Lucid Dreams
Wouldn’t it be neat to be able to control your dreams? Well, that can be done!
Lucid Dreams (conscious dreams) are when the dreamer realizes that they are in a dream, while they are dreaming. The mind then starts gaining control as the lucid dream continues.
Tips to help control dreams:
- Keep a journal. Writing down your dreams and illustrations will help you remember them later on, and will allow you to notice recurring images (people, places, numbers, etc.). Practice makes perfect!
- Make a plan. Determine what you want your dream to be about. Then, maybe read about that specific idea or watch a movie that relates to it. You want to encourage your mind to be thinking about the idea before you go to sleep.
- Set an alarm. Once you have determined your usual sleeping time, set an alarm to wake you up an hour before the usual time you get up. Since dreams occur when you are in a deep sleep, there’s a chance you will awake during a dream. Write the dream down immediately.
Movies about lucid dreams:
- Inception–directed by Christopher Nolan
- Vanilla Sky–directed by Cameron Crowe
- Waking Life–directed by Richard Linklater
- The Science of Sleep–directed by Michel Gondry
- Dreamscape–directed by Joseph Ruben
- Open Your Eyes–directed by Alejandro Amenábar
- Wake Up!–directed by Kira Sass & Chris Olsen
- What Dreams May Come–directed by Vincent Ward
- The Matrix–directed by Andy Wachowski & Lana Wachowski
- Avatar–directed by James Cameron
Don’t let your mind take over, take over your mind!
Defining Dreams
Dreams seem to be very similar to movies, except for one part: the mind is acting. When you are sleeping, the physical human body is at rest, but the subconscious is still performing.
The mind acts on memories that are stored in your head and distorts them. This is a possible reason why dreams are forgotten after you wake up.
Dreams include:
Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud analyzed dreams so he could further understand the characteristics of personality. He discovered that all of our actions and thoughts are inspired by our unconscious.
Tips to help remember your dreams:
- Keep a journal. Place a small journal or notebook (and a pen) next to your bed so you can write down all of the details of your dream. Make sure to do this immediately after you wake up so the dream won’t be forgotten.
- Tell a friend. Let someone know, maybe a close friend or family member, about your dream. They may have thoughts about what it could mean.
- Draw pictures. Illustrations are a way to visually help remember certain images or events that occurred in the dream.
Remember that there are no small parts, only small actors. Even if you think the little details in the dream don’t matter, they may be helpful in understanding the dream later on. Sweet dreams!
Deciphering Dreams 