The art of lucid dreaming

I first discovered lucid dreaming when I was 14. A friend had introduced me to it, and I thought it seemed really cool.

Lucid dreaming is the practice of being aware that you are in a dream and having some sort of control over it. While it takes a lot of practice and is very difficult to do, it can be incredibly fun when you succeed.

I remember having a lucid dream about having to do a presentation in a classroom with my teacher and classmates. Just as I was about to start my presentation, I realised I was dreaming and I proceeded to wreak havoc in the classroom.

It was particularly memorable because it was obviously something I would never do in real life.

Many people mistake lucid dreaming for sleep paralysis, but it is most certainly not. In sleep paralysis, a person usually find themselves unable to move any of their muscles while they are experiencing terrifying hallucinations.

It is a horrifying experience that is usually accompanied by feeling pressure on one’s chest and finding it hard to breathe.

Lucid dreaming is rarely, if ever, terrifying. It can be exciting and rather rewarding because you get to control a situation that is completely bizarre and has no bearings in the real world.

Do note that certain people have found this experience to be unpleasant. So if you do, please proceed with caution!

How do you do it?

Firstly, you need to keep a dream journal. You need to practice keeping a record and recalling your dreams. This will give you a good idea of how your dreams differ from reality.

Think about it. Generally, when we dream, we do not realise that we are actually dreaming. By consistently recalling your dreams, you will be able to slowly separate your reality from your dreams.

Next, you need to create a reality check for yourself. This can take many forms.

For example, you could regularly pinch yourself and ask yourself if you are dreaming throughout the day. Or, you could write a word or two on your hand so that you will remember to keep doing reality checks.

When a reality check becomes part of your daily routine, you will start to do it in your dreams and eventually your mind will tell you: “Hey! You actually are in a dream. You can control it now!”

If you follow these two basic steps, you might be able to control your dreams without any extra help eventually. And if you look up lucid dreaming, you will find lots of tips that can help you increase your chances of lucid dreaming.

Go forth and try this out if you have not. If you have had a lucid dream before, let us know what tips you have in the comments below.