Hypnagogia

An explanation of hypnagogia

The hypnagogic state occurs as we transition from wakefulness into sleep (the transition from sleep into wakefulness is known as the hypnopompic state). Bizarre and mesmerising mental phenomena may occur during this transitional state of threshold-consciousness, which include visual hallucinations, sleep paralysis (muscle atonia) and lucid thought. 

Visual hallucinations

The visual hallucinations and other sensations which occur during the hypnagogic state are sometimes referred to as 'presomnal hallucinations', 'anthypnic sensations', 'oneirogogic imagery', 'phantasmata', 'praedormitum' or 'wakefulness-sleep transition'. The hypnagogic state is fairly brief, and may go unnoticed, but it can be prolonged by sleep disturbance or intentional induction of this state, for example during meditation. 

The most common form of hypnagogic hallucinations are the perception of phosphenes, which can manifest as random brightly coloured and luminescent speckles, lines or geometric patterns - and sometimes even representational or figurative images, such as faces, landscapes or objects. Some people report seeing complex fractals or experiencing the sensation of moving through tunnels of light. Hypnagogic hallucinations are fleeting and often change and shift rapidly. They differ from normal dream imagery, in that they are static and lacking in any accompanying narrative content, although they may be linked to fragmentary dreams (microdreams). 

When an individual engages in repetitive activity before sleep - particularly new activities - it is common for this to dominate their imagery during the hypnagogic state. This is referred to as the 'Tetris Effect', and has been reported by amnesiacs who don't have a memory of the original waking activity which influenced their hypnagogic hallucinations. Professor  of Psychiatry Robert Stickgold (2000) has asserted that the Tetris Effect is a separate form of memory - likely to be related to procedural memory. The Tetris Effect is not merely confined to visual imagery, but can manifest in other sensory experiences and perceptions, such as physical touch. Some scientists consider the hypnagogic state to be a decluttering of the brain - a clearing out of the useless junk, while others believe that it has more value. 

Auditory hallucinations

Hypnagogic hallucinations often have an auditory (sound) component, which can vary from intense, recognisable sounds, to vague and indistinct noises. People report hearing their name being called, the sound of a doorbell or telephone ringing, paper being crumpled or white noise, amongst other phantom noises.

Another auditory phenomena which can take place in the hypnagogic state is that of 'Exploding Head Syndrome' which is the brief sensation of a loud bang from inside the head, sometimes accompanied by flashes of light and physical sensations, similar to electric shock or tingling. 

While some of the auditory hallucinations experienced during the hypnagogic state may be nonsensical and meaningless, it is possible to perceive them as being apt summations of, or commentary, on the individual's thoughts at that time, often involving wordplay, neologisms and made-up words. The individual may hear their own 'inner voice' or the voices of others, often familiar. Very rarely do hypnagogic auditory hallucinations involve the perception of music, although this is possible.

Other sensory hallucinations

Gustatory (taste), olfactory (smell) and thermal (heat) sensations are often reported as occurring during the hypnagogic state, as well as other forms of tactile (touch) perceptions, for example synesthesia (unity of the senses); paresthesia (the abnormal dermal sensation of being touched, with no apparent physical cause); or formication (the sensation of insects crawling under the skin). 

Proprioceptive ('kinaesthesia') effects in the body may be noticed - for example, numbness and changes in body size, shape, proportion or position; feelings of floating, pulsating or bobbing; and Out-of-Body Experiences (OBEs/OOBEs). The most common of these experiences is the 'hypnic jerk' - the feeling of falling, accompanied by a sudden reflexive jolt back to sudden wakefulness, which happens as the individual is falling asleep. 

As mentioned above, the hypnagogic state often leads to individuals experiencing the onset of sleep paralysis (muscle atonia) which is characteristic of REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, a necessary condition, which prevents us from physically acting out our dreams. Sleep paralysis may be accompanied by humming, roaring or buzzing noises, which are also typical of OBE (Out-of-Body Experiences), and can also include vivid visual hallucinations, such as the perception of a presence in the room.

Cognitive processes during hypnagogia

The thought processes which take place during the hypnagogic state differ radically from waking thoughts - they may be bizarre, abstract or even ridiculous. During the hypnagogic state, there is a loosening of ego-boundaries and the individual is likely to be more open, suggestible and receptive, experiencing an illogical and fluid flow of ideas and associations.

Psychoanalyst Herbert Silberer (1882 - 1923) coined the term 'autosymbolism' to describe the process by which hypnagogic hallucinations tend to represent (without repression or censorship) the thoughts of the individual at that time, turning abstract thoughts, into concrete, symbolic visual representations. 

One feature that the hypnagogic state shares with other stages of sleep is amnesia. This is a form of selective forgetfulness, affecting the hippocampal memory, responsible for autobiographical memory, rather than semantic memory.

Hypnagogic hallucinations may be perceived as being visions, prophesies, premonitions, apparitions, demonic visitations, hauntings, alien-abductions or a form of divine inspiration, depending on the beliefs and worldviews of the person experiencing this phenomena. 

Interestingly, the hypnagogic state can provide insight into problem-solving and many notable examples exist of scientists, inventors and artists crediting their experience of hypnagogia in enhancing their creativity or problem-solving. These include: organic chemist August Kekule (1829 - 1886), who visualised a snake eating it's own tail, enabling him to crack the chemical structure of benzene; composers, Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) and Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883); novelist Walter Scott (1771 - 1832); painter Salvador Dali (1904 - 1989); inventors Thomas Edison (1847 - 1931) and Nikola Tesla (1856 - 1943); and mathematician and physicist Isaac Newton (1642 - 1727). References to hypnagogia date back to the writings of Aristotle in 350 BC and continued, with a renewed fascination for this phenomena of altered consciousness emerging during the Romantic period, which took place in Europe during the early to mid-19th century. Various authors, such as Charles Dickens (1812 - 1870) who provides a description of hypnagogia in Oliver Twist (1837 - 1839), while Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849) wrote of the 'fancies' he experienced 'only  when I am on the brink of sleep, with the consciousness that I am so'.

Hypnagogia & lucid dream induction

Regular meditation can assist in prolonging and 'freezing' the hypnagogic state at later stages, allowing the individual to assess the depth and deepening of the meditative process and induce lucidity. Just like lucid dreams, the hypnagogic experience can be directed and interpreted as it is experienced.

It is possible to experience mild hypnagogia while fully awake and mentally conscious, by cupping the palms of the hands over the eyes so that all you can see is darkness. Focusing your open eyes on the middle distance enables you to see some faint visual light effects (the phosphenes, which are sometimes referred to as 'eye worms'), which will generally appear as static shapes or geometric patterns when you focus your attentions on them.

The Wake-Initiated Lucid Dream Technique (WILD)

One method of intentionally inducing a lucid dream involves paying careful attention to the hypnagogic state as you fall asleep. The most powerful (and rewarding technique) of lucid dream induction is known as the Wake-Initiated Lucid Dream technique, which allows the lucid dreamer to harness the hypnagogic state during meditation, and transition directly from wakefulness into the lucid dream without any lapse in consciousness. 

The key to this technique is to lay completely still and flat on your back, relaxing the body through meditation, while retaining mental consciousness - the paradoxical state of Mind Awake/Body Asleep. All muscles should be loosened and circular 'yoga breathing' (inhale through the nose, hold the breath, and exhale through the mouth) is encouraged here. Some people extend their arms behind their head until they receive the 'Roll Over Signal' - an increasing urge to roll over onto your side, and a sign that the body is falling asleep. Resisting the urge to move, by directing attention away from the physical sensations of the body is necessary here, and at this point you will likely begin to experience hypnagogia. 

The ensuing hypnagogic imagery which is experienced during this paradoxical, transitional state can be used for dream visualisation - by directing the fluid, transformative hypnagogic imagery, you can eventually begin to visualise a lucid dream scene, using imagination and memory. 

As you enter sleep, your dreaming mind will take over, introducing new forms of imagery from beyond your field of vision - a similar process to recalling a memory in your mind's eye. If you manage to maintain your conscious awareness, you may end up in a lucid dream within a matter of minutes. Due to the focus on hypnagogic imagery, this technique is sometimes referred to as the 'Hypnagogic Induction Technique'. The most complex aspect of this approach is transitioning from the observation of hypnagogia to being fully submerged in a lucid dream.

The hypnagogic state offers a fascinating opportunity to explore the transitional limbo-like realm between wakefulness and sleep, offering trippy, psychedelic visual experiences, deep relaxation, clarity of thought and new insights. 

The Stages of the Sleep Cycle

Every night, when you to sleep, you transition through a number of stages, each of which is characterised by different types of brainwave, with a different effect on your sleeping body. Each cycle of sleep lasts 90 - 110 minutes. Let's take a look at the different stages in the sleep cycle. 

NREM Stage 1: alpha - theta waves (4 - 7 hz)

Stage 1 is a very light stage in the sleep cycle, which is it easy to be awoken from. Muscle atonia begins to set in, which causes twitches and hypnic jerks. Hypnagogic hallucinations occur, which often manifest as swirling, abstract colours which hypnotise you into sleep. You begin to lose self-awareness and consciousness and most sensory attachment to the external world as your brainwaves slow.

NREM Stage 2: mixed EEG activity

Stage 2 is marked by the brainwaves slowing even more, and a loss of virtually all muscle tone, so that your body cannot physically act out your dreams when you enter REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. There are brief bursts of higher-level brain activity, known as 'sleep spindles' or K-complexes'. This is a light, dreamless stage of sleep, in which you spend almost half of your sleep time.

NREM Stages 3 & 4 - deep sleep: delta waves - below 4 hz

Stages 3 and 4 of the sleep cycle are known as deep, delta or slow-wave sleep, which is characterised by delta brainwave activity and a complete lack of consciousness. The sleeper is less responsive to external environmental stimuli and less likely to awaken as a result. This is a dreamless stage in the sleep cycle, when somnambulism (sleep-walking) is most likely to occur.

REM Sleep - paradoxical sleep: theta waves

REM sleep is characterised as paradoxical sleep - marked by higher levels of brainwave activity. This is when dreaming takes place. Gamma waves (30 hz and above) may be observed in lucid dreamers, this being a form of brainwave activity associated with higher perception and consciousness. 

REM sleep occurs throughout the sleep cycle. Here is an illustration of a typical 8 hour sleep cycle:

The longest, more intense and vivid dreams take place in the 4th and 5th periods of REM sleep, right at the end of the 8 hour sleep cycle, after approximately 6 hours of sleep. This means this is the optimal time for lucid dreaming to occur. The 4th an 5th stages of REM sleep can last between 45 - 60 minutes.

If you tend to wake naturally (without the use of an alarm clock), it is likely that you awaken directly from a dream, when it is fresh in your memory. It is possible to directly re-enter the dream if you allow yourself to immediately fall back asleep. 

The amount of sleep needed on average differs from person to person, and is also dependent on other variables such as age and general health. Newborn babies require the most sleep (14 - 17 hours per day), while adults tend to require approximately 7 - 9 hours of sleep on average. 

If you awaken with an alarm clock, you risk waking mid-cycle, which can be an unpleasant feeling - and you may miss the last periods of REM sleep, which are perfect for dreaming and more pleasant to wake up from. This problem can be overcome by understanding your sleep cycle, or employing the new technology and apps which can monitor your sleep cycle and wake you up once a cycle is complete.

EEG machines can be used to monitor how long a dream lasts. The EEG machine reads brainwave activity - and as you can see from the diagrams above, each stage in the sleep cycle has it's own distinctive brainwave activity associated with it. EEG brainwave monitoring indicates that dreams which occur in early stages of REM sleep last only a few minutes. As you then transition through different stages in the sleep cycle, including the deep, delta-wave sleep, it is unlikely that you will have a vivid memory of these early, fleeting dreams.The majority of the first sleep cycle is dedicated to non-REM sleep, due to the need to prioritise restful and restorative healing sleep.

Time may be experienced differently in dreams - there may be some time distortion - in particular time dilation, where the passage of time is experienced as being much longer within the dream. Generally, it's likely that dream time is relatively commensurate with real time, but it can be very difficult to judge the length of a dream from the first person perspective. Some people report that their normal, non-lucid dreams are experienced as stretching over days, weeks - even months or years. 

Just like normal, non-lucid dreams, lucid dreams can last from minutes up to the full period of REM sleep (i.e. 60 minutes). Lucid dreams may be cut prematurely short due to heightened arousal and the intense excitement of the experience waking the dreamer up. Lucid dream stabilisation can significantly help in prolonging the lucid dream experience as well as enhancing the clarity of the lucid dream.

There are a number of ways in which you can 'hack' the sleep cycle in order to maximise your chances of successfully experiencing a lucid dream - see The Dreamhacker Series | Hacking the Sleep Cycle (2) for a beginner-level tutorial on this topic.

Below, are some neuroimaging of the brain, showing different levels of mental activity and inactivity during REM sleep and comparisons to brain activity during wakefulness and NREM (delta, slow-wave) sleep.

Dreaming | Aristotle 'On Dreams'

On Dreams (De insomniis) is a text, written in 350 BC, by Ancient Greek Philosopher, Aristotle (384 - 322 BC) which is part of his Parva Naturalia - a 'short treatise on nature'. 

In his early years, Aristotle maintained the Platonic belief that the body and soul were separate entities, but subsequently moved on to form a non-dualistic theory that the body and soul (this being a term incorporating the personal consciousness, memories, and experiences) were polarities of the same thing. To put it simply, he adopted the monist view that the physical body - and specifically the brain and soul or consciousness are the one and the same and do not exist separate from one another. 

In his On the Soul (De Anima) treatise, also written in 350 BC, he defined the soul in terms of animating the corporeal body, and giving it life. The soul directs the growth and survival of the physical body, and can be seen as the 'blueprint' for the physical body, giving it purpose and motivation. Therefore, the body and soul - or body and mind in this non-dualistic relationship, exist in dynamic symbiosis.

On Dreams has 3 sections; in the first section, or chapter, Aristotle attempts to determine whether dreams 'pertain to the faculty of thought and intelligence, or that of sense-perception' (De Somno et Vigilia - On Sleep and Dreams). In the second section, he considers sleep and the operation of the sensory organs (De Insomnis - On Sleeping and Waking) . In the third section he explains how dreaming occurs, hypothesising that it is a result of the residual movements of the sensory organs, during sleep (De Divinatione Per Somnum - On Divination Through Sleep). 

Aristotle theorised that during sleep, there was a lack of external sensory stimuli, and due to our eyes being closed, we perceive nothing visually. Comparing the experience of hallucinations to dreaming, he proposed that 'the faculty by which, in waking hours, we are subject to illusion when affected by disease, is identical with that which produces illusory effects in sleep'.

We may misinterpret sensory input when in waking reality (by mishearing something, for example), but this is due to a mistake in reasoning. But generally, our waking perception we only see or hear something incorrectly when we actually see or hear something, and perceive it incorrectly. When asleep, we do not perceive sensory input in the same way, which according to Aristotle, leads to the conclusion that sense and must also be affected in some way. 

Aristotle viewed imagination as what happens when sensory and subjective perception occur after the withdrawal of the external sensory stimuli of waking reality. He recognised that the mind can create realistic 'impressions' or 'afterimages' of things it has experienced in waking reality - a form of visual memory. He believed that during sleep, this effect continues, and is applied to the world of dreaming. When we are awake we are able to easily distinguish between a real, external and imaginary, remembered object - however, in sleep this ability to distinguish is diminished or absent. This is what he thought led to our profound belief in the reality of our dreams. 

In stating that dreams must result from residual movements of the sensory organs, Aristotle also asserted that indigestion might also be a cause for dreams. He claimed:

'We must suppose that, like the little eddies which are formed in rivers, so the movements are each a continuous process, often remaining like what they were when first started, but often, too, broken, into other forms by collisions with obstacles. This gives the reason why no dreams occur in sleep after meals, or to sleepers who are extremely young, e.g., to infants. The movement in such cases is excessive, owing to the heat generated from the food. Hence, just as in a liquid, if one vehemently disturbs it, sometimes no reflected image appears, while at other times one appears, indeed, but utterly distorted, so as to seem quite unlike its original; while, when once the motion has ceased, the reflected images are clear and plain; in the same manner during sleep the images, or residuary images are clear and plain; in the same manner during sleep the images, or residuary movements, which are based upon the sensory impressions, become sometimes quite obliterated by the above described motion when too violent; while at other times the sights are indeed seen, but confused and weird, and the dreams are incoherent, like those of persons who are atrabilious, or feverish, or intoxicated with wine. For all such affections, being spirituous, cause much commotion and disturbance.'

Aristotle's theory of dreaming was therefore one of the first systematic attempts at explaining dreaming, focusing not on mystical, spiritual or supernatural factors, but rather the product of our experience of waking reality which are manipulated by our imagination during sleep. As our logical, rational, fact-checking part of the brain is inactive during sleep, we do not question our perceptions within the dream and accept it as reality.

Aristotle also made explicit reference to lucid dreaming, where the dreamer is consciously aware that he is dreaming - 'often when one is asleep, there is something in consciousness which declares that what then presents itself is but a dream'. Of course the practice of lucid dreaming had already been documented in Ancient Buddhist scriptures, dating back from centuries before Aristotle's contributions.

Aristotle's short theory of dreaming left a continuing legacy in the study of dreams, up until the modern period. In the 17th century, Philosopher, Thomas Hobbes (1588 - 1679) largely adopted the Aristotelian theory of dreams, in particular the idea that dreams occur due to residual sensory organ movement and are products of the imagination. Hobbes argued that dreams are caused by 'the distemper of some inward parts of the Body'. Through this theory, he hoped to better understand the nature of certain types of dreams, for example nightmares. Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939) stated in The Interpretation of Dreams (1899) that dreams 'do not arise from supernatural manifestations but from the laws of the human spirit' and affirms Aristotle's theory that dreams were the 'mental activity of the sleeper in so far as he is asleep'.

Lucid Dreaming | Tibetan Buddhist Dream Yoga

The Ancient Tibetan Buddhists documented one of the earliest accounts of lucid dreaming practices, thousands of years ago - you can read more about the origins and principles of Tibetan Buddhism by clicking here. These practices were incorporated into Tibetan Buddhism from the Hindu oral tradition of spiritual learning. 

One of the earliest textual accounts of lucid dreaming appears in the Upanishads, a collection of ancient Sanskrit scriptures, which were written circa 800 - 500 BC in India, and contain the central philosophical and spiritual concepts of Hinduism, which were later shared with Buddhism and Jainism. The Hindu text, the Bhairav Tantra set out various practices with the aim of directing the consciousness within the states of sleep and dreaming. These Sanskrit teachings were exported to the mountains of Tibet, where the Shamanic, animistic folk traditions of the native Tibetans (the Bon) had already been using lucid dreaming for meditation for over 12000 years. This cultural fusion was recorded in the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bardo Thodol), composed around the 8th century. The phrase 'Bardo' refers to the intermediate or transitional state between the 2 lives on earth. The highly esoteric Books of the Dead were first introduced to a Western audience when they were partially translated by Walter Y. Evans-Wentz, although they were primarily of interest to scholars and occultists, although in the 20th century they became popular amongst dream scholars and in particular, the American Humanistic and Transpersonal schools of psychology. This article will provide a basic introduction to Tibetan Dream Yoga.

Tibetan Dream Yoga, also known as Milam - 'yoga of the dream state' is an advanced set of tantric processes which awaken the consciousness. Tibetan Dream Yoga or Milam is learned through the trance Bardos of Sleep and Dreaming, and as with tantra, is taught by a qualified mentor once the apprentice has passed initiation. Tibetan Lamas refer to this teaching as an experience of conscious enlightenment, rather than textual learning. Tibetan Dream Yoga describes the existence of the bardo body (dream, mind or vision body), in which a person has a yilu (yid lus), which translates to 'consciousness body'. 

Buddha Shakyamuni (Siddhartha Gautama) originated many important principles and traditions of Tibetan Buddhist Dream Yoga, instruction, his students to disregard all phenomena as dreams, using examples of echoes, rainbows and clouds to illustrate the illusory nature of the world. He taught that dreams were just another form of illusion, with the whole universe arising and dissolving like a mirage. Everything around us are dreamlike phenomena; there is nothing which is not encompassed with the dream of illusory being, so the act of going to sleep is the transfer from one dream state to another. In fact, Budh means 'to awaken', thus intrinsically linking the practice of Buddhism to awakening the consciousness from literal and figurative sleep.

Other strands of Buddhism emphasise the teachings of various Dream Yoga gurus, for example the Kagyu lineage and Nyingma lineage - of course there are distinctions and variations in the different Dream Yoga teachings, but they share the key principle of reaching enlightenment through clear vision. 

In Tibetan Dream Yoga, there are 4 stages or processes: the recognition that you are dreaming; transforming the dream; multiplying the dream; and unifying the dream with clear light - so recognition, transformation, multiplication and unification.

In Tibetan Dream Yoga and Secret Doctrines (1935), Evans-Wentz describes 6 stages of Dream Yoga: 

• The dreamer becomes lucid in the dream
• The dreamer is to overcome all fear of the contents of the dream, recognising that nothing in the dream can harm him
• The dreamer should recognise that all phenomena, both in the dream state and waking world are illusory due to constant change and transformation, therefore not possessing any tangible substance
• The dreamer should realise they have control over the dream world and use dream control to make changes in their dream state
• The dreamer should realise that their corporeal body is of no more substance than any other objects in the dream - and therefore they have control over this too
• The dreamer should visualise deities (Buddha, Bodhisattva and Dakini) who are linked to, or resonate with, the 'clear light of the void', therefore serving as symbolic doorways to the mystical states of being . Meditating on these symbols can manifest their revelatory qualities

Thus, in Tibetan Dream Yoga, the dream state is characterised as a very pure state of mind, where the dreamer is able to transcend the constructs of time, place and space. It enables the dreamer to liberate themselves from the chains of emotions, attachments and ego in order to achieve ultimate enlightenment. 

One the dreamer has achieved the first stage of recognising that they are dreaming (i.e. conscious awareness or lucidity within the dream state), the possibilities of the dream state are limitless, but there are a number of tasks which Tibetan Dream Yoga apprentices were instructed to complete as part of their training:

• Practice the spiritual discipline of Sadhana
• Receive initiations, transmissions and empowerment (the 'whispered traditions')
• Visit different locations, planes and worlds (lokas)
• Communicate with enlightened beings (yidam)
• Meet with sentient beings
• Fly and shapeshift into other creatures

The ultimate Dream Yoga goal is to 'apprehend the dream' and then dissolve the dream state. The idea is, to remove all physical and mental/conceptual distractions within the dream state so that the dreamer is able to observe the purest form of consciousness.

The philosophy of Tibetan Dream Yoga is complex and esoteric, and deeply fascinating. However, it is not necessary to be an expert in Tibetan Dream Yoga philosophies in order to practice some Dream Yoga techniques, which can be incorporated into and combined with more modern lucid dreamwork. For example, reality checks work on the basis of increasing self-awareness and consciousness, both in waking reality and the dream state  - and increasing conscious self-awareness is undoubtedly a tenet of Tibetan Dream Yoga. 

Another common aspect of dreamwork which is akin to practices used by Tibetan Dream Yogis is dream recall - reflecting on the dream and observing its message. In Tibetan Dream Yoga, it was believed that the ego travels while the dreamer sleeps, revisiting real life waking places and events, repeating our experiences. This accounts for the reason why our memories appear in our dreams. Tibetan Dream Yoga teaches the importance of meditating and reflecting on recent dreams.

Further, one of the 'holy grail' techniques of lucid dream induction, the Wake-Initiated Lucid Dream (WILD technique) is based on Tibetan Dream Yoga practices. This is a method by which the dreamer achieves the state of mind awake/body asleep, by meditation-style techniques, which enable them to experience the onset of sleep paralysis and hypnagogia while still consciously awake. The dreamer is able to enter a lucid dream with no lapse in their waking consciousness, which makes this an incredibly powerful and intense experience.

Using Dream Yoga, taking inspiration from the Tibetan Dream Yogis can help us analyse how we construct our perceptions of reality, allowing us to have insight into our projections, preconceptions, assumptions, biases and selective-attention. The Tibetan Dream Yogi emphasised the concept that reality is a waking dream, subject to many conditions of the sleeping dream - and so, waking up in the sleeping dream and consciously questioning the nature of our reality is a profound path of true awakening, allowing the dreamer to understand the relativity of waking life, seeing it in a whole new light. The objective is to peel back the layers of illusion to perceive the nature of the infinite consciousness through mindfulness. Tibetan Dream Yoga is a training ground for the ultimate goal of remaining conscious at the point of physical death. 

However, it is important to note that for the Tibetan Dream Yogi, the mere act of lucid dreaming is not sufficient to awaken you in a spiritual sense. Lucid dreaming which focuses on the fulfilment or indulgence of fantasies is not 'Dream Yoga' in itself - this would be super-samsara, this linked to the cycle of birth, mundane life and death; desire and ignorance. Lucid dreams are not 'karma-neutral', and according to Buddhism, karma is created at the lucid dreaming stage, which can be negative. Dream Yoga is able to transform and purify this negative karma, uniting the dreamer with deeper aspects of their being, leading to self-transcendence. 

Lucid Dreaming | The Ancient Egyptian Ba

Ancient Egypt is an advanced North African civilization, from circa 3100 BC. The peak of Ancient Egyptian power was the New Kingdom, with Egypt ruling Nubia and large parts of the Middle East. Egypt has left behind an extraordinary legacy of mathematical and scientific accomplishments as well as arts and architecture. The culture, monuments and antiquities of Ancient Egypt have mysterified and intrigued the rest of the world, and captured the imagination. You can read more about Ancient Egypt by clicking here.

Ancient Egyptians believed that the person was made up of a number of separate elements, including the Shat (the corpse body), the Ka (the physical living body) and Ba (the soul or personality) as well as the heart, the 'double', shadow, form and name.

Ba represents everything that makes an individual unique, which is why it is interpreted as being linked to personality. It was believed that the Ba continued to exist after death. In hieroglyphs and other Ancient Egyptian artefacts, Ba  is depicted as a human-headed bird. Unlike in other religions, such as the late Judaism, Christianity or Islam, the soul was not merely one part of the person, but was what constituted the person. The name Ba is interpreted as meaning 'impressive', 'powerful' or relating to 'reputation'. 

In some hieroglyphs, Ba is shown hovering over a sleeping body or corpse, which appears to represent the personality or 'self' in an out-of-body state. It is the person in another form.

In his book Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self, Robert Waggoner suggests that this depiction of Ba might indicate that Ancient Egyptians were illustrating a state where the self is able to fly free from the physical body. He states: 

'I was struck by the concept of the Ba being the part of one that flies during sleep, trance and after-death states...Many of us have had that experience, whether we call it an OOBE, or a lucid dream, of flying around our sleeping body.

For lucid dreamers, trance journeyers or OOBE-ers, the Ba may represent in a historic sense, the first depiction of a 'mobile awareness' separated from the physical host. Interestingly, this mobile awareness, this Ba, seems naturally connected to flying - a common and seemingly universal part of lucid dreaming.'

So, according to Waggoner, the Ba might represent the dreaming consciousness of the sleeper, with the bird being symbolic of the mobility of the consciousness or 'soul' What do you think about this interpretation of the Ba? Could these hieroglyphs be the first documented account of a lucid dreaming or altered-consciousness experience?

Common Lucid Dreaming Mistakes

It is common for beginner lucid dreamers to struggle with inducing their first successful lucid dream. Lack of progress in lucid dreaming can be very frustrating and disheartening. Even when you do experience lucid dreaming for the first time, it is common to discover that your early experiences do not quite match up with the anecdotal evidence of other lucid dreamers or recorded accounts of what the lucid dream experience is like for others. The key here is to analyse what errors you might be making in your approach to lucid dreaming, and to continue with your lucid dreamwork - don't give up!

Here are the common mistakes and errors made by lucid dreamers!

Lacking sufficient motivation & dedication

Learning how to lucid dream takes a lot of commitment. Many beginner lucid dreamers expect to see results too soon (this might be due to misleading or very subjective accounts of lucid dreaming from others, which raise their expectations as to seeing instantaneous results). Inducing a lucid dream requires you to pre-programme or 'hack' your brain and mentally train yourself to do something extraordinary. This inevitably requires effort and groundwork, but success will happen eventually. 

Even as a spontaneous or 'natural' lucid dreamer, I find it really difficult to begin intentionally lucid dreaming after a hiatus from my active dreamwork - and I've been practicing lucid dream induction for years! Mastering every brand new skill is a process of trial and error and recognising where you are going wrong and how you can improve. Lucid dreaming is a lifelong journey, not a destination! 

Many expert accounts of lucid dreaming suggest that with intensive daily commitment to lucid dreamwork, a beginner can experience their first lucid dream between 3 - 21 days, but this will not be true of everyone. If you are having difficulty with lucid dream induction, ask yourself exactly how committed you are to learning the techniques and methods properly? Are you going through the motions, or really investing yourself? Many beginner lucid dreamers are simply paying lip service to the techniques and methods - for example, the performance of regular reality checks. 

There are many different techniques and methods for lucid dream induction, which can be used in isolation, or combined for more greater effect. This does not mean that every technique or method will work the same for everyone - take time to work with each technique and method, and experiment with combining them (for example, MILD (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreaming) and the Wake-Back-to-Bed method). Lucid dreaming requires discipline!

Poor dream recall

Good dream recall is the foundation of all dreamwork, and especially lucid dream induction. Learning good dream recall increases the intensity and vividness of your dreams, which in turn increases the levels of your self-awareness while in the dream itself - this is vital for lucid dreaming. If you have poor dream recall, you might have a spontaneous lucid dream, but simply not remember it upon waking. One way of dramatically improving your dream recall, with almost immediate results, is to use a mantra (mnemonic technique) as you are falling asleep - mentally repeat a mantra in your head, telling yourself that you will remember your dreams when you wake up. The make sure that you record your dreams as soon as you wake up, while that transient dream memory is fresh in your mind. Keeping a dream journal is essential for lucid dream induction!

Lacking focus in your lucid dream induction techniques

This mistake usually manifests itself as trying too many different techniques and methods all at once, without really understanding the basics of how and why any of them work. This means that you simply cannot employ the techniques or methods mindfully, and are attempting to approach lucid dreaming from all angles, which leads to a superficial form of dreamwork, lacking care and accuracy. Lucid dream induction is a steady and purposeful process - don't overload yourself with every new technique or method you learn about or try to force lucid dreaming too quickly.

Many beginner lucid dreamers are attracted to the more novel or unusual lucid dream induction techniques or methods and jump straight to trying these enthusiastically, before putting in sufficient groundwork to learn the tried-and-tested basics, such as MILD (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreaming) technique, which has had proven results that have been verified under scientific conditions. This is not to say that the more novel or unusual lucid dream induction techniques will not work - there is anecdotal evidence which suggests that some lucid dreamers find them highly successful. The point is, that many of these more novel techniques or methods are premised on the basis that the lucid dreamer had already achieved increased their conscious awareness (i.e. using reality checks) and began to pre-programme their mind using mental (i.e. mnemonic) techniques/methods. They are not a replacement for learning the foundations of lucid dreaming.

If you are trying multiple lucid dream induction techniques or methods simultaneously and you successfully induce a lucid dream - how could you be sure what part of your dreamwork was effective? 

Neglecting to use, or over-reliance on, lucid dreaming supplements

Many lucid dreaming purists reject the use of lucid dreaming supplements, believing that lucid dreaming is a skill which should be learned through mental techniques. Indeed, any supplement which claims to be a magic solution for lucid dreaming should be approached with scepticism and caution - there are companies who unscrupulously chase profit over legitimacy, charging high prices for ineffective products. 

A little bit of research will reveal that there are a number of lucid dreaming supplements (oneirogens) which are proven to increase conscious awareness within the dream state. However, lucid dreaming supplements are not an alternative to learning the basic techniques and methods of lucid dream induction - you should combine these approaches and certainly not rely on the supplements to fast-track your success. If you are hesitant to introduce any supplements or vitamins into your diet, there are a number of natural foods which can also yield some effect in increasing the chances of lucid dreaming - for example, foods which are high in tryptophan or Vitamin B6. 

Remember to consult a doctor or healthcare professional before you take any supplements or vitamins, particularly if you are young, pregnant or have an existing health condition. And be careful when buying products online - research will help you ensure you are purchasing a safe and reliable product which is legal in your jurisdiction. 

Sleep deprivation

The majority of our dreams - and certainly lucid dreams - take place in the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of the sleep cycle. Therefore, it follows that good quality REM sleep optimises your chances of lucid dreaming.

Deep (slow-wave or delta) sleep is the restful and restorative sleep, necessary for healing the body and recovering from exhaustion. If you are deprived of deep sleep, your REM sleep will suffer as a consequence - because your body will try to regain lost deep sleep at the expense of the REM sleep. The sleep cycle tries to balance itself, prioritising which stages of sleep are necessary. 

The REM Rebound Effect is another example of this - if we lose REM sleep for a period of time, for example, inhibiting it due to regular cannabis use - we experience a catch-up or 'rebound' of REM sleep at some point (with cannabis, when the effect of the THC wears off due to metabolization). This reflux of lost REM sleep often leads to incredibly bizarre and vivid dreams - which is one benefit of temporarily abstaining from cannabis use! Some lucid dream supplements, such as 5HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan) produce a REM Rebound Effect. 

One of the best ways to ensure you are not sleep deprived is to avoid artificial awakenings as far as possible - waking naturally when convenient is one way of making sure you are getting sufficient sleep (and experiencing that longest period of REM sleep, which happens right at the end of your natural sleep cycle). 

Even if this means going to bed earlier, it is something to consider when attempting to induce lucid dreaming. Beginner lucid dreamers should become accustomed to 'hacking' the sleep cycle and understanding it a little better, because there are some very effective lucid dream induction techniques and methods which work by manipulating sleep and wakefulness to optimise dreamtime. Essentially, the aim is to experience as much REM sleep as possible before you need to wake up - so getting your deep sleep out of the way will ensure you get through all the stages in your sleep cycle - which can vary. Some people require a lot less sleep than others - the standard or 'average' sleep cycle tends to be depicted as 8 hours, but some people find they have a 4 - 6 hour sleep cycle instead, but still get enough good quality sleep.

You can re-programme your Circadian rhythms using technological devices which simulate natural sunlight, or apps which claim to wake you from REM sleep, the time when you are most likely to recall a dream as it is fresh in your memory.

Failing to understand the sleep cycle
It is not necessary to have a scientific understanding of the sleep cycle in order to lucid dream, but having a basic understanding can really help. As indicated above, lucid dreaming - like all dreaming - takes place during the REM sleep stage of the sleep cycle. 

One of the common mistakes made by lucid dreamers is assuming that the best time to induce a lucid dream is at the start of the sleep cycle - at the point they go to bed, as they are falling asleep. It is essential that you use the time before you fall asleep for lucid dream induction work - just don't expect that your best lucid dreaming will take place at the start of the sleep cycle when we experience much more Non-REM sleep than towards the end. 

Lucid dream work which uses the sleep cycle as a means of optimising the chances of successful induction can be very effective - as well as choosing the right induction technique or method, for example a DILD (Dream-Initiated Lucid Dream) or a WILD (Wake-Initiated Lucid Dream). Understanding the sleep cycle can also assist when experimenting with lucid dreaming supplements (oneirogens), as certain supplements suppress REM sleep for a period of time, or need to be metabolised before you see an effect on your dreaming, which might require strategic timing. Research and a little trial and error are required here.

Ignoring the science of lucid dreaming
This is not intended to undermine beginner lucid dreamers who have an interest or investment in the spiritual side of lucid dreaming. We all have our own believes, faiths and worldviews, but it is important to recognise that having a belief-based perspective of dreaming should not preclude you from attempting to understand the scientific research into lucid dreaming. There are cynics and sceptics on both sides of course. I think it is essential to separate the valid, credible and verifiable science from pseudoscience or 'woo' - and with so much material available, it can sometimes be hard to distinguish between fact and fiction. The best approach embraces solid and reliable research, open-mindedness, critical-thinking and balance!

Lifestyle choices & substance use
Certain lifestyle choices or  use of substances - and this is a broad term to refer to foods, vitamins, supplements, medication, recreational drugs and alcohol - can have an effect on our sleep and dreaming. The only advice I would give here is to research the effects of any lifestyle choices/or substances on the sleep cycle and try to maintain your optimal level of health as far as possible, as this will be advantageous for lucid dreaming. 

Failing to stabilise & clarify your lucid dreams
The intense feelings of excitement we inevitably experience when we first find ourselves in a lucid dream typically lead to the lucid dream experience being cut short by a premature awakening. The euphoric rush of emotion still happens to me, even though I have experienced so many lucid dreams (some spontaneous/natural, others intentionally induced) in my lifetime. The trick is to remember to use lucid dream stabilisation techniques to prolong the lucid dream experience. 

The first thing to do is to remain calm - which is difficult when the adrenaline is pumping! Breath as deeply as possible and concentrate on yourself - don't try to interact with dream characters yet. You can perform a reality check to make sure you are dreaming - even if it seems entirely obvious to you! The next thing to do is stabilise and clarify my lucid dream. 

My preferred method for stabilising my lucid dreams is to rub my hands together (or rub my thighs) which telling myself 'I am dreaming'. You can also try spinning around on the spot, or touching an object within the dream world, such as the wall or a tree - this can be useful for grounding yourself in the lucid dream, especially if you feel you are about to wake up. If the dream remains unstable or blurry/hazy, clarifying the dream will help. I simply demand 'clarity!' and often, my vision clears and the dream becomes more 'concrete'. I then try to use my senses to interpret the dream scene I am in, which also helps the dream appear more clear and vivid. These techniques will certainly help to prolong your lucid dream experiences. 

If you fail to stabilise and clarify your lucid dreams, you will likely either wake up, or remain in a blurry, hazy, frustrating semi-lucid state, where you are not fully consciously aware, and have no control over the dream. Thereafter, you'll probably lapse back into a normal, non-lucid dream.

Failing to prolong your lucidity
Yes - it is possible to forget you are lucid dreaming! I have experienced a number of lucid dreams which have disappointingly lapsed back into normal, non-lucid dreams. This is because conscious awareness is still fragile, even after the lucid dream has been stabilised and clarified. Make sure that you regularly remind yourself that you are dreaming/experiencing a lucid dream and perform frequent reality checks. This will prolong your lucid dream experience. 

Expectations of lucid dream control
One of the biggest myths surrounding lucid dreaming is the idea that lucid dreaming equates to dream control. This is simply not true - dream control/manipulation is one of the most rewarding aspects of lucid dreaming, but not all lucid dreams involve dream control. In fact, lucid dream control can be very difficult to master, even for experienced lucid dreamers. 

There are different levels of lucidity on the lucid spectrum - lucid dream control occurs when we are fully-lucid. Even if we are fully-lucid, sometimes dream control evades us, and this can be for a number of reasons. The main one appears to be self-limiting beliefs or pre-conceptions. We experience waking reality bound by the laws of physics and certain expectations which allow us to adapt our behaviour based on predictable results. However different rules apply (or disapply) in the dream world, so we may have to disregard and abandon our deeply-imbedded, learned expectations. 

Learning dream visualisation techniques is very useful for improving skills which lead to better success in lucid dream control. 

Focusing on lucid dream sex
It is extremely common that the primary aim for beginner lucid dreamers is to instinctively focus on lucid dream sex. Obviously, in a lucid dream, we can pursue sexual intimacy with just about anyone or anything, break taboos or social norms and avoid the negative consequences we might face in waking reality. Further, the experience of sexual pleasure and orgasm in a lucid dream is often an overwhelming intense and euphoric physical experience, which combined with the lack of inhibition and freedom of the lucid dream, makes lucid dream sex a completely understandable 'lucid dream bucket list' goal. Lucid dream sex can really be a sensory overload and very different from our experience of real life waking sex.

However, lucid dream sex is not always a simple act to perform. Firstly, you need to stabilise and clarify your lucid dream at a time of high arousal - which is only further increased by the prospect of sexual abandon and fulfilment. You also have to summons a dream character and (hopefully) persuade them to consent to sex - and just like normal dream characters, lucid dream characters can behave erratically or unpredictably, even when we are trying to control/manipulate them. It is very common for desirable lucid dream sex partners to morph into unappealing, horrifying things or to reject you outright.

The same self-limiting beliefs, preconceptions - or even subconscious inhibitions which may not be apparent to us - can lead to the lucid dream experience having unplanned results. Even when the lucid dream sex experience seems to be working - the sensory overload can often lead to premature waking. 

The key here is not to focus too heavily on pursuing lucid dream sex. If you find you are having difficulty in achieving lucid dream sex, consider allowing things to develop more naturally within the lucid dream rather than trying to exert too much control and influence over events and dream characters. Allow your dream characters to be autonomous as possible - they are reflections of your subconscious, and their reactions and responses to you are essentially projections of you. To put it simply, if a lucid dream sex partner is resisting or rejecting you - it is really you who is resisting or rejecting the experience on a subconscious level. Perhaps your subconscious feels under pressure or coerced in some respect? Are you trying to use power to bypass your dream character's consent or bodily autonomy - their resistance is really your resistance to your behaviour here. 

Remember, if lucid dream sex does not seem to come naturally, just enjoy the lucid dream experience - a fruitless pursuit of intimacy will waste your lucidity. Just be confident and one day it will happen!

Dreaming of lucid dreaming
Dreaming of lucid dreaming is not the same as lucid dreaming. This happens to all lucid dreamers - they experience a normal, non-lucid dream in which lucid dreaming is a theme. This can be really frustrating, as we expect that any reference to dreaming or lucid dreaming within the world of the dream should be all it takes to perform a reality check and trigger lucidity. Recognising what is and is not a lucid dream can only truly occur once we have experienced a lucid dream and know what it feels like. The best advise here is to maintain your regular and consistent lucid dream induction work (especially use of reality checking and increasing conscious awareness), focus on the goal of lucid dreaming with confidence and optimism and avoid the above mistakes as far as possible!