Dream Recall
I know it sounds obvious, but before you can experience a lucid dream, you must remember you had a lucid dream! You may be having lucid dreams every night, yet not remember them. Dream recall comes very naturally to some, to others it is an acquired skill. You can acquire the skill of dream recall simply by putting your mind to it. Focus on your dreams, focus on remembering your dreams, keep a pen, paper and a small light by your bedside. When you wake, remain still, focus on remembering your dream, then write it down--this can be as simple as jotting down a few notes. This process signals the brain that dream recall is now a priority task and it will get busy accomplishing it successfully.
Reality Check
At this moment do you know if you are awake or dreaming? This sounds like a silly question but asking it of yourself throughout the day can be a key gaining dream lucidity. We take our waking lives for granted. We know we are awake, because we just know. Learn to do the same thing in dream life!
One way to do this is by questioning your waking life. Look around and ask yourself, seriously ask yourself, "Am I dreaming?" Examine your surroundings after asking the question. Are you flying? Do words in that book you're reading change when you blink? Are tiny carpinchos doing the cha-cha on your forearm? Look around you and carefully consider what reality you are in. Do this many times throughout the day, preferably at a set time, such as every hour on the hour.
Doing regular reality checks in waking life sets up a pattern in your brain so that sooner or later you will check reality while you are asleep. If you are sincerely asking the question and truly examining your surroundings at some point you will look around and see that yes, you are flying, words on book pages continually change, and yes, those are tiny carpinchos doing the cha-cha on your forearm. When you see these unusual activities you will realize the answer to the question, "Am I dreaming?", is a resounding, "YES!" And once you're awake in dream reality, you're awake to unparalleled opportunities for creativity.
Another way to reality check is to attempt doing something impossible to accomplish in waking reality. Don't do anything dangerous like jump off a roof to see if wings magically sprout out of your back--just do something that is safely impossible in waking reality as we currently know it. For example, try jumping up in the air and attempt, seriously attempt to fly. (You may find it preferable trying out exercises like that in private if you know what I mean!)
Dream Signs and Dream Journaling
Keeping track of your dreams can be an invaluable to attaining dream lucidity. Knowing the content of your dreams helps you establish which reality your mind is currently experiencing. For example, if you keep track of your dreams, you may notice that you are dreaming of lightning quite often. Lightning then becomes a "dream sign" for you--a clue that you are dreaming. We all have many dream signs--images that pop up again and again. Dream journaling keeps us in touch with what these symbols are so we can recognize them as markers of which level of consciousness we are experiencing.
Believe It
Tell yourself every night before bed, "Tonight I will have a lucid dream and will remember it on waking." Say this to yourself and believe it.This is probably the most important step in the entire process. Everything in life is dependent upon your beliefs. Changing your life is as simple as it is difficult, you must change what you believe. Be positive, be patient, be assured that this is an experience that exists and that you can have it.
I cannot stress enough the value of learning to dream lucidly. It's empowering, creative, and fun! Check out the links below for more excellent information and other tips as to how to learn this skill.
As always, sleep well and dream out loud!
*~Aisling Ireland~* is an ordained Spiritual Counselor providing dream interpretation and Tarot readings. To make an appointment check out her website at:
web.mac.com/aisling.ireland
If you are new to lucid dreaming here are a couple of books to try, both by the same author.
The paperback is comprehensive, the hardback more of a summary of the info in the paperback, with a relaxation cd.
