Marc Berry

The lucid dreamer - part 1

October 5, 2007 |  14 comments
Image Credit: This is the first part of a 3 part series of articles examining Lucid Dreaming. What is Lucid Dreaming? Throughout history, man has been fascinated by his dreams. In ancient cultures, Oneiromancy, a form of divination based on dreams, was common practice. In ancient Egypt, dreams were recorded, and people with especially strong or vivid dreams were accorded special status. In more recent times, Jungian dream interpretation has been used by psychologists to aid patients. Most recently, lucid dreaming has been accepted as a scientific fact, and is used by psychologists as an aid for patients who suffer from recurring nightmares.

By definition, a lucid dream is a dream in which the dreamer is aware that he or she is in a dream state. They may be able to control aspects of the dream, or they may simply be an observer, aware but unable to affect the dream scape. 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 logically 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.

In order to begin lucid dreaming, there are a few steps one must go through. The first is the ability to recall a dream. Keeping a dream journal is one the most effective means of achieving this. Upon waking, the sleeper immediately writes down any and all dreams they may have had, before the dream memory fades.

Once you have cultivated the ability to remember your dreams, you are ready to attempt to induce a lucid dream. There are a variety of techniques available for this but they are beyond the scope of this article. For more information, you may wish to consult the article "Lucid Dream" at Wikipedia.

Once you believe you have achieved a lucid dream state, it is important to do a reality check. This is a simple test to determine whether or not you are actually dreaming. Some effective tests are reading a bit of text, looking away, then re-reading the text. In a dream the test will probably have changed. The same idea can be applied to the time, by checking one's watch. Additionally, check for dream signs. In a dream it is not uncommon for the dreamer to have the ability to jump superhuman distances, or even fly. These are good signs that one is in a dream.

Why Lucid Dream?Different people cultivate lucid dreams for different reasons, but here is a list of some of the most popular.

* Adventure and Fantasy – the potential for wild adventures is often the initial lure for individuals wishing to lucid dream. Flying and sex are amongst the most popular lucid dreams in this category.

* Overcoming Nightmares – as stated earlier, lucid dreaming may be a very effective means of reducing or even overcoming recurring nightmares.

* Rehearsal – because the imagery in a lucid dream is so vivid and realistic, dreamers often use the dream scape to rehearse important presentations, difficult situations, or athletic events. Because the neuronal activity in the brain is the same waking or sleeping, rehearsal works to improve ones skill in a variety of activities, including physical activities such as sports.

* Healing – visualization has been shown to be an effective means of healing, both mental/spiritual as well as physical. Lucid dreamers use the intense imagery of the dream to overcome fears and alleviate pain and other physical symptoms.

* Transcendence – The intense realism of a lucid dream has caused more than one dreamer to begin to question the very nature of reality itself. It is not uncommon for the dreamer to achieve feelings of ecstasy and union with the Highest, and realize a higher purpose to their lives.

Many traditions old and new believe that this reality is an illusion or dream, created by our own consciousness. If this is true, the the question needs to be asked, "Can Lucid Dreaming be used as a vehicle to affect our outside reality?" In part 2 of this series, we will take a look at a lucid dream I had many years ago, and ask if that dream had an effect on my outside reality. In part 3, we will attempt to answer that very question, and examine some of the mechanisms that may make it possible.

Stay tuned, and until the next installment, pleasant dreams, everybody!

Marc Berry is co-founder of NewBranes.com, a blog that provides insightful commentary on the paranormal, ufo's and alternate points of view. For more great articles like this, visit NewBranes.com. Reprinting this article is permitted with this footer included. Comments (14)

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