This information was taken from OMNI magazine, April or June 87, so I'm sure that it is copywrited. Do not reprint as your own work ! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Most people don't realize they've been dreaming until after they've awakened and the dream has come to an end. Some people, however, are conscious that they're dreaming. These lucid dreamers, scientists have discovered, can literally direct their actions and change the content of a dream, deciding perhaps to talk physics with Einstein, woo and marry a movie star, or assume the powers of Superman. After nearly a decade of piloting these daring nocturnal flights, two psychologists - Stephen LaBerge of Stanford University, author of LUCID DREAMING (Ballentine), and Jayne Gackenbach of the University of Northern Iowa - have begun to develop a series of techniques aimed at helping ordinary dreamers "turn" lucid, and lucid dreamers gain greater control over the wooly behemoth the tasks as often as possible. Some people may succeed in having a lucid dream the very first night they use the techniques; others, the researchers note may need to practice for several weeks before getting results. EXERCISE ONE A number of techniques facilitate lucid dreaming. One of the simplest is asking yourself many times during the day whether you are dreaming. Each time you ask the question, you should look for evidence proving you are not dreaming. The most reliable test: Read something, look away for a moment, and then read it again. If it reads the same way twice, it is unlikely that you are dreaming. After you have proved to yourself that you are not presently dreaming, visualize yourself doing whatever it is you'd like. Also, tell yourself that you want to recognize a nighttime dream the next time it occurs. The mechanism at work here is simple; it's much the same as picking up milk at the grocery store after reminding yourself to do so an hour before. At night people usually realize they are dreaming when they experience unusual or bizarre occurrences. For instance, if you find yourself flying with no visible means of support, you should realize that this only happens in dreams and that you must therefore be dreaming. If you awaken from a dream in the middle of the night, it is very helpful to return to the dream immediately, in your imagination. Now envision yourself recognizing the dream as such. Tell yourself, "The next time I am dreaming, I want to remember to recognize that I am dreaming." If your intention is strong and clear enough, you may find yourself in a lucid dream when you return to sleep. EXERCISE TWO Many lucid dreamers report dreams in which they fly unaided, much like Superman. Some lucid dreamers say that flying is a thrilling means of travel; others, that it has helped them return from one of the more harrowing dream experiences --- the endless fall. Why is dream flying so important ? It's a form of dream control that's fairly easy to master. It gives the dreamer an exhilarating sense of freedom. And it's a basic means of travel in the dream world. How do you make a dream flight happen at all ? We suggest that before you retire for bed, you simply repeat these words: "Tonight I fly !" Then while still awake, imagine that journey. If you find yourself flying, it will be a clear sign that you are in a dream. In any case, when you realize you're dreaming, remember that you want to fly. When you actually feel yourself flying, say, "This is a dream." Make sure that you start modestly, by simply floating above the surface of your dream ground. As you gain confidence, both in the notion that you are dreaming and in your ability to control that experience, you might experiment with flying a bit more. Run, taking big leaps, and then stay aloft for a few seconds so that you resemble an astronaut walking on the moon. Try sustained floating, and then flying at low altitudes. As your confidence increases, so will your flying skills. While asleep, work on increasing your altitude, maneuverability, and speed. As with speed sports, you should perfect height and maneuverability before speed. Of course, you couldn't really hurt yourself --- it's only a dream. But you could get scared. After you get proficient in dream flying, remember to ask yourself these questions : "How high can I fly ? Can I view the earth from outer space ? Can I travel so fast that I lose awareness of my surroundings and experience the sensation of pure speed ?" Throughout your efforts in dream flight, please remember that you're in a dream. With this in mind, your fears will be held at bay, and your control over your dream will be greatly enhanced. EXERCISE THREE Even if you're a frequent lucid dreamer, you may not be able to stop your- self from waking up in mid-dream. And even if your dreams do reach a satisfying end, you may not be able to focus them exactly as you please. During our years of research, however, we have found that spinning your dream body can sustain the period of sleep and give you greater dream control. In fact, many subjects at Stanford University have used the spinning technique as an effective means of staying in a lucid dream. The task outlines below will help you use spinning as a means of staying asleep and, more exciting, as a means of traveling to whatever dream world you desire. As with dream flying, the dream spinning task starts before you go to bed. Before retiring, decide on a person, time, and place you would like to visit in your lucid dream. The target person and place can be either real or imaginary, past, present or future. For instance, Sigmund Freud, Vienna, 1900; Stephen LaBerge, Stanford, the present; or the president of the solar system, Galaxy Base, 2900. Write down and memorize your target person and place, then visualize yourself visiting your target and firmly resolve to do so in a dream that night. When following this procedure, it is possible that you might find yourself visiting your target in a non-lucid dream; you will be aware that this happened only after you awaken. Nevertheless, you should strive for lucidity by following the techniques in exercise one. Then proceed to your goal. To do so, repeat the phrase describing your target in your dream, and spin your whole dream body in a standing position with your arms outstretched. You can pirouette or spin like a top, as long as you vividly feel your body in motion. The same spinning technique will help when, in the middle of a lucid dream, you feel the dream imagery beginning to fade. To avoid waking up, spin as you repeat your target phrase again and again. With practice, you'll return to your target person, time, and place. EXERCISE FOUR Up until now we have had little control over the occurrence of creative dreams. But with lucid dreaming it may be possible to intentionally access the creativity of the dream state. You can help determine the feasibility of this idea by attempting to solve a problem in a lucid dream. Before bed, decide on a problem you would like to solve. Frame your problem in the form of a question. For example : "What is the topic of me next book ?" "How can I become less shy ?" If you have an illness, you might consider the problem "How can I regain my health ?" Once you have selected a problem question, write it down and memorize it. When doing the lucid-dream-induction exercises, remember your question and see yourself looking for the answer in your next lucid dream. Then, when in a lucid dream, ask the question, and seek the solution. You might be most successful at problem solving if you take the direct approach. For instance if your problem is shyness, be less shy in your dream. If your problem is health, try to heal yourself in the dream. Then reflect on how your dream solution relates to the waking problem. It may help to question other dream characters, especially if they represent people who you think might know the answer. For example, if you were trying to solve a physics problem, Albert Einstein might be a good dream character to query. You can even combine this task with the dream spinning and flying tasks, visiting an expert on your problem. You can also just explore your dream world with your question in mind, looking for any clues that might suggest an answer. ---Stephen LaBerge and Jayne Gackenbach ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ For those of you who have made it this far, I have just a couple of comments. Lucid dreaming is the absolute MOST fun I've ever had, and that's saying a lot, since I've had some terrific times while awake. I can't dream lucidly every night, and if I stop the exercises, it takes a couple of days to get things lucid again. If you do try lucid dreaming, don't expect results the first night. Give it a few days, and keep up the exercises. They really work. I've found that it helps me to write down every detail I can recall from a dream as soon as I get up in the morning. Then before bed the next night, I read those details, making them fresh in my mind. It seems to help bring on dreams that night. If you have questions or comments about this article, you can leave a message on MENHIR BBS at (609)-263-2861. Just leave a comment to the sysop. PLEASANT DREAMS ! DAVID TOWN Another file downloaded from: NIRVANAnet(tm) & the Temple of the Screaming Electron 415-935-5845 Just Say Yes 415-922-1613 Rat Head 415-524-3649 Cheez Whiz 408-363-9766 Reality Check 415-474-2602 Specializing in conversations, obscure information, high explosives, arcane knowledge, political extremism, diversive sexuality, insane speculation, and wild rumours. ALL-TEXT BBS SYSTEMS. Full access for first-time callers. We don't want to know who you are, where you live, or what your phone number is. We are not Big Brother. "Raw Data for Raw Nerves" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- LEARNING LUCID DREAMING floating around in what seems to be the physical world. By Lorenzo Saint Dubois Stage 3) Fully lucid dreaming: The dreamer realizes that the experience is entirely mental and that the dream INTRODUCTION world is completely distinct from the physical world. In order to recognize that you are dreaming, you need first of all to have a concept of what dreaming is. POTENTIAL FOR LUCID DREAMING What happens when you "realize you are dreaming" will depend upon what you There are two essential requirements understand "dreaming" to be. for learning lucid dreaming: motivation and good dream recall. The Stage 1) Ordinary, non-lucid dreams: necessity of motivation: Lucid Dreams are not distinguished from dreaming demands considerable control waking life. of attention, and hence we must be motivated to exert the necessary Stage 2) Out-of-body experiences: You effort. If we can remember some find yourself in a sort of mental body dreams, then we can remember lucid dreams. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DREAM RECALL those who do not want to do not. For many people, simply having the In order to have a lucid dream and intention to remember, reminding know about it when you awaken, you themselves of this intention just have to remember your dreams. For one before bed, is enough. One effective thing, the more frequently you way to strenghthen this resolve is to remember dreams, and the clearer and keep a dream journal beside your bed more detailed your pictures become, and record whatever you can remember the more likely you are to remember of your dreams everytime you wake up. lucid dreams. The more familiar you As you record your dreams, you will become with what you own dreams are remember more dreams. Reading over like, the easier you will find it to your dream journal can provide an recognize them as dreams while they added benefit: the more familiar you happen. Thus, if you want to learn to become with what your dreams are like, dream lucidly, you need first of all the easier it will be for you to to learn to reliably recall your recognize one while it is still dreams. happening and therefore to awaken in your dream. One of the most important determinants of dream recall is motivation. For An infallible method for developing the most part, those who want to your ability to remember dreams is to remember their dreams can do so, and get in the habit of asking yourself, -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- every time you wake up, "What was I not succeed at first. Remember: Each dreaming?" This must be your first of us masters the ability to recall thought upon awakening; otherwise, you our dreams at our own rate. will forget some or all of the dream due to interference from other thoughts. You must not give up too LEARNING LUCID DREAMING quickly if nothing is recalled at first, but persist patiently in the Learning lucid dreaming is work, and effort to remember, without moving or it requires a certain amount of thinking of anything else, and in most discpline at first, but it becomes cases, pieces and fragments of the easier, even effortless, with dream will come to you. If you still practice. cannot remember a dream, ask yourself what you were just thinking and how Before giving the technique I use, you are feeling. Examining your here are some examples of this thoughts and feelings in this way can technique that have been used in the often provide the ncessary cues for past: retrieving the entire dream. Paul Tholey, a German psychologist, In developing dream recall, as with states that the most effective method any other skill, progress is sometimes for achieving lucidity is to develop slow. Do not be discouraged if you do "a critical-reflective attitude" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- toward your state of consciousness, by often we critically question our state asking yourself whether or not you are of consciousness while awake, the more dreaming while you are awake. He likely we are to do so while dreaming. stresses the importance of asking the critical question ("Am I dreaming or One method of inducing lucid dreaming not?") as frequently as possible, at is to enter the state from waking. A least five to ten times a day, and in simple technique for maintaining every situation that seems dreamlike. conscious awareness during the Asking the question at bedtime and transition from waking to sleep: count while faling asleep is also favorable. to yourself ("one, I'm dreaming; two, I'm dreaming," and so on) while Oliver Fox regarded a critical frame drifting off to sleep, maintaining a of mind as the key to lucid dreaming, certain level of vigilance as you do and it is easy to see why asking the so. The result is that at some point, question "Am I dreaming or not?" ought say, "forty-eight, I'm dreaming", you to favor the occurrence of lucid will find that you are dreaming! The dreams. We most often dream about "I'm dreaming!" phrase helps to remind familiar activities from our waking you of what you intend to do, but it life, and if we never ask whether we is not strictly necessary. Simply are dreaming or not while awake, why focusing your attention on counting should we do so while dreaming? Or, probably allows you to retain to put it more positively, the more sufficient alertness to recognize -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dream images for what they are, when MNEMONIC INDUCTION OF LUCID DREAMS they appear. This and similar (MILD) techniques apparently work best for people who tend to fall asleep MILD is based on our ability to rapidly, and frequently experience remember that there are actions we sleep-onset (Hypnagogic) dreaming. wish to perform in the future. Aside from writing ourselves memos we do Another method, and for most people this by forming a mental connection far easier, way to become lucid in a between what we want to do and the dream is to become very familiar with future circumstances in which we your dreams, get to know what is intend to do it. Making this dreamlike about them, and simply connection is greatly facilitated by intend to recognize that they are the mnemonic device, the memory aid, dreams while they are happening. of visualizing yourself doing what it Evidently, simply intending to is you intend to remember. It is also recognize that one is dreaming is helpful to verbalize the intention: enough to increase the frequency of "When such-and-such happens, I want to occurrence of lucid dreams. remember so-and-so." For Example: "When I pass the bank, I Next part: a method with which the want to remember to draw out some author could reliably induce lucid cash." dreams. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The verbalization that the author uses over the dream several times until you to organize his intended effort is: have memorized it. "Next time I'm dreaming, I want to recognize I'm dreaming." The "when" 2) Then, while lying in bed and and "what" of th intended action must returning to sleep, say to yourself, be clearly specified. "Next time I'm dreaming, I want to remember to recognize I'm dreaming." He generates this intention either immediately after awakening from an 3) Visualize yourself as being back in earlier REM period, or following a the dream just rehearsed; only this period of full wakefulness, as time, see yourself realizing that you detailed below. An important point is are, in fact, dreaming. that in order to produce the desired effect, it is necessary to do more 4) Repeat steps two and three until then just recite the phrase. You must you feel your intention is clearly really intend to have a lucid dream. fixed or you fall asleep. Here is the recommended procedure spelled out step by step: If all goes well, in a short time you will find yourself lucid in another 1) During the early morning, when you dream (which need not closely resemble awaken spontaneously from a dream, go the one you have rehearsed). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The mental set invovlved in this However, wakefulness presents the procedure is much like the thought you would-be lucid dreamer with adopt when you decide to awaken at a disadvantages as well as advantages. certain hour, and go to sleep after Often it is impossible to return to setting your mental alarm clock. The sleep after waking up fully. Another ability to awaken in your dreams may problem is that since proximity to REM be regarded as a sort of refinement of sleep while doing MILD probably favors the ability to awaken from your successful lucid-dream induction, the dreams. longer you wait before returning to sleep, the less likely it is for lucid If you find yourself just too drowsy dreams to occur. Something of the REM to follow the procedure as described state carries over for a few minutes above, you might try to wake yourself after waking from a dream. If we re- up by engaging in several minutes of enter our dreams immediately after any activity that demands full waking from REM, which is the point at wakefulness, such as writing down your which our dreaming and waking worlds dream, reading, or simply getting out are closest, and the optimal time for of bed. This is because certain carrying over our lucid-dream activities have been observed to intentions from the waking mind into promote lucid dreaming upon a the dreaming mind. subsequent return to sleep. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- People are likely to differ as to which of these two factors, wakefulness and REM carryover, are more effective for them, and I recommend experimenting with both when using MILD to induce lucid dreams. end.