Posts Tagged ‘conscious dreaming’

Lucid Dreams - A Brief Overview

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Dreams that you have where you know they are dreams and control the final outcomes of the dream are called lucid dreams. These are the type of dreams where you pick the subject or the person they are about and make the dream come out the way you want yet you feel like you are fully awake, similar to day dreaming.

There are no limits to what you can experience when you are lucid dreaming. You can be the star of a romantic fantasy novel, or high action adventure, you can control the outcome or change the endings to what makes you happiest.

The advantage of lucid dreams are that they are so lifelike that you may not believe you are really dreaming, but normal dreams can be scary subjects that are abstract and leave you with a bad feeling when you wake up, but you don’t remember what happened. Because you are more involved in the outcome of what is happening in lucid dreaming, the dreams are easier to control and remember.

To check whether you are dreaming or not, all you need to do is trying getting something to read. If the words constantly change making reading absolutely impossible then you can be rest assured that this is a lucid dream.

Lucid dreams can be about someone you have a crush on or like. They can be about a person you can’t meet in real life but can date, romance and even marry in a lucid dream.

When you are dreaming and you know that you are dreaming all you need to do is change it. For instance you can dream about your favorite rock star falling in love with you and getting crazy about you. You can even choreograph your dream to the extent that your rock star talks to you, touches you and makes you feel loved. The only tool you need is your limitless imagination!

If you think it’s not possible to experience a lucid dream, and then think again. Yes, it’s true that the body needs relaxation and rest for the next day but a part of the brain can actually remain in a conscious state though the body is physically relaxed.

You can learn the ways and means to experience lucid dreams. This may take some time but it’s indeed a rewarding process.

Practice recalling what happened in your dreams and writing it down as soon as you awake, which makes it easier to remember. The dream will repeat its self at some point and you can add to it, if you do not recall parts of it, until you get a complete picture of the story that your sub-conscious is trying to tell you. Using this technique with lucid dreams can give you some insight to what the dreams are telling you or hidden ambitions.

This information is useful in dream interpretation since you are creating the actual dream, even though you are not fully conscious of the fact in lucid dreaming. Sometimes, it is a way we analyze hidden desires that are buried deep in the brain and make room for them in waking time.

The dream will occur several times usually, so you will have the opportunity to recall more at a later time. If you awake a couple of hours early and lay in bed dozing, the lucid dream may start up again where you left off. You may predetermine that you will try to change how it goes without even knowing it.

If you wake a couple hours before your normal time, this is often when lucid dreaming happens, much like day dreaming where it seems you are awake the whole time, but you have actually been asleep.

Most people are amazed at the ease that this can be mastered with. Self hypnosis can enhance lucid dreams and help in a detailed accurate recall.

Recent developments in brain studies can help induce a lucid dream state. Some of these types of techniques use things like sound technology or binaural beats to stimulate the part of the brain required for lucid dreaming.

Solve Problems By Having A Lucid Dream

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

Very simply put, a dream in which you are conscious that you are dreaming is known as a Lucid Dream. The expression ‘lucid’ in this context means aware or conscious. But the extent of your ‘lucidity’ can vary according to how ?stable? the dream experience itself is, how much you manage to remember about the dream when you wake up, and also how much influence you have in taking control of the dream itself.

It is this last factor which is the most remarkable and amazing thing about experiencing a Lucid Dream. Being able to identify the fact that you are having a dream is astounding. You can decide which direction you want the dream to go in and there really are no limits to what experiences you can have!

Take a minute to consider the possibilities. While everything that happens in a Lucid Dream may seem real and can be experienced by all of your senses, there are no lasting effects to your actions; you can do anything you want without fear of injury when lucid dreaming and there are no limits on the things you can do. This is truly a virtual reality experience which no other can even come close to.

Lucid Dreaming is an astonishing experience; more and more people are finding this out for themselves. While most people have a Lucid Dream at some point in their lives; wouldn’t it be incredible if you could have Lucid Dreams whenever you wanted to?

If you truly want to open up a new path into some pretty amazing experiences then you probably want to learn just what you can do with these dreams. Imagine, if you will, being able to create your own universe, your own movie saga, create novels and book, or even experiment and design things all in the state of peaceful relaxation and slumber. You could even time travel and speak to people you have never met or have not seen in many years. Your dram has no limits!

It can be fairly complicated to achieve controlled Lucid Dreams on a regular basis. Up until recently many people spent months in training and using special self-conditioning procedures before even experiencing one single Lucid Dream. Even then, most people never even succeed once, let alone on a regular basis.

Some Simple Ideas that May Produce a Lucid Dream

Many people feel that particular foods can encourage or induce a lucid dream. You should try these immediately before going to sleep. Orange Juice, Milk and Cheese and also Mustard have been reported as being good things to consume for the best results.

Other foods of note are pickles, ice cream, popcorn and fish. Although they are not as effective as the three foods and drinks described above. Some people say that they improve your overall dream recall and “prepare” your brain for future lucidity. The main problem is of course that they are high in fatty acids, salts and sugars which definitely doesn’t assist you in getting a good nights rest!

Can Technology Assist You?

Your chances to experience Lucid Dream session improves with the new advancing technology. There are now devices on the market that alerts you that you are dreaming and which can induce a Lucid Dream Session. These are quite innovative in that they are simply masks which monitor your eyes. When they detect REM or Rapid Eye Movement, which is an indicator of dreaming, a red diode blinks into your eyes. This beam is registered in your brain and serves as a reminder that you are in fact dreaming and that you are still in control. It is then that you can take control o the dream.

The most exciting developments have been in audio technology. Sound waves at slightly different frequencies are played in to each ear of the listener ? a technique known as binaural beats. This can open the experience of Lucid Dreaming to many people.

What this process does is to synchronize the two hemispheres of the brain. And almost instantly, just by listening to these special frequencies, puts the brainwaves into a state known as REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep which is the state needed to achieve a lucid dream.

If you would really love to experience a Lucid Dream then this is for you. This is definitely one of the easiest methods and devices that assist in achieving a Lucid Dream.

Dream Control For All!

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

What is dream control? To too many sleepers, their dreams are only visions they get when they’re sleeping soundly, that they cannot control. Some are very nice dreams and some aren’t. We are starting to know that you can control your dreams, to the extent of being able to do what is called lucid dreaming.

But is this actually real or is the reality of dream control or lucid dreaming just a myth? It it really is true then what are the benefits of it? And can anyone really achieve this state of being able to control everything that happens when you are dreaming?

Exactly What is Dream Control?

Dream control, usually known as lucid dreaming means that you are totally aware when asleep that you are dreaming. You can control everything that is happening and can choose the outcome of everything that happens.

There are people who do suffer from nightmares and frequently. This method is powerful and simple, and just the method they may need to relieve themselves of these disturbingly bad and distressing dreams.

Common Ways of Inducing Lucid Dreaming

A rather effective method known for achieving lucid dreaming involves the use of binaural audio, which entails listening to two different frequencies at the same time in order to synchronize the brain waves, bringing about a deep sense of relaxation, as well as a state in which lucid dreaming is possible known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

Before this use of modern technology was discovered and available on CDs or DVDs for the purpose of dream control, self hypnosis and meditation were the most widely used techniques for lucid dreaming, although many people report finding it too difficult to achieve this state using these two particular means of dream control.

Many additional techniques, since then, have been developed as methods for inducing lucid dreaming by those experts in both fields of psychology and science. And regardless of any of the earlier methods used the basic purpose still remains the same. To train the mind while in the state of sleep to be aware of being in a dream. The state needed to begin lucid dreaming.

To accomplish this, it takes us being completely awake it start, with the secret being the ability to remember to either say something or do an action in the dream, which will bring on the appropriate realization in your mind and permit you to control the next events happening.

It’s often a simple matter of telling yourself, just before going to sleep, that you will be dreaming soon and in that dream you will remember to do or say something specific, and when that happens, you will instantly realize that it is a dream.

This particular method to dream control is referred to as MILD, or mnemonic induction of lucid dreams, which was discovered by scientist Dr. Stephen LaBerge. With this approach, your brain is then in complete control as to what occurs in the dream, meaning that nothing could or would come of harm to you as it’s simply all in the mind and you are only limited by your own imagination.

There is another way of reaching lucid dreaming and it involves making a dream journal or diary, do this by keeping a pen or pencil and a notebook of some kind by your bed so that you can jot down any information that you are able to recall in the moments right after you wake up. By doing this for several nights, you will begin to see that you are able to recall the facts you have jotted down and dream something similar but this time you will start to exert control over the events.

With lucid dreaming you can go anywhere you desire, meet anyone you would like to meet and tame those creatures from your nightmares. Explore the fantastic imaginary worlds of fantasy and adventure of your dreams. Become a free spirit. Anything you want is yours and only limited by your imagination. You can be a free spirit, free of societies restriction, constraints and limits. With lucid dreaming you will be in complete control of all your nightly fantasies and adventures.

The experts say do that there is, however, one potential drawback to lucid dreaming, as much like anything in life, too much of a good thing can actually have the opposite effect. The main reason for this being that one of the most valuable aspects of dreaming ‘naturally’ is that it often tell us important things about ourselves that otherwise would have remained hidden forever. So enjoy dreaming lucidly. It really is an amazing experience, but remember to give yourself a few nights off!

Lucid Dreamer Secrets Discussed

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Wouldn?t it be nice to have a lucid dream, to be aware you are dreaming and control what happens? Of course you do, but how does one learn to do this?

You’ll need to think about why you want to be a lucid dreamer, as well as the benefits of it. First, we’ll take a look at normal sleeping.

Before we look at lucid dreaming, think about normal sleep; you get into bed, close your eyes for a certain length of time, and either dream or just see black for a few hours and then wake up! It isn’t very interesting now is it?

Normal sleep is just a method of refreshing ourselves for the busyness of the next day.However, it could be a lot more interesting if you could control the period of time in which you’re dreaming.

What if rather than being an active observer, you can be the one who can lead your dream to be whatever you want, rather than your dream leading you? This is what a lucid dreamer is; someone who is in total control of their dreams; able to explore new worlds that are not bound to the physical, societal and time-space laws of the real world.

If you want to become a lucid dreamer, how do you manage it? There are two main ways. The first is what’s called a dream initiated lucid dream, or DILD. That’s when the dreamer realizes they’re dreaming in the middle of a dream, restoring their consciousness without leaving the dreaming state itself.

WILD refers to a wake initiated lucid dream. You slip into a dream before you are fully asleep. Instead of going to sleep before you dream you simply enter into the dream with your mind still conscious.

So, what methods can you use to induce these kinds of lucid dreaming states?

Dream Recall

You will need to learn how to remember your dreams if you want to be able to have lucid dreams. It is referred to as dream recall, the ability to remember your dreams. If you can remember your dreams you are more likely to realize when you are dreaming because many of the dreams you have will be the same or almost the same.

The best way to practice dream recall is through keeping a dream journal. This is a tool in which you write down whatever you can remember about your dream so you can recall it in the future. Do this right after you wake up - dreams are harder to remember the longer you wait.

Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD)

Dr Steven LaBerge is a leading scientist who studies lucid dreaming. He was the founder of MILD. This method involves telling yourself you will remember your dreams or perhaps an object in the dream. When you see the object while dreaming it will trigger your mind into knowing you are in a dream.

WBTB refers to Wake Back to Bed

The process here is to go to sleep, doing nothing but setting your alarm to wake you up a few hours later (5 or 6). Once you wake up, DO NOT go back to sleep. Instead, do something else like read for a while, or think as much as you can about lucid dreaming for around an hour then go back to bed.

According to Dr. LaBerge, this technique has a success rate of about sixty percent. That’s because you’ve awakened in the middle of the sleep process, while you’re still in the middle of an REM cycle and not completely aware. It’s like telling your mind that you’re interested in lucid dreaming.

Cycle Adjustment Technique

Created by Daniel Love, this method involves setting an alarm to wake you one and a half hours before your normal wake-up time. Once you get used to this early time, alternate your alarm between a normal time and the early one. When your alarm is set to wake you normally, you’ll find your body’s already ready to wake up early. That makes it more likely that you’ll wake up in your dream, and dream lucidly.

Wake-initiation of Lucid Dreams (WILD)

This method is described above. If you’d like to use it, the thing to do is to keep your mind awake during the process of your body falling asleep. This is one of the most interesting ways of entering lucid dreams, and is a lot like watching a movie. Just like when you’re watching a movie, you start in a state of readiness, and prepare yourself.Then, you’ll either hit play or start to fall asleep. The screen and what you see when your eyes are closed are both black. Just wait for your movie or dream to begin.

You need to stay aware; it is a lot like self hypnosis. This is not a good exercise to try when you are tired as your mind may not stay as aware. Try to focus on things that require brain activity such as doing math puzzles, jogging or anything to keep your mind active. Breathe evenly and focus on relaxing every part of your body.

They now have tools you can use to make it even easier to induce lucid dreams. You can get dreaming masks and devices with strobe lights to help you get into the right state of dreaming.

One of the easiest, most reliable methods to induce lucid dreaming is by listening to binaural beats and special sound frequencies through headphones.

These work by synchronizing the two hemispheres of the brain and have the effect of almost instantaneously changing your brainwaves to the REM frequency needed for a lucid dream to occur.

Combined with self affirmations and sessions of self hypnosis, these methods make it easy to become a lucid dreamer. You just need the practice and determination

Night Time Thoughts During Lucid Dreams

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

When you are the director of your dream and you know that you are dreaming then such dreams are known as lucid dreams. In lucid dreams the dreamer is aware of each and every thing he does and he does things that he wants to do. He decides who the people in his dream are, what places in his dream are and what the ending of his dream is.

You can have all kinds of lucid dreams which range from mystery to fairytale to romance. The possibilities are endless and what ever you want can happen when you are lucid dreaming.

Lucid dreams are obviously better than the normal dreams because you hold the reigns in them. You are the actor and the director in them. Sometimes these dreams can be so lifelike that you might get confused that you are dreaming or awake. There are times you need to check that you are lucid dreaming or if what you are experiencing is real.

In a lucid dream, there are certain details that might clue you into the fact it is a dream, such as colors, or items that don’t belong, for example. Much like sleep walking where the person appears to be awake, a lucid dream involves much the same type of feeling without being fully conscious of it.

Lucid dreams can bring your deepest desires to life. What you can’t do in real life you can do it in your dream. If there is someone you fancy and they are unattainable for some reason in real life, you can be with that person in your dream. In your lucid dream that person can be completely yours and even kiss you and be with you.

You can change the dream so that what you want to happen is how it ends in lucid dreaming. By using your sub-conscious part of the brain that controls creativity and imagination to control your dream and picture how it would be if your dreams came true, a lucid dream can be a way to see that possibility.

Lucid dreams can be brought about by simple techniques. While your body rests and relaxes for another day, your mind can be conscious.

Learning how to have lucid dreams can take a lot of practice and some people may not be able to master it until they have gone through a long, slow process.

One way to invoke the lucid dreams is to try and remember your dream when you are awake. You need to make a supreme effort to remember all the minute details and happenings and images in the dream. Record it in your bedside journal and keep it handy for such entries. You don’t need to fret if you can’t remember every teeny detail. With this technique, it’s a matter of time when you will have the same dream again and then you can further add details to your observations. Soon, you will have a dream guide reference of your own with this practice.

If you are a writer this information is invaluable. You may have your next novel lined up. In a lucid dream you create the scenes and actions. The dream ends the way you want it to. Lucid dreaming is a time to pacify our inner ambitions and desires and plan their execution in reality.

Try to recall everything you can about your dream, go back to sleep and, if you can, return to where you were before you woke up and you will continue to dream. The dream will occur more than once, so you will have the opportunity to recall more each time it does occur. Recalling more each time you try.

Waking up before your normal waking time may cause you to hit the snooze alarm and doze off a bit and this is the prime time for lucid dreaming. You may even think you have been awake the whole time, but you have been experiencing a lucid dream that seems very lifelike.

Soon you will be surprised at how easy it really is to do. One short cut you can try is to use self-hypnosis; it can help prepare your mind to recall vividly your lucid dreams.

Another shortcut worth mentioning is a recent development in sound technology called binaural beats. These special frequencies work by synchronizing the two hemispheres of the brain and almost instantly put your brainwaves into the state required for lucid dreaming to be possible.