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Is Lucid Dreaming Real?
It still surprises me when people beg the question: is lucid dreaming real?
Having experienced hundreds of lucid dreams first-hand the question seems a little redundant. However, for beginners who have no experience of conscious dreaming, I can understand why chasing that first elusive glimpse of lucidity might feel like chasing a red herring. They begin to doubt it exists at all.
So, I decided to clear up the mystery of lucidity as much as possible by detailing the true nature of lucid dreams (as I see it) and exactly how it has been scientifically measured and proven in the laboratory. Here's a short Q&A addressing the most common questions and misconceptions I hear from skeptics as well as people who generally know very little about lucid dreaming.
Is lucid dreaming real or just a theory?
If it still needs to be said - lucid dreaming is very real. The general concept of having self-awareness in dreams has been documented throughout different cultures in history. The French philosopher Rene Descartes found his lucid dreams so vivid, he concluded that our waking senses are illusory and not to be trusted.
Meanwhile, Tibetan Buddhist monks have incorporated heightened self-awareness and dream control in their path to enlightenment for at least a thousand years. The concept of conscious dreaming is widely accepted in both Eastern and Western cultures, underpinning the universal nature of this human condition which doesn't rely on any particular esoteric interpretation or spiritual theory (unlike, say, belief in the afterlife or psychic ability).
Is lucid dreaming scientifically proven?
Lucidity has been officially and scientifically documented in various forms. The first time was when the British parapsychologist Keith Hearne recorded a set of pre-determined eye movement signals from his volunteer, Alan Worsley, in a lucid dream state under laboratory conditions. Worsley simply looked in different directions in his lucid dream - eg left, right, left, right, left - causing his eyeballs to mimic the action in reality. By doing this, he was able to communicate from the dream world to the waking world, in real time.
However, Hearne's research slipped under the radar of the mainstream science journals, and it was Dr Stephen LaBerge at Stanford University who became famous for publishing his own version of this experiment in 1983. LaBerge went on to found The Lucidity Institute and remains one of the leading lucid dream researchers to this day.
More recently, a German study conducted at the Neurological Laboratory in Frankfurt in 2009 revealed significantly increased brain activity during lucid dreams. An EEG machine recorded frequencies in the 40 Hz (or Gamma) range in lucid dreamers enjoying a bit of conscious REM. This is far higher than the normal dream state (Theta range, or 4-8 Hz) and perhaps more alert than you are right now (Beta range, or 12-38 Hz). They also saw heightened activity in the frontal and frontolateral areas of the brain which are the seat of linguistic thought as well as other higher mental functions associated with self-awareness.
From these two experiments alone we can conclude that:
- Lucid dreaming offers the ability to remember waking commands and act willfully when conscious within the dream state.
- Lucid dreaming produces a highly active brainwave frequency not associated with regular dreaming or even normal waking awareness.
How can you prove to me that you're actually controlling your dreams?
Keith Hearne's eye movement experiment was an excellent way to prove that lucid dreaming is real because it allowed the lucid dreamer to communicate in real-time with the researcher in the waking world. The method has been scientifically verified and is about as close as you can get when it comes to proving you have conscious dream control.
When people remain in doubt, I challenge them to experience the lucid dream state first-hand - and then prove to themselves what is possible. When you become lucid, you will immediately understand the potential for dream control. With many different lucid dream induction techniques at your fingertips there is no excuse NOT to try if you are curious about the nature of lucidity. It is the only way you'll truly understand what a conscious dream feels like anyway.
Incidentally, when scientists invent the first mutual dream machine (a la Inception) I'll gladly invite readers into my own lucid dream world so I can demonstrate the power of self-awareness in dreams. Until then, it's up to you ;)
If you're not controlling every element of the dream, then surely you aren't lucid dreaming?
This is a common misconception. To lucid dream does not mean to be 100% in control of the dreamworld. Lucid dreaming only means to have conscious self-awareness within the dream state. Sometimes this means controlling it, but other times you will choose to simply observe the dreamworld while holding on to the clarity of thought enabled by your heightened awareness.
As the lucid dream researcher Robert Waggoner so eloquently put it, "The sailor does not control the sea" - ie your consciousness is the ship that navigates through a subconscious ocean. If you truly had to populate every dream scene with every leaf and blade of grass and wisp of cloud, you would have your hands full just creating and maintaining decent scenery! Luckily, the dreaming subconscious is happy to populate the dreamworld while we consciously frolic within it. Sometimes that means a bird flies of its own accord, or a dream figure behaves autonomously. That does not mean you have failed to stay lucid.
Non-lucid dreamers may think there's no point to lucid dreaming if you don't always have control of the dream - but to lucid dreamers, this is a silly conclusion. The sheer detail of a lucid dream can be enough to leave you dumbfounded and happy to watch the dream unfurl naturally in your super-sensory state.
What's more, the fact that you have the opportunity to directly interact with your own subconscious (or soul or inner self or whatever you want to call it) makes it all the more exciting. When have you ever been in direct contact with your unconscious mind before? All you need to do is talk to a dream character, or even shout out a question to the dream, and be rewarded with the wisdom of your own inner voice which plays out it's answer within the dream. This alone can be more exhilarating than any controlled dream experience based solely on your desire to seek out the physical thrills of a virtual reality world.
If lucid dreaming is so real - how can you tell the difference between lucid dreams and reality?
There could be many telltale signs but ultimately you know you're dreaming simply because you know you're dreaming! Right now, sitting at the computer, you are self-aware. You are using your five senses to build up a highly accurate picture of your surroundings and that keeps you rooted in reality. There is no doubt in your mind that you are awake right now - is there?
A similar process of logic occurs when you become lucid. Often it is a spontaneous realization that something in your dream reality is amiss. Perhaps you have seen something strange, or heard something out of the ordinary. This triggers a far heightened sense of self-awareness in the dreamworld which enables you to fully question your reality and verify that you are, in fact, dreaming.
How you do you know when you're thirsty? You feel a dryness in your throat. How do you know when you're scared? You feel a flurry of adrenaline. How you you know when you're dreaming? You feel your reality has changed. To become conscious in a dream is simply to become more aware of your surroundings.
The ability to separate dreams from real life only becomes an issue in the bizarre limbo-like state of a false awakening. This is where you dream of waking up and accept it as your waking reality. It is highly vivid and alternate type of lucid dream which lodges you in a logical loop, unable to recognize that you're dreaming and therefore sending you about your daily waking routine. Nevertheless, a false awakening is not the end of the world. You either finally recognize you're dreaming and becoming lucid - or wake up. Multiple false awakenings can be disturbing but they are otherwise harmless dreams.
Are there any limits to lucid dreaming?
So far the only limits I have found are self-imposed ones.
For instance, it's quite common for beginners to struggle to maintain their lucidity for more than a few seconds. The whole experience is far too exhilarating and they wake up. However, there is a steep learning curve and with a little practice, lucid dreams can last 20-60 minutes if you are good at it. Even a 10-minute lucid dream can make your week, though, so don't feel you have to be an expert oneironaut before you reap the benefits. For many, a lucid dream is immediately fulfilling the moment you become lucid; anything after that is a bonus.
Another frustrating limitation for newbies is the act of dream control. Many people start lucid dreaming in order to fly or have sex, and so they must master dream control to fulfil their need for physical gratification. However, they soon find that flying can be difficult (because the conscious brain won't accept it?) or finding a sexual partner is impossible (because our subconscious has a different agenda?) and this ultimately leads to frustration. A far more worthy pursuit is to learn everything you can about the conscious dream state - an intrepid explorer. Don't set yourself impossible tasks, simply take the experience for what it is. You will still enjoy many noteworthy experiences and have the chance to uncover fascinating subconscious insights that will stay with you forever.
For step-by-step tutorials in lucidity, check out The Lucid Dreaming Fast Track, my digital course that shows beginners the fastest way to lucid dreams.
