So, I have been having a few problems with dreaming/dream recall recently, due to a number of reasons which I have outlined in my new Youtube video (click here to be taken to post with video links - opens in a new window). In order to refocus and invigorate my dream work, I like to conduct experiments from time to time. I find that this gives me a goal and motivates me to try harder with my dream practices. I have noticed from the comments/messages from my subscribers/followers, that my Dream Incubation Experiments are pretty popular and often some of you lovely people like to follow along with me and try your own Dream Incubation Experiment, using the same methodology (see below). I love hearing about your dream incubation experiments and whether they are successful!
I find that the more vague and general my Dream Incubation Experiments are, the more likely they are to be successful. If I try to be too strict or prescriptive about my chosen Dream Incubation Experiment theme, it tends to fail. This time, I have picked a recurrent dream theme as my Dream Incubation goal - Eminem! Although as a hip hop fan, I have always rated Eminem's technical ability and lyricism, I have never really been an enthusiast of his music. Nor did I find him particularly attractive - until I had a series of dreams in which I was romantically/sexually involved with him. After my subconscious exposed me to Eminem as my dream husband/lover/interest, I started to consciously view him differently in my waking life and even started to find him incredibly sexy!
Due to the fact that many of my dreams have featured Eminem as a dream character and I have honestly really enjoyed meeting him and being intimate with him in my dreams, I have decided that he is the perfect subject for my new Dream Incubation Experiment! I am not going to select a particular desired context for my dream (such as 'being married to Eminem' or 'going on tour with Eminem') - instead, I am just aiming to dream about Eminem in some way.
The methodology for this Dream Incubation Experiment is listed below, in case you want to do your own dream incubation or simply want to know how it works! Just scroll down past the Eminem visuals!
I am not going to set a timeframe for this Dream Incubation Experiment - I am just going to let it run it's course and see what happens!
Previous Eminem Dreams:
I will do the following to incubate my chosen dream theme:
- Perform the MILD Technique for lucid dreaming on a daily basis. If this dream is a lucid dream, it will therefore be a DILD (Dream-Initiated/Induced Lucid Dream).
- Incorporate elements of Tholey's Combined Technique for lucid dreaming, which has been reviewed as the most successful (cognitive) method for lucid dream induction. I will adapt the key steps of critical reflection, intention and auto-suggestion so that I not only encourage myself to become lucid, but use these as a way of incubating my desired dream theme.
- Use visual aids - such as photographs relating to my dream incubation theme - as well as immersing myself in material relevant to my dream incubation during my waking hours. I will also keep the written prompt for my dream incubation under my pillow and make sure I read it before going to sleep each night.
- Where possible, I will perform the Wake-Back-to-Bed method.
- Incorporate my chosen dream theme in both my daily reality checks (15 - 20 per day) by thinking clearly and positively about my incubated dream theme after each reality check.
- Train myself to spot dreamsigns when reflecting on my Dream Journal entries each day following a dream - then hopefully, if my dream incubation is successful, recognising the dreamsigns within the dream (i.e. meeting a dead celebrity would be a dreamsign in the context of this experiment) and reality checking will trigger me to become lucid.
- Meditate on my incubated dream theme for at least 10 minutes before sleep and perform specific affirmations alongside the normal MILD Technique/Tholey's Combined Technique ones ('I will lucid dream about [incubated dream theme] tonight, and I will remember it') - this should also encourage successful dream recall.
- Use Dream Visualisation before sleep - using my previous dreams based on the incubated dream theme as inspiration.
- 100 - 150 mg of 'lucid dream supplement' Vitamin B6 (2/3 x 50 mg pills)
I have had some successful and unsuccessful previous dream incubation experiments, which you may like to read:
- The 14 Day Dream Incubation Experiment - Kurt Cobain Dream - varying success
- The 14-Day Dream Incubation Experiment - The 'Dream Town' Dream - which was successful on Day 14 and involved a lucid dream - Dream 430
- The Marilyn Monroe Dream Incubation Experiment (this link takes you to an Index Page for this Dream Incubation Experiment which I also summarised in Youtube videos) - which was initially intended to be a 7 day experiment, but was extended to 14 days and was successful on Day 13 following a lucid false awakening - Dream 325
- The Freudian Therapy Session Dream Incubation Experiment - which was unsuccessful, but was outlined in another Youtube video
- The 14-Day Dream Incubation Experiment - Art Star! (this link takes you to an Index Page with detailed analysis of every dream which occurred during my experiment)
- The Dream Incubation Experiment - Serial Killer Dream
Done it, not pleasant.
ReplyDeleteNor is it what you expect or think.
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