Lucid Dreaming - Five Great Reasons to Lucid Dream
Lucid dreaming is the ability to remain consciously aware while dreaming. It was not until the late 20th century that mainstream psychology acknowledged that this apparent contradiction was in fact possible. While a few lucky people have a natural gift for lucid dreaming, for most of us this is a skill that must be acquired over time. Let's take a look at some of the great reasons why it's well worth the effort to learn how to lucid dream.
Overcome Nightmares
The limitless creativity of the human mind in the dreaming state exposes us to the risk that our greatest fears can be played out in excruciatingly vivid detail. It is no wonder that we wake up screaming in terror, drenched in cold sweat when our dreaming self is utterly convinced that the malevolent being that has been chasing us through the woods has finally caught us; that the black widow spider in our closet really is three-feet across; that our parents have been plotting to kill us for years. Whatever it is that lurks in the darkest recesses of your psyche, you know you're going to have to meet it head on several nights a year. But what if you were no longer just a passenger in your dreams? What if you could actually change course?
Lucid dreaming gives you an opportunity to confront those fears head on, safe in the knowledge that you are only dreaming and that no harm can come to you. Non-Western cultures like the Australian Aborigines and the Senoi of Malaysia have long attached great importance to resolving personal issues in the dreamworld. Modern psychologists differ on the approaches you can take here. Some advocate outright conflict with your demons, noting that monsters often change into harmless creatures when you stand up to them. Others prefer a conciliatory approach, a kind of "dream diplomacy." Either way, eliminating fears in the dream state has a profound effect on our waking level of anxiety.
Adventure and Fantasy
Obviously, if you can choose what's going to happen in your dreams, the sky's the limit. Want to soar above Pandora with the characters of Avatar? Want to go on the perfect date with the man or woman of your dreams? Want to be President Lincoln during the Civil War? We spend almost one third of our lives asleep; why not have something exciting to look forward to?
Creativity and Problem-Solving
Creative geniuses like Thomas Edison and William Wordsworth reaped the benefits of the creative potential of the dream state. Edison deliberately took naps and wrote down the ideas that came to him. The dreaming mind has vast resources at its disposal; imagine being able to tap into them any time you needed guidance on the solution to a problem. Learning to lucid dream is the gateway to this treasure trove of ideas.
Mental Rehearsal
Top athletes and performers know that mentally practicing a perfect performance increases their chances for a successful outcome. In the dream state this exercise is enormously powerful, for the neurological pathways required for actual performance are all working just as they would in waking life. Lucid dreaming is the ultimate way to program yourself to succeed.
Out-of-Body Experiences
Although we are now flirting with the paranormal phenomena of astral projection and remote viewing, out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are well-documented. They are perhaps the most profound experiences we can have as human beings. And the research is conclusive that lucid dreamers are far more likely to have OBEs.
Lucid dreaming is the ability to remain consciously aware while dreaming. It was not until the late 20th century that mainstream psychology acknowledged that this apparent contradiction was in fact possible. While a few lucky people have a natural gift for lucid dreaming, for most of us this is a skill that must be acquired over time. Let's take a look at some of the great reasons why it's well worth the effort to learn how to lucid dream.
Overcome Nightmares
The limitless creativity of the human mind in the dreaming state exposes us to the risk that our greatest fears can be played out in excruciatingly vivid detail. It is no wonder that we wake up screaming in terror, drenched in cold sweat when our dreaming self is utterly convinced that the malevolent being that has been chasing us through the woods has finally caught us; that the black widow spider in our closet really is three-feet across; that our parents have been plotting to kill us for years. Whatever it is that lurks in the darkest recesses of your psyche, you know you're going to have to meet it head on several nights a year. But what if you were no longer just a passenger in your dreams? What if you could actually change course?
Lucid dreaming gives you an opportunity to confront those fears head on, safe in the knowledge that you are only dreaming and that no harm can come to you. Non-Western cultures like the Australian Aborigines and the Senoi of Malaysia have long attached great importance to resolving personal issues in the dreamworld. Modern psychologists differ on the approaches you can take here. Some advocate outright conflict with your demons, noting that monsters often change into harmless creatures when you stand up to them. Others prefer a conciliatory approach, a kind of "dream diplomacy." Either way, eliminating fears in the dream state has a profound effect on our waking level of anxiety.
Adventure and Fantasy
Obviously, if you can choose what's going to happen in your dreams, the sky's the limit. Want to soar above Pandora with the characters of Avatar? Want to go on the perfect date with the man or woman of your dreams? Want to be President Lincoln during the Civil War? We spend almost one third of our lives asleep; why not have something exciting to look forward to?
Creativity and Problem-Solving
Creative geniuses like Thomas Edison and William Wordsworth reaped the benefits of the creative potential of the dream state. Edison deliberately took naps and wrote down the ideas that came to him. The dreaming mind has vast resources at its disposal; imagine being able to tap into them any time you needed guidance on the solution to a problem. Learning to lucid dream is the gateway to this treasure trove of ideas.
Mental Rehearsal
Top athletes and performers know that mentally practicing a perfect performance increases their chances for a successful outcome. In the dream state this exercise is enormously powerful, for the neurological pathways required for actual performance are all working just as they would in waking life. Lucid dreaming is the ultimate way to program yourself to succeed.
Out-of-Body Experiences
Although we are now flirting with the paranormal phenomena of astral projection and remote viewing, out-of-body experiences (OBEs) are well-documented. They are perhaps the most profound experiences we can have as human beings. And the research is conclusive that lucid dreamers are far more likely to have OBEs.
