Learn how to lucid dream has been often divided in three approaches. The first is Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams or MILD . The second: Wake-Induced Lucid Dreaming, or WILD. The third is Wake back to bed (WBTB) technique.
MILD is a technique that you can use as you’re getting ready to fall asleep. All you need to do is repeat a simple phrase or affirmation in your mind, such as “I will realize I am dreaming.” By focusing your attention on this intention and truly believing that you will become aware in your dreams, you increase the chances of experiencing a lucid dream.
With WILD you aim to maintain your awareness as you transition from being awake to entering the dream state. Find a comfortable position, lie down, and relax your body. As you start to drift off to sleep, try to stay mentally alert and observe any images or sensations that arise in your mind. These can be colorful and vivid, like a dream unfolding before your eyes.
Wake Back to Bed technique
The Wake Back to Bed (WBTB) technique is another approach to enhance the chances to learn how to lucid dream. To try this technique, you’ll need to set an alarm to wake you up during the night, ideally during a phase of REM sleep when dreams are more vivid. When the alarm goes off, resist the urge to hit the snooze button and make an effort to stay awake for a short period of time.
During this wakeful interval, you can reflect on your intention to have a lucid dream. You can remind yourself that you want to become aware within your dreams and experience the wonders of lucidity. Engage in activities that promote wakefulness, such as reading about lucid dreaming or jotting down any dreams you can recall.
After this brief period of wakefulness, go back to sleep, maintaining the intention and expectation of having a lucid dream. By disrupting your sleep and then returning to it with a focused mindset, the WBTB technique can significantly increase the likelihood of experiencing lucidity in your dreams.
Are MILD, WILD and WBTB truly functional in order to learn how to lucid dream?
These techniques require patience and practice. It’s important to approach them with a positive mindset and be consistent in your efforts. The average person who doesn’t know how to meditate carries the stress, emotions, thoughts, and confusion of the day into the night. They don’t have a specific practice or time to process the day and calm down before going to sleep, this is one of the main reasons why they find it difficult to learn how to lucid dream.
This helps everyone
Even if you’re not interested in lucid dreaming, it’s still helpful to prepare for sleep and take it seriously. Just like before meditating, clearing your mind before sleep creates more presence and positive qualities. Instead of taking negative emotions into the night, use any skills you have to free yourself from them. If you know how to let the emotions dissolve and disappear, do that. If you know how to transform them or find a solution, use that knowledge. Try connecting with spiritual figures, praying, and generating compassion. Do what you can to release tension from your body and let go of negative thoughts. When you’re free from disturbances and have a relaxed mind, you’ll experience more restful and healing sleep. Even if you can’t do all the other practices, this is a positive practice that anyone can include in their daily life.
Here are some general preparations for the night to learn how to lucid dream, but don’t limit yourself to these. The important thing is to be aware of what you’re doing with your mind and how it affects you, and to use your knowledge to calm yourself, be present, and open up to the possibilities of the night.
Nine Purifications Breathing:
You might have noticed how tension affects your breathing. When you encounter difficulties, your body tightens, and your breath becomes shorter. If you’re scared, your breath becomes quick and shallow. When you’re sad, your breathing is often deep with sighs. And when you genuinely like something, your body relaxes, and your breath becomes easier.
Instead of waiting for experiences to change your breath, you can intentionally change your breath to alter your experiences. The nine breaths of purification is a short practice to learn how to lucid dream, clear the energy channels in your body, and relax your mind and body.
Sit in a cross-legged position for meditation. Place your hands palm-up in your lap, left hand on top of the right. Slightly bend your head to straighten your neck.
Imagine the three energy channels in your body. The central channel is blue and runs straight through the center of your body. The side channels are as thick as pencils and connect to the central channel around four inches below your navel. They rise straight through your body on each side of the central channel, curve under your skull, pass behind your eyes, and open at your nostrils. In women, the right channel is red and the left is white. In men, it’s the opposite: the right channel is white, and the left is red.
To learn how to lucid dream, follow these steps. First Three Breaths:
For men: Lift your right hand and press your thumb against the base of your ring finger. Use your ring finger to close your right nostril, and then breathe in green light through your left nostril. Close your left nostril with your right ring finger and exhale fully through your right nostril. Repeat this three times.
For women: Raise your left hand and press your thumb against the base of your ring finger. Use your ring finger to close your left nostril, and then inhale green light through your right nostril. Close your right nostril with your ring finger and exhale completely through your left nostril. Repeat this three times.
With each exhale, imagine all the obstacles related to male energies being expelled from the white channel as light-blue air. This includes energy-related illnesses and obstacles from the past. This exercise is the first step to learning how to lucid dream.
Second Three Breaths:
Both men and women: Switch hands and nostrils, and repeat the process for three inhalations and exhalations. Visualize obstacles related to female energies being expelled from the red channel as light-pink air. This includes bile-related illnesses and obstacles from the future.
Third Three Breaths:
Both men and women: Place your left hand on top of your right hand in your lap, palms facing up. Inhale healing green light into both nostrils. Visualize the light moving down the side channels and meeting the main channel below the navel. When you exhale, visualize the energy rising up the central channel and exiting through the top of your head. Complete three inhalations and exhalations. With each exhale, imagine potentials for illnesses associated with negative spirits being expelled from the top of your head as black smoke. This includes phlegm-related illnesses and obstacles from the present.
Deeper steps to learn how to lucid dream:
After completing the nine breaths, remain in your meditation position and imagine a spiritual master above and in front of you. Visualize a real being in three dimensions, radiating pure light and having a powerful presence. Cultivate devotion and contemplate the value of receiving these teachings. Offer a sincere prayer for the removal of negativity, the development of positive qualities, and the attainment of lucid dreaming.
Envision the master bestowing blessings in the form of three colored lights from their body, speech, and mind into your own. First, a white light purifies your physical body. Then, a red light purifies your energetic dimension. Finally, a blue light purifies your mind.
As the lights enter your body, allow yourself to feel their presence. Relax your body, energy, and mind as they become infused with the light of wisdom. Use your imagination to make this experience vivid and tangible, including physical sensations.
Imagine the master gradually dissolving into light, entering your heart, and becoming your innermost essence. Visualize yourself merging with that light and abiding in a state of pure awareness.
Repeat this practice every night to have the opportunity to learn how to lucid dream. Remember to follow us for more guidance.