A lucid dream is one in which the subject is aware that he or she is dreaming and can even choose to influence the content or events of the dream..
Lucid dreaming and healing is an especially powerful combination, and many people learn to fill their dreams with positive visual imagery, since this is known to lead to improved physical health. It takes some practice to learn lucid dreaming, but, once it is mastered, many people have up to four or five lucid dreams every night. Scientists have found that it is easier to learn lucid dreaming when napping, rather than during nighttime sleep, although this is a recent discovery and many people have learned to lucid dream purely through presleep programming at night.
How to teach yourself lucid dreaming
Dr. Stephen LaBerge, a leading researcher and writer on lucid dreaming, teaches the MILD (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams) technique of lucid dreaming. This technique is practiced after waking from a dream, but before returning to sleep. It has four steps:
1. Set up a dream memory. Before you go to sleep, program yourself to remember your dreams..
2. Focus your intent. When you wake from a dream and have noted down a few keywords to help you remember it, focus your intent on remembering that you are dreaming, the next time you do so. Say to yourself, "The next time I dream, I will remember that I am dreaming, but will not wake up." Repeat this to yourself over and over again, like a mantra, as you fall asleep. If you find your mind wandering, gently bring your focus back to the mantra.
3. Visualize yourself becoming lucid. As you continue to say the words over in your mind, imagine that you are back in the dream you have just had or - if you cannot recall that dream - any other memorable dream. Visualize yourself recognizing that you are dreaming and looking for confirmation that it is a dream. You might be doing something normally impossible (such as flying), meeting somebody deceased, witnessing extraordinary occurrences, and so on. Once you have confirmed that you are dreaming, say to yourself, "I'm dreaming," then continue your visualization.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you fall asleep. It may take some time before you actually have a lucid dream, but with practice you can use this technique to make all your dreams lucid, if you choose.
From: Dreams, Transform your life through the power of your dreams, Andy Baggott, page 116-117
