Triggers for Lucid Dreaming

[askeltoniks19]

I have terrible nightmares now, but I used to be able to do this when my mind was more clear. Basically, once you tell yourself in a dream that you are, in fact, dreaming, you can do anything you want -fly, move stuff with your mind, win the lottery, have that "encounter" with that hot celebrity, whatever. It's pretty fun.

[MannyAnalogue]

Hey Askeltoniks19, for me the hardest part is questioning the dream in the first place, but I really haven't had too many dreams where I was completely lucid. I'm sorry to hear you've been having nightmares lately. I read your 'Satanic Dreams for a Month" post, a couple of days ago. I wish I could offer some good advice, but I'm sorry to say I can't. Thanks for posting, I hope the nightmares pass soon. - Manny

[Robert.P.Bennett]

Dear writer, From my own experience I have better dreams in the months April through say, about Nov 15th each year. The reason being that the sun is high enough on the horizon to flood the northern hemisphere with infra-red radiation with is both relaxing to the muscular structures and psyche. That is why massage therapists are in high demand during the winter months. In the winter months the sun in the northern hemisphere is so low no relaxing infrared radiation is present. Thanks for listening: Bob Bennett

[Tiger Shark]

I have been successful getting lucid by looking away from writing and then looking back and if it changes I realize I am dreaming.

I read in a book one time that that a dream cannot keep printed writing the same if you look away and then look back. Somehow I got this stuck in my mind so whenever notice printing has changed I realize I am dreaming.

But I think other things can do the trick too. Some people say you should constantly "question reality" in waking life. That is, when you are awake you normally think it is real so you never question it. So when you are dreaming, and think that is real at the time, (which you normally do) then you will never be in the habit of questioning or verifying whether it is a dream or not.

If you think right now as you are reading this, that perhaps you are dreaming, and then you try to fly or something like that, then you are "testing reality". They say that if you do this enough in real life then you will gradually start to do it in a dream.

I must say that I tried this for years and it didn't work very well for me. Then I heard about writing changing, like on signs, or posters or books, etc., and I have had many lucid dreams with this trigger.

Still, when I have lucid dreams, I fly around and do things, and am thrilled, but I am unable to do everything I want, and there are some parts of the dream that come to me that I did not plan or create. So I am still pretty bad at it, I guess.

[Teutsch1226]

I am elated to read this thread. I am very much a dream novice and didn't even really know that there were triggers to help with lucid dreaming.

I had a lucid dream a couple years back, and while it was probably the most awe inspiring and amazing experience i think i have ever had, i thought it was just an incredible fluke.

I wish i would have thought to try to fly or do something else like that in the dream, but I was too much in shock and amazed with all the sensations that I didn't want to try to do anything in fear that the clarity would disapear.

I really will try to "trigger" this again. I don't know that I will ever be able to dominate it and master it as much as anyone here (I think too much; i try to make everything explainable, rational, scientific, etc. instead of just accepting things for what they are; I hope that came out right). Thank you very much for posting all of these helpful tips, I very much appreciate it!

[SultryBrownEyes]

I know I've had a few lucid dreams but they are very VERY far and few between and I've been reading about ways to induce them. I never heard about looking at your hand while your dreaming, why exactly does that help you realize your dreaming?

[MannyAnalogue]

I'm happy this thread was helpful to more than just me Teutsch1226.

Hey BrownEyes

It sounded crazy to me too when I first heard it, but it really does work. Looking at your hand while dreaming causes everything to fade or blur, though I have no idea why. I pasted a dream where this worked for me on the first page of this thread if your interested.

I hope this helps.

- Manny

[SultryBrownEyes]

Ohh thank you so much for telling me that! I have read in numerous places to look at your hands as a trigger and I was thinking something more on the lines of if you remembered to look at your hands then that would tell you it was a dream! Didn't know anything about everything else fading or blurring away!! Just last nite I had a dream where I looked at both my hands and well, they looked fine!






Sweet dreams to all and may we all have the power to make them as sweet as we choose!

[MannyAnalogue]

Haha, no way? Looking at your hands didn't do anything then to make you realize you were dreaming? Sorry to hear that mana but I guess it's different for different people.

I'll tell you about a couple more I've heard about, maybe they'll work for you.

Reading Text, Looking at Clocks - Supposedly the letters blur or change when you look away and back. This one never works for me, if theres even any text in the dream.

Flipping light switches - Some people say you can't do this in dreams(if it's on it won't turn off and vice versa). But you'll have to be in a place with light switches.

Looking into Mirrors - People say your reflection will change or not be able to keep up with your movement. Obviously you need a mirror for this.

Running, Jumping, Throwing Punches - It sounds crazy but this actually works for me sometimes. Have you ever been in a dream where you were fighting or running and you felt like your limbs were underwater? It's like that kind of.

Well that's all I can think of, but I hope at least one of these will work for you. Take it easy and let me know if any of these work.

- Manny

[suzzle81]

I have always been a pretty vivid dreamer and usually rememeber all the details!

After reading all your posts I've realised that I sometimes have lucid dreams, but as someone else has posted its always when I am having a nightmare and its usually its gotten pretty bad and I'm trying to wake myself up. I think next time though instead of waking myself up I will try and turn the dream around to be something good! That would be great to achive!!