Archive for the 'Dreams & Lucid Dreaming' Category
Ben over at Dreaming Life recently posted an article about how he got into lucid dreaming and called on other dream enthusiasts to describe how they got into lucid dreaming as well.
My first lucid dream, or at least the first lucid dream I can recall, occurred when I was young, around eleven or twelve years old. I was living in Massachusetts in an old two-story house with my bedroom on the second floor, and I remember dreaming of walking to my bedroom window, lifting the sash, and flying out into our backyard. There was no screen on the window to keep insects out or little children in, which should have been my first clue that I was dreaming, but I didn't recognize it for a dream right away.
I soared into the sky, circled our house, and swooped low toward the ground. As I sped through the air only a few feet above the grass, I knew if I didn't pull up soon I'd have to maneuver carefully to fly through the swingset in our yard without becoming tangled in the swings. The moment that thought surfaced, it was quickly followed by surprise. I'm flying!
Wait a minute…I'm FLYING???
It suddenly occurred to me that I must be dreaming, yet somehow I'd realized I was dreaming. This was fantastic! I was dreaming but I knew I was dreaming, which meant I could do anything I wanted to do! Woohoo!
The excitement was so overwhelming, I promptly woke up. …Continue reading
This article is part of the series Mastering the Art of Lucid Dreaming. If this is your first visit to the site, I recommend starting at the beginning of the series.
When analyzing their dreams, too many dreamers fall back on the standard definitions found in a dream dictionary. Dream symbolism can vary considerably from person to person, making most dream dictionaries only marginally useful. Dreamers should never rely solely on the standard dream dictionary definitions for interpretation.
We all have our own personal filters through which we interpret information, both while awake and asleep. These filters create the personal context in which our mind creates each dream scene. When analyzing a dream to discover it’s meaning, it’s important to consider not only the overall context in which a particular dream symbol appeared but also the personal context.
After recording the details of your dream in your journal, you must ask yourself what each dream symbol means to you personally. An object or event that means one thing to one person may mean something entirely different to someone else, and as such, a dream symbol that holds one meaning for you may hold a different meaning for someone else. A dream symbol may have a frightening meaning for some dreamers, while for other dreamers it may hold no fear whatsoever. To most people, a knife might seem frightening. To a chef in a fancy restaurant, a knife is nothing more than another kitchen tool. …Continue reading
This article is part of the series Mastering the Art of Lucid Dreaming. If this is your first visit to the site, I recommend starting at the beginning of the series.
Lucid dreaming may be used quite effectively to overcome nightmares and to uncover the underlying source of recurring dreams. Nightmares are generated by the fears of our unconscious mind and by situations that cause us stress in our daily lives. Often, upon awakening we wonder why we reacted with such irrational fear to very simple dream events that wouldn't seem frightening to us at all in waking life. On other occasions, the events of our dreams are so terrifying we question why our unconscious mind would place us in such a horrific situation. When you become lucid within your dreams, you’ll be able to control your reactions and can choose when, where, and how to confront your fears.
If you find yourself in a frightening situation while dreaming, the first step to overcoming your fear is to reaffirm to yourself that it is just a dream and you are in control. Because our fear often gains the upper hand, when a nightmare scenario occurs even experienced lucid dreamers sometimes find it difficult to maintain control of all the elements of the dream. At first, focus your efforts on maintaining control over your own actions and reactions. This in itself can be a tricky task. It may require a concerted effort just to keep yourself from running away. …Continue reading
This article is part of the series Mastering the Art of Lucid Dreaming. If this is your first visit to the site, I recommend starting at the beginning of the series.
It is well known that the mind can be a powerful tool for healing. Studies have indicated simply using a daily affirmation about wellness can improve a patient's health. In the same way, your dreams may be used for health and healing purposes.
Before going to bed, spend time performing the dream incubation technique to incubate a dream environment where you will be comfortable and relaxed, such as a beach, a garden, or a luxurious bedroom. Perform your choice of lucid dreaming techniques and set your intent to become consciously aware once you reach the desired setting in your dream.
If there is a particular illness or injury you would like to address, use your dream to …Continue reading
This article is part of the series Mastering the Art of Lucid Dreaming. If this is your first visit to the site, I recommend starting at the beginning of the series.
Whenever you get the feeling you're only scratching the surface of a particular issue in your dreams, it can be helpful to use a technique to delve deeper into the unconscious. In dreams, the unconscious mind frequently is represented by archetypal symbols or metaphors. It may be portrayed as an untamed wilderness, a large unexplored house, a vast churning ocean, or even a busy and colorful market. Whatever form it takes in your dreams, your unconscious mind most often presents itself to you as an infinite expanse of detail to explore and investigate.
To dig deeper into your unconscious mind, you'll need to take steps to trigger a dream conducive to that form of directed exploration. Rather than posing questions to your unconscious mind and allowing it to guide you, you will instead direct your unconscious mind to open itself to your exploration and allow you to wander freely. The goal is to follow a path of your own choosing through the territory of your unconscious mind, investigating whatever details catch your interest along the way.
At bedtime, perform the lucid dreaming techniques described in previous articles in this series to ensure you become lucid in your dream. After performing the techniques …Continue reading
This article is part of the series Mastering the Art of Lucid Dreaming. If this is your first visit to the site, I recommend starting at the beginning of the series.
Just as you can create your own ideal dream teacher, you can also create a dream guide — a dream character created specifically to provide your unconscious mind with a walking, talking personality with which you may converse during your dreams.
Allowing your unconscious mind to take on the form of a dream guide offers a way for your conscious mind to communicate directly with your unconscious mind. Dreams are rich with symbolism and metaphor driven by the unconscious mind, and over time you'll learn how to interpret those messages by reviewing your dream journal entries, but with this technique you can communicate with your unconscious mind in a straightforward manner to pose specific questions. By calling upon your unconscious mind in the form of a dream guide, you'll give it a way to interact with you in a much more direct and less metaphoric way.
You may wish to ask your unconscious mind for answers to particular questions, such as "What should I do about such-and-such situation?" With your unconscious mind taking on the role of a dream guide, you'll have the opportunity to obtain very specific answers. …Continue reading
