How to Induce a Lucid Dream
Tips to Get Started:
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Start keeping a dream journal - Write down everything you remember from your dreams every morning.
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Notice if you’ve had any lucid or especially vivid dreams before and what surrounding contexts might have been in place at that time. - write it down and/or attempt to recreate those contexts
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Create "dream checks" -
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Something to tell your brain that you are awake. Ex: count fingers or cover your nose and mouth and try to breath.
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Do this every once in a while during the day, enough times that you might do it in your dream. If you notice that you are dreaming, you will likely become lucid
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Practice grounding skills/emotion regulation skills - skills to help you stay fully aware and in control.
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Breathing exercises
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Mindfulness exercises
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Body exercises and yoga
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Then...
Ask Yourself:
What do I want to dream about?
Whatever that answer is, make it a part of your life. If it's already a part of your life, create another way to channel what you want to dream about.
Ex: I want to dream about the Phoenix. I’ll start journaling about the Phoenix before I go to bed. I will start incorporating the Phoenix into my drawings and doodles. I’ll seek out books, TV, art, etc. that have depictions of the Phoenix. I will try to think about the Phoenix periodically throughout the day.
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Tell yourself that you WILL have a dream about your topic (because the placebo effect is still effective even if you know its a placebo!)
On the Night You Want to Dream:
- Think about what you want to dream about (the Phoenix, the Bennu etc).
- Set out paper/pencil to write down everything you remember when you wake up.
- As you get in bed, after all other electronics are off etc, listen to and/or watch video prompt once or twice.
- Then, as you close your eyes to fall asleep, listen to the prompt. You can also listen to the full audio compilation while you sleep.
- Record dream content as soon as you wake up. Write down every detail that you remember, even if it doesn't make sense.
Alternative Option:
(Best if you have a lot of willpower and can fall asleep well after waking up in the morning)
- Set an alarm for ~1-2 hrs before you actually want to get up, set out paper/pencil to record dream when you wake up.
- When you wake up from alarm, get up out of bed, and stay up for about 20 min.
- As you fall back asleep, listen to the prompt.
- Record dream content as soon as you wake up.
Note: Even if you follow all of these steps, a lucid dream is never fully guaranteed.
Practice and Repetition are the keys to increasing the likelihood of success!