Lucid Dreaming

I have been trying to control my dreams–what is called Lucid Dreaming.  Think I discussed this earlier.  Here is an updated report and a link to an article about dreams.   Here’s the article.

THE POWER AND PURPOSE OF DREAMS | Psychology Today.

Here is the updated Lucid Dreaming report.  This is not high on my priority list, so I haven’t worked at it very  hard .  The down and dirty Lucid Dreaming instructions I have gleaned from a number of web pages:

1. Do reality checks throughout the day.  Just ask “Is this real or am I dreaming or  day dreaming?”
2. Before going to sleep imagine the dream you want to have.
3. Keep a dream journal.
4. If you wake up during a dream, take a few minutes to think about how you want it to end and then go back to sleep if you can; if you can’t go back to sleep, daydream your perfect ending to the dream that got interrupted.

I  mainly am doing step four and even then not regularly.  It does,  however,  seem to be helping.  My dreams,  as I have mentioned before, are mostly frustration dreams.  I am trying to go some where or do something; other people and events keep me from my goal.  Sounds like almost every care-giver’s life and one that can easily become a theme in one’s dreams.  I am definitely a care-giver–some would call me co-dependent; I prefer to think I follow the Golden Rule of caring for others the way I want to be cared for.  Anyway,  in terms of my Lucid Dreaming efforts,  I have  been able to get moving in the direction I want a few times  in some dreams and like the feeling.

I should probably mention that because I was in analysis for a few years, many years ago, I  have had training in dream recall and that is probably helpful.   Friend Glenda reported to me that as a child she learned to control her dreams and still manages to do so.  Good reminder to parents that teaching your children dream control is useful; minimally don’t interfere with this natural talent.

A training in hypnosis may also be helping me.  One of the major advances in my ability to stay strong was when I took a course in hypnosis and realized how useful self-hypnosis was  for managing my strong negative emotions.  My OMM (One Minute Meditation) is a self-hypnosis exercise.

Another note for parents:  Most children are very “hypnotically talented” and in some ways that is what lucid dreaming is about.   Life and parents train us out that skill, but with a little effort parents can help their kids make great use of a natural talent.