August 21, 2019
My childhood bedroom holds the unique status of being able to induce lucid dreaming for myself. Time and time again, I am able to summon up some stored common sense and call my subconscious out for tampering with reality. Often, when the realization strikes, I am left to deal with the aftermath of a foiled plot.
Disaster used to be the common closer to a dream that climaxes with my coming to. Planes would bury themselves into twisted structures off in the distance minutes after I looked at my dream hands and understood where I was. I suppose this is some sort of defense mechanism for my subconscious. Once discovered, it forces a response that has my conscious self yearning to escape back into reality.
I am trying to think what that might mean for what’s going on in my mind. What is subconscious me trying to hide? Or what is conscious me so afraid of when thinking about the idea of being trapped in a dream world forever? It’s odd…
Lately, these dreams give me a longer grace period before devolving everything into chaos. In the more recent times within my lucid dream states, I was able to speak to the other individuals inhabiting the dream space. What I learned from them was less spectacular than I envisioned.
In terms of deep personal insights, I was rather disappointed with what I received from them. The first attempt at cornering and accusing (wrong strategy in these states of mind by the way), caused distress and plunged the surrounding world into a chaotic state. I left the dream to wake with confusion and frustration with the outcome of this first encounter.
Nights later, I once again found myself in a situation where my dreaming state was lucid. Remembering how the last encounter went, I approached these strangers with a calmer demeanor. Though I do not remember the exact dialogue I had with the woman and girl I found, the gist is something like this:
“This is my dream.” Me.
“Yes” Both in near sync.
“You are my subconscious?” Me again, calm and collected.
“Yes” They smiled like a mother and daughter.
That was the extent of the conversation before the world began to revert to apocalyptic state once more. I evacuated myself from this dream as I did before with slight disappointment but excitement more so. This would mark the beginning of a mission to try to explore the world stored in my very own mind.
Through this journey, I have come across some tips and tricks for taking advantage of this state of mind that can be of great benefit to people interested in giving it a try. Also some warnings. I’ll start with the fun stuff first.
Put yourself to bed in a room that is familiar to you.
For me, the only place that granted me this power to lucid dream is the bedroom I grew up in. For some reason, those four walls can induce this state. If I am to go off of this observation as being one of strategy, then I suggest interested dreamers on taking a trip back to that room for yourself.
If you do not have access to this specific place, then take mental notes of your room and try to attach as much emotion and nostalgia to it as possible. Maybe this will work.
Wake up at 4 AM for a brief period of time.
Every lucid dream I had occurred after an interruption in the long sleep cycle I was in. I woke up and checked the time only to sigh in frustration at what the watch-face said. Little did I know that this little stint of consciousness was setting me up perfectly for a dive into dream lucidity.
To enhance this even further, take notes on whatever dream you just surfaced from. Even if all you can remember is the color or the sensations of that dream state, going back to sleep with those in mind will likely place you back in a similar setting; one you will recognize as being a dream.
Take notes.
And why stop there? Even after coming to from a dream you remember fully, jot all of it down. When I began dream logging, I was able to harness that state and begin searching for answers. This really is the secret ingredient to success, by the way. Once you know what to look for in your dreams, they will no longer be able to hide their identities from you.
Your dream world becomes your playground.
Once you reach lucidity, stay calm.
I have this thing where, when I realize I am dreaming, I immediately get excited and try to force myself airborne. I love the sensation of flight in my dreams and pursue it relentlessly when I am lucid. Though it works sometimes, other times adverse effects will creep in.
Doing anything too drastic or too off script from the dream will plunge that world into a chaotic mess. Things will begin to fall apart and you will have no choice but to force a wakeup. I am a bit of a coward so, when I am confronted by one of my dream-brain’s biggest defense maneuver: alien invasions, I am a goner.
Avoid this by staying calm. This also applies to speaking to the other people in your dream. Keep things chill and who knows.
That’s about all I’ve got thus far. My experience is limited but sound. Hopefully you can glean from this some tricks to implement if you wish to harness this strange mental phenomenon too. I know I’ll never stop trying. Lucid dreaming is great fun.
Bisous
Skarface 