It can be a powerful experience, like no other, helping us realize the creative potential our dreams hold for us.

1. What are lucid dreams?

Lucid dreams refer to the awareness one can experience upon realizing that they are in fact dreaming, while still being in their dream state.

• Lucid dreaming is accessing the ability to manipulate your surroundings and situations. This control in the dream state, can then also be transferred to our waking lives and help us fulfill our potential for success in so many ways.

2. Why would I want to experience lucid dreaming?

While inside the dream state, we accept everything as ‘reality’ and believe all that is happening. We are convinced that what is happening is actually possible. However, when you become ‘lucid’ in your dream, you can see it all for what it is, and just that, that it is a dream. You can see that the ferocious tiger coming at you in your dream is not ‘real’ and upon realizing this, can start to alter the situation. You can stop being afraid of the tiger, because it isn’t ‘real’. There are unlimited possibilities as far as what you can gain from that knowledge.

• The knowledge you are only dreaming, can rid you of any fears you may have or experience from ‘nightmares’ or frightening dream situations. Alternatively, you can simply just experience wonderful and awe inspiring things if only to feel enlightened and changed by them.

What are Lucid Dreams and What Do They Mean?

3. What are the benefits to lucid dreaming?

The creative potential of our minds is powerful and in so many ways untapped. Learning to ‘use’ this other realm as a tool for your waking life and to help build a happier and more successful existence is not only easy, but enjoyable! You are already better off for just being open to the idea of gaining a new skill so powerful and life altering.

Just think of what you could do in your dreams if you knew you were dreaming.

Think about how amazing our dreams can be when we don’t know we are dreaming, and then imagine if we had control of those same dreams. Oh the possibilities.

When you are lucid in your dreams, you gain the potential to change your actions and thus the outcome of a situation. Think perhaps of someone who has a constant nightmare of being chased by a dog. If this person were to realize they were dreaming as the chase ensued, they could in fact stop running and confront the dog and tell it to stop bothering them. Once you realize you have control in your dreams, the dreams themselves become more enjoyable and the benefits can roll over into your waking life.

• Having control over your actions in a lucid dream can inspire you to take action in your waking life. Your behavior in the lucid dream can influence your behavior in reality and so help you improve your life.

4. How can I learn to become lucid in my dream?

Lucid dreaming can be learned. Like everything else, it just takes a little bit of effort.

• There are many different techniques to achieve a lucid dream; you just need to find the method that works best for you.

Before even attempting to experience a lucid dream, it would be very beneficial to have already attainted a sufficient amount of skill at dream recall itself. The ability to recall your dreams and interpret your dream symbols will aid you greatly in being able to experience a lucid dream. As well, learning simple relaxation techniques can help you achieve the meditative state between waking and dreaming. In this state it is easier to reach into your dreams with your conscious mind still intact.

• One popular method of learning to become lucid in your dreams is to perform ‘reality checks’ while you are awake during the day.

Since lucid dreaming is based on the fact that you realize you are in fact dreaming, the act of asking yourself and checking during the day if you are in fact dreaming, helps set up your consciousness to ask that same question while in the dream state.

This method uses the repetitious act of constantly checking around you to see if you are in fact dreaming or awake. The hope being that you will be so used to doing this, that the act of ‘checking’ will follow you into your dream state and you will perform these ‘checks’ there….hopefully only to realize that, “Hey, I AM dreaming!” and go on to experience a lucid dream.

Over the years it has been shown that there are a lot of similar ‘dream symbols’ that are the same for everyone (perhaps from a collective consciousness). As such, there are a few collective dream ‘symbols’ that people use for ‘reality checks’.

• It has been suggested that electrical equipment does not function properly in dreams. If you for instance turn on your radio in a dream, it won’t work; therefore if you are doing a ‘reality check’ and your doesn'tradio works, then you know you are in fact dreaming.

While this may seem silly and un necessary, it is the simple act of repeating this ‘check’ that will ingrain itself into your sub consciousness and hopefully follow you into your dream state. Some people flip on a light switch, as when we are in a dream, light switches generally won’t work. Others check the time on a clock, as the time will change once you look at it again, if you are in fact in a dream.

• Another method is to try to go from awake to dreaming while remaining ‘conscious’. In this method you try to go to sleep, while staying consciously awake. Your body goes into sleep mode, but your mind stays active and involved in the process of going into the dream. It can be very difficult to achieve this, but also deeply rewarding if effective.

Other methods involve the simple act of ‘telling yourself’ that you will know you are dreaming, asking a dream guide for help or waking yourself up during the night briefly so that you can consciously slide back into the dream state while remaining lucid.

Whatever works for you, do it. There is no right or wrong way. Dreams and dreaming in general are very personal experiences.

• The trick is to not get scared when you find yourself ‘lucid’ in your dream. The simple act of feeling shocked will usually bring you quickly out of the actual lucid experience and wake you up. The rush of excitement you will get when you realize you are dreaming can in itself catapult you right back to consciousness. It is hard, but with practice, you will be able to realize you are lucid, feel comfortable with it, and enjoy the experience.
  

Summary

Becoming lucid in dreams and achieving a higher state of consciousness can alter your life in incredible ways. Learning to confront your fears or bring about changes in your dreams can directly alter your behavior during your waking life.

Learn to connect to your conscious mind while inside your dreams and see that it can be a powerful tool, leading to amazing and enriching life experiences.

Overall, simply try to relax, don’t think about it too much and practice, practice, practice.

You CAN learn how to be lucid in your dreams.