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Have you ever walked on a rainbow, breathed underwater, or ridden a pegasus, simply because you could? If so, you either exist in a parallel universe or you’ve experienced a lucid dream.
A lucid dream is an awareness of self and your surroundings in sleep. The concept is nothing new—the occurrence is believed to have been referenced by Aristotle in the fourth century BCE and has been practiced for centuries by Tibetan Buddhists and Taoists in pursuit of enlightenment. But the mechanics of lucid dreaming remain somewhat mysterious.
Some say that the act of waking within your unconscious (or sleeping) mind comes with therapeutic benefits, while others point to the possibility of it taking a negative or even frightening turn as a nightmare. But most researchers agree that the way we experience our dream world has a lot to do with how we walk through our waking one.
What is Lucid Dreaming?
To fully understand what lucid dreaming is, it’s important to note what it’s not. The experience is not a hypnagogic state (the moment between waking and sleep), nor is it an out of body experience, explains Charlie Morley, creator of Mindfulness of Dream and Sleep, an approach for people experiencing sleep issues due to trauma or PTSD. “You are sound asleep, in REM, paralyzed and out for the count, but part of the brain has reactivated, allowing you to become fully conscious within your unconscious mind,” says of the dream state.
Morley notes that the phenomenon offers a means of honoring the messages your unconscious is striving to share with you rather than ignoring them. “When we become lucidly aware within the dream, we are extending a hand toward the unconscious mind and finally making friends with it,” he says.
“In lucid dreaming, we experience meta-consciousness: we are lucidly participating in the dream at the same time we can be observing the dream,” says artist, scientist, and pioneer in lucid dream research Fariba Bogzaran. Although these dreams are believed to happen by chance or through effort, Bogzaran cites awareness as the most important element of the experience. “We will come face to face with our dreaming mind, which is akin to a creative mind.”
Benefits and Drawbacks of Lucid Dreaming
Researchers liken the phenomenon to hypnotherapy, asserting that both acts allow you make lasting changes to your mind and body while you sleep. Research suggests myriad of benefits associated with lucid dreaming, including PTSD treatment and nightmare integration, skill development, psychological healing, and access to creativity and play. “It’s the most fun you can have in your pajamas!” says Morley
Lucid dreaming may also allow you to confront negative feelings, thoughts, and experiences, according to psychophysiologist Stephen LaBerge, who previously told Yoga Journal that facing your inner monsters head-on within a dream can provide benefits in the waking world. Think of it as lucid living: The experience of lucid dreaming is believed by some to be a mirror of sorts, with your unconscious state shedding light on the beliefs you carry while conscious, and vice versa.
Bogzaran believes that lucid dreaming should be taught in a framework that allows for context and an understanding of motives. “I always ask my students what their intention is to learn lucid dreaming—what is the purpose?” She adds that the practice requires stability on an emotional and psychological level. Not all dreams are pleasant, after all, and anecdotal research suggests that the experience of lucid nightmares can result in disrupted sleep and dissociative patterns.
How to Increase Your Likelihood of Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreaming is believed to happen either by chance or through effort, as noted by Bogzaran, and the entire process begins while you’re awake. Although certain herbs or before-bed routines may support deeper sleep, dream researchers believe that the best way to enhance your lucidity is through choice and practice.
1. Set An Intention
“Intention and practice in waking is essential,” says Bogzaran. “Some are spontaneous lucid dreamers, while others have to learn to incubate it by telling oneself before falling asleep, ‘Tonight when I am dreaming, I want to become lucid.’”
Morley also suggests understanding your desire for a lucid dream and taking the time to identify what you plan to do (action) and why (rationale). “Having a good reason why to have a lucid dream is way more powerful than knowing how to have a lucid dream,” he says.
2. Work on Your Recall
You can strengthen your ability to recall dreams with the help of affirmations, suggests Morley.
“Tell yourself, before you go to bed and even as you’re falling asleep: ‘Tonight I remember my dreams. I have excellent dream recall,” he says.“Most people will start to remember their dreams within a few nights if they put in some effort to remember them.”
3. Write Your Dreams Down
Keeping a dream journal that chronicles all types of dreams allows you to better access any insight you experience in sleep. “You are starting to make that link between conscious and unconscious,” says Morley. “By recalling your dreams, you’re getting to know the territory of your dreaming mind. The better you get to know that territory, the more likely you are to recognize it when you’re actually in it and become lucid.”