What is Lucid dreaming?

Question

And how can you do it?

Answer 1

I found Jenn's post and link to the wikipedia article interesting. I have been lucid dreaming since I was a 10 years of age or so. Over the years, I developed certain dream skills that I practiced in dreams until they became more reliable, such as flying, being able to phase through objects, being able to change what those around me perceive, even backing up time and redoing a sequence of events (or jumping to a line where the events happened differently).

Some of the methods listed in the article were very familiar to me. I've observed the light level issue, as well as reading. My biggest indicator is gravity. My strongest indicator of "dreamspace" is that I'm able to levitate and fly. Sometimes this will be as subtle as pulling my legs up and continuing to move as if walking. Another thing I've noticed is similar to the plugging of the nose. Holding my breath or being underwater does not cause problems since I'm still breathing in real life.

The bit about nightmares is very true. I've had challenging dreams, but I don't think I've had an actual nightmare since I was about 12 or so (unless you count the time I dreamed I was in bed with my ex-wife--when I woke, I wasn't sure if she was). When things start getting threatening, my "dream abilities" also kick in. I never have the "naked in public" problem either. If I happen to be under dressed, I just make sure no one notices by either creating clothing or creating the image of clothing.

The reality checking goes the other direction too. I once had a seizure and awakened in the hospital. The effects of the seizure were such that the waking world seemed like a dream. The first thing I did was attempt to lift out of the hospital bed. The fact that I couldn't told me that I really was there.

My advice to anyone wanting to learn lucid dreaming is to set the desire. If you have a particularly interesting or fantastic dream, remember what you can of the dream and think about such things when going to sleep. As you drift to sleep, think about lucid dreaming. This seems to help.

Good Dreaming!

Answer 2

A lucid dream is a dream in which the person is aware that he or she is dreaming while the dream is in progress. During lucid dreams, it is possible to exert conscious control over the dream characters and environment, as well as to perform otherwise physically impossible feats. Lucid dreams are known to be extremely real and vivid.

A lucid dream can begin in one of two ways. A dream-initiated lucid dream (DILD) starts as a normal dream, and the dreamer eventually concludes that he or she is dreaming, or a wake-initiated lucid dream (WILD) occurs when the dreamer goes from a normal waking state directly into a dream state with no apparent lapse in consciousness.

Lucid dreaming has been researched scientifically, and its existence is well established.[1][2] Scientists such as Allan Hobson, with his neurophysiological approach to dream research, have helped to push the understanding of lucid dreaming into a less speculative realm.

Answer 3

Lucid dreaming is when you're dreaming you actually realize and understand that you're dreaming. You're conscious of what's happening but yet you're still asleep. Some people can consciously form their dreams or make certain things happen in their dreams by concentrating on it when in this state. I'm not sure how they do it. I've never been able to.

Answer 4

you realize you're dreaming and you can control what's going on. I have lucid dreams a lot of time. I don't know how, it just happens sometimes. I like it because I have control over my dream, if something bad is going to happen, I can tell myself, it's a dream, I'd rather things happen this way (my way). It's really cool

Answer 5

Lucid dreaming is where you can think, even sometimes move in your sleep. Your mind is sharp, sometimes you can direct the diream to go or do what you want, and sometimes you can move your limbs.

TX Mom