by David Lancaster

Rather than go into a long winded explanation, let’s just say that a lucid dream is a dream just like any other dream, apart from the fact that with a lucid dream you actually know that you’re having a dream while it’s happening. Of course, the full extent of your lucidity depends on various factors such as the stability of the dream experience itself, the amount of influence you have an over the dream, and of course the amount of dream recall you have when you wake up.

This last point which has been mentioned is without a doubt the most amazing thing of all. Actually being able to realize that one is dreaming is something which words simply cannot explain. It is by all accounts almost unbelievable that one can actually control the direction of a dream and be free of limitations.

Can you even for one minute imagine what it feels like, bearing in mind that it not only looks and sounds like reality, but it even feels like reality. Of course the big difference is, when you have a lucid dream you know that it’s only a dream. Furthermore, you know that you cannot get injured and you know that you cannot die, so personal safety is not an issue. Of course, because there are no rules or regulations, you’re basically free to do exactly as you choose. The bottom line is; lucid dreaming is like having your own personal world of ‘virtual reality’ with a quality far beyond anything else known to man.

It simply cannot be denied that lucid dreaming is a skill which can only be described as being fantastic. It’s hardly surprising really that so many people are now longing to master the art of lucid dreaming. Interestingly enough, most people will have the occasional lucid dream but just imagine if you could experience one whenever you want.

Depending on your own personal desires, lucid dreaming can be your own private doorway to the most incredible experiences. From socializing with world famous celebrities, to visiting distant lands and exotic places, lucid dreaming opens up a whole new world of opportunity. In fact, one can even travel to the most distant planets of the universe or spend some quality time with loved ones who have already departed from this world.

Unlike in the past, experiencing lucid dreams on a regular basis is no longer as complicated as what it once was. Admittedly, people often had to spend months at a time receiving instruction and learning how to condition themselves before they could experience lucid dreaming. Even then, while some managed to achieve a certain degree of success, others simply failed miserably.

Are there any easy ways for someone to experience a lucid dream?

Interestingly enough, there are a great many people who believe that certain foods help to induce a lucid dream. It is said that one should eat these foods immediately before going to sleep. Amongst the foods which are reported for encouraging lucid dreaming are mustard, cheese, milk, and orange juice.

Fish, pickles, popcorn, and ice cream have also been mentioned. Even though these foods don’t seem to compare with those mentioned above, many people do claim that these help to improve dream recall. Unfortunately for many people who may be on a diet, all the foods just mentioned contain a lot of sugar, salt, and fat, none of which are known to promote a good night’s sleep.

Is technology able to help?

In the not too distant past this would have been virtually impossible, although modern technology is now able to assist one with regards to lucidity. Interestingly enough, there are now certain devices which have the ability to recognize REM (rapid eye movement) and when they do, they respond with a blinking red diode in order to stimulate and induce a lucid dream. By integrating the red beam of light with the dream, a person is reminded of the fact that they’re having a dream and as such, they can then try to control it.

In addition to the devices mentioned above, there have also been some marvelous developments in sound technology which by all accounts have quite literally opened the doors to the world of lucid dreaming. Scientists have developed a process known as binaural beats which utilize sound waves of different frequencies played into each ear.

Essentially, this intriguing new process aims to synchronize the two hemispheres in the brain and the amazing thing is; results are almost instantaneous in that rapid eye movement occurs almost immediately when one starts listening to these binaural beats. The state of sleep where REM takes place is of course the state of sleep required for lucid dreaming.

While everyone has their own preferences, this new process which uses binaural beats is by far the easiest and most reliable way for anyone to get started.

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