The Art of Lucid Dreaming

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The Art of Lucid Dreaming

Dreams and spirituality have been allied since the beginning of recorded

history. From ancient times, dreams have been seen as messages from

supernatural beings and as a way to connect with the divine. Well all

remember amongst our adolescent years our journey to the realms of Mr.

Sandman and his consummate calling. They acted as symbols when we stored

them among containers of mental, emotional and spiritual energy. As we

worked our way through their meanings, they assisted us and put us in

touch with our ultimate values.

We spend well over one third of our lives sleeping, and while not

everyone remembers the terrors and trials that enter their dreamtime,

the fact is we all dream. It is a time when our bodies shut down and we

are free of physical distractions. Often times, things don't happen as

they do to us in daily life. Yet when you dream, you are convinced that

what you see is reality. In those dreams, everything that happens is

absolutely normal. The pink monsters and

purple clowns adorn your world. Most people are accustomed to the fact

that dreams are just dreams, and that you can't do anything about them.

However, it is possible to overcome that fact. And from there comes the

realization that you must be dreaming. This is known as lucid dreaming.

Lucid dreaming allows us to be conscious of our environment, and that

fact that everything that happens is not real. They allow us to use

these dreams to gain knowledge about ourselves and grow spiritually.

Quite simply, we dream consciously. Lucidity usually begins in the

midst of a dream when the dreamer realizes that the experience is not

occurring in physical reality. Often this realization is triggered by

the dreamer noticing something impossible or unlikely occurring in the

dream, such as flying or meeting the deceased. Sometimes, people just

become lucid without noticing any particular clue.

First coined by the Dutch poet and writer Frederick van Eiden, lucid

dreaming can be of enormous value to the dreamer. When individuals begin

to have the experience of lucid dreaming, the truth of who they really

are and their personal reality expands. Personal limitations begin to

dissolve and there is a sense of being more in control of personal

destiny. Intuition and imagination during waking hours are noticeably

increased. They can enhance self-confidence and promote personal growth

and self-development.

It is tempting to think that the real world and the world of dreams are

totally separate but the fact is Lucid dreaming is a scientifically

accepted henomenon which has been proven to exist countless times in

sleep laboratories, and whose potentials are only beginning to be

explored. Once you are adept in recognizing that you are dreaming while

in that state, one can begin to alter the circumstances of their dreams,

or even their lives. When one's ability at lucid dreaming is high, you

are well aware that nothing you experience is real and that you have

nothing to fear - you cannot be harmed by any situations that may seem

dangerous. With low level lucidity, although partially aware that you

are dreaming, you are not aware enough to have a great impact on your

dream. You may accept some aspects that you would not normally accept in

the ordinary world. With low-level lucidity, your

realization may also fade and you may accept the whole dream as reality.

The oddest thing about lucid dreams - and to many people who have them

is how it feels when you wake up. Waking up from a lucid dream is more

continuous. It feels more real and it feels as though you were conscious

in the dream. In fact most people don't realize they have been dreaming

until after they have awakened and the dream has come to an end.

So how does one Lucid Dream?

In order to lucid dream, you need to engage your mind about it. You need

to think intensely about it. When you reach the necessary level of

intensity, the threshold if you like, you will become Lucid in your

dream.

Each dreamer will find that they are able to interact with the dream

with varying degrees of success. Learning where you are blocked, what

those blocks represent in terms of your waking life and then overcoming

those blocks is indeed a valuable process. As always, one must learn to

apply it consistently over time. Sticking with any program or regime can

be difficult.

Finally, learning to have joyful and fulfilling dreams will enrich your

waking life as well. It will provide a transformation to both your

personal and spiritual life. When we as individuals learn the art of

lucid dreaming, it is then we enter the world of the dream weavers, and

then anything becomes possible.

Copyright C2003 Niamh Onora