The First Lucid Dream: How to Start Lucid Dreaming for Beginners

There's no question that your first lucid dream will be the hardest to achieve. But that's not exactly helpful is it - hardest compared to what? Until you start lucid dreaming, you have zero basis for comparison. And that's why, it seems, a lot of beginners flounder in this realm for a few weeks or months before deciding that lucidity is an impossible dream, and they give up.

I'm writing this article to help you over the brink from regular dreams, to the heady world of lucid dreaming. I'm going to give you some specific advice and equip you with some advanced knowledge - so the next time you are on the verge of a lucid dream, you are automatically prepared to jump right in...

How to Have Your First Lucid Dream

First, commit yourself to learning this incredible new skill. You'll be very lucky to start lucid dreaming the first day you hear about it (although it happens, thanks to the subconscious incubation technqiue). But most people will need to do some background reading and mentally prepare themselves. I recommend you start with the section on Lucid Dreaming for Beginners. That will naturally lead you to my Favorite Lucid Dreaming Techniques.

To summarize those links in a very small nutshell, you should be:

• Remembering and recording at least one regular dream per night in your dream journal
  
  
• Performing at least 10 reality checks on cue every day
  
  
• Doing at least 10 minutes of meditation and visualization per day to increase self awareness

Those are the bare minimum requirements to start lucid dreaming, in my mind. The links above also explain how to perform the MILD and WILD techniques, plus how to identify and manipulate your ideal REM periods for lucid dreaming. If you've done all that and still haven't had your first lucid dream, then read on.

Increase Your Dream Intensity

Lucid dreams are exceptionally vivid. When someone reports a vague lucid dream, where they sort-of knew they were dreaming, or sort-of had control, it is a form of subconscious lucidity, or semi-lucidity. These types of dreams can be quite disappointing because they undermine the brilliance of true lucid dreaming.

For beginners, we want to artificially stimulate that feeling of lucidity in a sunconscious dream; to catch a glimpse of a realistic dream world where you will understand the power of the subconscious mind to create tangible landscapes - where everything you touch is real. The best way to do this is with dream herbs.

My favorite dream herb to date is Calea Zacatechichi. This is safe and natural herb discovered by Mexican shamans to induce vivid and meaningful dreams. These dreams may not be lucid (it takes conscious recognition to realize that you're dreaming) but they are leagues apart from regular dreams.

In my Calea Z dreams, I've lived alien lives that seemed to last for years, and followed complex and dramatic plots involving many characters. The dreams can be completely normal or out-of-this-world... and they are always exceptionally vivid. They may even lead you to your first lucid dream.

Increasing Your Dream Consciousness

Another excellent way to start lucid dreaming if you are on the brink is to increase your consciousness within a regular dream. The most famous method is called reality checking. But there are other ways to increase the clarity and focus of your dream so that is develops into a true lucid dream.

First of all, the opportunity must present itself within a regular dream. If you're reading lots about lucid dreaming during the day (and especially before sleep) then you're already putting your subconscious mind in the optimum state. When you have that vague inkling that you're dreaming, or you begin to will things to happen in the dream (but they just don't work), seize the moment by:

• Quickly looking at the palms of your hands and studying the detail
• Rubbing your hands together and feeling the friction
• Shout out "I'm lucid!" or "Clarity now!" to the dreamscape
• Spin around and feel the sensation of movement

There is a method to this madness... Each of these techniques stir the higher conscious brain in one way or another. And that is the switch that will turn your regular-but-vaguely-lucid dream into a vivid lucid dream.

What To Do in Your First Lucid Dream

Once you have stabilized yourself within your conscious dream, stay calm and explore your environment. Don't try to do anything too fancy too soon, like teleport to the moon.

Initially just walk or float around, touching nearby objects, and soaking up the atmosphere. Relish the fact that your fuzzy internal dream has just been transformed into a living, tangible reality.

This will help you stay in your first lucid dream for as long as possible. For many people who start lucid dreaming, the early ones only last a few seconds - usually because they get too overwhelmed or excited, and jolt themselves awake. You now have the benefit of knowing that you must consciously make your first lucid dream last longer. Remember this - and build your lucid experience slowly.

Related articles

Introduction to Lucid Dreaming

Easy Lucid Dreaming

Benefits of Lucid Dreaming

How To Have Lucid Dreams

How To Stay Lucid

How To Control Your Dreams

Levels of Lucidity

How to Become Lucid in Dreams

What is Lucid Dreaming?

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