Learning how to control dreams is the most crucial part of lucid dreaming. It is not enough to recognize that you have been dreaming, but you will have to understand the laws of the dream world. It is possible to control the course of your dreams through lucid dreaming, but innate ability is also very important for this. As a matter of fact, anyone can control the reins of their subconscious and change their dream situations.
Using a mix of techniques, you can turn your mundane dreams into fantasies, which will make it even more exciting to go to bed. Here are some simple steps on how to control dreams.
Dream Journaling
- A good way to start the process of lucid dreaming is by keeping a record of all the previous dreams. There are various ways through which you can remember your dreams, but one of the most easiest ways is keeping a dream journal. Keep a notebook and pen next to your bed and immediately when you wake up write down every bit that you remember of your dream.
- If writing is a bit too much right after you wake up, you can try using a voice recorder. The motive is to keep a track consistently, so that your dream recall starts improving over time. After all, there is no point in lucid dreaming if you cannot remember it the next morning.
Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams
- This is one of the effective ways of recognizing your dream while it is in the process. Make a goal that you will wake yourself when you realize that you are dreaming and pen down everything that you remember about that dream.
- When you are falling asleep again, you will have to focus on re-entering the previous state of your dream. However, this time you must explore the dream instead of waking up. Be aware when you fall in REM sleep, which is a sleeping stage during which lucid dreaming takes place. It can help if you start aloud, “I am aware of my dream state,” when you are drifting off to sleep.
- Try to look for indications, which are also known as dream signs that will alert you of the fact that you are dreaming. These dreams could be anything unordinary or something, which will never happen in the real world. This technique will take some time, but over time, you will learn how to recognize the dream signs while you are in the dream state. This will put you in control of the complete situation.
Reality Testing
- Reality testing means that you have to be constantly aware of the world around you both in real life and in dreams. Throughout the day make small checks that whatever you are seeing can happen in reality or not. The answer that you get will always be yes, because you are awake, but the repeated questioning will set your mind for taking the same actions in dream.
- For instance, something like car not starting will always be overlooked in the dream, because this is something that can happen in real life as well. However, if the hair of your spouse is blonde instead of black, then this is a clear signal of someone getting a reality test to know that they are actually dreaming. This thing will give you more control over your dream state.
- For getting into this habit, you can set alarms or make some goals for getting a reality check throughout the day. These checks will teach you to notice some of the unordinary occurrences in your dreams, so that you are able to reach coveted awareness without completely waking up.
Wake Initiation of Lucid Dreams (WILD)
- People who use the WILD method for achieving lucid dream must learn to stay partially conscious when the body is moving away into deep sleep. Anyone attempting WILD must be asleep five to six hours before they start doing it.
- Once you wake up, you must stay awake for half an hour to one hour, and then try sleeping again remaining conscious of what is going on and imagining your next dream. Most of the people enter the hypnagogic state at this point; their bodies have crossed the previous sleep state for five to six hours. Once you start getting closer to REM stage, you will notice strange images or colors with closed eyes or you may even hear some weird noises, this is the stage when you are falling into dream state. If you try to focus on these occurrences, then you will not have to come in complete consciousness, they will automatically turn into dreams, which you can manipulate.
Lucid Dreaming Induction Device (LDID)
- For those people who cannot achieve the state of lucid dreaming on their own, there are certain products in the market, which will help them to get into dreaming state. It mainly involves wearing a mask, which goes on the eyes that flashes light or will emit a sound when you enter the REM stage of sleep.
Lucid Dreaming through food
- This method is not as popular as the other methods listed, but some researchers believe that eating certain foods before going to bed will increase the chances of lucid dreaming. Some of the potential food items are mustard, pickles and popcorn. However, if you eat these foods too late in the night this will prevent you from falling asleep.
The ability to control your dreams will require you to have determination and consistent application. However, all the work will pay off when you dream about flying over the Eiffel Tower or swimming with dolphins.
Related Tags: how to control dreams, dreaming/how to stop, how to do wild lucid dream, howtocontroldreamS, steps to control dreams, steps to how to controll dreams
Related Content: