Of Course I’m Asleep, but am I Really Asleep?
Taylor Smith
September 29, 2009
Filed under Uncategorized
Have you ever had a dream where you knew you were dreaming, but you didn’t wake up? Well that’s actually called a lucid dream and there is a way to harness the power of the lucid dream.
A lucid dream can begin in one of three ways. A dream-initiated lucid dream (DILD) starts as a normal dream, and the dreamer eventually concludes that he or she is dreaming. 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. A mnemonic-initiated lucid dream (MILD) can happen when the dreamer intentionally tells himself or herself that he or she will become lucid during the upcoming sleep. This goes to show how intricate the brain is.
Lucid dreaming is a little different than actual dreaming. People have described their lucid dreams as an out of body experience, and in some cases the lucid dreams can actually recreate a near-death experience. You also don’t have the same perception of time in a lucid dream; the dreamer can actually control the length of the dream or the rate of time that passes.
Some easy induction methods include: dream recall, mnemonic induction of lucid dreams. or wake-back-to-bed. The dream recall method is simply the ability to remember dreams and keep a dream journal of the experiences and feelings you have in your dreams. Mnemonic induction of lucid dreams takes a logical approach to dreaming. Throughout the day you can count your fingers and make sure you count the expected number. If this is done diligently while awake, then the same behavior can continue while dreaming and initiate a lucid dream. The wake-back-to-bed method is inconvenient but still easy. All you have to do is wake up 5-6 hours after you go to sleep and focus all your thoughts on lucid dreaming and then go back to bed. Tip frank says “I would love to be able to go on a lucid trip every now and again.”
Lucid dreaming can be considered “crazy cool” but can be difficult to initiate. On the rare occasion that you do have a lucid dream it can be very rewarding and maybe even inspire you. For example, if you are in a lucid dream and tell yourself that there is going to be a new idea for a painting in the next room then there most likely will be. So maybe lucid dreaming can even help you throughout school.
“Lucid dreaming can be considered “crazy cool” but can be difficult to initiate.”
Agreed. I try my best to initiate lucid dreaming whenever possible, and it’s bloody awesome when it works.
If you can do this in the midst of a nightmare, it’s so satfisfying you’ll probably wake up doing a victorious fist-pump.
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OMG lucid dreams are the best. It’s fun to do things you would never do in real life. but sometimes i chicken out and still not do it. Like one time i was lucid dreaming that i was in school and i was about to hit a teacher but in my mind i was like nooo i better not actually do this, this maybe real life and not just a dream.
weird-i know
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