A third of our life time is spent sleeping but most of us do not know we can essentially use that time creatively. How many times have you been able to figure out that you are dreaming while in the dream state? Maybe you were being pursued by a lion, then you realized it was a just a dream and soon you wake up because it was too scary. Want to be able to consciously know it when you are having a dream? Read on!

What Is Lucid Dreaming?

Lucid dreaming is the art of being conscious in the dream state and being able to control the dreamscape to a certain level. For some people, lucid dreaming is an easy and effortless exercise, but to most people it rarely happens and in the event that it does, they do not remember what happened once they wake up. However, the truth of the matter is that with some training you can learn how to lucid dream easily, and even know how to interact with your dreams.

Best Ways to Lucid Dream Easily

1.       Increase Dream Recall

If you want to learn how to lucid dream easily, the first thing you should do is train yourself to recall you dreams more often. You can do this by getting a dream journal. Keep it close to your bed and promise yourself the minute you wake up you will remember everything and record it. When you wake up focus on what you had dreamt, and when you remember bits and pieces, write them down. These bits will help you to remember the dream during the day.

2.       Recognize Personal Dream Signs

Jot down any memory you get or words you remember. If the whole dream does not come back to you, record whatever mood or feeling you experienced. You will eventually figure it out by putting the bits and pieces back together.

If you maintain a journal, read through it and look at the signs that keep recurring in your dreams. This way, when you notice them you will be able to know that you are dreaming.

3.       Meditate Before Sleeping

There is a significant connection between lucid dreaming and meditation. In both situations, you aim at getting to pleasant self-awareness. Meditation is basically thoughtless - just sensing, feeling, listening and watching. Meditation can be done at any time and in a position that you feel comfortable. In order to lucid dream, you should meditate on your bed some minutes before sleeping.

Let your body relax, then close your eyes and let your mind drift. Feel your breath entering and leaving your body. Do not think or interact with any other things. Sense the vibration as it enters your mouth and feel the rising and falling of your stomach as you breathe. Enjoy your existence with an entire presence.

4.       Do Reality Checks

A reality check is related to an activity that you can only do in reality. The most common reality check is to pinch yourself. If you do so and do not feel pain, then you are dreaming. Another thing you can try is writing a name on your palm and you keep checking it out, if you are dreaming you will not be able to see it. When you realize you are in your own dreams, you might freak out and wake up. But once you get used to it, you will know that’s your clue to start exploring your own dreams.

4 Powerful Lucid Dreaming Reality Checks to Help You Learn How to Lucid Dream Easily !

5.       Bear These Tips in Mind

• Go to sleep early. Before you sleep, tell yourself you will remember everything you dreamt. In the morning, after ample rest, you will be able to remember most of the dream.
• Turn off your alarm. When you are woken up by the alarm, you swiftly move from the dream state to reality. You do not get time in the “twilight” zone. Sleep early so that you do not need an alarm to wake you. This way, you will have a silent moment when you can let your dreams come back to you.
• When you wake up, do not move. Let the dream images resurfaces in your memory. This best happens when you are still.
• Try cultivating a relationship with your unconscious. When you psyche your unconscious and tell it you want to hear it, it will speak to you. In some cases, when you cultivate interest in the dream, then you will activate dream recall.

6.       Try Different Techniques

• DILD Lucid Dream

A dream induced lucid dream (DILD) is a dream where you become lucid suddenly, and it is sparked up by the dream’s outrageous nature. Most lucid dreamers have DILDs naturally and automatically without incubating them. But for a beginner, you will have to train this mind set and start looking out for dream signs. To be able to do this, keep a dream journal and have a set of reality checks that you use to tell if you are dreaming.

DILD Tutorial, Dream Initiated Lucid Dream:

• DEILD Lucid Dream

Dream exit induced lucid dreaming (DEILD) involves you waking up from a dream either lucid or not, then getting back to it in a lucid state. For you to be able to do this, you have to learn how to wake up in between a dream. You can practice this for a few nights. Have a mantra that will help you remember the dream when you wake up - for example “I will stay still when I wake up”. When you are awake, stay still with your eyes closed and focus on the last thing, feeling or taste that you felt before the dream stopped. Let it engulf you and you will be back in it, but in a lucid state.

• WBTB Lucid Dream

Wake back to bed (WBTB) is when you wake up after sleeping for a few hours in order to achieve lucidity in your dreams. To achieve your goal, you need to put some things in consideration - how long you need to sleep before you wake up, how long to stay awake and what your sleeping cycle is. If you have a common cycle like most people do, you can wake up after 4 ½ -6 hours of sleep. The longer you stay awake, the more lucid you will be, but if you stay for too long you might end up losing sleep. The following video has more on using this method to know how to lucid dream easily:

• WILD Lucid Dream

Wake induced lucid dreaming (WILD) is basically having a lucid dream while you are awake. This makes it possible for you to dream while awake and stay lucid in the dream. To achieve this, you need to first sleep for about 4 hours. Once awake, relax your body and do not entertain random thoughts. When relaxed, you will get to a hypnagogic state, that is, half-awake half asleep. You will then proceed to sleep paralysis where you will not be able to move physically and you might start hearing voices. Listen to them clearly. You will then be drawn by an invisible force into a dream where you can now interact with the characters and the events of the dream.

7.       Staying In the Lucid Dream

Maintaining the lucid state is the most difficult part of lucid dreaming. Once the lucidity is achieved, most people tend to wake up. For beginners, they are overwhelmed by excitement. However, if you want to stay lucid, you have to keep your dream state occupied by what is going on in the dream.

How to Lucid Dream Easily--Tips from Others

“When I want to get lucid dreams easily, I first get ample sleep. It happens mostly when I wake up in the morning to go the washroom and then I get back to bed. For this to happen, the mind has to be a wake a little, so that when you start dreaming you are conscious enough to know that you are in a dream. However, I have noticed that if I catch a dream when in heavy sleep then it is more vivid, has more characters, and many events going on as compared as when I have a lucid dream after waking up.”

“Be patient. I had my first lucid dream after a month

- If you do not get a lucid dream, do not get frustrated

- If you are a beginner, a reality check every hour will help you

- Maintain a dream journal

- Always be confident”

“For beginners, I would recommend DILD, WBTB and DEILD. WILD might be a bit too hard. Here are the tips:

Say your dreams out loudly to someone you trust or dream partner. When you do so, you will get an “aha” moment. The dreams will be for real. Jeremy Taylor says that that “aha” moment helps you figure out if you are accurate with the interpretation of the dream. For only you can know the real meaning of a dream.

Record yourself at night. It will help you see what you were feeling and the words you might have said will help you figure out what you were dreaming.

You can also experiment with your memory of the dream, what you recorded and analyzed from your dreams. You can infuse this into art, poetry and many other activities. Make them part of your day. You will realize that dreams are at times sources of wisdom, inspiration as well as joy.”