A Life Spent Sleeping
According to a report from the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research we spend, on average, 227,468 hours or 26 years sleeping. This translates to 33 percent of our total lifetimes!
During healthy sleep, the brain enters 90 – 12 minute cycles of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. This accounts for as much as 20 – 25 percent of our sleep time. REM sleep is curiously important as it is associated with the dream state. Further curiosity arises due to the fact that in prolonged periods without REM sleep the mind tends to hallucinate, and seems to require the dream function in some sense imposing it on to waking life through hallucinations.
With so much of life spent in sleep and such a significant percentage of that time spent in the dream state – why do so many of us have trouble remembering our dreams? Most of us enter REM sleep (i.e. we dream) every night, but many of us don’t remember our dreams. But what if there was a way to induce better dream recall, and further, to become conscious during the dream state? Further, what if so-called lucid dreams allowed you to sort out problems and experience scenarios that could assist you in waking life?
Lucid Dreaming
Lucid dreaming is defined as the conscious sensation that you are dreaming, or ‘waking up’, in the dream state. This is experienced naturally by many children, and some people continue to have lucid dreams into adulthood. If you are one of those who don’t experience lucid dreaming naturally there’s good news! Lucid dreaming and dream recall can be induced.
Do-It-Yourself Lucid Dreaming:
This step-by-step method isn’t a guarantee, but it will almost certainly work for most – if not all of you – at least to some extent. Follow this method consistently, every day, for at least two weeks. For best results try it for a month or longer.
- Keep a Dream Journal – Keeping a Dream Journal is an easy way to train your subconscious mind to pay attention to your dreams. It sends a signal to your brain that dreaming is important to you and that you want to remember your dreams. Start simple. Keep a notepad or journal by your bedside. You can even use the electronic notepad on your phone if you find it convenient. Write down whatever is on your mind when you wake up, even if you don’t remember your dreams that night.
- Perform Reality-Checks – Reality-checks are anything that might alert you to the fact that you’re dreaming. One of the simplest techniques is the Light Switch Technique. Flip a light switch on and off. If you’re dreaming, it won’t work. (Seriously, try it). Another technique involves willing a number or letter you see to change. Look at a clock for instance, note the time, look away and look back. If you’re dreaming the number will be different (Not just one minute different either). These techniques are likely to induce a realization that you’re dreaming. In order to integrate them into your subconscious, you should perform three reality checks a day while you’re sure you’re awake. Try one at each meal. This way it will integrate into your subconscious and eventually you will do a reality check while you actually are dreaming.
- Hypnotherapy Assistance – Hypnotherapy can be used to induce a state similar, if not exactly the same, as the dream state. The state of hypnosis acts on a similar subconscious level and during hypnotherapy sessions, dream recall can be achieved. Further, the mind can have obstacles to lucid dreaming removed – and the paths to lucid dreaming and dream recall opened – through Ericksonian style hypnotherapy.
- Stay Grounded – It’s important not to get too excited when you realize you’re lucid dreaming. Your mind will have a tendency to become very excited when you realize you’ve achieved a lucid dream state. This excitement will usually wake you up. If you can become familiar with this state you can learn to be in it without the mind becoming overly excited. From there, the dream is yours!
Dream Yoga
So why would you want to do any of this? Well, in a lucid dream you have full control of what is happening. This can be used to overcome nightmares, to deal with subconscious trauma, as well as to live out fantasies and explore your imagination. Imagine changing objects in your dream at will, flying through the air, living out a novel or movie style romance or adventure story!
But the dream world can be utilized for much more than curious self-indulgence. The dream state can be used for what Tibetan Buddhists call ‘Dream Yoga.’ The art of Dream Yoga is at its core, the will to use the dream as a teacher and a mindfulness platform. By realizing how powerful our minds are to create the dream reality that we once took to be real, we can realize how potent our minds are in waking life to create an illusion of permanence, and of psychological distresses and joys.
Use the your dreams as a guide. What archetypes arise? What fears are holding you back? What are you being drawn towards? Those of you familiar with meditation may want to try meditating or performing rituals while in your lucid dream. Experiment and find out what happens. Seek out other resources on dreams, look up what herbs or diet choices may induce lucid dreams or assist your mind. Use your dream state as a place of retreat, of awareness, and of self-discovery!