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This information was taken from OMNI magazine, April or June 87, so I'm sure
that it is copywrited. Do not reprint as your own work !
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Most people don't realize they've been dreaming until after they've awakened
and the dream has come to an end. Some people, however, are conscious that
they're dreaming. These lucid dreamers, scientists have discovered, can
literally direct their actions and change the content of a dream, deciding
perhaps to talk physics with Einstein, woo and marry a movie star, or
assume the powers of Superman.
After nearly a decade of piloting these daring nocturnal flights, two
psychologists - Stephen LaBerge of Stanford University, author of LUCID
DREAMING (Ballentine), and Jayne Gackenbach of the University of Northern
Iowa - have begun to develop a series of techniques aimed at helping ordinary
dreamers "turn" lucid, and lucid dreamers gain greater control over the wooly
behemoth the tasks as often as possible. Some people may succeed in having a lucid
dream the very first night they use the techniques; others, the researchers
note may need to practice for several weeks before getting results.
EXERCISE ONE
A number of techniques facilitate lucid dreaming. One of the simplest is
asking yourself many times during the day whether you are dreaming. Each time
you ask the question, you should look for evidence proving you are not
dreaming. The most reliable test: Read something, look away for a moment, and
then read it again. If it reads the same way twice, it is unlikely that you are
dreaming. After you have proved to yourself that you are not presently
dreaming, visualize yourself doing whatever it is you'd like. Also, tell
yourself that you want to recognize a nighttime dream the next time it occurs.
The mechanism at work here is simple; it's much the same as picking up milk at
the grocery store after reminding yourself to do so an hour before.
At night people usually realize they are dreaming when they experience
unusual or bizarre occurrences. For instance, if you find yourself flying with
no visible means of support, you should realize that this only happens in
dreams and that you must therefore be dreaming.
If you awaken from a dream in the middle of the night, it is very helpful to
return to the dream immediately, in your imagination. Now envision yourself
recognizing the dream as such. Tell yourself, "The next time I am dreaming, I
want to remember to recognize that I am dreaming." If your intention is strong
and clear enough, you may find yourself in a lucid dream when you return to
sleep.
EXERCISE TWO
Many lucid dreamers report dreams in which they fly unaided, much like
Superman. Some lucid dreamers say that flying is a thrilling means of travel;
others, that it has helped them return from one of the more harrowing dream
experiences --- the endless fall.
Why is dream flying so important ? It's a form of dream control that's
fairly easy to master. It gives the dreamer an exhilarating sense of freedom.
And it's a basic means of travel in the dream world.
How do you make a dream flight happen at all ? We suggest that before you
retire for bed, you simply repeat these words: "Tonight I fly !" Then while
still awake, imagine that journey.
If you find yourself flying, it will be a clear sign that you are in a
dream. In any case, when you realize you're dreaming, remember that you want
to fly. When you actually feel yourself flying, say, "This is a dream." Make
sure that you start modestly, by simply floating above the surface of your
dream ground. As you gain confidence, both in the notion that you are dreaming
and in your ability to control that experience, you might experiment with
flying a bit more. Run, taking big leaps, and then stay aloft for a few seconds
so that you resemble an astronaut walking on the moon. Try sustained floating,
and then flying at low altitudes. As your confidence increases, so will your
flying skills. While asleep, work on increasing your altitude, maneuverability,
and speed. As with speed sports, you should perfect height and maneuverability
before speed. Of course, you couldn't really hurt yourself --- it's only a
dream. But you could get scared.
After you get proficient in dream flying, remember to ask yourself these
questions : "How high can I fly ? Can I view the earth from outer space ? Can
I travel so fast that I lose awareness of my surroundings and experience the
sensation of pure speed ?"
Throughout your efforts in dream flight, please remember that you're in a
dream. With this in mind, your fears will be held at bay, and your control
over your dream will be greatly enhanced.
EXERCISE THREE
Even if you're a frequent lucid dreamer, you may not be able to stop your-
self from waking up in mid-dream. And even if your dreams do reach a satisfying
end, you may not be able to focus them exactly as you please. During our years
of research, however, we have found that spinning your dream body can sustain
the period of sleep and give you greater dream control. In fact, many subjects
at Stanford University have used the spinning technique as an effective means
of staying in a lucid dream. The task outlines below will help you use spinning
as a means of staying asleep and, more exciting, as a means of traveling to
whatever dream world you desire.
As with dream flying, the dream spinning task starts before you go to bed.
Before retiring, decide on a person, time, and place you would like to visit
in your lucid dream. The target person and place can be either real or
imaginary, past, present or future. For instance, Sigmund Freud, Vienna, 1900;
Stephen LaBerge, Stanford, the present; or the president of the solar system,
Galaxy Base, 2900. Write down and memorize your target person and place, then
visualize yourself visiting your target and firmly resolve to do so in a dream
that night.
When following this procedure, it is possible that you might find yourself
visiting your target in a non-lucid dream; you will be aware that this happened
only after you awaken. Nevertheless, you should strive for lucidity by
following the techniques in exercise one. Then proceed to your goal.
To do so, repeat the phrase describing your target in your dream, and spin
your whole dream body in a standing position with your arms outstretched. You
can pirouette or spin like a top, as long as you vividly feel your body in
motion.
The same spinning technique will help when, in the middle of a lucid dream,
you feel the dream imagery beginning to fade. To avoid waking up, spin as you
repeat your target phrase again and again. With practice, you'll return to your
target person, time, and place.
EXERCISE FOUR
Up until now we have had little control over the occurrence of creative
dreams. But with lucid dreaming it may be possible to intentionally access the
creativity of the dream state. You can help determine the feasibility of this
idea by attempting to solve a problem in a lucid dream. Before bed, decide on a
problem you would like to solve. Frame your problem in the form of a question.
For example : "What is the topic of me next book ?" "How can I become less
shy ?" If you have an illness, you might consider the problem "How can I regain
my health ?"
Once you have selected a problem question, write it down and memorize it.
When doing the lucid-dream-induction exercises, remember your question and see
yourself looking for the answer in your next lucid dream. Then, when in a lucid
dream, ask the question, and seek the solution.
You might be most successful at problem solving if you take the direct
approach. For instance if your problem is shyness, be less shy in your dream.
If your problem is health, try to heal yourself in the dream. Then reflect on
how your dream solution relates to the waking problem. It may help to question
other dream characters, especially if they represent people who you think might
know the answer. For example, if you were trying to solve a physics problem,
Albert Einstein might be a good dream character to query. You can even combine
this task with the dream spinning and flying tasks, visiting an expert on your
problem. You can also just explore your dream world with your question in mind,
looking for any clues that might suggest an answer.
---Stephen LaBerge and Jayne Gackenbach
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For those of you who have made it this far, I have just a couple of comments.
Lucid dreaming is the absolute MOST fun I've ever had, and that's saying a lot,
since I've had some terrific times while awake. I can't dream lucidly every
night, and if I stop the exercises, it takes a couple of days to get things
lucid again. If you do try lucid dreaming, don't expect results the first
night. Give it a few days, and keep up the exercises. They really work. I've
found that it helps me to write down every detail I can recall from a dream as
soon as I get up in the morning. Then before bed the next night, I read those
details, making them fresh in my mind. It seems to help bring on dreams that
night.
If you have questions or comments about this article, you can leave a
message on MENHIR BBS at (609)-263-2861. Just leave a comment to the sysop.
PLEASANT DREAMS !
DAVID TOWN
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