Lucid Dreaming
Are you conscious that you are dreaming, or dreaming that you are conscious? Think about this…
Perhaps the second most annoying thing about ordinary dreams (after not being able to remember them) is that for all their rampant craziness, you don’t realise at the time that it’s only a dream. The potential to really take advantage of them is lost, and instead you’re a slave to whatever anxious or surreal situations your brain creates for you. Unless you’re lucid dreaming – having a dream where you know you are dreaming. Where you ‘wake’ within the dream – yet are able to resist actually waking up. Why can’t all we all enjoy lucid dreaming, and more often?
On rare occasions you may enjoy lucid dreaming. They can be very therapeutic, allowing you the chance to explore your mind. They are also interesting from a self-awareness point of view. Most people have had at least one.
How do you encourage lucid dreaming? When I was researching lucid dreaming in my late teens, I used to have quite a few. This led me to believe that just thinking about them is enough to trigger one. This probably works because dreams are often linked to thoughts from the day – processing your thoughts, memories and imaginings.
The other method to have a lucid dream is to wake earlier than normal, become fully alert, then return to bed and fall asleep again. For some reason, this ‘tampering’ with awareness can lead to a state where you are lucid dreaming before your consciousness has fully subsided again. Most of your lucid dreams probably occur after hitting the ’snooze’ button.
Lucid dreaming is something of a paradox, because awareness can be a grey area. You could know that you are in a dream, but still be terrified of it, or be ‘locked’ into the dream logic. To me, this strongly suggests that consciousness is variable, meandering through the day as it does through the night.
To wake during lucid dreaming is something very special, and in a similar way, I wonder if it could also occur within life. How often do you feel like a passive spectator to a series of events, without realising that you could become more aware and start directing them?
January 9th, 2009 at 3:03 am
I used to lucid dream when I was a child, but cannot any more. Would you happen to know why this is?
January 9th, 2009 at 8:47 am
As a child, your brain is still growing and forming new connections all the time, and your consciousness (i.e. awareness) increases as well. The growth of the brain for example is contributes to the phases of nightmares that children can go through (the growth of the amygdala for example, the emotional/fear centre of the brain).
I personally think that we slip into life trances as we get stuck into routines, fewer things make us feel hyper-conscious, aware and alive.
I would suggest meditating more often, just spending twenty minutes or so in solitude, reflecting, observing your thoughts, and becoming more self-aware.
February 11th, 2009 at 4:02 am
I am 19 and I have lucid dreams all the time, my dreams are very strange and vivid however and usually quite disturbing! I have only ever had one which I was able to control, perhaps because most of the time I am trying to escape! Ive never thought about how I could use the fact i know i am dreaming to my advantage and study my subconscious, this is a great plan, I hope it works! thanks!
great website btw
July 31st, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Have you heard of the lucid dream enhancer galatamine? I have used it a little here and there and it seems to help.
July 31st, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Hi Scott – No I haven’t – could you explain a bit more about it and your experiences? Sounds interesting.
September 30th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
You know, one affair I learned over the years is not to underrate people’s capactity for imbecility. Yet, I do suppose that’s changed fairly in past times thanks to the sharing of great information like this.
February 25th, 2010 at 12:52 am
the thing i find that about my lucid dreams is that when ever i have one it doesnt register as being anything more than a normal dream. It takes about a day for me to really relize that it was a lucid dream. Sadly, i have never had one(that i remeber at least) where i was in full control of my dreams. My “dream brain” as i like to call, only ever knows that its a dream as blurry thought in my head
July 17th, 2010 at 6:14 am
I began lucid dreaming after a head injury and it has been a nightmare ever sence. When I have these dreams they are usually pretty bad and I keep trying to wake myself up and it seems like forever before I fianally do and at times I even wake up and then fall right back into the same setting. Its scary as hell! Its a nightmare on elm street except without freddie and its not elm st its Glenn….