Is Lucid Dreaming Right For You?

Posted on November 11, 2008
Filed Under Alternative Medicine |

We spend one third of our lives asleep, but what if that time was put to good use? This is the promise of lucid dreaming, or consciously being aware of the dream state. When you are lucid dreaming, there are opportunities to explore not only the dream, but also your foundations of reality.

Once thought to be the territory of only mystics and yogis, now we know that lucid dreaming can be learned by almost anyone. The most important factor is for potential lucid dreamers to have a strong intention to learn, or they will be disappointed. Having said this, here are some things to consider if conscious dreaming is right for you.

One of the most important factors for learning conscious dreaming is having good dream recall. After all, how can you become aware you are dreaming if you don’t even remember your dreams in the first place? Luckily, remembering dreams is also a learnable skill for most people; all it takes is some patience, and a journal beside the bed to capture dream fragments after waking up. This is the first connection of many between the waking world and the dreaming world that needs to be made in order to succeed at lucid dreaming.

Next, it is a fact that most excellent lucid dreamers have a better-than-average sense of balance. Vestibular activity plays a big role in consciousness, whether we are dreaming or awake. Therefore, beginners will have better luck learning to lucid dream if they also have an ongoing exercise practice that develops their balance. Some examples are yoga, tai chi, gymnastics, and the martial arts.

Lastly, the beginners who will have the greatest success are those who also are working on becoming more conscious in their daily lives. There are lots of ways to build brain power during the day, such as gardening, having a meditation practice, playing competitive sports, and board games like Scrabble or Risk. Lucid dreaming isn’t for everyone, but if you can remember your dreams, develop your body’s balance, and keep a mind-development regime, you will easily find success in becoming aware during the dream state.

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