Have you ever had a dream in which you suddenly became aware that you were dreaming?If so, you were lucid dreaming.
Whereas most of the time we are not consciously aware in our dreams, lucid dreams offer the possibility of a richer dream experience - or sometimes even the ability to control our dreams however we want.
Some people seem to have no problem inducing a lucid dream at will, while others have them spontaneously or not at all.
If you fall into the latter category and would like to try having a lucid dream, there are simple techniques you can use to induce them.
It may take time before they work, however, so be prepared to make this an ongoing process until you see results.
1)Am I dreaming? As often as possible, begin asking yourself this question while you are awake.
Make it a strong habit to check in with yourself about your state of consciousness.
Over time, this habit will begin to seep into your subconscious and you'll find yourself asking that question while you are dreaming - and the lucid dream begins! 2)Choose a trigger object.
There are a couple of common objects that seem to trigger lucid dreams for many people: looking at your own hands or seeing money at some point in the dream.
However, you can also designate a trigger object while you're awake.
Choose an object that you would expect to see in your dreams.
If you frequently dream of animals, make an animal your trigger object.
If your dreams often involve your place of work (or a former place of work, or a former residence), make that your trigger.
Before you go to sleep at night, think about this item or place for a few minutes.
Say out loud, "Tonight I will dream of ________ (trigger), and when I do, I will instantly realize that I am dreaming and commence with a lucid dream.
"It may not work the first few times you try it, but keep at it and eventually you'll plant the seed in your subconscious mind.
3)Intend to have a lucid dream.
Finally, simply intending to have a lucid dream each night before you retire can often be enough to induce one.
Follow the same technique as above and state aloud that you will have a lucid dream.
Keep doing this each night before you go to bed and don't be surprised when it works! Of course, once you have mastered these techniques the question arises: what to do in a lucid dream once you realize you're having one?Why, anything you want!You can fly, sing, leap over tall buildings in a single bound - basically anything you can or can't do in physical reality.
One good way to start is by trying to control something in your dream environment.
For example, see if you can make an object materialize before you, or try to do something you wouldn't ordinarily be able to do.
Probably the most wonderful benefit of lucid dreams is the feeling of empowerment and freedom you get from them.
Knowing that you're dreaming gives you a humongous dose of courage to try the impossible without fear of repercussions.
You know you're going to wake up snug and safe in your bed, so you've got nothing to lose by having a blast!