How to Lucid Dream Even If You Think You Can't

Have you ever dreamed of a stranger, only to realize hours later that you've dreamt of them before? Maybe you had a feeling of déjà vu when you awoke, or you already knew which door held the secret. Dreaming doesn’t have to feel like someone else is in control — it can be the other way around. Lucid dreaming is the practice of being aware while in a dream state and taking control of what happens. It takes practice, but you can do it, even if you believe you can't.

The basics of lucid dreaming begin with recognizing that you're dreaming. To do this, you'll want to pay attention to small details during your waking hours and repeat it back to yourself a few times throughout the day to help ingrain it into your subconsciousness; things like trying to remember the number of buttons on a door that you touch, or noticing the picture on the wall behind you when you walk by a certain location. When you're in a dream state, your conscious mind will recall these little details to help you realize that you are actually dreaming and then take charge instead of being trapped inside a dream that someone else is controlling.

Dream journaling is also helpful for lucid dreamers since it allows you to look back over your dreams and find patterns that can allow you take control in a dream. Every morning, record as much detail from your dream the night before in your journal; the more specific the better! Pay special attention to the emotions you felt, senses like sight, sound and scent, and details related to objects and places in the dream. Re-read these journals every few days so you become familiar with the pattern of your dream. As your pattern recognition grows, it will become easier to recognize when you are dreaming and take action to influence the dream.

Technology can also help train lucid dreamers. Binaural beats, or special sounds tuned to the frequency of a dreamscape, can be used while sleeping which helps the brain learn to recognize the dream state more quickly. Advanced techniques like mnemonic induction of lucid dreams (MILD) can be incorporated as well to increase the chances of becoming lucid in a dream. Through MILD, you tell yourself "I am dreaming" repeatedly before going to bed and whenever you wake up during the night. This method opens the door to becoming aware inside a dream and lets you take control of the experience.

When you do become aware of being in a dream, try to keep calm and focus your energy on what you want to happen. Remember, a dream is just your subconscious mind working, so anything is possible here. You can create scenarios, explore different parts of the world, and even talk to people in the dream. Shaping the dream with your thoughts can be a good way to break out of bad dreams and make them more pleasurable.

Lucid dreaming might sound complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it’s an amazing way to take control of the dream world and make it yours. With a bit of practice and dedication, anyone can be a lucid dreamer and become the master of their own dreamworld.