Would you like to know what is lucid dreaming is? It’s not my specialty and I invited the lovely Sheila Balgobin to give her expert insights on this topic. Enjoy!
What are Lucid Dreams, and Why Would I Want One?
Have you ever been in the middle of a dream and realized you were, in fact, dreaming? This is called lucid dreaming, and simply put, lucid dreaming occurs when someone finds themselves conscious (or “lucid”) within a dream. Sometimes, this awareness actually allows them to feel in control of their own dreams.
Lucid dreams can be opportunities to access creativity, practice certain skills, work on emotional issues, and so much more. It’s even been shown to help treat nightmares, because if you can become lucid during a nightmare, it becomes possible to change the content in a way that feels more empowering right from within the dream itself.
Lucid dreams can happen naturally, but there are a handful of ways you can make them more likely.
Tips and Techniques for Lucid Dreaming
Reality Check
Get in the habit of asking yourself whether you’re dreaming throughout the day, or even try to put a finger through your own palm, or launch yourself into flight, Ellis suggests.
Get Enough Sleep
Of course, in order to achieve lucid dreaming, you have to reach REM sleep. So, one of the most basic things you can do is to make sure you’re getting an adequate amount of sleep. Avoid alcohol and other substances before bed that can inhibit dreams, keep your sleep schedule consistent, and so on.
The Power of Suggestion
Clear your mind, relax, and repeat one of the following statements to yourself until you start to believe it:
- Tonight in my dreams, I will realize I am dreaming and become consciously aware.
- Tonight in my dreams, when I see something strange, I will realize I am dreaming and become consciously aware.
Dream Journaling
One way to get better at dream recall is to keep a dream journal, in which you record everything from your dreams that you can remember upon waking up.
Recurring Themes/Characters in Your Dreams
Do you have a recurring dream character or theme that’s always showing up? If so, you can use it as a trigger to become lucid in your sleep.
Take Naps
As naps are typically lighter sleep than what we experience at night, they can help promote lucidity. As you’re falling asleep, try to keep your mind awake and present to the dream world as you start to enter REM sleep.
The bottom line about Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreaming is an undoubtedly fascinating, and for many, eye-opening, experience. While there are some who would do best to avoid it, if you’re at peace with your life, you should be fine to give the practice a go by setting the right intentions. Happy dreaming!
About the Author
Sheila Balgobin is a fifth generation “Dreamer”, born with the gift of understanding the meaning of dreams. She combines her gift with training as a holistic healer and psychotherapist to help her clients discover the “gold in the gobbledygook” of their dreams.
Sheila offers a lucid dreaming masterclass, which gives her clients the background and tools to recall their dreams, interact with their dreams and change their lives as a result.
To find out more about the masterclass, or other courses that Sheila facilitates, go to: https://crackyourdreamcode.com/lucid-dream-masterclass