I had a long discussion with Android regarding this yesterday and decided to create a thread here.
Lucid dreams are dreams in which you realize that you are dreaming, you turn conscious and can start controlling the dream. If you practice a lot, you can basically do whatever you want. It's like a computer game but better.
You might have had a lucid dream some time, I know I've had one before I actually started reading about LD. You tend to get so excited about it you wake up though.
The idea of LD at least gets me really hyped and excited, just thinking about the possibilities. It's just like Inception, a whole separate world. I've never really spent the time on learning it, but I've been reading a lot about it.
If you want to start learning to control your dreams, there are some things you should know.
There are several ways of getting lucid dreams, the most common ones are known as DILD and WILD.
WILD = Wake Induced Lucid Dream. The concept is about going to bed and focusing on getting into a dream. It's pretty hard to do so I'm not going to write much about it.
DILD = Dream Induced Lucid Dream. This is where you are in a dream, you question whether it is real and then take control of the dream. This is the easiest way to start lucid dreaming.
1. Dream Journal
The first step is to start a Dream Journal. This will improve your memory of dreams. Normally we don't remember dreams or forget about them really soon after we wake up. A dream journal is where you write down your dreams. If you barely ever remember a dream, you should start thinking to yourself every night: "I'm going to dream tonight, and when I wake up tomorrow I will remember". This actually works, I've tried it several times. However, when you wake up you can't start messing about instantly. Lie still in bed for a while, think about the dream you had. Try to remember the details and get a grasp of what it was about. Don't move. Just lie still in bed. When you feel you are done, grab your journal and write it down. If you don't, you will probably have forgotten the dream after breakfast.
When you have been writing a dream journal for a while you should start remembering the dreams more often, and the memories get clearer.
2. Reality Checks
Reality checks is basically questioning if you are dreaming. One thing to do is to start doing basic reality checks now and again even though you know you aren't dreaming. If you do this enough, it will eventually turn into a habit. Then you will also start doing it in your dreams. There is usually something strange in the dream, and you realize you are in fact dreaming.
Some reality checks are:
Nose plug - pinch your nose and try to breath out. Of course this wont work in real life but in dreams, it most likely will. (Recommended RC)
Finger counting - Look at your hand and count the fingers. In a dream, it's often hard to see details and you will probably have one more or less finger.
Finger through palm - Try to stick your finger straight through your palm. This might work in dreams, as if you are a hologram
Gravity check - Think about floating upwards. In a dream you will actually start hovering. (pretty unreliable)
Some people say you should try to make a couple of these habits, some say it's all bs since you often stop paying attention to these things so you might do them in a dream and just not think about what is actually happening.
2. The Dream
To be continued