracting your toes and hands, then releasing them after a few seconds. Do it to every part of your body until you feel totally relaxed. Then proceed to count as you breathe from 200 to zero slowly. Breathe in – 200 – breathe out. Breathe in – 199 – breathe out.
When you start forgetting the numbers and your body is sinking and you do not feel any muscles, begin the hypnosis. Stop counting and start thinking to yourself “i will awaken myself in the dream”, “i will control the dream” in a positive manner. If you fall asleep or somehow lose the relaxation, it is totally fine. You can proceed to a normal sleep and try again next night, eventually you will get there.
2. Mnemonic induced lucid dreams (MILD)
This technique is usually practiced through the day, when you are doing your usual duties at school or work. Use your surroundings and consciously think about lucid dreaming.
First of all, learn to do reality checks. That is when you are doing your job, or making dinner, just look around. Then stay aware of every item in the room you are at. Just keep practicing self awareness through the day this will help later on.
Second, make a dream diary. Every time you are having a dream and wake up, write a few short sentences and proceed to sleep. When you wake up fully, recall the dream from the sentences and fill the gaps. This way, you are mapping your dream journal and this will help to make a new habit.
Third, Just as the first one, this one is more physical. Through the day while doing reality checks, try to grab your nose and breathe through it while closed. You can also try to touch the objects and focus on the feeling of this action.
Now, that you have done your homework, the technique itself is very similar to HILD (Hypnosis Induced Lucid Dreaming), do the counting and relaxation process. When you are losing grip on your numbers, try to remember some dreams from your dream journal and relive them. At the same time keep in mind that you are going to wake up in the dream. In order to wake up there your body has to let go and sleep, while your mind awakens on the other side. Remind yourself that whenever your eyes open, do the reality check habit.
One of these times you will wake up in the dream and will try to breathe through your closed nose, and you will succeed. Work until you can achieve your first breakthrough!
3. Wake induced lucid dreaming (WILD)
That is my personal preference, because it is simplest and if you like having a nap before the sleep, you will love this too. My personal experience and chance of success has been much higher using this technique.
Now if you are usually going to sleep at 10-11am, just go take an hour long nap at 8am. Then sit and do anything you want, preferably something relaxing. When it is time to sleep, your mind will be more active, but your body is still in a sleep cycle.
Proceed doing the usual counting from 200 or 300 toward zero with your slow breathing rhythm. When you are in a trance and your eyes feel like they are watching the darkness itself focus on the place inside your forehead. Start visualizing the open ceiling and ladder falling from it. With each breathing moment you have to climb the ladder one step higher.
During this exercise i have had the best results, even a few successful astral projection attempts. The key is to build up the momentum and let your body fall asleep. And at the same moment you will feel the jump of your mind to another body that which is in your dream. Or maybe an out of body experience, you will know the difference once you are there.
Part of Lucid Dreaming in our lives and conclusion
The time comes when you start questioning yourself and your place in life. First few subjects you explore should be something that will give you benefit and remove the doubts. That is where lucid dreaming comes into life.
First of all, it is easy and takes almost no time, and if you do not get results very fast, you still reap benefits from its practice. Exercising lucid dreaming or even trying to have an out of body experience works as a deep meditation. The point of all these exercises is to divide your body from your mind, let your body sleep, and your mind take control over the brain.
Dreams are the mechanism put into place for your brain to store your experiences, get inputs from your responses and store them into neural categories. That is why when we don’t get much sleep, it feels like we are in the dream. Left brain needs the sleep, while right brain takes over during the no sleep periods.
Lucid dreaming is a cornerstone for your first steps into spirituality, meditation practices and achieving inner harmony. Wherever you are coming from, it is recommended to start build your experiences portfolio from that. Then you might branch out to a more advanced spiritual practices, or daily routine and self control, mind over matter goals.
Give it a try, write your experiences in the comments and if you have any questions, submit them HERE
Also if you want to share your own articles and world views with the community, please register an account and follow the link for more information -> Become an Author
Discussion about this post