Lucid Dreaming is the proven ability to become aware while you're dreaming - to consciously "wake up" inside the dream world and control your dreams.
Many people are quite good at remembering their regular dreams. These provide memories of rich inner worlds that tell us much about the subconscious mind.
But lucid dreams take one giant leap further - to a fantasy realm where everything you see, feel, taste, hear and smell can be as authentic as your waking reality.
With conscious control, you can then explore your private dreamscape as if it were a virtual reality world. Sounds cool? You have no idea...
A fully lucid dream is rich and detailed - and can offer more awareness than you have right now, like 360-degree vision or existing in two places at the same time.
Because it all takes places in your mind, the dream world has no physical laws. As a result, anything you can conceive of comes true. You can control your dreams and warp The Matrix like Neo, fly over cities like Iron Man, travel through time, have sex with anyone, fight like a ninja, re-live childhood memories, and way more.
In fact, the possibilities of lucid dreaming are limitless.
But a lucid dream is not merely a fantasy playground; it's a chance to interact with your subconscious mind via dream characters and the fabric of the dream itself. This website reveals all kinds of applications for conscious dreams, so if you think lucid dreaming is just about wish fulfillment, think again!
The Benefits of Lucid Dreaming
Once you know how to become lucid in dreams, you will discover a strange new world - an entire universe, no less - of which you are fully aware and can manipulate with the power of thought.
Beyond controlling your dreams for fun and fantasy, you can also interact with your subconscious self. That's because a lucid dream is a co-created experience; both your ego and your unconscious have control.
In normal dreams, the environment, characters, themes, symbols and plot are all driven by your subconscious mind, which communicates through experiential memory and conceptual form.
With self-awareness in your dream world, you can co-create the dream by wilfully performing any desired action within the unconscious dreamscape. You can ask any question or give any command and your subconscious dreaming self will respond automatically. For instance, ask your dream:
What is my ideal career?
Where shall I live in the world?
How can I become wealthy?
What is the purpose of my life?
What is my greatest fantasy?
What will my life be like in 10 years?
The answers may surprise you... and may be spoken directly from a dream character, written in the sky, or beamed telepathically into your mind!
Yep, lucid dreaming is a strange new world... come on in :)
Is Lucid Dreaming Scientifically Proven?
There is a variety of scientific research that proves the existence of lucid dreaming. This is not a paranormal phenomenon - and may actually provide an explanation for unexplained mysteries like alien abductions and astral projection. There are two particularly famous experiments which validate the existence of lucid dreams:
Communication via In-Dream Eye Movements
In 1975, lucid dreaming was scientifically proven in the laboratory for the first time. The British parapsychologist Dr Keith Hearne recorded a set of pre-determined eye movements from his volunteer, Alan Worsley, who was in a lucid dream.
By manipulating his Rapid Eye Movements (REM), Worsley showed that he was was consciously choosing to look in certain directions while dreaming. It was a kind of communication (like morse code) between the dreamer and the outside world.
However, Hearne's groundbreaking research slipped under the radar of mainstream science journals and it was Dr Stephen LaBerge at Stanford University who became famous for first publishing his own version of this experiment in 1983.
LaBerge did his doctorate thesis on lucid dreaming and invented new lucid dream methods as a student, such as the MILD technique. Today, he runs intensive workshops and dream experiments at The Lucidity Institute.
Brainwave Recordings During REM Sleep
More recently, in 2009, a study by the Neurological Laboratory in Frankfurt showed people with significantly increased brain activity while lucid dreaming.
An EEG machine recorded highly active frequencies up to the 40 Hz (or Gamma) range in lucid dreamers. This is far more active than the normal dream state (Theta: 4-8 Hz) and even your current waking state (Beta: 12-38 Hz), supporting the need to classify lucidity as a separate state of consciousness altogether.
The research also showed heightened activity in the frontal and frontolateral areas of the dreaming brain - the seat of linguistic thought and other higher mental functions linked to self-awareness. Sleep scientists accepts that lucid dreaming is real and may offer considerable insight into the nature of human consciousness.
In addition to these studies and other measurable evidence, countless people can provide anecdotal evidence of their conscious dreams, such as those reported in our lucid dream forums. If you still have any doubt as to the existence of conscious dreams, then you can of course experience it for yourself!
Inspiration for Lucid Dreams
The hit movie, Inception, has popularized lucid dreaming and given us new triggers for our night-time musings - from lucid dreams-within-dreams to working with subconsciously-driven dream figures.
The movie was written and directed by a real life lucid dreamer, Chris Nolan. Learn more about other famous lucid dreamers.
Often when I'm lucid, I choose to exit the dream scene and find somewhere new to explore. I like to summon up scenes of nature and step into them via a dream door or simply teleport there. Check out this montage of high definition lucid dreamscapes to inspire your lucid dreams and create some breathtaking dream memories...
About The World of Lucid Dreaming
The purpose of this website is to teach people how to lucid dream. This includes entraining the right waking mindset and mental habits, so that you find it easy to recognize when you're dreaming at night.
This recognition leads to instant lucidity (consciousness) in dreams, intensifying your awareness of the dreamscape and giving you the option to control and manipulate the events of the dream at will.
We all have the potential to lucid dream - but only a small fraction of people learn how to harness the ability and use it on a regular basis. Lucid dreaming is not hard, but it does require your commitment.
While some people can control their dreams naturally, most people must invest time and energy to attain that breakthrough moment when they become lucid in dreams. This site is designed for people who are serious about learning the art of lucidity and are willing to commit to it.
With my tuition, you will learn to:
Have lucid dreams often - at least once or twice per week
Control and manipulate your dream world with clarity and ease
Interact with dream characters on a meaningful level
Allow the dream to guide you through all kinds of adventures
Reach new insights and enlightenment through your dreams
Where to Begin?
This site contains hundreds of lucid dreaming articles. Don't let that overwhelm you though because no matter where you begin, you will soon find something of value. If you don't have time to dig in now, please bookmark the site for future use.
Many people start or finish their day by spending 15-30 minutes here and report that it helps them to have more lucid dreams, just by having the idea "on the brain". This is actually a well-known incubation technique which I cover in more detail in the lucid dreaming techniques section.
Advice for Beginners - A great place to begin is in the section on lucid dreaming for beginners. This provides links to many articles introducing the topic of lucidity: exactly what is means, what it feels like, the benefits, rookie mistakes, and some important philosophies of conscious dreaming. This section will ease you into the adventure to come.
Lucid Dreaming Techniques - A lot of people flock to my free tutorials on lucid dreaming, which explain some of the most popular methods of actually attaining consciousness in your dreams. While this is obviously an important aspect of learning this skill, please don't rush into anything without being fully equipped with some basic knowledge of sleep and dreams.
The Lucid Dreaming Fast Track - Some people feel a great sense of urgency to have their first lucid dream. If this is you, check out my fast track course for beginners. This downloadable course gives you everything you need to know to control your dreams, in one strategic package. It also includes my own guided hypnosis sessions and advice on meditation and visualization for lucid dreaming, which will be key aspects of your training.
Lucid Dream Forums - Becoming lucid is a mind-blowing experience. You will probably find it very helpful to share your lucid experiences, your hopes and fears, and ask questions about what is normal or what to expect. Our forum community is friendly and respectful of all experiences and we welcome new members. Use of the forum is free and always will be, so please take a moment to register now and introduce yourself.
World of Lucid Dreaming Newsletter - Subscribe to my free newsletter to stay informed about the latest articles, lucidity research, events, product reviews and freebies. With thousands of subscribers, it is one of the most popular lucid dreaming newsletters in the world - and now every new subscriber receives a free copy of my e-course, 10 Steps to Lucid Dreams.
About The Author
My name is Rebecca Turner. I'm a long time lucid dreamer (since I was 14 years old - more than half my life ago!) and the creator of this website. To find out where I'm coming from, learn more about how I became a lucid dreamer and what's happened since.
The Lucid Dreaming FAQ
If you've just discovered conscious dream control, you'll probably have a lot of questions... and some misconceptions. I recommend all beginners take the time to read up about lucid dreaming before starting any of the techniques described on this site. Here are some of the most common things people want to know:
How long does it take to have your first lucid dream?
One study showed a group of committed students were able to have their first lucid dream within 3-21 days on average. They were equipped with the right tutorials and practiced mindfully every day. You should aim to take a similar approach.
This is a guide only. A minority may already possess the key skills and have their first lucid dream the same night they discover the concept. Others may take months to learn the skill, especially if you're only making a half-assed approach.
If you are struggling to have your first lucid dream, ask yourself:
In Dream Initiated Lucid Dreams, the moment you become lucid is the moment you suddenly realize you are dreaming.
In many movies, fictional characters often realize they're dreaming and make funny comments about it but otherwise allow the dream to continue of it's own accord and nothing changes. Lucid dreaming is nothing like this :)
In real life, the effect is quite different. Saying (and knowing) "This is a dream!" results in a rush of clarity of thought. Your surroundings will zoom into focus and become much more vivid. You will have far greater awareness of your body and it is more like a waking experience, seeing the dream through your own eyes and having the opportunity to move freely and take in much more sensory information.
The features of conscious dreams can spontaneously change just like a normal dream. For instance, you may manifest a group of bear cubs which later change into a pile of boxes. Of course, you can easily call the bear cubs back again. But don't be surprised if you notice these subtle changes which seem beyond your control. It is a co-created experience and your subconscious mind still plays a key role.
How can I stay lucid for longer?
Beginners often get frustrated because their lucid dreams end prematurely. Sometimes, the sheer excitement causes you to wake up. Other times, you may simply forget you are dreaming and the subconscious mind regains full control. In this case, the dream loses its intensity and become just like a regular dream again.
To prevent this from happening, cultivate a calm and focused mind set in the dream world. Remind yourself that you are dreaming often stay mentally grounded. I explain more about this in the article how to stay lucid. These techniques have helped me experience lucid dreams as long as an hour (estimated in real-time).
A very simple way to enhance your lucidity and ground yourself in the dream is to rub your hands together while saying "I'm dreaming". This kinetic sensation stimulates the conscious brain, while drawing awareness to your dream body and away from your physical body lying asleep in bed.
How can I change the scenery?
Making the dream scene morph in front of your eyes can sometimes be difficult - mainly because you simply don't expect it to happen. This is typical of the results beginners complain about because they lack the anticipated dream control.
If you're having problems with dream control (and I should stress that not everyone does have such issues) the best way to change things is to work WITH your subconscious dream logic. For instance, to change the scenery:
Locate a dream door (a door that stands randomly in the middle of any landscape) and step through to another world.
Pass through a mirror portal (a liquid-like mirror that leads to another dimension) and emerge in any scene you choose.
Change the channel on a TV, then jump into the screen and allow the image to become 3-dimensional around you.
Turn away from the scene, imagine a new location emerging behind you. When you turn back - lo and behold - it is there!
Spin around and imagine a new scene appearing when you stop spinning.
As you can see, there are many creative solutions to issues of dream control. The most important thing to remember is that your conscious expectation plays a major role. If you question your own ability to manifest new scenes, then your abilities will falter. But if you remain confident and learn from your experiences, you'll soon find that absolutely anything is possible inside a lucid dream.
How can I have flying dreams?
Learning how to fly in lucid dreams is something we all want to master first.
However, it's not like you've had any practice in real life, so the concept can be a little difficult on the lucid dreaming mind. While some people take to the sky like Superman, others can get stuck in power lines, bump into buildings, or waver as if gravity is acting against them (which of course it isn't!)
Think of the movie The Matrix, when Morpheus asks Neo how he beat him in a virtual reality fight. Was it because he was stronger, faster, or fitter in this simulated world? No. It was because he truly believed he was better.
It's the same in lucid dreams. See my article how to have lucid flying dreams which explains the expectation principle and a three-step flight training program.
Can I get stuck in a lucid dream?
If you are imagining getting stuck in a lucid dream that way a child gets stuck in a painting in a horror movie, then no, that's science fiction.
You can no more get stuck in a lucid dream than you can get stuck in a regular dream or nightmare. "Dream limbo" is just a plot device for the movies.
In fact, lucidity affords you the opportunity to wake up on demand. Many people learn to start lucid dreaming naturally by using it to wake up from nightmares. Just open and shut your dream eyes firmly while saying "WAKE UP!" You can use the same moment of clarity to transform your nightmare into a guided dream.
While it is possible to become engrossed in a lucid nightmare or false awakening, this is not the same as being trapped in a dream for any significant amount of time. Though frustrating (but also enlightening) they are no different in length from typical periods of REM sleep, which max out after a certain period of time.
How do I talk to my subconscious in a lucid dream?
As the lucid dream is a co-created experience, you can find subconscious communication arising from many different places - via dream characters, dream events, or even the fabric of the dream itself. The easiest way is to start a dialogue with the dream; just talk out loud. See the article 10 things to ask your lucid self for specific questions to pose to your dreaming self.
To continue reading popular questions like this, see my full lucid dreaming FAQ.
That's enough to get you started. Thanks for dropping by the World of Lucid Dreaming and I hope you find this a useful resource for many years to come!
Best wishes,
Rebecca Turner
Creator, World of Lucid Dreaming
PS - Check out my dedicated lucid dreaming course for beginners...
The purpose of this website is to teach people how to lucid dream. This includes entraining the right waking mindset and mental habits, so that you find it easy to recognize when you're dreaming at night. 
