by Gabe

Created on: February 20, 2010

Lucid dreaming is the act of becoming conscious within a dream. You can become lucid in a dream spontaneously or by falling asleep with the intention to do so. The primary characteristic of a lucid dream is realizing you are dreaming while being able to control some or all of the circumstances of a lucid dream. The process is quite natural and most people are easily able to do this as children.

Lucid dreaming can best be explained if its looked at as a state of expanded awareness in which one is highly alert and conscious of his surroundings. When one is aware that he is dreaming the possibilities for what he may do are endless. There are many applications for lucid dreaming, ranging from the recreational to the spiritual.

One could use lucid dreams to confront a fear he has by manifesting the fear in a lucid dream and having the presence of mind to state alert and aware of the fact that he is in control of the situation. This kind of confrontation is far beyond any faced in therapists offices and might prove to change and persons entire outlook on life.

It could easily be said that learning to lucid dream leads to learning to live more lucidly in waking life. Lucidity requires awareness and intention. You must be aware of yourself, your environment, your thoughts and emotions and have an intention of something you wish to achieve. Even if this intention is simply to have fun this is better than having no intention at all. That is the key to maintaining lucidity in dreams and in normal life.

Lucid dreams are mostly brought on by a desire to have lucid dreams. The stronger the desire to become lucid, the more likely lucidity will occur. You can develop your desire to become lucid by developing a plan of action to take as soon as you have your next lucid dream. The more detailed the plan the better. Then, upon going to sleep every night, the intention will be set to take this plan of action as soon as lucidity is achieved

Lucid dreaming is the perfect way for a person to gain control of his life by gaining control of his mind. Lucid dreaming is mostly about emotional control. It's about experiencing the freedom that comes from detaching from the pull of your surroundings and actively making choices in the moment.

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