Lucid Dreams

Could your dreams make you more successful? Those who have mastered the art of lucid dreaming emphatically say yes! What is lucid dreaming? Is it a random event that you can only wish and hope for, or is it something you can accomplish on demand? And how could dreams have any real impact on your daily life?

Lucid dreaming may sound like some mystical practice reserved for shamans, but all it really means is you become consciously aware that you are dreaming, while you are dreaming. You might remember this happening when you were a child. Some people seem to be able to easily recognize when they are dreaming, others don't even think they dream at all. No one seems to know precisely why there's a difference. But the good news is that lucid dreaming is a skill. You can learn to do it whenever you choose. You don't have to count on luck any longer.

Lots of people wake up just when they realize they are dreaming. What if you could stay inside your dream and determine what happens next? Just think how interesting that might turn out to be! You see, if there wasn't anything more to lucid dreaming other than the realization that it is a dream, then it wouldn't be a very big deal. But when you know you're dreaming, suddenly the idea of controlling your dreams becomes possible.

When you have a regular dream, you're carried along in the flow of events like tubing down the river. If you become aware that you're dreaming, things get a little more interesting--you begin to wonder what will happen next. However, if you gain control of your dream, new possibilities emerge. Maybe you'd like to tube over a waterfall. Or maybe you'd like to fly low and fast over the forest. Suddenly, you're in charge.

There's more to lucid dreaming than idle fantasy or mystical mumbo-jumbo. Controlling your dreams could have real benefits in your daily life. Some people have discovered that lucid dreams help them deal with emotional distress, like the ending of a relationship or loss of a loved one. Others have figured out how to use lucid dreams to rehearse future events to figure out their best course of action.

The point is, you can learn the skill of lucid dreaming. You'll need to understand the stages of sleep and know when lucid dreaming is most likely to occur. And there are a few tips on specific exercises that will make controlling your dreams easier to accomplish. But there's no reason why you shouldn't be using your dreams to maximum advantage. After all, your dreams belong to you.

Have you ever experienced a dream whose results you could determine, and where you could do anything at will? Then perhaps you were able to have a "lucid dream," which occurs when you know that you are dreaming, and can thus manipulate your dream to suit your needs.

Lucid dreaming is a common phenomenon which has been used as the theme of movies and books, and which is the focus of interest of psychologists, New Age groups, and artists alike. Because they often feel real, lucid dreams can often be more memorable than any other kind of dream. Even the pain of nightmares can be offset by lucid dreaming, which is why some psychologists recommend that their patients intentionally have lucid dreams, so that the patients can rid themselves of any torment or inner strife that may impair them in the daytime.
Although lucid dreaming is relatively rare, it can be achieved with different techniques, and this means you are no different. Before lucid dreaming can be done, however, you have to recognize that you are dreaming. You can do this by looking for "dream signs," which can be identified by performing the following "reality tests."

If you are confronted with text or a clock in a dream, read the text or the time, look away, and then look at the text or time again. In the real world, text and time will not change; in the dream world, however, text and time will alter drastically.

Switch on electronic objects, or look at reflective objects. Electronic switches such as light switches will not usually work in the dream world. Mirrors will be blurred, or will show distorted images.

Try to inflict pain on yourself, or keep yourself from breathing. If you feel your chest tighten, or if you feel little or no resistance or pain on your skin, then you may be in a dream state.

Observe your environment: do you see talking animals? Are there purple dogs and green horses? Do buildings suddenly get up and dance? You may be dreaming.