I have been fascinated by lucid dreaming for many years now – dreaming when you are consciously aware you’re dreaming. Movies like Inception (2010) and Waking Life (2001) have introduced lucid dreaming to a wider audience and may be where you have first heard of it. The idea of entering an alternate reality and the thought that I could fly and possibly get a glimpse of some occult knowledge excited me. The creativity that our unconscious produces showing our inner life is amazing.
Regardless if you believe that dreams help you commune with the divine or are simply a consolidation of your day’s events, analyzing them will give a lot of insight into your waking life. I think analyzing dreams alone is a great practice but taking it a step further with the practice of lucid dreaming is where it’s at. It’s more fun and you can directly ask your unconscious questions with some practice.
Want to get started tonight? Here are my steps:
- Get yourself a dream journal. I prefer a lined 10.5 x 8 notebook. Something attractive that you’re excited to write in.
- Keep this notebook by your bed, open with a pen ready to write.
- When you wake up at any time during the night, write 2-3 keywords to help you remember what you were dreaming. Repeat this any time you wake up (research shows we can dream up 4 times a night!).
- When you can remember at least one dream every night for two weeks you’re ready to practice inducing lucid dreaming.
Now you must test your reality during the day several times. This must be a habit because eventually, you will start doing it while you dream and realize you are dreaming! Again, there are many ways this can be done but the point is self-awareness in waking and dream life. Some common reality checks are:
Tips on how to make these reality checks a habit:
- I have my phone with me at all times (I’m sure you do too), I decided I can use it for something truly productive like forming wanted habits. I make silent alarms reminding me to do a reality check four times a day (you could make alarms up to eight times/day).
- Do a reality check every time you leave or enter a room (or restroom or building, etc…)
- Put post-it notes in places you frequent. Put one on your mirror, in your car, and your office.
- A final tip on your mindset during these reality checks: When you test your awareness during the day you must go into it truly asking if you are dreaming or awake. If you make a habit of assuming or already knowing you’re awake – guess what – you’ll do the same when you’re dreaming and will not become lucid.
There are many ways to record dreams and methods to induce lucid dreaming. There are also many books that will introduce these techniques as you improve on your lucid dreaming journey. I will leave links to books that have personally helped me. I encourage you to read further and be inspired! See you out there in dreamland ✌️
Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen LaBerge, Ph.D. and Howard Rheingold
Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self by Robert Waggoner
Teach Yourself to Dream: A Practical Guide to Unleashing the Power of the Subconscious Mind
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