Reality Checks and Lucid Dream Project Terms

On my last post, I briefly discussed reality checks to achieve lucid dreams. This time I want to expand on the subject and be as elaborate as I can on the different types of reality checks that you can use. I want to also cover some Lucid Dream Project (LDP) terminology so that it will be easier for me to discuss and for you to understand in case you want to join online LDP communities.

Some Common Reality Checks

Reading text - As described on the previous post, this is probably the most common and easy to use method of inducing a lucid dream within a dream.

Breathing - This method works very well. What you can do is hold your nose with one hand and try to breathe. If you can breathe normally, then obviously you are dreaming.

Looking at hands - check to see if anything is out of the ordinary, such as unusual colors of extra fingers.

Checking the time - Is the time displayed reasonable? Read the clock over and over again. Digital clocks seem to work better for this check.

In general, anything out of the ordinary in your dream is a dreamsign. You just have to learn how to differentiate a dream from reality. It is easier said than done. Note that reality checks need to be used as quickly as possible because dream cycles do not last very long.

Terms and Acronyms Used Amongst Lucid Dreamers

Astral Projection (AP)

Separating the spirit from the physical body. The difference between an Astral Projection from an out-of-body experience is that the Astral Projection is an intentional act.

Dream Character (DC)

Used to describe the characters in your dream.

Dream Journal (DJ)

Used to help improve dream recall. Any method of recording your dreams.

Dream Initiated Lucid Dream (DILD)

When you realize you are dreaming in your dreams and become lucid.

False Awakening (FA)

You wake up in your dream and convince yourself that you have woken up in reality.

Hypnagogic Hallucinations (HH)

Hallucinations in the half awakened state. These can be quite overwhelming.

Hypnagogic Imagery/Sounds (HI/HS)

The images and sounds that come from hypnagogic hallucinations.

Lucid Dreaming (LD)

A dream in which you are aware you are dreaming.

Mnemonic Induced Lucid Dream (MILD)

A lucid dream induced with the aid of your memory.

Out-of-Body Experience (OBE)

A perception in which one is no longer in their body. It is usually an involuntary act.

Oneironauts

Explorers of the dream world. Term coined by Stephen LaBerge and used in his book Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming.

Reality Check (RC)

A test of reality. A technique to induce lucid dreams.

Rapid eye movement (REM)

A phase during sleep where ones eyes are moving rapidly. It is usually accomodated by the most vivid dreams.

Sleep Paralysis (SP)

A period in which one is unable to move, usually occurring when one wakes up or before falling asleep. Can be associated with hypnagogic hallucinations.

Wake Induced Lucid Dreaming (WILD)

A lucid dream initiated from the wake state, entering the dream already lucid.

What is this all about?

Lately, I have come back to one of my past hobbies which is learning about dreams. I have learned a lot since the last time I picked it up and I have pretty much made it an everyday thing because it is so fascinating. What I will include in here is my growing knowledge of dreams. What will not be included are the dreams that I may get,  although I may occasionally share one or two if they are helpful examples or just ones I thought were particularly interesting.

What is so fascinating about dreams?

A lot. If I wanted to go into details, this post will never end. Therefore, I will tell you the reason why most people, possibly including yourself, is reading this post and/or searching online about dreams. Lucid dreams.

What is a lucid dream?

Being lucid in a dream means that the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming. The advantage of dream awareness is that he or she will then be able to control the dream.

How to achieve this awareness is the hardest part, with the exception of those who are able to naturally dream lucidly. It all boils down to reality checks. Once you are in your dream, you should ask yourself if you are dreaming or not. In order for you to do this, you should be doing a reality check every now and then when you are in reality. Once you get into the habit of doing this at least 5-10 times a day, you will most likely carry this habit into your dream world as well. There are specific checks you can do that are fast, and works very well. One particular check you can do is reading some form of text, such as a poster. You can look at the text, look away, and then look back at the text to see if it has changed. In our dreams, text often changes and most of the time we accept it.

If you are serious about lucid dreaming and would like to try it out, you will first need to boost your dream recall, which is the ability to remember your dreams. The most efficient way to do this is by starting a dream journal in which you write down as elaborately as you can about each dream everytime you wake up.

The reason I want to start blogging about this topic is because I feel that this knowledge should be shared with everybody. It is often said that we only use 10% of our brain power. Our minds are very powerful tools, but we seem to not be able to use its full capabilities. I honestly believe that by sharing this knowledge, we can learn to unlock the lost powers of our minds and grow as a community.