In my previous article, I described how reality checks can help you have lucid dreams, and how to use your personal dream symbols as triggers to perform a variety of reality checks. In this article, I'll cover other simple reality checking techniques to help you become lucid in your dreams.
One of the easiest reality checks involves using written or printed text to determine whether or not you are dreaming. In dreams, text nearly always shifts, wiggles, or changes as you glance at it. This makes it perfect for use in a reality check. Whenever you ask yourself, "Am I dreaming?", glance at something with text written or printed on it. Use a book, newspaper, sign, billboard, or anything else you can find that contains clear and easy-to-read text. Stare at the text for a moment. If the text remains clear and does not shift or wiggle, read the words and fix them in your mind then look away briefly. Look back again at the text and verify the words have not changed.
If the words have changed, congratulations! You'e dreaming! If the words have not changed, try the reality check a second time just to be sure you are awake. Do this throughout the day, whenever you perform your other reality checks.
I recommend writing the words "Am I dreaming?" on a small card or piece of paper and carrying it in your pocket or wallet at all times. This will not only provide you with quick access to clearly printed text to use during your reality check but will also remind you to perform the "Am I dreaming?" reality check whenever you see the card.
Similar to written or printed text, the digitally displayed letters or numbers on a digital watch, clock, cell-phone, or handheld computer also may be used to perform the reality check. In dreams, digital displays have a tendency to wiggle or morph from one string of text into a new and entirely different string of text right before your eyes. Even when digital numbers don't wiggle, they tend to change randomly. Check the time on the nearest digital clock or watch, glance away for a moment, and then look back again. Has the time changed in an unusual way? If so, you might be dreaming. Double-check by performing this reality check a second time to see if the numbers on the clock randomly change again.
For another quick and easy reality check, attempt to use your mind to alter your surroundings. As you ask yourself, "Am I dreaming?", attempt to use your thoughts to affect something that normally would remain fixed or stable, such as the color of the walls or floor. Try to change the color of the walls by mentally willing it to happen. If you're dreaming, there is a very good chance you will be able to change the color of the walls to the color of your choice, or possibly to a random color or pattern. If the color changes, you'll realize you are dreaming. If the color does not change, make one more try just to be sure.
Another method to determine if you are dreaming is to attempt to fly. Don't leap into the air like Superman -- just in case you're not dreaming -- but attempt to "think" yourself into the air. Focus on being lightweight and capable of flying, stand on your tiptoes and imagine floating upward, and see what happens. If you are dreaming, you may begin to float into the air. Flying dreams are fun and invigorating, and flying while lucid can be wonderfully exhilarating.
One reality check to avoid: never ask anyone else if you're dreaming. The answer inevitably will be "No", even when you truly are dreaming. Your dreaming mind will conspire to keep you in an unaware state. Since other people appearing in your dreams are really representations of your unconscious mind, they will almost invariably tell you you're not dreaming, which makes this type of reality check extremely unreliable. Stick to the other techniques instead.
As you learn to perform frequent reality checks, not only will you increase your odds of performing one while dreaming, you also will become more aware of the details of life you typically overlook. We are constantly bombarded with sensory information and unconsciously tune out a large portion of it. As you begin to tune in, you'll gradually become more and more observant of your surroundings. This new sensory awareness will aid you considerably in achieving lucid dreaming, and it may help you achieve an expanded awareness throughout your daily life as well.
Stay tuned for the next article, which will describe eight easy techniques to increase your chances of having a lucid dream.
This post is Part 9 in the series Mastering the Art of Lucid Dreaming.
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I’ve had 2 dreams in a row where the people in my dream are angry with me and try to attack me. In both dreams I befriend one of the attackers. In the first dream I bumped into a nice car while trying to park my truck and a group of six guys came out with nun chucks. I ran inside and in the house I was in one of the dudes was there playing what I guess was my xbox. I had the feeling he was using me for my game then it ended because he wouldn’t come outside and stop his friends he just kept telling me o wait while he played. In The second dream I was playing football with a group of strangers in hawaii. I couldn’t pick up and throw the football no matter how hard I tried it kept slipping out of my hand. They grew angry with me and kicked me out of their house. Then I was approached by a guy outside with MMA gloves on and he said he was sent by those people to kick my ass the strange part was that he was coaching me how to fight him before we fought. We were in the middle of a dead end steet. I went to leave bbut when I went to my truck it was completely stripped. So I wandered around looking for the parts but I could not find them. I realized to end this I had to fight the guy but he was a lot bigger than me and I was nervous. He asked if I was ready and came in with punches so I put him in a choke and that was it he was done then he just disappeared. After the fight there was a young girl mid twenties there talking to me and making job. There’s a ton of details I left out but the parts that intrigued me the most were: learning how to do something in my dream, winning the fight,being attacked and disliked by the people in my dream 2 times in a row, another peculiar aspect was the fact that the guy that was sent to kick my ass was very friendly. I am most amazed at him teaching me to fight though. He gave me tips on stance and posture and was extremely polite.