How do you Lucid Dream?

Question

I have lucid dreamed several times before, but it wasn't planned. (And I was able to control what happened in those dreams). At some random time and for some reason in the dream, I just realized that I was dreaming.
The point is, I want to be able to do this on command, but that's the problem. Most of the time I don't realize that I'm in a dream, so I can't control what happens.

So, is there anything I can do to bring on a lucid dream? I've heard there is, but I don't know what. Only helpful answers please, that actually work.

Answer 1

First, lucid dreaming is normal. Forgetting a dream, usually being replaced with the next dream or event, is also normal.

As for a 'practical' thing to do to help you remember, well, for reasons you probably don't have (from my take on your avatar), I drink a big glass of water before bedtime. It causes me to awaken two or three times in the night to trot off to the bathroom. Sometimes it is a conclusion reached in a dream that awakens me (and the bladder merely tells me to take care of business before going back to sleep). It is during this time that I take mental or even physical note of interesting dreams. Just a suggestion.

One more practical suggestion, get into the habit of immediately replaying the highlights of the dream you have in your mind (if any) when you awaken--if you don't immediately grab hold of that picture, it will essentially vanish. I remember sometimes having tunes, even songs, that I don't recognize from elsewhere, and if I don't start playing them over and over then they disappear. I used to set my radio as an alarm clock for the mornings, but don't anymore. The next song I hear causes the ghost of the song in my dream to vanish. Still, even with this effort, it usually evaporates anyway. I wish I knew how to write music. As I recall, there are several musicians (I seem to recall the Paul McCartney was among them) keep note pads close by the bed, as well as a bunch of writers. Dreams have long been cherished as the unfettered inventors of many a good idea. You just have to be ready to catch and catch quickly when you can.

Answer 2

It actually takes practice and you already have the key step: realizing that you are dreaming. Many people have had good results by often asking themselves--throughout their waking AND sleeping states "Am I dreaming?"
Then there's the old stand-by that sounds like a joke, but actually works: pinch yourself to find out whether you are awake or not.
But--a word of caution: the ordinary dream-state is thought to be an important part of mental processing and "housekeeping". Many people have discovered that it is not a healthy thing to try to control ALL of your dreaming life; that an un-directed dream state allows the brain to process what it needs to process, even if those dreams don't always make sense to your waking mind.

Answer 3

Write down every dream you have and look for patterns in the unnatural, and do a reality check every once in a while (see if your watch is consistent, if your hands can go through each other, etc.) so that you will remember to check reality in a dream, too. Try to do these everytime something unusual happens or if something you dream about constantly happens (seeing a friend, etc).

Answer 4

interesting way of describing it. If we pass some distance remote from the aggravating recurring and the crowds of comments, viewing all of it from the area, particular, we ought to work out it as a lucid dream interior of yet another lucid dream. in spite of each thing, in a international the place the regulations of high-quality judgment are questionable, how do all of us comprehend if what we see, touch or pay attention is quite there? How do we define good judgment or certainty? in the absence of those 2 bases of the international, we could thoroughly assume that existence is in basic terms a remember of theory. people are creatures that stay in accordance to the regulations of their own instincts of theory. we are able to conserving lucidity and potential of comprehension, for this reason we are nonetheless conscious - subsequently the LUCID dream. however the limitations of certainty are questionable - subsequently the dream. If each action is in step with own instincts and private concerns of theory, then one act after the different potential one lucid dream interior of yet another lucid dream. in spite of each thing, we are all objectives interior the dream of a dreamer who's been asleep because of the fact the commencing up of time. we are all of the lucid products of a dreamer who sleeps on the gate of time. whilst he/she obtains dream lucidity, his/her expertise would be awoken, and whilst looking interior of his/her own objectives, we are going to be unavoidably confronted with our own meditated photograph. And we are going to awaken. The dream will end and we are going to stay in the organic form of lucidity. :)

Answer 5

One thing I did was something I read in Omni magazine, many years ago. As you are falling asleep, you need to say something to yourself that kinda "preprograms" your mind to being aware that your dreaming. I say to myself that I am aware I am going to sleep, that I am going to dream, that I am aware I am dreaming, that I can make the dreams do as I want since they are my dreams. This works for me. Repeat it several times as you are drifting off. I found that after doing this successfully for a few weeks, lucid dreaming came automatically. Hope it works for you, because it is a lot of fun as well as very insightful into the inner workigns of one's mind.

Answer 6

I found a great blog about this with plenty of very helpful tips.

http://howtoluciddream.wordpress.com/

The trick is really to be committed to learning and to practice regularly. It doesn't take a lot of time or effort, just a bit of focus.

Answer 7

I must lucid dream all the time. i always have control over whats going on... my dreams are quite vivid, its insane... sometimes i have to stop and think about whether im dreaming or not... and sometimes i catch myself talking to my boyfriend about things, thinking he was there, when in fact, he wasnt! it makes me confused about whats reality and whats not. kinda freaky if you ask me... but i always want to go to bed and dream again... its like a whole nother world for me... i LUV to dream!

Answer 8

read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucid_dream#Induction_methods