Lucid dreaming-trying to "re-start."

[momo3bur]

Ok, my whole life up until around 6 or 7 years ago, I've always had the most amazing, vivid dreams. There were times when I could smell, taste, feel, hear, see things that I'd never known before in my life. When I was very young, I began to dream lucidly...I believe this was a defense mechanism because many times I would be very frightened of something that was chasing me, etc. The first lucid dream I remember was of a huge black mass chasing me and then it dawned on me that I was dreaming, so I stopped running and turned around to tell it to leave me alone. Of course it did for a while but came back later in the dream. I don't remember that whole dream...there were too many like it.

Anyway, I kept that up for so many years. It was so fun and made me look forward to sleep and sharing my experiences with my mom and dad. As I've grown older, I first lost the ability to lucidly dream and then my dreams all seemed to slowly go away except for the occasional odd one that I remember here and there.

Well, I've had a recent experience that seems to have brought back these very vivid, meaningful dreams. There has been one with every sleep since that experience. The last one, I was able to mindfully control my action, knowing well aware I was dreaming, without waking up. Something I haven't done for years. For the last few years, I either was not aware at anytime I'm dreaming or as soon as it dawned on me that I was asleep, I would suddenly wake.

I would like to amp this ability again. It is amazing for me and very enjoyable...not to mention relieving when my dream is frightening.

Does anyone have any advice as to how I can enhance this, practice it? It was natural for me as a child into my young adult years. I didn't even know it was called lucid dreaming until I took my first psychology class in college. I also didn't realize until I was older and shared my experience with my friends that it is not something everyone does. Anywho, I didn't teach myself how to do it before, so I'm not sure how to teach myself to control it now.

Thanks and sorry for the long post!!

[Mynder]

For many, starting a dream journal that sits by your bed, jotting down their dreams as soon as they wake up when they are still fresh in memory, helps.

It conditions the mind to remember, and to pay more attention to dreams.

[momo3bur]

Originally Posted by Mynder

For many, starting a dream journal that sits by your bed, jotting down their dreams as soon as they wake up when they are still fresh in memory, helps.

It conditions the mind to remember, and to pay more attention to dreams.

I'll try that! Thank you

[SkylightMT]

There's so much info on this, and so many ways.

I think a good place to start is with Stephen LaBerge: Amazon.com: Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (9780345374103): Stephen Laberge PHD: Books

[momo3bur]

Originally Posted by SkylightMT

There's so much info on this, and so many ways.

I think a good place to start is with Stephen LaBerge: Amazon.com: Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (9780345374103): Stephen Laberge PHD: Books

yay! Thank you!