I´m no expert in the subject, as I am still trying hard to get in touch with my spirit guides...but I would think that it might be easier to get in touch with them while you´re awake...just meditating and relaxing.
Lucid Dreaming is very hard...I had one once...and all I can remember is that I was so excited that I was lucid dreaming that I tried to fly, fell down and woke up...
But meditating and relaxing and really trying, consciously to communicate with them is a more controlled environment. Anyway, those are only my two cents. But like I said, I´m just learning too, so it will be interesting to hear what Erin has to say about it.