A lucid dream, a term coined by by the Dutch psychiatrist and writer Frederik (Willem) van Eeden (1860–1932), is a dream in which you are completely aware that you are dreaming while the dream is in progress. This typically happens when you experience something strange or completely unlikely in your dream, and start to question its reality.
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Although there’s no guarantee that you’ll make it happen, here are a couple things you can do to prompt a lucid dream:
- Write down your dreams as soon as you wake up, and try to notice a pattern in them that you’ll be able to recognize when you are in a dream state; these patterns will let you know that you are actually in a dream.
- Try to recall everything about your dream when you wake up, and repeat to yourself each night that you are going to remember that you are dreaming during your next dream.
Have you ever had one of these types of dreams? I have experienced this at least once or twice. One of those dreams was a nightmare, so it was a huge relief when I suddenly realized that I was dreaming. I was then able to kick the butt of whatever evil force was after me with my (never knew I had them) outstanding martial arts skills and my (well, would you look at that) ability to fly.
Oh, the places you will go, the things you will see and the butts you will kick...
This has happened to me, but very, very rarely. My problem now is that I can't remember my dreams. Maybe this is a good thing?
ReplyDeleteDepending on the dream, sometimes it is a good thing not to remember!
DeleteHa! that does look like fun :) I woke up 2 nights ago [4am] standing up next to the bed? I was having one of the creepy crawly dreams about bugs and was frantically trying to get them off. I guess it prompted a sudden standing to really shake them off! gladly that one has not reoccurred!
ReplyDeleteEeeek! That would freak me out and have me jumping out of bed!
DeleteI do occasionally have lucid dreams and briefly realize that I'm dreaming while I'm dreaming. But it never occurs to me to try to control the dream's action. I think that exerting that degree of consciousness would wake me up.
ReplyDeleteCould be. I've rarely experienced lucid dreaming, and haven't been able to really get it going. And I don't remember many of my dreams, either.
DeleteI do have lucid dreams every now and then. I also wake up from dreams, and then go back to sleep and tell someone in that dream about the dream I'd just had. Sometimes that happens more than once!
ReplyDeleteHaha...that sounds so incredible! It's amazing that you do that.
DeleteI guess then I have lucid dreams too! I enjoy those ones in which I can'watch' what comes next and knowing that it is not really happening to me. I feel safer in these and I guess have some control of the outcome. Geez, maybe I AM a control freak!! lol
ReplyDeleteGood post, Martha....now back to my dream......
I have actively pursued trying to lucid dream but I lack the self control to practice this on a consistent basis. I have managed to lucid dream once on my own where was able to recognize this is a dream and I was able to start manipulating it.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest triggers to use to see if you are in a dream are trying to read words and numbers. They are usually not very clear in our dreams, they are always vague. I remember one dream I had I was in an airport and I was trying to figure out where I was going and what time I had to depart. But I couldn't get clear reading of my plane ticket no matter how many times I looked at it. These are the kind of triggers that you have to get your brain to identify and say ahhhh this is a dream and then you are able to start controlling it.
I have to say it is an exhilarating experience to have control of everything you see and do, but yet you have no boundaries that you have to constrain to. If you want to fly, you fly. If you want to be horse, you are a horse.
I wish I could get to that state where I am able to recognize lucid dreaming on a regular basis. But maybe it is a safety mechanism that you can't. The dream might become so good that you won't ever wake up.
Great comment, WebDebris. I especially like the idea of reading the words and numbers part. That would surely tap into your logical side. And your last paragraph is really thought-provoking - and even frightening! Imagine not being able to wake up because your dream is better than your real life!
DeleteCool! Cool! Cool! I just knew that you were the kind of girl who could fly!! And I'm not surprised about the martial arts thing either. I have heard of lucid dreaming and it has happened on occasion that I have had something to do with how a dream turned out - but never could I fly!! I must remember that next time. Just fly away!!! Great idea!
ReplyDeleteIt's only happened once, but it was amazing! I just can't get this lucid dreaming going again. ARGH!
DeleteGreat post! I have thought about writing down my dreams...you have inspired me :) I'm a new GFC follower :)
ReplyDeletexo
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