The term “mnemonic” refers to devices like abbreviations and rhymes that aid memory.
The Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreaming (MILD) was created by Dr Stephen LaBerge in the 1970’s and was originally intended to enable lucid dreams on demand. It has been proven to be the easiest and quickest method to learn.
Here is how it works:
1. Good dream recall rate.
You need be fairly good at remembering your dreams, at least remember a dream a day. If you are not already good at this, start keeping a dream journal. As you feel yourself drifting into sleep, repeat to yourself “as I dream, I will wake up and remember” and believe that it works. Once you awake from each dream be sure to write it down no matter how little you remember. Your recall rate would improve with time.
2. Reality checks.
During the day, establish reality checks to determine if you are awake or dreaming. You are free to choose any you like. For example, try putting your toes through a metal box or other solid object. If dreaming, your toes should go through but if it doesn’t happen, then you know you are awake. Keep checking as many times as possible during your daily activities. This helps to focus your self awareness in the lucid dream world.
3. Affirm your intent to lucid dream.
For this step, you need to be relaxed and in your normal sleep position. Now, focus your attention by repeating to yourself “the next thing I see will be a dream” or “I want to lucid dream tonight” choose whatever dream related affirmation you are comfortable with. It is important to master your focus at this stage and if you feel your concentration drifting bring it back. Keep doing this until you are well relaxed and feel like you could sleep off any moment.
4. Visualize the dream.
Imagine you are back in a recent dream or create a new one. Let the shapes, scenery, people and other objects take form. Let your imagination be free to explore. Then look for a dream sign. Dream signs are elements that show you must be dreaming! It could be a puppy with strawberry ears or you could use the same reality check mentioned in step 2 above.
What you are doing is programming your mind and practicing what you would like to do in your next lucid dream time. This is why you really need get into the details of the sights and sensations around you during this stage.
Continue repeating steps 3 and 4 every time you wake during the night. Just let your last thoughts be focused on lucid dreaming just before you sleep back. Chances are lucidity will begin to happen to you spontaneously.
A good boost to your efforts is to practice the above steps even while napping in the afternoon. MILD is the easiest method for beginners technique so do give it a try.
Lucid dreaming can seem like an impossible goal, a magical realm that you just can’t quite reach.
If you’re not having any luck with the MILD (Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams) technique, maybe it’s time to try the Wake Back to Bed Method (WBTB). It’s relatively simple to set up and with practice you should be well on your way to lucid dreaming. In this short lucid dreaming course I’ll break it down into four simple steps:
Step 1- Go to bed as you usually would
But set your alarm for six hours. Your goal is to wake up in the middle of REM sleep. Maybe you have complete sleep cycles within 6 hours. If that is the case, set your alarm to 4 hours. If you don’t want to set an alarm you can have someone else wake you up if they generally get up before you. Some people are early risers. Weird, I know.
Step 2- Get out of bed.
Be alert. This is crucial. Don’t sleepily sit in bed trying to keep your eyelids from drooping. Aim to be completely alert for 20-60 minutes. Maybe plan something you’d like to create in a lucid dream, or a situation you’d love to find yourself in during your dreams.
Step 3- Go back to bed.
Some people find it difficult to get back to sleep, so if you have any troubles try meditation. You could even incorporate the MILD technique and visualize what you would like to dream about. Just relax and imagine your dream as clearly as you can.
Step 4– Enjoy the world of lucid dreaming!
How does this method work? Well, as stated in step 1, you are waking yourself up in the middle of a REM cycle. At this part in the sleep cycle, your brain is at its most active stage. By waking yourself up, you get cognitive control, and when you return to sleep it should be right back into that REM stage, allowing you to manipulate your own dreams cape.
There are a few caveats with this method. First, if you are trying to find a technique that will show you how to lucid dream every night, then this method isn’t for you. Don’t do this every night if you can avoid it. While waking yourself up is great for inducing lucid dreaming, it’s not great for your sleep cycles. Interrupting your body’s circadian rhythm too much is not a good idea. So try this every now and again to get the feel of lucid dreaming.
Secondly, it may not work the first time. Sometimes you just have to keep trying. But if you’re waking yourself up in the middle of a REM cycle and visualizing the dream you want to have as you fall back asleep, your chances of a lucid dream are much more likely. If the first time isn’t the charm, maybe the second time is. Just keep at it, and keep dreaming.
Finger Induced Lucid Dreaming technique or FILD for short, is another effective but lesser known technique for entering the lucid world. And is an easy way to induce lucid dreaming.
It has a few similarities with the Wake Induced Lucid Dreaming (WILD) technique but is also unique in its simplicity and ease of use for lucid dreaming beginners.
A major advantage and preference of FILD is that it is quite effective at quickly bringing on lucid dream on demand. However, as a pre-requisite to achieve lucidity with FILD, you must have achieved some degree of accuracy with carrying out your regular reality checks.
So, let’s look at the step-by-step technique to dream lucidity using this method:
1. Fall asleep.
Assume a comfortable position, relax and go to sleep. But before then make sure you have put something in place that can wake you before you sleep for too long, for example an alarm set to go off at a specific time would do. Optimum results are achieved after about 3 to 4 hours of sleep.
2. Awaken after a few hours.
As mentioned above, it is very important that you do not sleep for an extended period of hours before trying the FILD technique. This is because your body needs to be in a state where you are still quite drowsy (slightly sleep deprived) and are ready to fall back to sleep pretty quickly.
3. Begin Finger Movements.
As you awake, let the first thought that comes to your mind be the FILD technique you want to use. Stay still in the same position and allow yourself to gently fall asleep, as you begin to drift, select one of your hands and alternatively move your index and middle fingers in an up and down motion repeatedly, imagining you are playing the piano or tapping your fingers against a desk. Use the slightest pressure possible on your finger muscles, just enough to make them contract very lightly.
Continue the finger movements for about 30 seconds and focus your attention on it. Please do not make the mistake of physically counting to 30 as this would definitely keep you awake for longer. Just continue the movements and if you are sleepy enough you should drift off before you know it.
4. Perform a reality check.
If everything is working out properly, chances are you are already asleep and are by now moving your fingers in a dream, you are just not aware of it yet!
You now need to perform a reality check to determine if you are still awake or have entered a lucid sleep. It is best to use a reality check that would not require you moving your body too much. A very common one is to cover your nose with the fingers of one hand and with your mouth closed, try breathing through your covered nose. If you are can’t breathe properly then you are still awake but if you can breathe, you know you have gently slipped into a lucid sleep. Another option would be to try pushing your foot through the edge of your bed. If your foot passes through then you can bet you have already entered the lucid world.
Get up and begin another adventure in the lucid dreaming world!
Proficient dreamers have developed many lucid dreaming techniques that work.
If you are just starting out with lucid dreaming, you can begin by exploring a few easy techniques.
For effective result, you may have to test a few of them, and stick with two or three that suit you best.
Do not force yourself to become an expert on lucidity within the first few weeks of starting. Instead, try to train your subconscious mind to follow new rules and techniques of lucid dreaming.
This may take a little time, but stay focused. Remain on track and be patient.
The following steps comprise the most effective methods to induce lucidity and enable you to accomplish more dream control.
Lucid dream techniques you can start with today
The above techniques you can practice from today if you are a beginner. However, bear in mind that to become proficient with these lucid dream techniques, you will need to practice well and be able to build up a good dream recall.