I woke early this morning as I often do. I think it's the bright light coming in to the room through the blinds that brings me around.
A few factors lead me to believe that I could have a lucid dream if I went back to sleep.
1) I didn't start thinking about work or the day ahead when I woke. That is always sure to make my mind too alert and wakeful.
2) I still had a good hour or more before I needed to get up.
3) A few seconds after closing my eyes, random images entered my mind. This is always a really good sign. My mind was still in the state where it randomly churns out inspirational images, or scenarios to fuel my dreams.
I put on my sleep mask to block out the light that had woken me and let myself drift off. I had various short dreams and daydreams but nothing lucid at first.
Then, laying on my right side, I imagined I could see through my sleep mask. In front of me was a piece of paper with a 6 digit code. I slowly examined the code one number at a time. As expected in a dream, the code didn't remain consistent. I didn't try hard to remember the numbers but just noticed that it was slightly different each time I read through it.
After a couple of minutes I noticed that I couldn't just see the code any more, I could see the whole bedroom around me. My imagined scenario had become my dream reality - I was in a lucid dream :) It was fortunate that I noticed the clarity of my surroundings and realised I was lucid, otherwise I may have wasted the experience by just staring at the code.
Conclusions
1) It was useful to recognise that my mind was in an ideal state for lucid dreaming.
2) My sleep mask helped by stopping the bright morning light from keeping me awake.
3) Reading the short code held my concentration as I drifted in to a dream state, and it reminded me I was dreaming by it's inconsistent behaviour.
4) My sleep mask also helped me confirm that I was dreaming because I knew I hadn't removed it and yet could still see.
I will definitely try this approach again.
Saturday, 11 July 2009
Saturday, 4 July 2009
Unpredictable Dream Characters
Dream characters are really interesting creatures. Although they are created from your own thoughts you never know what they will do next. You may see old friends who you haven't thought of for years or meet people that you can't ever recall seeing before.
Until this morning I thought that all dream characters had one thing in common. If you ask them if you are dreaming they will dismiss the idea or try to tell you that you can't be dreaming. This can be an obsticle to becoming lucid if they talk you out of questioning your dream reality.
In my lucid dream this morning I was in an unfamiliar location and my mum was showing me her new TV that allowed you to change channel via hand or body gestures (an upcoming feaure on the Xbox 360). Suddenly both the TV and us were in a different room. This kind of thing happens all the time in dreams but we just go with the flow, but when you are on the verge of becoming lucid its a strange experience. I was totally baffled but still didn't know I was dreaming. My mum didn't notice the change of location but when I talked to her about it she seemed to believe me and joined in trying to figure it out.
Finally, it struck me and I said, "This must be a dream.", "Maybe your right" my mum said.
Now I was lucid and ready to go and enjoy myself :)
So, the one behaviour of dream characters that I thought was consistent (their insistence that you are not dreaming) can also be upredictable. Now if only I could get them to go out of their way to point out when I'm dreaming I could be having lucid dreams every night :)
Monday, 6 April 2009
Findings So Far
Food and Lucid Dreaming
On the rare occasion I've experienced lucid dreams over the previous months I've been considering what I was doing and eating prior to the lucid dream in the hope of spotting a reproducible pattern.
A couple of lucid dream followed eating large amounts of ice cream or chocolate before bed, others followed overeating generally (which I normally don't do). However, simulating the same conditions did not provide further lucid dreams.
I don't think food is going to be the key, and its likely that eating sugary foods or large quantities prior to bed simply led to a disrupted sleep pattern. It's already known that having your sleep pattern disturbed can help invoke lucid dreams.
My personal conclusion is to avoid using food or drink to try to invoke lucid dreams. I think there are better more controllable and healthier ways to effect sleep patterns.
Abstract Dreams Stop Lucid Dreaming
I often have very abstract dreams that are related to work or problem solving. While there is imagery in the dreams there is no environment or people, just repeating images that represent work I am conducting or a problem I am trying to solve. I believe that the absence of people and environment makes it practically impossible to have a lucid dream.
I know it's the pressure of work that causes these abstract dreams. My partner Kelly is under the same pressure but she has normal dreams and also has great dream recall. The difference is her ability to switch off from work and focus on other things at night.
I still believe (as I mentioned in an earlier post) that increasingly using my imagination in inspiring ways can help me to have better quality dreams. If I promote fantasy based dreams I am sure that lucid dreams will follow, but my work is against me at the moment.
I have an idea how we can all help each other inspire great dreams. It's going to take me a few months to get my ideas ready, but when I do you will find a new feature at my website www.iAmLucidDreaming.com. My codename for the project is "the guiLD" and I can't wait to get started.
To end on a positive note, I had my best ever dream a couple of weeks ago and funnily enough it wasn't event a lucid dream, just very vivid and an unbelievable experience. I may describe it in a later post if I can find the time :)
On the rare occasion I've experienced lucid dreams over the previous months I've been considering what I was doing and eating prior to the lucid dream in the hope of spotting a reproducible pattern.
A couple of lucid dream followed eating large amounts of ice cream or chocolate before bed, others followed overeating generally (which I normally don't do). However, simulating the same conditions did not provide further lucid dreams.
I don't think food is going to be the key, and its likely that eating sugary foods or large quantities prior to bed simply led to a disrupted sleep pattern. It's already known that having your sleep pattern disturbed can help invoke lucid dreams.
My personal conclusion is to avoid using food or drink to try to invoke lucid dreams. I think there are better more controllable and healthier ways to effect sleep patterns.
Abstract Dreams Stop Lucid Dreaming
I often have very abstract dreams that are related to work or problem solving. While there is imagery in the dreams there is no environment or people, just repeating images that represent work I am conducting or a problem I am trying to solve. I believe that the absence of people and environment makes it practically impossible to have a lucid dream.
I know it's the pressure of work that causes these abstract dreams. My partner Kelly is under the same pressure but she has normal dreams and also has great dream recall. The difference is her ability to switch off from work and focus on other things at night.
I still believe (as I mentioned in an earlier post) that increasingly using my imagination in inspiring ways can help me to have better quality dreams. If I promote fantasy based dreams I am sure that lucid dreams will follow, but my work is against me at the moment.
I have an idea how we can all help each other inspire great dreams. It's going to take me a few months to get my ideas ready, but when I do you will find a new feature at my website www.iAmLucidDreaming.com. My codename for the project is "the guiLD" and I can't wait to get started.
To end on a positive note, I had my best ever dream a couple of weeks ago and funnily enough it wasn't event a lucid dream, just very vivid and an unbelievable experience. I may describe it in a later post if I can find the time :)
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Quick Update
I can't believe it's been so long since I last posted. I just wanted to write a quick entry to say that I haven't stopped lucid dreaming and will be posting again soon. Unfortunately I have been too busy working to make any proper blog posts, but I do have a couple of things to report and will be back on again soon.
Friday, 5 September 2008
Getting Back To Basics
A couple of weeks ago my dream recall became poor again. This was disappointing after previously seeing some good improvement. It's been quite a while now since I had a lucid experience and feel as though I am going through one of those dry spells.
It's times like this that people often give up on lucid dreaming. However, I remember going through the same thing when I first attempted lucid dreaming. I kept struggling, giving up for a while, and then starting again. Eventually it worked!
I still don't know what eventually made it work for me, but maybe those rest breaks were important in some way. I do think that trying too hard to have lucid dreams can be detrimental and it certainly shouldn't get in the way of having good quality sleep.
I am still regularly working on my website www.iAmLucidDreaming.com because it is my hobby and I find it interesting. I am also doing my regular reality checks because they are easy. But, other than that I have started to give myself a break. I have stopped drinking water before bed to cause me to get up during the night to pee and stopped waking a couple of hours early to practice the wake-back-to-bed technique. The interesting thing is that since giving myself a break about 4 nights ago, I have managed to recall 2 good quality dreams.
When I first re-started my lucid dream attempts I jumped straight in, trying anything and everything to make progress. I know how great they are and I'm an impatient person at the best of times. I think that this may be part of my problem. When I used to have lucid dreams more regularly I remember them coming with less effort.
So, I am going back to basics. My plan is to:
1) Try to find out what makes me recall dreams by keeping a journal of my daily routine including what I eat & drink, how many hours I work, walk, workout. What programs and films I watch and what my general mood is like etc.
2) Introduce experiments one at a time to see how they effect my dream recall.
My first experiment relates to exercising my imagination.
Experiment 1 - Imagination & Dreaming
When I was younger I used to day dream every day for quite long periods. This continued to my mid 20's at least. I don't have time to daydream any more and I wonder how exercising my imagination in that way could help my dreams. Adding fuel to this idea is the fact that my girlfriend recalls dreams every night. We live, eat, sleep, work and relax together so have exactly the same routine. But Kelly is very much a day dreamer.
So, I plan to have periodic brakes from my work to have short day dreaming sessions. I will report back on any effect this has.
It's times like this that people often give up on lucid dreaming. However, I remember going through the same thing when I first attempted lucid dreaming. I kept struggling, giving up for a while, and then starting again. Eventually it worked!
I still don't know what eventually made it work for me, but maybe those rest breaks were important in some way. I do think that trying too hard to have lucid dreams can be detrimental and it certainly shouldn't get in the way of having good quality sleep.
I am still regularly working on my website www.iAmLucidDreaming.com because it is my hobby and I find it interesting. I am also doing my regular reality checks because they are easy. But, other than that I have started to give myself a break. I have stopped drinking water before bed to cause me to get up during the night to pee and stopped waking a couple of hours early to practice the wake-back-to-bed technique. The interesting thing is that since giving myself a break about 4 nights ago, I have managed to recall 2 good quality dreams.
When I first re-started my lucid dream attempts I jumped straight in, trying anything and everything to make progress. I know how great they are and I'm an impatient person at the best of times. I think that this may be part of my problem. When I used to have lucid dreams more regularly I remember them coming with less effort.
So, I am going back to basics. My plan is to:
1) Try to find out what makes me recall dreams by keeping a journal of my daily routine including what I eat & drink, how many hours I work, walk, workout. What programs and films I watch and what my general mood is like etc.
2) Introduce experiments one at a time to see how they effect my dream recall.
My first experiment relates to exercising my imagination.
Experiment 1 - Imagination & Dreaming
When I was younger I used to day dream every day for quite long periods. This continued to my mid 20's at least. I don't have time to daydream any more and I wonder how exercising my imagination in that way could help my dreams. Adding fuel to this idea is the fact that my girlfriend recalls dreams every night. We live, eat, sleep, work and relax together so have exactly the same routine. But Kelly is very much a day dreamer.
So, I plan to have periodic brakes from my work to have short day dreaming sessions. I will report back on any effect this has.
Monday, 11 August 2008
Progress with Dream Recall
My dream recall is slowly improving using the techniques mentioned in my last blog posting. I have been under pressure to meet some timescales recently so haven't had as much time to commit to lucid dreaming as I would have liked. Hopefully this will change again soon.
I still don't remember a dream every night, but it's not far off now. I have found that when using the MILD technique I have been waking in the middle of the night after some dreams. Unfortunately I am still in a confused state and sometimes don't make the connection that I have just woken after a dream and am supposed to be updating my dream journal.
It does appear to be very important that you shouldn't move before trying to recall your dream. I have forgotten a few dreams because I decided I could still remember it (as it only just happened) and set off to the bathroom. Even if it still feels recent, you should lie in bed and run over the dream a few times before you move and then write it down straight away.
I am enjoying recalling my dreams. They seem to be getting more vivid too. Now I just have to turn them in to lucid dreams.
I did manage another short lucid dream this week. I found myself in a game I play called Halo 3 on the xbox 360. The visuals were really clear and I was looking forward to trying using the weapons and man cannons that shoot you through the air but unfortunately I woke up. I am really excited about visiting this place again, so I have added to my Dream To Do List to ensure I don't forget it.
I still don't remember a dream every night, but it's not far off now. I have found that when using the MILD technique I have been waking in the middle of the night after some dreams. Unfortunately I am still in a confused state and sometimes don't make the connection that I have just woken after a dream and am supposed to be updating my dream journal.
It does appear to be very important that you shouldn't move before trying to recall your dream. I have forgotten a few dreams because I decided I could still remember it (as it only just happened) and set off to the bathroom. Even if it still feels recent, you should lie in bed and run over the dream a few times before you move and then write it down straight away.
I am enjoying recalling my dreams. They seem to be getting more vivid too. Now I just have to turn them in to lucid dreams.
I did manage another short lucid dream this week. I found myself in a game I play called Halo 3 on the xbox 360. The visuals were really clear and I was looking forward to trying using the weapons and man cannons that shoot you through the air but unfortunately I woke up. I am really excited about visiting this place again, so I have added to my Dream To Do List to ensure I don't forget it.
Monday, 28 July 2008
Improving Dream Recall
One of the main issues that currently prevents me from having regular lucid dreams is my lack of dream recall. It's very rare that I manage to recall a dream. Failure to recall dreams means that I can't complete a dream journal and therefore can't identify dream signs and will be much less likely to carry an awareness in to my dreams.
Last week I tried a couple of techniques to improve my dream recall with very positive results.
1) Mnemonic Induction Of Lucid Dreams (MILD).
I have been aware of this technique for a long time and used it in a half hearted way. This technique is basically about conditioning your mind prior to falling to sleep. I wrote an article on the subject (click here to read it) which helped me focus on the topic, but the key to success is to believe in it and put importance in achieving results using it. The first night I tried it I woke after my first dream and recorded it and then woke later in the morning and recorded a second dream. That represents massive progress for me.
2) Drinking Water To Wake
I find that when I go to bed I fall to sleep before spending very long at all using the MILD technique. I introduced an additional method as a backup and again had great results. Just before going to bed I drank between half and three quarters of a pint of water. This results in waking during the night to go to the toilet and provides additional opportunities to recall dreams. The first time I tried it I dreamt that I was about to perform on stage in a band, but I needed to pee. As I walked to the toilet in my dream I woke up. This highlighted another potential benefit of this method, needing to pee could be a dream sign. Now I plan to do a reality test whenever I go to the toilet. Having woken to take a pee, you also have another opportunity to practise the MILD techniques as you fall back to sleep. If I wake up after only a couple of hours, I also drink more water to have another waking.
Using the combination of these techniques I have gone from hardly ever recalling my dreams to recalling at least 1 most nights. I will continue using the techniques and see if the effectiveness drops off over time. I will record these and any other techniques I find useful in my article on improving dream recall.
Last week I tried a couple of techniques to improve my dream recall with very positive results.
1) Mnemonic Induction Of Lucid Dreams (MILD).
I have been aware of this technique for a long time and used it in a half hearted way. This technique is basically about conditioning your mind prior to falling to sleep. I wrote an article on the subject (click here to read it) which helped me focus on the topic, but the key to success is to believe in it and put importance in achieving results using it. The first night I tried it I woke after my first dream and recorded it and then woke later in the morning and recorded a second dream. That represents massive progress for me.
2) Drinking Water To Wake
I find that when I go to bed I fall to sleep before spending very long at all using the MILD technique. I introduced an additional method as a backup and again had great results. Just before going to bed I drank between half and three quarters of a pint of water. This results in waking during the night to go to the toilet and provides additional opportunities to recall dreams. The first time I tried it I dreamt that I was about to perform on stage in a band, but I needed to pee. As I walked to the toilet in my dream I woke up. This highlighted another potential benefit of this method, needing to pee could be a dream sign. Now I plan to do a reality test whenever I go to the toilet. Having woken to take a pee, you also have another opportunity to practise the MILD techniques as you fall back to sleep. If I wake up after only a couple of hours, I also drink more water to have another waking.
Using the combination of these techniques I have gone from hardly ever recalling my dreams to recalling at least 1 most nights. I will continue using the techniques and see if the effectiveness drops off over time. I will record these and any other techniques I find useful in my article on improving dream recall.
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