Lucid Dreaming - The Importance of Dream Recall

Copyright © 2006 Andrew Strachan

The degree to which people can recall their normal run of the mill dreams varies greatly amongst different people.

Some people will recall most of their dreams throughout the night whilst others will claim never to dream because they never recall any.

The problem here is that to successfully master the art of lucid dreaming, it is essential to have a good ability to recall what you dreamt about the night before.

The most obvious reason for this is that there is little point in lucid dreaming if the whole experience is forgotten when you awake!

How To Improve Your Dream Recall

Good dream recall is essential to success. Fact. There are several techniques available to improve dream recall. One of the simplest ways to recall your dreams is to start writing them down when you wake up.

As you wake, just lie still for a moment and then try and remember as much information about your dream as you can.

When you have it in your head, turn the light on and jot down your dream. Try and make notes of any significant features that may re-occur in your dreams.

These are known as 'dream signs' and become VERY important as you acquire more advanced skills. When you have noted down several dreams, try to look for something that is common amongst those dreams. These are your dream signs.

The advantage of spotting your dream signs is that you will be subconsciously keeping an eye out for them when you dream. This will greatly increase your chances of having a lucid dream.

This brings me onto my next point.

Keep A Dream Journal

When you start writing down dreams, it helps to keep a dream journal. Don't just jot dreams down on a scrap of paper. This won't help. Keep a structured journal that you can refer to.

When you have jotted down a few dreams, try reading through them just before you goto sleep the following night. This will keep you thinking about dreaming whilst you doze off. (important!)

I suggest you keep a folder in which you can collect all of your dreams. Either that or keep a special notepad that you can jot in specifically for your dreams. You will then have all of your previous dreams in one place. Reading through this before bedtime will really help you become lucid in the dreams that follow.

Remembering your dreams is a great way to understand your dreaming mind and improve your chances of lucid dreaming.

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Andrew Strachan has been lucid dreaming for over 20 years. Anybody can learn how to lucid dream. Learn the techniques he uses so that you can learn to lucid dream yourself.
http://www.lucidfun.com

Lucid Dreaming - What Are Reality Checks?

Copyright © 2006 Andrew Strachan

Reality Checks - What are they?

Let me start by saying that this subject often raises a few eyebrows because by it's very nature it can seem a futile exercise...... until you have your first lucid dream. Then it all becomes clear.

Reality checks are exactly what their title describes. They are a method by which you can check to see if what you perceive as being real IS real.

At this point, most people will say "I know my reality is real!" - but do you?

Sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste are the five main ways that we perceive our reality. Some would argue that there are six ways, but that is a whole other story.

Now, all of those senses go into the brain to be interpreted as 'Reality'. What happens when the brain starts to make its OWN reality? i.e. when you are dreaming. How as a lucid dreamer can you tell if things are real or not? You need some method that will differentiate the real world from the dreaming world.

The answer is the reality check

The reality check is THE most powerful method for having a lucid dream.

Very few people know this but you will often have what is know as a 'false awakening' during the night. Those are the times when you wake up and do something such as checking your clock or maybe listening to a noise that may have disturbed you.

Often, you haven’t woken up at all! What has happened is that you have become conscious IN your dream. Yes that's correct, you have been lucid dreaming and you never knew it.

If you had been used to reality checking, you would have been able to spot this and would have had a wonderful lucid dream.

As you can see, checking your reality can bring the awareness needed to trigger a lucid dream, whilst you are dreaming. This opens up opportunity's to lucid dream that you never knew were there.

There are several different methods which enable you to distinguish between this 'real' world and the (much more fun) lucid world.

A simple method that I prefer to use is the 'pinch nose' relaity check. This one can be done anywhere anytime without looking silly. Simply pinch your nose with your mouth closed and try to breath in through your nose.

If you cannot breath in, you are awake in this world. If you can breathe in then you are in a dream. For reasons unknown, you can breath through a closed nose or mouth in dream world. This will cause you to become lucid and hey presto, you are having a lucid dream!

It is possible to lucid dream without using reality checks but I would say that approximately eighty percent of my lucid dreams are triggered by reality checks.

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Andrew Strachan has been lucid dreaming for over 20 years. Anybody can learn how to lucid dream. Learn the techniques he uses so that you can learn to lucid dream yourself.
http://www.lucidfun.com