In Brief
- Approximately eight out of 10 people have had a lucid dream, in which they were conscious of their dreaming, at least once.
- Parts of the brain tend to work together more intensely during lucid dreaming than in other dream phases.
- Lucid dreaming is useful for treating chronic nightmares and perhaps even anxiety.
I moved my eyes, and I realized that I was asleep in bed. When I saw the beautiful landscape start to blur, I thought to myself, “This is my dream; I want it to stay!” And the scene reappeared. Then I thought to myself how nice it would be to gallop through this landscape. I got myself a horse … I could feel myself riding the horse and lying in bed at the same time.
So recounted a test subject in the sleep laboratory at the University of Bonn in Germany. This particular sleeper was having a lucid dream, in which the dreamer recognizes that he or she is dreaming and can sometimes influence the course of the dream. By measuring the brain waves of lucid dreamers, my colleagues and I are gaining a better understanding of the neural processes underlying this state of consciousness that exists between sleep and waking. In addition to providing clues about the nature of consciousness, research on lucid dreams is also beginning to suggest new ways to treat anxiety and learn complex movements while asleep.
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8 Comments
Add CommentI don't think you were really asleep there buddy. Have you ever heard of twilight sleep...sometimes called meditating?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisJamesDavis - If you haven't experienced lucid dreaming then it may be difficult to grasp, but sounds like they were sleeping to me...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisA trick I read on helping unlock lucid dreaming is while you're still awake, think of staring at your hands. The few times I've had a lucid dream it was looking at my hands in the dream that unlocked the ability to recognize the dreamscape and respond accordingly.
James, Please explain your technique in greater detail. Thanks
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSorry Relikx - just realized that you are not James - still, please reply. Thanks again.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLucid dreaming is what it says it is. Ego consciousness in the dreamscape. The 'I' is as aware of its self as it is in day to day awakened state.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is extremely difficult to maintain the lucid dreaming state. Any emotional reaction from excitement to fear and you lose the lucidity.
I find there is a strong urge to double check I am dreaming and that usually wakes me up.
It is essential to adopt the attitude of the emotionally neutral observing Buddha to maintain the lucid state.
Mine are most often triggered by recognizing what is going on MUST be a dream and voila I realize I am dreaming.
These triggers are variable. Triggers that have occurred multiple times is meeting people form your life who are dead but by far the most common trigger for me is when I start or find myself flying.
I also have an intense hypnagogic imagery state that has evolved from the time I started looking at it almost every night of my life since age 5. I turn 64 this month.
Meditation practice can lead you in to a lucid state.First you focus on your colors then your shapes with enough focus you can create an entire dream scape.That is if you can get past the drunken monkey of your mind.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI love to see that global awareness about lucid dreaming is growing every day all around the world. Many people started playing with it just because of curiosity but after some time realized it is a part of bigger picture like meditation and spirituality is. World is changing, many times i feel it is going wrong way but events and people like these are bringing back hope that eventually truth and general well being will be on first place. I am editor of website about lucid dreaming where I tend to teach people about this phenomena. Many don't even know about it, some heard but didn't know what it is and big majority is thrilled when figure out that everyone can learn to be lucid. If you are interested, <a href="http://lucid-dreaming-guide.com" title="Lucid Dreaming Guide">Lucid Dreaming Guide</a> by Emma Rose.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisCheers
Dreams have a far greater role than what is typically acknowledged in Western science.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe book, "Scout Report Volume 1," explores this at great length. In the vehicle of a mythical narrative, it asks the question, "If dreams are assumed to be real, where will following their lead take you?"
http://sombraviajera.wix.com/scoutreport.