Lucid dreaming is a state of mind where you realise that you are dreaming and become capable of changing the dream’s scenery. This is a natural state of mind where your brain “partially wakes up” and gives you the freedom of acting consciously and affecting the environment around you. This state can be achieved through a simple practice usually lasting a couple of weeks. It has many benefits and allows you to save time as you can execute certain actions in the dream environment which spares you the trouble of doing so in the real life.
Table of Contents
Lucid Dreaming Benefits
- Increased creativity
Your brain works differently while asleep. During the lucid dream, you are more creative which gives you the chance to come up with better ideas or learn new skills faster. That can be used to teach yourself how to play the piano, how to perform complicated movements (I have used it to practise advanced acrobatics movements in the past) or how to improve the technique of your gym lifts. The idea here is that your mind is more “elastic” during the dream thus allowing for more plasticity. You can come up with plans you would never come while awake as a certain state of mind is required to produce genius ideas.
- Saving time
Some of the skills (such as motor skills for example) do not require external sources to allow the learning process and can be practised while you are dreaming. This can include your gym lifts, the ability to play instruments or you can even work on important projects in the dream state. This allows you to save time and do the job you were supposed to do while you are sleeping!
- The ability to communicate with your subconsciousness
Deep traumas are kept in your subconscious mind and they can be addressed during the dream state. It is easier to communicate with your mind while dreaming as your psychic censor is turned off while you’re asleep. You can also play around with your ego and form new structures. This skill can be useful if you want to change a part of your personality so it copes better in real-life situations. Advanced practitioners can completely alter their character and change their perception upon their Will.
Lucid Dreaming Questions
- Is it safe?
It’s completely safe to practise lucid dreaming. All you are doing during lucid dreaming is you are allowing your brain to realise that it’s dreaming and this can be achieved with practice. There is no magick, no tricks, no gimmicks. You “partially awaken” during the dream and realise that it is indeed a dream. Then, you are able to change the scenery.
- Will I wake up tired?
You will wake up just as well-rested as if you have been dreaming the conventional way. It makes no difference to your body as you are dreaming and resting, you are just realising that it is a dream. In fact, you can wake up having even more energy if you know the advanced meditation techniques and use them in your dreams.
- Do I need any special skills to learn how to lucid dream?
No. All you need is regular practice and you do not need to be a golden child to learn lucid dreaming. It usually takes a couple of weeks to learn it but once you get it, it becomes very easy and a regular thing. Just remember that you do need to maintain your practice if you want to keep this skill. Otherwise, the lucid dreams will slowly start ceasing and you will start dreaming the conventional way more and more but you can always re-learn it.
Lucid Dreaming Techniques
How can you learn lucid dreaming? Well, this is, in fact, very easy. You need 2 things. A dream dairy and a timer. The first thing that you do after you wake up is to try to remember your dreams and note them down. This should take you somewhere between 5 to 15 minutes and should be practised on a regular basis. The second thing you do is you regularly perform a reality test. You simply set a timer to go off every hour and when it rings, you pause for a while and see if you’re dreaming or awake. After a couple of days or weeks, it will become a habit and you will start executing the RTs while dreaming. At some point, you will realise it’s a dream and become able to change the scenery, fly, teleport or do something constructive.
P.S. Advanced practitioners are able to enter the Out of Body Experience state directly from the Lucid Dream. If you want to learn how to meditate and eventually be able to achieve such things, read this article.
Summary
The key to learning lucid dreaming is to develop a regular practice of reality testing, which involves checking whether you are dreaming or awake. You can do this by performing simple reality checks throughout the day, such as looking at your hands or counting your fingers. If you do this regularly, it can help train your brain to recognize when you are dreaming.
Another effective technique for inducing lucid dreams is through the use of dream journals. This involves writing down your dreams immediately upon waking, as this helps to strengthen your dream recall and improve your ability to recognize when you are dreaming.
Various other methods, such as visualization and meditation, can also be used to facilitate lucid dreaming. For instance, you can visualize yourself becoming aware that you are dreaming while you are in a dream state. By doing so, you can create a powerful intention in your mind that you will recognize that you are dreaming when it occurs.
It is important to note that lucid dreaming may not come easily to everyone. Some individuals may require more time and practice than others to develop the ability to lucid dream. However, with patience, perseverance, and a willingness to learn and explore, anyone can learn how to lucid dream.
In conclusion, lucid dreaming is not necessarily hard to learn, but it requires consistent practice and a willingness to try new techniques. By incorporating reality testing, dream journals, visualization, and meditation into your routine, you can increase your chances of having a lucid dream and enjoy the many benefits that come with it.
So why not give it a try and see where your dreams can take you?
