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. 

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!

The Benefits of Lucid Dreaming

Lucid dreaming is a rewarding, awe-inspiring and liberating experience, which many personal benefits. Lucid dreams are largely free from real-world consequences and allow dreamers to indulge in fantasies without fear, inhibition or reprisal. Lucid dreaming permits us boundless escapism, creating a natural high and sense of power, opening our eyes to the fact we can 'hack' our own minds and harness a set of cognitive skills from within the dream world. Lucid dreaming also enables us to have profound insight into ourselves, encouraging us to question the nature of reality and consciousness.

However, the benefits of lucid dreaming are not just present in the dream world - there are many benefits for real waking life too! One of the overall greatest benefits of lucid dreaming is the fact that we are able to incubate or create lucid dream scenarios in advance, by focusing on what we most desire or wish for in a lucid dream.

Experiencing the impossible

Lucid dreaming enables dreamers to experience the impossible - you can literally do anything in a lucid dream as the limits are as far as your imagination can stretch. The laws of physics don't constrain you!

One of the most popular lucid dreaming experiences sought by lucid dreamers is the ability to fly in lucid dreams. All you need to do is believe that you can fly like a bird, and you will find yourself soaring through the sky, weightless. 

Lucid dreamers might also experience the impossible in terms of obtaining super-human powers, travelling through time or exploring the far reaches of the universe, meeting fictional or historical characters - there really are no rules as to what is possible in a lucid dream.

Sexual intimacy

Imagine a scenario where you can summons any sexual partner - real, fictional or imaginary - and indulge in any form of sexual intimacy you so desire. Lucid dream sex is one of the most popular experiences sought out by lucid dreamers, because it enables not only fantasy sex with someone who might not be available in the real life, but also has little to no repercussions in waking life. I say 'little' - as it depends on whether you are using lucid dream sex to break sexual taboos (which might lead to desensitisation or normalisation of those taboos) or indulging in acts you feel guilty about in waking reality - these can obviously have the potential for some effect on your psychological well-being in some circumstances. 

Lucid dream sex is not a form of 'infidelity' - I'd argue it is no different in concept to fantasising while using pornography as a stimulus; the difference is that the stimulus exists in your mind and requires no extrinsic aids or human interaction. If you have any concerns about how your partner might feel about lucid dream sex with another person, you could discuss it in advance or simply choose to keep your lucid dream sex fantasies/experiences as a secret - there's no way you can get caught out!

Lucid dream sex is a great way for lonely people to experience sexual intimacy which might be lacking in their waking reality. The experience of sex in a lucid dream can be a very intense and satisfying feeling - the fulfilment of primal urges without inhibition or the need to abide by social norms. It is possible to experience incredibly powerful orgasms through lucid dream sex. 

Increased self-awareness & insight

Due to the nature of lucid dreaming, it is possible to explore the inner self, stripping back the core beliefs or preconceptions that have been instilled in us from childhood. In Robert Waggoner, Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self (2008), the author refers to a separate consciousness which exists within, which can be accessed through the lucid dream. In the lucid dream, you can converse directly with your subconscious mind and discover deep truths about yourself which might not be accessible or comprehensible in waking reality. You can guide this discovery process by asking questions of your consciousness within the lucid dream and examining the answers provided, which may enable you to gain levels of self-awareness and insight not possible in your waking consciousness. 

You might also use lucid dreaming to discover deep personal meaning in life - by talking to your subconscious and asking it to show you your life's purpose. This can enable you to evolve your life's meaning and purpose with a new form of conscious awareness, and the advantage here is that such insight is not reserved for those with spiritual beliefs. You are finding meaning within yourself, rather than having to look beyond for a 'greater' meaning.

Enhancing real life skills

In Stephen LaBerge, Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (1990), the author provides a testimonial from a surgeon who reported the ability to improve and refine his surgical skills from within his lucid dreams - which enabled him to reap the benefits in his real life profession. Indeed, such improvement of his skills were much quicker than would be expected in real life. Athletes and musicians have also reported using lucid dreams to enhance their real life skills. This is because the tangible experience of performing and practicing certain physical activities in the artificial world of lucid dreams can transfer to real life muscle memory. In addition, lucid dreamers can realistically rehearse mental and emotional responses which have some benefit in real life.

Problem-solving & decision-making

Lucid dreaming is a great way of 'thinking outside the box' when it comes to problem-solving and decision-making. Not only can you seek help within the lucid dream by asking for possible solutions, but you can act out the various solutions to a problem or tough decision within the lucid dream and check the results. It is possible to incubate a lucid dream by 'implanting the seed' of that chosen/desired dream using highly effective dream incubation techniques, which work for both lucid and normal, non-lucid dreams. All you need to do is focus your waking mind on the question or problem you require help with.

Exploring creativity

Lucid dreaming is a fantastic means of exploring inner creativity and tapping into new channels of creativity which might not be readily accessible to the conscious, waking mind. This is due to the free-flow of ideas that occur in a lucid dream. Lucid dreaming provides an extraordinary way of finding inspiration - you can simply ask your subconscious to show you something to inspire you, or you could actively seek to travel to a place of inspiration or summons a particular visionary genius of your chosen field, as a dream character, and use them as a mentor. 

Artist Salvador Dali (1904 - 1989) famously used lucid dreaming to increase his creativity and inspire his art. He referred to this process as 'slumber with a key' and spoke of channelling the fluid space between wakefulness and sleep. The creative associations he made between memories, fleeting thoughts and concepts and imagery occurred during the hypnagogic stage of sleep and therefore are likely to be forms of microdreams. One of his most popular and recognisable paintings The Persistence of Memory (1931) was inspired through this process. There are many other notable examples of creatives/artists or scientists/inventors using lucid dreaming and hypnagogia to formulate new ideas and tap into new sources of creativity and inspiration.

Coping with grief & bereavement

No matter what your beliefs, faith or worldviews on death and the afterlife, lucid dreaming is an excellent way to reunite with dead loved ones. When coping with bereavement, there is often a feeling that matters have been left unresolved, especially if the death of a loved one was sudden and unexpected, or certain things were left unsaid when the person was alive. Lucid dreaming enables the dreamer to reunite and interact with their dead loved one and deal with unresolved matters by seeking closure or finality - or simply enjoy the experience of spending time with them in the dream world. The benefit of this is that the lucid dream provides some form of psychological or emotional therapy, allowing capacity for grieving and healing. Lucid dreaming can help us keep the memories of our dead loved ones alive in a very realistic sense, even if we are fully aware that they are a projection of our own psyche and subconscious.

Overcoming phobias, fear & trauma

Lucid dreaming is a great way of confronting and overcoming phobias, fear and trauma in a safe way with no real life consequences or risk of harm. Clinical Psychiatrists and Psychologists have reported that lucid dreaming provides a therapeutic benefit for sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder, as the experience of confronting the source of trauma in a lucid dream creates new neural pathways in the brain which can help in overcoming the fear in real life. 

Categories of Dreaming

There are 5 standard categories of dream, all of which can be successfully used as a gateway or trigger for lucid dream induction. I have also included a brief description of microdreams, as these are a separate category of dream which have been identified in modern dream research.

Daydreams

The term daydream was popularised by Psychologist Jerome L Singer whose research into this phenomenon forms the basis for subsequent understanding and investigation. 

Daydreams occur when we are ostensibly awake, but in a form of hypnotic, trance-like state where subconscious thoughts are able to float the surface of our consciousness. A daydream is therefore a state which is semi-awake and not fully in-tune with waking reality. Studies indicate that the average person spends 70 - 120 minutes of their waking day daydreaming. 

In a daydream, the daydreamer's thoughts are detached from external reality and focused on the personal and internal. It is a stream of consciousness which is mildly dissociated from reality.

Daydreaming is disruptive to external waking tasks as the mind wanders and thoughts fly freely. Mooneyham and Schooler identify 5 possible purposes of daydreaming:

• Future thinking - autobiographical thinking which serves to speculate upon and anticipate future events
• Creative thinking 
• Attentional cycling - where the dreamer is confronted with multiple tasks, problems or goals, attentional cycling  provides an opportunity for the daydreamer to switch between streams of thought and information, to optimise their behavioural responses
• Dishabituation - in attention-demanding learning situations, dishabituation enables the daydreamer to drift away from the intensity of the learning experience so that they can return to it refreshed and refocused
• Boredom relief

Regular daydreamers may find they are more predisposed to success in lucid dream incubation. The daydream begins with a compelling and engaging memory, thought or fantasy and the daydreamer becomes immersed in the imagery of their mind's eye. As the creative brain is most active in a daydream state, the daydreamer becomes less aware of their physical reality. Daydreams may involve negative or positive experiences - past trauma may surface or future goals may be visualised. Therefore daydreaming can be seen as a way of accepting the past and rehearsing the future. 

Daydreaming can be beneficial for lucid dream induction as it relies on visualisation. Using visualisation techniques as you fall asleep may help you induce a lucid dream.

Microdreams

One form of dream which is often left undiscussed when explaining the different categories of dreaming is the recently identified phenomenon of 'microdreams'. These are short fragments of dream which last for only seconds, and occur as we are falling asleep. They can be characterised as fleeting bizarre thoughts, which often involve a subtle sense of movement and the sensation of the body shifting or sinking into space (this is likely to be the feeling of the muscles relaxing as the dreamer falls asleep). Microdreams are often extremely difficult to comprehend and describe. They are drawn from recent and distant memory, and can involve a 'chain reaction', as different imagery is drawn from the memory sources and real life sensory stimuli (such as sound), and are combined and associated together via 'multisensory integration'. Microdreams would be classed as a type of non-lucid dream.

Normal, Non-Lucid Dreams

This is the default dreaming state - where the dreamer accepts the dream as reality and is not consciously aware they are dreaming. Dreams occur during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage of the sleep cycle and are essential to our psychological well-being. Even if the dreamer does not recall their dreams, it is likely that they are experiencing dreams during every sleep cycle. During an 8 hour sleep cycle, the average amount of time spent in normal, non-lucid dreams is approximately 100 minutes, with longer, more vivid and memorable dreams occuring at the end of the sleep cycle during the last period of REM sleep right before waking.

Normal, non-lucid dreams are creations of the subconscious and enable us to have insight into our subconscious mind. They are constructed from our waking memories, thoughts, experiences and sensations - and our deepest subconscious or conscious wishes, desires, anxieties and fears. However, the dream may not be a straightforward, literal representation of these things - the language of the subconscious is often encoded, symbolic and conceptual in nature. The processes of dreamwork can distort, transform or condense the dream material in bizarre ways so that the 'message' of the dream requires interpretation. 

Normal, non-lucid dreams can be used as a gateway to lucid dream induction via the DILD (Dream-Initiated Lucid Dream) technique. Sometimes we may become spontaneously lucid while in a normal, non-lucid dream because something (i.e. a dreamsign) triggers us to question whether we are dreaming. A reality check can provide us with a somewhat reliable conclusion, enabling us to become consciously aware we are dreaming.

Lucid Dreams

A lucid dream is where the dreamer is consciously aware that they are dreaming. The dreamer may be able to control or manipulate the lucid dream intentionally. There are a number of levels of lucidity on the lucid spectrum - see: The Lucid Spectrum.

False Awakenings

A false awakening can be an uncanny, unsettling or terrifying experience. It is a vivid and realistic dream in which the dreamer dreams that they have woken up and are experiencing waking reality. However, the dreamer remains asleep, initially unaware that the 'reality' they have woken up to is really the trickery of their dreaming mind. 

A false awakening occurs when the sleeping mind is stuck halfway between wakefulness and a dream. When we falsely awaken, we typically wake up in a realistic, seemingly ordinary version of our bedroom, or wherever we happened to fall asleep. However, if we pay careful attention to the minute details of our immediate environment, we may notice subtle (or sometimes, dramatic) distortions or oddities, which can act as dreamsigns and trigger a reality check and thereafter, lucidity. It is possible to experience multiple false awakenings in quick succession.

Some false awakenings may be accompanied by the sensation of sleep paralysis (the muscle atonia which occurs during REM sleep, to prevent us from physically acting out our dreams) and the presence of nightmarish entities ('Old Hag Syndrome') which can be a nightmarish experience. 

Nightmares

Typically, nightmares are normal, non-lucid dreams, where the dreamer is not consciously aware they are dreaming, which adds to the terrifying nature of the nightmare.

Nightmares are characterised by events which trigger feelings of fear, terror, anxiety, helplessness or despair. If the sensory system is triggered by the nightmare, it is possible to feel intense physical sensations, such as pain. Nightmares (especially recurrent nightmares) may be the result of past trauma, but can also be caused by ill-health, mental health conditions or substances, such as drugs and alcohol.

Some dream research suggests that nightmares serve an evolutionary purpose, in preparing for fight or flight and protection from predators or enemies. Studies show that children experience nightmares more frequently than adults - likely due to their vulnerability. 

Nightmares - as opposed to merely 'bad dreams' - tend to wake up us due to the level of arousal we experience. It is possible to wake yourself up from a nightmare by commanding yourself to 'wake up!'

Nightmares provide an excellent means of inducing a lucid dream. If you are able to shock yourself into conscious awareness (or the nightmare provides you with dreamsigns), instead of focusing on ending the nightmare, simply remind yourself that this is a dream and has no consequence on your waking reality. As soon as you have stabilised and clarified the lucid nightmare, you can choose to change the dream scene/narrative with dream control and visualisation techniques, or you could choose to confront your nightmare and attempt too overcome it. Lucid nightmares have been proven to have therapeutic benefits, by encouraging subjects to confront and triumph over their nightmares and by extension, the representation of their deep-rooted fears and anxieties. A dreamer might opt to enter into a dialogue with the source of their fear or anxiety, and find healing benefits in a meaningful exchange.

This article has not discussed phenomena such as Astral Projection or Out-of-Body Experiences. These will be covered in separate article(s) in future. 

The Lucid Spectrum

Lucidity is not a single state, but rather exists on a spectrum with different levels of lucidity. While conscious awareness is the basis of a lucid dream, your lucid dreaming experience depends on what level of lucidity you manage to achieve. The level of lucidity you experience in a lucid dream impacts on intensity and vividness of the lucid dream; clarity and stability of the lucid dream; the amount of dream control and manipulation you can exert on the lucid dream; and the length of the lucid dream.

Level 0 - Normal Non-Lucid Dream

This is the default dream state, where the dreamer is not consciously aware that they are dreaming and is unable to control any aspect of the dream. Even if your normal, non-lucid dream is very intense and vivid, you accept the dream as reality and do not question it. Normal, non-lucid dreams are created entirely by the subconscious, and are based on real life waking memories, thoughts, feelings and sensations. 

Level 1 - Pre-Lucid Dream

A pre-lucid dream is the very beginning of the lucid dream process. During a pre-lucid dream, the dreamer will question whether they might be in a dream, but may not come to the correct conclusion. The term 'pre-lucid' was coined by Celia Green in Lucid Dreams (1968). Earl Vickers developed a checklist of situations which are common in pre-lucid dreams:

• Misinterpreted dreamsigns - the dreamer notices incongruous or uncanny events, objects or thoughts which suggest they are in a dream, but instead of becoming fully lucid, draw an alternative explanation of the dreamsign
• Failed reality checks - while something (i.e. recognition of a dreamsign) leads to a reality check, failure of the reality check (i.e. the outcome is either the same as the real life waking outcome, or the dreamer fails to successfully use the reality check to become lucid) confirm the mistaken belief that the dreamer is awake and experiencing reality
• Pseudo-lucid dreams - the dreamer is aware they are dreaming, but fails to become consciously aware they are actually asleep and dreaming in reality
• The dreamer tries to convince a dream character they are dreaming while failing to recognise they are themselves in a dream
• Normal, non-lucid dreams about dreaming, without the dreamer being consciously aware they are in a dream
• False awakenings where the dreamer is unaware they are actually dreaming, and believes they have actual woken up and are experiencing real life

Level 2 - Semi-Lucid Dream

Beginner lucid dreamers often experience semi-lucid dreams, typically as a result of a DILD (Dream-Initiated Lucid Dream). The dreamer may experience conscious awareness that they are in a dream, but will be unable to exert any form of dream control over the lucid dream. Semi-lucid dreams are characterised by lack of clarity and stability - this is a very precarious and hazy lucid state. It is very easy to lapse from a semi-lucid dream back into a normal, non-lucid dream. 

Level 3 - Fully-Lucid Dream

In a fully-lucid dream, the dreamer is absolutely certain they are experiencing a dream and therefore have complete conscious awareness. This is the level of lucidity in which it becomes possible to control and manipulate the dream.

Level 4 - Dissolved Dream

Within Tibetan Buddhism, there is a state of lucidity which surpasses and goes beyond the fully-lucid state. Dissolving the dream refers to the ability to move beyond the physical sensations of the dream and any sensory data in order to reach a higher plane of consciousness of the purest form.

Experiencing a Lucid Dream

If you have never experienced a lucid dream before, your first question is likely to be 'what does a lucid dream feel like?' Becoming consciously aware that you are dreaming is akin to entering a portal to a completely different world, where your ultimate fantasies can materialise and become 'true'. The laws of physics can break down or be manipulated in ways your waking mind may not be able to comprehend, but in a lucid dream, you experience it as if it is your actual reality. The lucid dream world is responsive to your thoughts, feelings, wishes and desires. I would liken it to a movie plotline where you are writing the script while simultaneously experiencing and observing it unfold before you. 

The clarity, stability and intensity of the lucid dream experience is variable and dependent on the dreamer maintaining peak levels of conscious awareness during the lucid dream experience. 

Our waking reality is shaped by our sensory interpretation of our environment, receiving stimulus via sight, sound, touch, smell and taste which our brain processes, to put it very simply. Our dreams 'sythentise' or artificially create these sensory experiences, using our memories and imaginations as their source material. 

I will give you one dream example of my own to illustrate an oddity here. Dreamers tend to achieve successful flight in a dream by moving their arms in a swimming motion (and often the front crawl/butterfly movement) rather than flapping their extended arms, like a bird would. This is because humans have never experienced the true feeling of achieving organic flight (using only their own body) in reality. Very few humans have experienced the sensation of being weightless, or suspended above solid ground with no support to hold them up other than their own body, as would be the case if in mid-air. The most similar physical sensation a human is likely to have in their memory is being in water - and keeping afloat by swimming. Therefore, our dream self is able to use that real life memory of a similar or analogous physical sensation to 'create' that 'reality' in the dream world. 

Sometimes the synthesised physical sensations of the lucid dream world are especially intense, pleasurable and stimulating. Sensations may be far more heightened than the dreamer experiences them in reality. This is why some people liken lucid dreaming to a psychedelic drug trip - but unlike recreational substances, lucid dreaming presents absolutely no physical risk and is much safer for your mental health and wellbeing! 

Many lucid dreamers (or 'oneironauts' to use the proper term) pursue lucid dream scenarios in which they can indulge and satisfy their primal instincts and urges, due to the intensified, yet often highly realistic physical sensations of the lucid dream. 

One of the most common physical sensations of a lucid dream is heightened colour - everything might appear more vivid. I have also noticed the malleable nature of vision in a lucid dream - people (dream characters) and objects/environment appear solid and realistic when looking at them directly, but can also shift and transform into other things - sometimes because I consciously will them to (dream control) and sometimes because the dream (i.e. my subconscious) is itself creating and recreating the fabric of the dream around me. 

When first entering or waking up from a lucid dream, my vision goes blurry or darkened. Sometimes my field of vision shrinks from full-screen to a letter-box, framed in black. If I have just entered the lucid dream and I am finding it hard to focus my vision and stabilise the lucid dream so that I can enjoy it, I order myself to have clarity - and this does improve the clarity of my vision and other physical sensory experiences so that I can begin a lucid adventure.

The taste of food in lucid dreams is often an incredibly heightened experience - with the added bonus of having no effect on our nutrition or health. When eating a familiar food in a lucid dream, the flavour and sensation is maximised based on our memory of what that food tastes like in reality. If trying a new food for the first time in the lucid dream, the taste of that food is shaped by our waking expectations of what that food might taste like. As your 'dream taste buds' won't become accustomed to the flavour of the food in a lucid dream, each bite or swallow will be just like your very first experience. 

When I hear the voices of familiar real life people - or real life fictional characters - in a lucid dream, their voices are typically extremely close to my waking knowledge of how they sound - even down to slight intonation and vocal patterns.

I use the physical sensation of touch in a lucid dream to stabilise it. It is essential for lucid dreamers to learn lucid dream stabilisation techniques as soon as they are beginning to induce lucid dreams. Lucid dreams are often very precarious and transient experiences - they are difficult to maintain (often due to increased arousal, which wakes you up) and short in terms of time spend lucid. The REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage in the sleep cycle is when all dreams take place - this stage of sleep is characterised by increased brain activity and is very close to wakefulness. 

A lucid dream is even closer to the waking state, as we have even more increase in brain activity - including activation of some parts of the brain which are not routinely active in normal, non-lucid dreams. Stabilisation techniques help you calm down and lower your arousal so that you can maintain the lucid state and prolong it. One of the best stabilisation techniques relies on the physical sensation of touch. When lucid, I often experience some vague, shadowy sense of what is happening in my real life reality - typically, this will be the feeling of the weight of my real life duvet on my body, sometimes over part of my face. This is because the lucid dream is on the borderlines of sleep and wakefulness and real life sensory input is competing with that synthesised in the dream world.

To stabilise the lucid dream, and distract myself from the real world stimulus which is penetrating my dream and threatening to wake me up, I either rub my hands together, or rub my hands on my thighs. Another highly effective technique is to touch something in the lucid dream environment, such as a wall or a tree. 

Another thing which can lead to premature waking from a lucid dream is heightened arousal - in other words, too much excitement at the realisation (conscious awareness) you are experiencing a lucid dream. Remaining calm in addition to stabilising the dream using other techniques as described above can help you to combat premature waking from a lucid dream.

You can feel pain or unpleasant physical sensations in a lucid dream. In a normal, non-lucid dream, your subconscious is responsible for controlling all of the physical sensations of the dream. In a lucid dream, even if you haven't mastered dream recall, your conscious mind begins to intervene, tweaking the dream and your experience of it. 

Unless you have chosen to actively seek out pain or unpleasant physical sensations, any pain in a lucid dream is likely to be the product of your subconscious. You might have a strong expectation or preconception that pain will result from a certain scenario, and therefore your dream reflects this expectation by giving you the physical sensation of pain. You will have established neural pathways for pain, based on real life experiences. So dreams can replicate the physical sensation of pain in highly realistic ways. In a lucid dream you can command or will yourself to stop feeling the pain, and focus your attention on something else, which is often effective. In the lucid dream state, while your physical experience of pain may be extremely uncomfortable, it is not accompanied by the psychological fear that you have sustained some form of tangible physical damage or harm - the experience of pain is consequence-free. 

I see a lucid dream as an opportunity to have a conversation with my subconscious mind. You can ask the lucid dream to show you something - such as 'show me what I want most in life' or 'show me my deepest fear' etc - whatever the lucid dream shows you could be a 'truth' which your real life waking mind has not been able to communicate to you as clearly as your subconscious can in the lucid dream state. 

Another way I attempt to communicate with my subconscious in a lucid dream is via dream characters. When I meet dream characters in lucid dreams, depending on the scenario, I may attempt to exert lucid dream control over the dream character, but at other times I allow them to have full autonomy. Having a conversation with an 'autonomous' dream character is essentially a conversation with your subconscious, as the dream character is a projection of your subconscious, as is the very fabric of the dream itself. All dreams are reflections or projections of our subconscious, but if we are not lucid, we are only aware of what our subconscious might have been trying to tell us after we wake up and analyse/interpret our dream. This becomes difficult when we do not necessarily have perfect dream recall. 

The beauty of a lucid dream is the fact that your conscious brain is 'awake' or active and therefore you can not only remember your lucid dream almost as well as any waking life experience (at least this is my experience of lucid dreaming), but you have access to at least some of your logical, fact-checking mental abilities, so you can engage with and question what is happening in the lucid dream and manipulate events to suit your own agenda, which is not possible in a normal, non-lucid dream.

Due to the fluidity of the lucid dream experience, our perception of the space we inhabit is not grounded in the same way it is in waking reality. In a lucid dream our location awareness is limited to whatever we are focusing on at that particular moment. You are so absorbed in your immediate space and time that you almost forget the wider world which exists beyond it. If I become lucid in my bedroom, I am only aware of my direct vicinity (and what lies just beyond it) if I am specifically focused on that. If my focus shifts, purposefully or otherwise, my location is not solid or reliable - and therefore it can shift and transform. 

Once you have mastered lucid dream control, you can use the malleable nature of the lucid dream world to your advantage - you can command/will your lucid dream environment to change using lucid dream visualisation techniques, or you can use doors to portals into new lucid dream locations.

Memory in dreams works differently to memory in waking reality, because certain parts of the brain are inactive, even in a lucid dream. In normal, non-lucid dreams it is common to have little to no access to your real life waking memories - you may even experience false memories which link to the particular dream scenario you are experiencing. Additionally, it is often very difficult for the memory of the dream itself to consolidate in the short-term memory, due to the fact that our brains do not need to remember our dreams - the dream process itself is psychologically significant, but upon waking, there is no necessity for us to remember exactly what happened in our subconscious minds while asleep - the dreamwork has already done it's 'magic', so to speak. The fact dream memories are so flimsy and transient is why it is essential to record dreams immediately upon waking before the dream memories fade and slip away forever.

In a lucid dream, memory functions are slightly improved - at least in my experience, my memory of the dream itself is pretty accurate and clear, and I tend to have decent access to my real life waking memories while in the lucid dream. However, I only tend to have memories of things I am actively focusing on or thinking about in the dream - unless I am specifically attempting to access a particular waking memory, it is simply absence or out of reach. This may vary for other dreamers. One way to improve memory in the lucid dream state is to set yourself a lucid dream intention - while awake set yourself a goal for your lucid dream and then when you find yourself in that lucid dream state, recall your set lucid dream intention and attempt to will it into existence. For example, you might set a lucid dream intention to travel to a specific location, meet a specific dream character or ask your subconscious a specific question. Some people refer to these lucid dream intentions as 'lucid dream goals'. Managing to achieve a lucid dream goal is immensely rewarding and a sign that your lucid dreaming skills are improving. 

Dream control is a cognitive i.e. a mental process which requires intention and will-power to achieve. Many beginner lucid dreamers conflate lucidity with dream control, but the 2 things are not synonymous. A lucid dream without any dream control at all is still a lucid dream. Sometimes letting go of the desire to actively manipulate a dream and letting your subconscious desires shape the lucid dream narrative can be very illuminating and insightful, as well as exciting. There are many techniques which can help you improve dream control and manipulation. The only limits to what you can achieve in a lucid dream are your preconceptions, expectations and powers of imagination. 

Once you are able to induce lucid dreams (or if you naturally, spontaneously experience them, but want to explore dreamwork further), you can develop a lucid dream skill set which will intensify, enhance and enrich your lucid dream experiences. This lucid dream skill set includes:

• Experience a fully lucid dream
• Improve the clarity and stability of a lucid dream
• Prolong the lucid dream
• Accurately control physical movements within a lucid dream
• Learn lucid dream visualisation techniques
• Learn to change the lucid dream location/environment and travel to a desired place/time
• Meaningfully interact with lucid dream characters
• Enter a dialogue with your subconscious from within a lucid dream

If you are new to lucid dream induction or dreamwork, there are some indicators as to whether you might be particularly receptive or predisposed to lucid dreaming. That said, anyone can learn how to induce lucid dreams, it just takes more time and effort for some people. If any of the following apply to you, you might want to consider learning how to induce lucid dreams and improve your lucid dream skill set:

• You experience vivid and intense daydreams - are you able to visually create a fantasy scenario in a day dream? This skill makes it easier to induce lucid dreams using both the DILD (Dream-Initiated Lucid Dream) or WILD (Wake-Initiated Lucid Dream) induction techniques
• You have strong dream recall - do you recall a dream most nights? Dream recall is essential for all dreamwork
• You wake up naturally (without an alarm) often - waking up naturally from REM sleep (the longest, most fruitful stage of REM sleep occurs right at the end of the sleep cycle, just before you would naturally wake up) aids dream recall - waking up from an alarm is intrusive and interrupts your dreaming, causing you to potentially lose your dream memories
• You experience vivid and intense dreams - this is the perfect set up for progressing onto lucid dream induction. Vivid and intense dreams are a signal that you are getting sufficient, good quality REM sleep and have good dream recall/memory - both essential for lucid dream induction!
• You have intentionally woken yourself up from a nightmare or night terror in the past - this is a sign that you possessed clarity of thought in the dream state at a time when you needed to exert some control or manipulation over your dream
• You have previously experienced lucid dreams - not only are you more likely to be able to identify the lucid dream state (or semi-lucid state), but you will already have a firm belief in the possibility of lucid dreaming. Remember preconceptions and expectations are often what hold us back, so knowing you have experienced a lucid dream in the past can increase your confidence that it is possible again in the future
• You experience false awakenings, out-of-body experiences (OBEs) and/or sleep paralysis - these provide excellent gateways into a lucid dream and therefore are perfect for lucid dreamers to harness and use to their advantage in lucid dream induction
• You practice meditation or mindfulness - meditation aims to increase conscious self-awareness which is also key to lucid dreaming. Many aspects of lucid dream induction require increasing conscious self-awareness, reflection, visualisation and critical thinking. Some lucid dream induction techniques incorporate methods which are based around meditation
• You have a strong desire to lucid dream - our dreams are created from not only our subconscious, but also our real life waking experiences, thoughts, emotions and memories. Consolidating or cementing a desire or intention to experience a lucid dream while awake can enable this desire or intention to penetrate or infiltrate our dreams, so it is beneficial to regularly and actively remind yourself of your desire to lucid dream
• You are enthusiastic about dreaming - the most interest you have in dreaming and lucid dreaming, and the more attention you pay to your dreams in your waking reality, the more likely you are to be successful in inducing a lucid dream. This is why keeping a dream journal and discussing your dreams regularly are key to lucid dreaming success
• You play first-person video games - in a video game you are immersed in a synthesised, simulated reality. Research has shown that regular video game players experience superior spatial awareness and control in lucid dreams, mirroring the cognitive skills they use when gaming