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Lucid Dreaming

Gail Bixler-Thomas, MA
November 1998

Dutch psychiatrist Frederik Willems van Eeden introduced the term lucid dreaming and is associated with the first serious research on the subject. Between 1898 and 1912, he recorded more than 352 of his lucid dreams. He took an experimental approach of testing “acts of free volition” within them (LaBerge, 1985).

A lucid dream is one in which the dreamer is aware – or becomes aware – that he or she is dreaming. High-level lucidity involves complete awareness of oneself being in the dream and in bed, at the same time. The dreamer also recognizes the possibility of changing outcomes within the dream. Many lucid dreamers report magical transformations and an ability to escape horrible dreamscenes. Many benefits come with the ability to dream lucidly. The dreamer also receives the pure enjoyment of a free trip beyond. Research suggests (LaBerge and Rheingold, 1990) lucid dreaming is the key to the most effective therapy for nightmare sufferers.

Inducing Lucidity

Many techniques can be used to learn to become lucid in a dream. One mentioned in a 1989 issue of Psychology Today is among the simplest. It involves writing the letter C (for consciousness) on the palm of your hand. Each time you notice it, ask yourself, “What is real?” or “Is this a dream?” Then simply notice your surroundings. Psychologist Paul Tholey, who has studied lucid dreaming for at least 40 years, says that it is particularly important to question the solidity of your surroundings frequently, especially in dreamlike situations. He explains that this ability is then transferred to the dream state.

Here is his (abbreviated) method of inducing lucid dreams:

1

Keep a dream journal. Lucid dreamers tend to recall their dreams more than most people, and the best way to improve your dream recall is by keeping a journal.
2

Ask yourself, “Am I dreaming or not?” five to ten times a day.
3

At the same time, try to imagine, as intensely as possible, that you are in a dream, that everything you perceive, including your own body, is merely a dream figment.
4

While asking yourself, “Am I dreaming or not?” concentrate not only on contemporary occurrences, but also on events that have already taken place. Do you notice something unusual, or suffer from lapses of memory?
5

In every situation that is at all dreamlike–that is whenever something improbable occurs, or whenever you experience powerful emotions–ask yourself, "Am I dreaming or not?"
6

If your dreams exhibit recurring elements–frequent feelings of fear, for instance, or regular appearances of a dog–then ask whether you are dreaming whenever you are awake and find yourself in a threatening situation or see a dog.
7

If you often have dream experiences that never or very rarely occur in a waking state, such as floating in air, then try to imagine while awake that you are having the same experience, telling yourself all the while that you are dreaming.
8

Before drifting off to sleep, don't try to will lucidity; simply tell yourself you are going to be conscious in your dream. This method is especially effective if you wake up in the early morning and feel as though you are falling back to sleep.
9

Resolve to carry out a simple action while dreaming: drink a glass of water, or tie your shoes. Note: Steps 8 and 9 may be facilitated by concentrating on visual images and/or bodily sensations as you drift off to sleep.

Curious about the history of dreams?

The Right Tool for the Job

The article gives an example of using lucid dreaming as a tool to overcome a fear he had of heights:

When he first began flying in his lucid dreams, the man explains, he ascended too quickly and woke up badly frightened. So he began to experiment with varying the altitude of his dream flights, learning gradually to control how high he flew. “Now,” he says, “When I’m awake and climbing or standing at a serious height, I don’t feel nearly as frightened as before.”

Skeptical? There are as many theories on lucid dreams as there are non-lucid dreams. Despite some problematic issues regarding therapeutic technique in lucid dreaming, it is a valuable tool that leads to even greater self-understanding, creative problem solving abilities, and empowerment during our waking lives. At Stanford University Sleep Research Center, in Palo Alto, California, Dr. Stephen LaBerge has shown in a series of controlled clinical studies that people can be fully conscious while remaining asleep and dreaming at the same time. He has modified Tholey’s technique of inducing lucid dreaming in his book, Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (p. 70-72). He has also developed many of his own techniques and exercises that will enhance your exploration of lucid dreaming.