Have you ever found yourself flying like a bird, only to later realize it was a dream?

Have you been chased by “bad guys” or haunted by scary situations in your dreams?

“Lucid dreaming” is a state of dreaming while being aware that you are dreaming. Lucid dreaming allows me to have more fun flying dreams and fewer scary dreams. This is how I got started:

There are a few techniques I have used at different times of my life.

1. Start a dream journal. Prepare a notebook and pen, and leave it next to you when you go to sleep. Immediately upon waking, write down anything that you can recall. A sketch, a sentence, even a single drawn line or single word can help. This process of writing or drawing helps connect your waking conscious mind with your dreaming mind.

   Do this consistently over some weeks or months and you will soon have more to write than you possibly have time for upon waking.

2. Check to see if you are dreaming. There are several different ways to do so. Do one or more of these tests throughout the day, like every hour or so. Eventually you will do a test while dreaming and find yourself lucid dreaming!

   Test 1: Read this sentence. Read it again. Close your eyes for a few seconds. Open your eyes and read it again. Did it change? No? Then you are probably not dreaming.

   Did the sentence change? Then you are dreaming. Congratulations!

   Test two: Stand up. Look up toward a point way up above you and jump to it. Did you come back down? Then you are probably not dreaming.

   Did you stay in the air or fly to that point? You are dreaming!

   Test three: Count your fingers. Count them again. Do you have the normal number? Can you do it easily? You are probably not dreaming.

   Do you have extra fingers than normal? Fewer fingers than normal? Congratulations, you are dreaming! (Or you may have just had an accident. Call emergency services!)

One other technique I have read is to fall asleep with the intention of being aware in your dreams. I personally have not had success with this technique, but it may work for you.

Do you keep a dream journal? Do you have any other techniques to share? Email me at rob α𝐭 robnugen.com to let me know!