Lucid Dreaming FAQ

The Lucidity Institute Answers Frequently Asked Questions About Lucid Dreaming

Version 2.2, March 4, 1999
The Lucidity Institute
This FAQ is a brief introduction to lucid dreaming--what it is, how to do it, and what can be done with it.
CONTENTS

1.1 What is lucid dreaming?
1.2 Is lucid dreaming the same as dream control?
1.3 How are lucid dreams related to out-of-body experiences (OBEs)?
2.1 Why have lucid dreams?
2.1.1 Adventure and fantasy
2.1.2 Overcoming nightmares
2.1.3 Rehearsal
2.1.4 Creativity and problem solving
2.1.5 Healing
2.1.6 Transcendence
2.2 Can lucid dreaming be dangerous?
3.1 Can everyone learn to have lucid dreams?
3.2 How do I learn to have lucid dreams?
3.2.1 Dream recall
3.2.2 Reality testing
3.2.3 Dreamsigns
3.2.4 Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD)
3.2.5 Napping
3.3 How quickly can I learn lucid dreaming?
3.4 What technology is available to assist lucid dreaming training?
3.4.1 DreamLight
3.4.2 NovaDreamer
3.4.3 SuperNova Software
3.4.4 P.E.S.T
3.4.5 DreamSpeaker
3.5 How well do lucid dream induction devices work?
3.6 Are there any drugs or nutritional supplements that stimulate lucid dreams?
3.7 How can I prevent waking up as soon as I become lucid?
4.1 What are the best resources for learning more about lucid dreaming?
4.3 What is the Lucidity Institute?
4.4 What qualifies the Lucidity Institute to write this FAQ?

1.1 WHAT IS LUCID DREAMING?

Lucid dreaming means dreaming while knowing that you are dreaming. The term was coined by Frederik van Eeden who used the word "lucid" in the sense of mental clarity. Lucidity usually begins in the midst of a dream when the dreamer realizes that the experience is not occurring in physical reality, but is a dream. Often this realization is triggered by the dreamer noticing some impossible or
unlikely occurrence in the dream, such as flying or meeting the deceased. Sometimes people become lucid without noticing any particular clue in the dream; they just suddenly realize they are in a dream. A minority of lucid dreams (according to the research of LaBerge and colleagues, about 10 percent) are the result of returning to REM (dreaming) sleep directly from an awakening with unbroken reflective consciousness.

The basic definition of lucid dreaming requires nothing more than becoming aware
that you are dreaming. However, the quality of lucidity can vary greatly. When
lucidity is at a high level, you are aware that everything experienced in the dream is
occurring in your mind, that there is no real danger, and that you are asleep in bed
and will awaken shortly. With low-level lucidity you may be aware to a certain
extent that you are dreaming, perhaps enough to fly or alter what you are doing, but
not enough to realize that the people are dream representations, or that you can suffer
no physical damage, or that you are actually in bed.

1.2 IS LUCID DREAMING THE SAME AS DREAM CONTROL?

Lucidity is not synonymous with dream control. It is possible to be lucid and have
little control over dream content, and conversely, to have a great deal of control
without being explicitly aware that you are dreaming. However, becoming lucid in a
dream is likely to increase the extent to which you can deliberately influence the
course of events. Once lucid, dreamers usually choose to do something permitted
only by the extraordinary freedom of the dream state, such as flying.

You always have the choice of how much control you want to exert. For example,
you could continue with whatever you were doing when you became lucid, with the
added knowledge that you are dreaming. Or you could try to change everything--the
dream scene, yourself, other dream characters. It is not always possible to perform
"magic" in dreams, like changing one object into another or transforming scenes. A
dreamer's ability to succeed at this seems to depend a lot on the dreamer's
confidence. As Henry Ford said, "Believe you can, believe you can't; either way,
you're right." On the other hand, it appears there are some constraints on dream
control that may be independent of belief. See "Testing the Limits of Dream Control:
The Light and Mirror Experiment" for more onn this.

1.3 HOW ARE LUCID DREAMS RELATED TO OUT-OF-BODY
EXPERIENCES (OBEs)?

The so-called "out-of-body experience" most frequently occurs in the context of
sleep, and OBE enthusiasts even promote lucid dreaming as a "stepping stone" to the
OBE. Conversely, many lucid dreamers have had the experience of feeling
themselves "leave the body" at the onset of a lucid dream. From a laboratory study,
we have concluded that OBEs can occur in the same physiological state as lucid
dreams. Wake-initiated lucid dreams (WILDs) were three times more likely to be
labeled "OBEs" than dream initiated lucid dreams. If one believes oneself to have
been awake, then one will call the experience an OBE and believe oneself to be in
an "astral" body in the "real" physical world. If, on the other hand, one recognizes
the experience to be a dream, then one will identify the OBE body as a dream body
image and the environment of the experience as a dream world. The validity of the
latter interpretation is supported by observations and research on these phenomena.

2.1 WHY HAVE LUCID DREAMS?

Upon hearing about lucid dreaming for the first time, people often ask, "Why should I
want to have lucid dreams? What are they good for?" If you consider that once you
know you are dreaming, you are restricted only by your ability to imagine and
conceive, not by laws of physics or society, then the answer to what lucid dreaming
is good for is either extremely simple (anything!) or extraordinarily complex
(everything!). It is easier to provide a sample of what some people have done with
lucid dreaming than to give a definitive answer of its potential uses.

2.1.1 Adventure and Fantasy

Often, the first thing that attracts people to lucid dreaming is the potential for wild
adventure and fantasy fulfillment. Flying is a favorite lucid dream delight, as is sex.
Many people have said that their first lucid dream was the most wonderful
experience of their lives. A large part of the extraordinary pleasure of lucid
dreaming comes from the exhilarating feeling of utter freedom that accompanies the
realization that you are in a dream and there will be no social or physical
consequences of your actions. One might think that this is a rather intellectual
concept, but an ecstatic "rush" frequently arises with the first realization that one is
dreaming.

2.1.2 Overcoming Nightmares

Unfortunately for many people, instead of providing an outlet for unlimited fantasy
and delight, dreams can be dreaded episodes of limitless terror. As is discussed in
the books Lucid Dreaming (LaBerge, 1985) and Exploring the World of Lucid
Dreaming (EWLD) (LaBerge & Rheingold, 1990), lucid dreaming may well be the
basis of the most effective therapy for nightmares. If you know you are dreaming, it
is a simple logical step to realizing that nothing in your current experience, however
unpleasant, can cause you physical harm. There is no need to run from or fight with
dream monsters. In fact, it is often pointless to try, because the horror pursuing you
was conceived in your own mind, and as long as you continue to fear it, it can pursue
you wherever you dream yourself to be. The only way to really "escape" is to end
your fear. The fear you feel in a nightmare is completely real; it is
the danger that is not.

Unreasonable fear can be defused by facing up to the source, or going through with
the frightening activity, so that you observe that no harm comes to you. In a
nightmare, this act of courage can take any form that involves facing the "threat"
rather than avoiding it. For example, one young man dreamt of being pursued by a
lion. When he had no place left to run, he realized he was dreaming and called to the
lion to "come and get him." The challenge turned into a playful wrestling match, and
the lion became a sexy woman (NightLight 1.4, 1989, p. 13). Monsters often
transform into benign creatures, friends, or empty shells when courageously
confronted in lucid dreams. This is an extremely empowering experience. It teaches
you in a very visceral manner that you can conquer fear and thereby become
stronger.

2.1.3 Rehearsal

Lucid dreaming is an extraordinarily vivid form of mental imagery, so realistic that
the trick is to realize it is a mental construct. It is no surprise, therefore, that many
people use lucid dreaming to rehearse for success in waking life. Examples of such
applications include public speaking, difficult confrontations, artistic performance
and athletic prowess. Because the activity of the brain during a dreamed activity is
the same as during the real event, neuronal patterns of activation required for a skill
(like a ski jump or pirouette) can be established in the dream state in preparation for
performance in the waking world.

2.1.4 Creativity and Problem Solving

The creative potential of dreams is legendary. The brain is highly active in REM
sleep, which may contribute to the novel combinations of events and objects we
experience as dream bizarreness. This same novelty allows flexibility of thought
rare in waking life, manifesting as enhanced creativity. Lucid dreamers have
employed the inherent creativity of dreams for problem solving and artistic
inspiration

2.1.5 Healing

The effects of visual imagery on the body are well-established. Just as skill practice
in a dream can enhance waking performance, healing dream imagery may improve
physical health. Medical patients have often used soothing and positive imagery to
alleviate pain, and the dream world offers the most vivid form of imagery. Thus,
some people have use lucid dreams in overcoming phobias, working with grief,
decreasing social and sexual anxieties, achieving greater self-confidence and by
directing the body image in the dream to facilitate physical healing. The
applications, which are described in greater detail in EWLD, deserve clinical study,
as they may be the greatest boon that lucid dreaming has to offer. Other potential
healing applications of lucid dreaming include: practice of physical skills by stroke
and spinal cord injury patients to encourage recovery of neuromuscular function,
enjoyment of sexual satisfaction by people with lower body sensory loss (fully
satisfying dream sex requires only mental stimulation!), more rapid recovery from
injury or disease through the use of lucid dream imagery, and an increased sense of
freedom for anyone who feels limited by disability or circumstance.

2.1.6 Transcendence

The experience of being in a lucid dream clearly demonstrates the astonishing fact
that the world we see is a construct of our minds. This concept, so elusive when
sought in waking life, is the cornerstone of spiritual teachings. It forces us to look
beyond everyday experience and ask, "If this is not real, what is?" Lucid dreaming,
by so baldly baring a truth that many spend lives seeking, often triggers spiritual
questioning in people who try it for far more mundane purposes. Not only does lucid
dreaming lead to questioning the nature of reality, but for many it also has been a
source of transcendent experience. Exalted and ecstatic states are common in lucid
dreams. EWLD presents several cases of individuals achieving states of union with
the Highest, great peace and a new sense of their roles in life.

2.2 CAN LUCID DREAMING BE DANGEROUS?

The overwhelming majority of lucid dreams are positive, rewarding experiences.
Moreover, lucidity in unpleasant dreams or nightmares can transform habitual fear
into conscious courage. The simple state of lucidity is frequently enough to elevate
the mood of a dreamer in a nightmare. In a study of the effect of lucid dreams on
mood, college students reported that realizing they were dreaming in a nightmare
helped them feel better about 60 percent of the time. Lucidity was seven times more
likely to make nightmares better than worse.

A parallel concern is that dying in a dream can cause death in reality. If this were
true, how would we know? Anyone who died from a dream could not tell us about
its content. Many people, after awakening alive, report having died in their dreams
with no ill effect. Dreams of death can actually be insightful experiences about life,
rebirth, and transcendence.

Some people believe that dreams are messages from the unconscious mind and
should not be consciously altered. Modern research on dreaming, discussed further
in chapter 5 of EWLD, suggests that dreams are not messages, but models of the
world. While awake, sensory and perceptual information governs our model. While
dreaming, our bodies are paralyzed and our brain builds a world model based on a
secondary source; namely, our assumptions, motivations, and expectations. These
biases are difficult to identify while awake, so a world based entirely on such
biases, the world of dreams, can help us to recognize them. Thus, dreams are not
messages, but are more like clues into the inner workings of our minds. The
conscious and critical awareness that accompanies lucid dreams allows dreamers to
thoughtfully interpret their dreams while they happen.

Finally, some people worry that lucid dreams are so exciting and pleasurable that
they will become addicted and "sleep their life away." There is a biological
obstacle to living in lucid dreams: we have a limited amount of REM sleep. More
importantly, lucid dreams can be inspirations for how to act and improve in reality.
Your behavior strongly influences your experience in both worlds. Lucid dreams can
be signposts for how you can make your waking reality more exciting and enjoyable.

3.1 CAN EVERYONE LEARN TO HAVE LUCID DREAMS?

Lucid dreaming is a skill you can develop, like learning a new language. A few
individuals may have an innate talent for achieving lucidity, yet even they can benefit
from instruction and practice in making the most of their lucid dreams. Many more
people experience lucidity as a rare spontaneous event, but need training to enjoy
lucid dreams at will. The best predictor of success with lucid dreaming is the ability
to remember dreams. This, too, is a skill you can develop. With specific techniques,
you can increase the quantity and quality of your dream recall, which will in turn
greatly increase your ability to have lucid dreams.

3.2 HOW DO I LEARN TO HAVE LUCID DREAMS?

The two essentials to learning lucid dreaming are motivation and effort. Although
most people report occasional spontaneous lucid dreams, they rarely occur without
our intending it. Lucid dream induction techniques help focus intention and prepare a
critical mind. They range from millennium-old Tibetan exercises to modern methods
developed by dream researchers. Try the following techniques and feel free to use
personal variants. Experiment, observe, and persevere - lucid dreaming is easier
than you may think.

3.2.1 Dream Recall

The most important prerequisite for learning lucid dreaming is excellent dream
recall. There are two likely reasons for this. First, when you remember your dreams
well, you can become familiar with their features and patterns. This helps you to
recognize them as dreams while they are still happening. Second, it is possible that
with poor dream recall, you may actually have lucid dreams that you do not
remember!

The procedure for improving your dream recall is fully detailed in A
Course in Lucid Dreaming in addition to many other books on dreams.
The core exercise is writing down everything you recall about your dreams in a
dream journal immediately after waking from the dream, no matter how fragmentary
your recall. Record what you recall immediately upon waking from the dream; if you
wait until morning you are likely to forget most, if not all, of the dream. In A Course
in Lucid Dreaming we advise that people build their dream recall to at least one
dream recalled per night before proceeding with lucid dream induction techniques.

/lucid/nova.htm

3.2.2 Reality Testing

This is a good technique for beginners. Assign yourself several times a day to
perform the following exercise. Also do it anytime you think of it, especially when
something odd occurs or when you are reminded of dreams. It helps to choose
specific occasions like: when you see your face in the mirror, look at your watch,
arrive at work or home, pick up your NovaDreamer, etc. The more frequently and
thoroughly you practice this technique, the better it will work.

1.Do a reality test.
Carry some text with you or wear a digital watch throughout the day. To do a
reality test, read the words or the numbers on the watch. Then, look away and
look back, observing the letters or numbers to see if they change. Try to make
them change while watching them. Research shows that text changes 75% of the
time it is re-read once and changes 95% it is re-read twice. If the characters do
change, or are not normal, or do not make sense, then you are most probably
dreaming. Enjoy! If the characters are normal, stable, and sensible, then you
probably aren't dreaming. Go on to step 2.

2.Imagine that your surroundings are a dream.
If you are fairly certain you are awake (you can never be 100% sure!), then say
to yourself, "I may not be dreaming now, but if I were, what would it be like?"
Visualize as vividly as possible that you are dreaming. Intently imagine that
what you are seeing, hearing, smelling, feeling is all a dream. Imagine
instabilities in your environment, words changing, scenes transforming, perhaps
you floating off the ground. Create in yourself the feeling that you are in a
dream. Holding that feeling, go on to step 3.

3.Visualize yourself enjoying a dream activity.
Decide on something you would like to do in your next lucid dream, perhaps
flying, talking to particular dream characters, or just exploring the dream world.
Continue to imagine that you are dreaming now, and visualize yourself enjoying
your chosen activity.

3.2.3 Dreamsigns

Another dream-recall related exercise further developed in A Course in Lucid Dreaming is
identifying "dreamsigns." This term, coined by
LaBerge, refers to elements of dreams that indicate that you are dreaming.
(Examples: miraculous flight, purple cats, malfunctioning devices, and meeting
deceased people.) By studying your dreams you can become familiar with your own
personal dreamsigns and set your mind to recognize them and become lucid in future
dreams. The Course also provides exercises for noticing dreamsigns while you are
awake, so that the skill carries over into your dreams. This exercise also applies to
lucid dream induction devices, which give sensory cues--special,
artificially-produced dreamsigns--while you are dreaming. To succeed at
recognizing these cues in dreams, you need to practice looking for them and
recognizing them while you are awake.

3.2.4 Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD)

The MILD technique employs prospective memory, remembering to do something
(notice you're dreaming) in the future. Dr. LaBerge developed this technique for his
doctoral dissertation and used it to achieve lucid dreaming at will. The proper time
to practice MILD is after awakening from a dream, before returning to sleep.

1.Setup dream recall.
Set your mind to awaken from dreams and recall them. When you awaken from
a dream, recall it as completely as you can.

2.Focus your intent.
While returning to sleep, concentrate single-mindedly on your intention to
remember to recognize that you're dreaming. Tell yourself: "Next time I'm
dreaming, I will remember I'm dreaming," repeatedly, like a mantra. Put real
meaning into the words and focus on this idea alone. If you find yourself
thinking about anything else, let it go and bring your mind back to your intention.

3.See yourself becoming lucid.
As you continue to focus on your intention to remember when you're dreaming,
imagine that you are back in the dream from which you just awakened (or
another one you have had recently if you didn't remember a dream on
awakening). Imagine that this time you recognize that you are dreaming. Look
for a dreamsign--something in the dream that demonstrates plainly that it is a
dream. When you see it say to yourself: "I'm dreaming!" and continue your
fantasy. Imagine yourself carrying out your plans for your next lucid dream. For
example, if you want to fly in your lucid dream, imagine yourself flying after
you come to the point in your fantasy when you become lucid.

4.Repeat until your intention is set.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until either you fall asleep or are sure that your intention is
set. If, while falling asleep, you find yourself thinking of anything else, repeat
the procedure so that the last thing in your mind before falling asleep is your
intention to remember to recognize the next time you are dreaming.

3.2.5 Napping

Two observations led to the development of napping as a method of lucid dream
induction. First, LaBerge noticed that lucidity seemed to come easier in afternoon
naps. The second suggestion same from several lucid dreamers who noted that
certain activities during the night appeared to induce lucid dreaming. The disparate
qualities of these interruptions: sex, vomiting, and pure meditation, piqued LaBerge's
curiosity regarding what feature each might possess conducive to lucidity. The
answer proved to be quite simple: wakefulness interjected during sleep increases the
likelihood of lucidity. In fact, the nap technique, refined through several NightLight
experiments, is an extremely powerful method of stimulating lucid dreams. The
technique requires you to awaken one hour earlier than usual, stay awake for 30 to
60 minutes, then go back to sleep. One study showed a 15 to 20 times increased
likelihood of lucid dreaming for those practicing the nap technique over no
technique. During the wakeful period, read about lucid dreaming, practice reality
checks and then do MILD as you are falling asleep. The Lucidity Institute's summer
retreat program at Stanford incorporates this technique into the program, and is one
of the reasons why most participants have experienced lucid dreams during the
session.

3.3 HOW QUICKLY CAN I LEARN LUCID DREAMING?

The speed with which you develop the skill of lucid dreaming depends on many
individual factors. How well do you recall dreams? How much time can you give to
practicing mental exercises? Do you use a lucid dream induction device? Do you
practice diligently? Do you have a well developed critical thinking faculty? And so
on.

Case histories may provide a more tangible picture of the process of learning lucid
dreaming. Dr. LaBerge increased his frequency of lucid dreaming from about one per
month to up to four a night (at which point he could have lucid dreams at will) over
the course of three years. He was studying lucid dreaming for his doctoral
dissertation and therefore needed to learn to have them on demand as quickly as
possible. On the other hand, he had to invent techniques for improving lucid
dreaming skills. Thus, people starting now, although they may not be as strongly
motivated as LaBerge or have the same quantity of time to devote to it, have the
advantage of the tested techniques, training programs, and electronic biofeedback
aids that have been created in the two decades since LaBerge began his studies.

Lynne Levitan, staff writer for the Lucidity Institute, describes her experiences with
learning lucid dreaming as follows:

"I first heard of lucid dreaming in April of 1982, when I took a course
from Dr. LaBerge at Stanford University. I had had the experience many
years before and was very interested to learn to do it again, as well as to
get involved in the research. First I had to develop my dream recall,
because at the time I only remembered two or three dreams per week. In a
couple of months I was recalling 3 to 4 or more per night, and in July
(about three months after starting) I had my first lucid dream since
adolescence. I worked at it on and off for the next four years (not sleeping
much as a student) and reached the level of 3 to 4 lucid dreams per week.
Along the way, I tested several prototypes of the DreamLight lucid dream
induction device and they clearly helped me to become more proficient at
realizing when I was dreaming. During the first two years that we were
developing the DreamLight, I had lucid dreams on half of the nights I used
one of these devices, compared to once a week or less without. In
considering how long it took me to get really good at lucid dreaming, note
that I did not have the benefit of the thoroughly studied and explained
techniques now available either, because the research had not yet been
done nor the material written. Therefore, people now should be able to
accomplish the same learning in far less time given, of course, sufficient
motivation."

3.4 WHAT TECHNOLOGY IS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST LUCID
DREAMING TRAINING?

The Lucidity Institute offers several electronic devices that help people have lucid
dreams. They were developed through laboratory research at Stanford University by
LaBerge, Levitan, and others. The basic principle behind all of these devices is as
follows: the primary task confronting someone who wishes to have a lucid dream is
to remember that intention while in a dream. One of the best ways to increase a
person's chances of having a lucid dream is to give a reminder to the person during
REM sleep. In the lab, we found that flashing light cues worked well in that they
tended to incorporate into ongoing dreams without causing awakening. You may
have noticed that occasional bits of sensory information are filtered into your dreams
in disguised form, like a clock radio as supermarket music or a chain saw as the
sound of a thunderstorm. This is the same principle used by our lucid dream
induction devices: the lights or sounds from the device filter into the user's dreams.
In cases of very deep sleepers, we found that it was sometimes necessary to use
sound as well as light to get the cues into dreams. The dreamer's task is to notice the
flashing lights in the dream and remember that they are cues to become lucid.
Because we could not possibly accommodate everyone who wants to come into the
sleep lab for a lucid dream induction session and most people would rather sleep at
home anyway, we worked for several years to develop a comfortable, portable
device that would detect REM sleep and deliver a cue tailored to the individual
user's needs.
/lucid/nova.htm

The DreamLight and NovaDreamer lucid dream induction devices work by giving
flashing light or sound cues when the user is dreaming. Users modify the device
settings to find a cue with the right intensity and length to enter their dreams without
causing awakening. In addition, device users practice mental exercises while awake
to enhance their ability to recognize the light cues when they appear in dreams. Both
devices include a soft, comfortable sleep mask, which contains the flashing lights, a
speaker, and an eye movement detection apparatus. The DreamLight's CPU is in a
book-sized box attached to the mask by a cable. The NovaDreamer's electronics are
all inside the sleep mask. The DreamLight and NovaDreamer detect the rapid eye
movements of REM sleep, when the wearer is likely to be dreaming, and give cues
when the level of eye movement activity is high enough.

The lucidity cues of the DreamLight and NovaDreamer are intended to enter into
ongoing dreams. This can occur in several ways. Cues can be superimposed over the
dream scene, like a light flashing in one's face, or they can briefly interrupt the dream
scene. The most common (and most difficult to identify) incorporation of cues is into
dream stories. Little brothers flashing the room lights, flash bulbs, lightning, traffic
signals, police car lights: all are real examples of incorporations of DreamLight or
NovaDreamer cues. The trickiness of cue appearances underscores the need to
thoroughly prepare one's mind to recognize cues via waking practice. The Lucidity
Institute has a little gizmo that can assist with this, called the P.E.S.T.

These lucid dream induction devices offer a second method of lucid dream
stimulation. This method arose out of the discovery that while sleeping with the
DreamLight, people frequently dreamed that they awakened wearing the device, and
pressed the button on the front of the mask to start the "delay," a feature that disables
cues while you are drifting off to sleep. Ordinarily, a button press would cause a
beep to tell you that you had successfully pressed it. However, people were
reporting that the button was not working in the middle of the night. Actually, they
were dreaming that they were awakening and pressing the button, and the button did
not work because it was a dream version of the DreamLight. Dream versions of
devices are notorious for not working normally. Once people were advised that
failure of the button in the middle of the night was a sign that they were probably
dreaming, they were able to use this "dreamsign" reliably to become lucid during
"false awakenings" with the DreamLight. This "reality test" button turned out to be so
useful that it became an important part of all the lucid dream induction devices
developed by the Lucidity Institute. Research suggests that about half of the lucid
dreams stimulated by the devices result from using the button for reality tests.

3.4.1 The DreamLight

The first lucid dream induction device developed by the Lucidity Institute was the
DreamLight. It is essentially a microcomputer dedicated to processing signal data
from the user's eye and body movements and employing algorithms to deliver cues at
optimal times for successful lucid dream induction. Other features include a "Dream
Alarm" to boost dream recall, the ability to record the number of dreams you recall
during the night, and an alarm clock. It can store several nights of sleep data and
therefore can serve as a convenient portable sleep laboratory. The device consists of
a sleep mask with cueing and detection apparatus, a separate CPU (book-sized) and
a cable. The DreamLight can be specially programmed to meet the needs of research
protocols. Available from the LI catalog.
/lucid/nova.htm

3.4.2 The NovaDreamer

As there are many people interested in lucid dreaming who don't need the data
collection and programmable features of the DreamLight, we used new advances in
microcomputer technology to create the NovaDreamer. It also uses REM detection to
time the delivery of lucidity cue and provides feedback on the number of cues given.
It includes the "Dream Alarm" feature to boost dream recall. Unlike the DreamLight,
all of the hardware is contained within the soft sleep mask. Users have a choice of a
wide selection of cues and receive feedback on the number of cues they receive
during a sleep period.
/lucid/nova.htm

3.4.3 The SuperNova Software Package

The recent advent of the SuperNova NovaDreamer software package enables
NovaDreamer owners to add flexibility and power approaching that of the
DreamLight to their NovaDreamers. Combined with the SuperNova interface box
which connects to the NovaDreamer, the software enables the NovaDreamer user to
keep complete records of sleep data, including timing of REM periods, cues,
settings, results and dream reports. Data can be compiled to show trends. The
Macintosh or Windows 95 software also streamlines the process of setting the
NovaDreamer by allowing the user to see all settings at once and upload a complete
set to the device from the computer. Individuals sharing a device can keep separate
settings files and records. Thus, the SuperNova package is useful not only for
amateur lucid dream development but also for research purposes. See Keelin's
"Adventures with the NovaDreamer" for a first hand account of working with this
device. Available from the LI catalog. Available from the LI catalog.

3.4.4 The P.E.S.T.

The Programmable Electronic State Tester (P.E.S.T.) is a pesky little device that
facilitates the daytime mental practice necessary for lucid dreaming. One of the
challenges of learning lucid dream is remembering to question reality several times a
day. The P.E.S.T. helps by prompting the user to perform reality tests with randomly
timed alarms. Randomness prevents the habituation that results when stimuli occur at
regular intervals. (This is why, for example, you stop noticing you watch beep when
it is set to chime on the hour.) The P.E.S.T. was designed to look like a beeper and
deliver silent (vibratory) alarms so that your co-workers don't wonder why you are
doing "reality tests" all the time. After you have conditioned yourself to do reality
tests when you feel the P.E.S.T.'s reminders, you can connect it to a NovaDreamer so
that you get reminded when you're dreaming. Available from the LI catalog.
/lucid/nova.htm

3.4.5 The DreamSpeaker

The DreamSpeaker is used with a NovaDreamer (or DreamLight) to play a digitally
recorded message during REM sleep. The message can function as a lucidity cue, as
well as a reminder of your desired goals. For example, if you want to fly when you
become lucid, you might record a message such as, "I'm dreaming and now I can
fly!"

The DreamSpeaker is comprised of two components: a battery-operated control unit
and a pillow speaker. The control unit is a small black box containing a microphone
and the electronics necessary for digital sound recording and interfacing with a
REM-detecting device. The control box is connected to the NovaDreamer by means
of another cable, and the speaker is placed unobtrusively under one's pillow. You
make a recording (up to 90 seconds in length) by pressing a button on the control unit
and speaking into the microphone. Later that night... when the NovaDreamer
determines that you are dreaming, you receive a light cue from the mask which,
thanks to the DreamSpeaker, is reinforced as a lucidity trigger by words heard
during the dream. See "Pillow Talk: Announcing the DreamSpeaker" for a short
history of attempts to influence dreams by means of sound and speech applied to
sleepers and an introduction to this talking Sandman.

3.5 HOW WELL DO LUCID DREAM INDUCTION DEVICES WORK?

The Lucidity Institute's lucid dream induction devices are designed to help people
achieve lucidity by giving them cues while they are dreaming and also by providing
a reliable means of testing one's state of consciousness. They do not make people
have lucid dreams any more than exercise machines make people develop strong
muscles. In both cases the goal, strength or lucid dreams, results from practice. The
machines accelerate the process. Several factors enter into success with one of these
devices. One is how accurately the cues are coordinated with the user's REM sleep.
The devices' REM detection systems are adjustable to individual variables. Another
success factor is how well the cues enter into the dream without awakening the
sleeper. A third factor is how prepared the user is for recognizing cues in dreams
and becoming lucid. Finally, the user's commitment to performing a reality test on
each awakening with the device influences success. All four of these factors are, to
some extent, controllable by the device user: adjustment of eye movement sensitivity
to catch REM sleep, selecting a cue that enters dreams without causing awakenings,
mental preparation to recognize cues in dreams, and resolution to do reality tests.
Therefore, it is difficult to obtain a truly accurate measurement of the effectiveness
of the devices. Nonetheless, research with various versions of the DreamLight have
shown that it definitely helps people have more frequent lucid dreams.

Because expectation makes lucid dreaming more likely, one might wonder whether
the DreamLight is any more effective than a placebo. A study recently published in
Dreaming proved that it is. In brief, fourteen experienced DreamLight users were
exposed to two conditions: light cues or no light cues. Subjects thought they were
testing two different light cues and did not know their nightly condition (making
motivation and expectations constant). Thus, the study examined how much the
DreamLight's light cues specifically contributed to the achievement of lucid dreams.
More people had lucid dreams on nights when they received light cues (73% versus
27%). Lucid dream frequency was three times greater on nights with cues (one lucid
dream every three nights versus one in eleven nights without cues).

An earlier study with a different version of the DreamLight showed a five-fold
increase in lucid dreaming frequency when people used the Mnemonic Induction of
Lucid Dreaming (MILD) mental technique in conjunction with the device, compared
with using no device and no mental technique. Using the device without mental
techniques worked about as well as just using the mental technique; both cases were
an improvement over using nothing.

In summary, at this stage the lucid dream induction devices can definitely help
people to have lucid dreams, or to have more of them. Important factors contributing
to success are good dream recall (the DreamLight and NovaDreamer also can be
used to boost dream recall with the "Dream Alarm feature"), diligent mental
preparation, and careful adjustment of the device to meet individual needs for cueing
and REM detection. No device yet exists that will make a person have a lucid
dream.

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3.6 ARE THERE ANY DRUGS OR NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS THAT
STIMULATE LUCID DREAMS?

A number of substances have been suggested to enhance the likelihood of lucid
dreaming, from vitamins to prescription drugs. There are few good scientific studies
to test such claims. Lucid dreaming is highly subject to the placebo effect; the belief
that something will stimulate a lucid dream is very effective! This is not to say that
there are not substances that do, in fact, promote lucid dreaming. We are interested
in discovering such and welcome observations from fellow dreamers. At this time,
however, we do not endorse any substances for inducing lucid dreams. Many
prescription drugs as well as marijuana and alcohol alter the sleep cycle, usually by
suppressing REM sleep. This leads to a phenomenon called "REM rebound," in
which a person experiences intense, long REM periods after the drug has worn off.
This can manifest as nightmares or, possibly, as lucid dreaming, since the brain is
highly active. Drugs in the LSD family, including psilocybin and tryptamines actually
stimulate REM sleep (in doses small enough to allow sleep), leading to longer REM
periods. We do not recommend the use of drugs without proper guidance nor do we
urge the breaking of laws.

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3.7 HOW CAN I PREVENT WAKING UP AS SOON AS I BECOME LUCID?

Beginning lucid dreamers often have the problem of waking up right after becoming
lucid. This obstacle may prevent some people from realizing the value of lucid
dreaming. Fortunately there are ways to overcome this problem.

The first is to remain calm in the dream. Becoming lucid is exciting, but expressing
the excitement can awaken you. It is possible to enjoy the thrill that accompanies the
dawning of lucidity without allowing the activation to overwhelm you. Be like a
poker player with an ideal hand. Relax and engage with the dream rather than
withdrawing into your inner joy of accomplishment.

Then, if the dream shows signs of ending, such as a loss of detail, vividness, and
apparent reality of the imagery, the technique of "spinning" can often restore the
dream. You spin your dream body around like a child trying to get dizzy. LaBerge
developed this technique after experimenting with the idea that relaxing completely
might help prevent awakening from a dream. When in a lucid dream that was fading,
he stopped and dropped backwards to the floor, and had a false awakening in bed!
After a few trials he determined that the essential element was the sensation of
motion, not relaxation. The best way to create a feeling of movement, especially in
the dream scene has vanished, leaving nowhere to move to, is to create angular
momentum (or the sensation of it), by spinning around your axis. You are not really
doing it, but your brain is well familiar with the experience of spinning and
duplicates the experience quite well. In the process the vestibular and kinesthetic
senses are engaged. Presumably, this sensory engagement with the dream
discourages the brain from changing state from dreaming to waking. Note that dream
spinning does not usually lead to dizziness. Be aware that the expectation of possible
awakening sometimes leads to a "false awakening" in which you dream of waking.
The vividness of the spinning sensation may cause you to feel your spinning arm hit
the bed. You think, "Oops, I'm awake in bed now." Think now--your physical body
wasn't really spinning, it was your dream body--therefore, the arm is a dream arm
hitting a dream bed! To avoid being deceived, recite, "The next scene will be a
dream," until a scene appears. If you are in doubt about your status, perform a
thorough reality test.

Research at the Lucidity Institute has proven the effectiveness of spinning: the odds
in favor of continuing the lucid dream were about 22 to 1 after spinning, 13 to 1 after
hand rubbing (another technique designed to prevent awakening), and 1 to 2 after
"going with the flow" (a "control" task). That makes the relative odds favoring
spinning over going with the flow 48 to 1, and for rubbing over going with the flow,
27 to 1.

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4.1 WHAT ARE THE BEST RESOURCES FOR LEARNING MORE ABOUT
LUCID DREAMING?

Over the past fifteen years, exercises, techniques and training materials have been
developed and refined to the point where most anyone can learn to have lucid
dreams if they are willing to devote time and effort. The Lucidity Institute offers
lucid dreaming training through several modalities. To start, most bookstores carry
the book Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming (EWLD) by LaBerge and
Rheingold (Ballantine, 1990), or you can order it online from Altered States
It presents a step-by-step training program with
exercises and an introduction to the various possible applications of lucid dreaming.
The Lucidity Institute's A Course in Lucid Dreaming provides a more thorough
training program with five units of exercises and a workbook for tracking your
progress. EWLD is the textbook for the Course.

There are several other good resources, although caution is in order when buying
books on lucid dreaming. Some are poorly researched and present claims or methods
that have not been rigorously tested. Below is a list of books and audio tapes that we
have found valuable for introducing the facts about lucid dreaming, conveying
something of the experience, or assisting with training. Some excerpts from the
books are available on The Lucidity Institute website.
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LUCID DREAMING
By Stephen LaBerge, Ph.D., (Ballantine, 1986; ISBN 0-345-33355-1)
This is the seminal work that first brought lucid dreaming to the attention of the
general public and legitimized it as a valuable field of scientific inquiry. It is still the
best general reference on lucid dreaming and a pleasure to read. The phenomenon of
lucid dreaming is explored from many angles, beginning with the history of the
practice in human cultures. LaBerge describes the early days of the scientific
research and tells the story of his successful challenge of the established school of
thought in sleep research, which held that awareness while dreaming was
impossible. He discusses many methods of lucid dream induction, including the way
he taught himself to have several lucid dreams per night. Other topics covered
include: contemporary theories of the function of dreaming "Dreaming, Function, and
Meaning", applications of lucid dreaming, the relationship of lucid dreaming to
out-of-body and near-death experiences, and the possibility of using lucid dreaming
as a gateway or stepping stone on the path to spiritual enlightenment. See Annotated
Table of Contents for more details. Available from the LI catalog or Amazon.com.

EXPLORING THE WORLD OF LUCID DREAMING
By Stephen LaBerge, Ph.D. and Howard Rheingold (Ballantine, 1990)
A practical guide for lucid dreamers. The first half of the book establishes a basic
understanding of sleep and dreams, followed by a progressive series of exercises for
developing lucid dreaming skills. These include cataloging "dreamsigns," your
personal landmarks that tell you when you are dreaming, the Reflection-Intention and
MILD techniques for becoming lucid within the dream and methods of falling asleep
consciously based on ancient Tibetan Yoga practices. Induction methods are
followed by practical advice on maintaining and guiding lucid dreams. After
presenting the lucid dream induction techniques, Dr. LaBerge explains his
understanding of the origin of dreams, founded on current views in the sciences of
consciousness and cognition. This provides a foundation for the methods of
employing lucid dreams to enhance your life, which are detailed in the second half of
the book. The applications considered are: adventures and explorations, rehearsal
for living, creative problem solving, overcoming nightmares, healing, and discovery
of expanded awareness and spiritual experience. Many delightful and illuminating
anecdotes from lucid dreamers illustrate the use of lucid dreams for each
application.
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A COURSE IN LUCID DREAMING
By Stephen LaBerge and Lynne Levitan (Lucidity Institute, 1995)
This is a comprehensive home-study training program in lucid dreaming. It takes you
from the beginning stages of improving your dream recall and becoming familiar
with the hallmarks of your dreams, through several different techniques for
increasing your ability to have lucid dream, to mastery of the art of lucid dreaming.
All known methods of lucid dream induction are covered. Many focusing exercises
help you develop the mental powers needed to become an expert lucid dreamer.
Charts and logs assist you in assessing your skill level and monitoring your progress.
The Course has five Units and takes a minimum of four months to complete. The
textbook is Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming.

CONTROLLING YOUR DREAMS
By Stephen LaBerge, Ph.D. (Audio Renaissance Tapes, Inc., 1987, 60 minutes)
This audio cassette tape captures the essence of Dr. LaBerge's public lectures on
lucid dreaming. It is highly informative and inspirational. Use it as an excellent
introduction to the topic or a concise refresher. Dr. LaBerge begins by portraying the
experience of lucid dreaming. He then presents methods for learning the skill,
including the powerful MILD technique. The descriptions he gives of possible
applications of lucid dreaming, from creative problem solving and rehearsal for
living, to overcoming nightmares and achieving greater psychological integration,
will encourage you to learn this valuable skill.

THE LUCID DREAMER
By Malcolm Godwin (Simon & Schuster, 1994)
Beautifully illustrated with nearly 200 full-color and black-and-white illustrations of
little known dream masks and Zen paintings, Aboriginal Australian art, North
American paintings, and works by modern native primitives, Surrealists, and
schizophrenics. The text is a well-written, thoughtful, and inspiring survey of lucid
dreaming as viewed primarily from a philsophical and mystical perspective.
Discounted at Amazon.com.
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TRANCE INDUCTION OF LUCID DREAMING
By Stephen LaBerge, Ph.D. (The Lucidity Institute, 1993, 40 minutes)
Dr. LaBerge's trance induction is designed to help you create a mind-set in which
lucid dreaming will happen easily. The hypnotic induction begins with progressive
relaxation accompanied by guided visualization of calming images. Once you have
attained a peaceful state of mind, Dr. LaBerge gives you suggestions for building
confidence that you will succeed at having lucid dreams. You are guided in devising
a personal symbol to help you to recognize when you are dreaming. Musical
accompaniment by Robert Rich. See the LI catalog for more information and to
order.
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4.3 WHAT IS THE LUCIDITY INSTITUTE?

The Lucidity Institute is a small business founded and directed by Dr. LaBerge. Its
goals are to make lucid dreaming known to the public and accessible to anyone
interested, to support research on lucid dreaming and other states of consciousness,
and to study potential applications of lucid dreaming. The Lucidity Institute sells
books, tapes, and devices. Any profits are used to support further research on
dreaming and consciousness. We have a membership society with an annual
newsletter (NightLight) that provides information on the latest developments in
lucid dreaming research and training and offers opportunities for participation in
ongoing research. You are invited to get involved! To sign up on our mailing list (for
web site updates, events, experiments, new product announcements and special
offers), you can complete a short online form for the Lucidity Institute mailing list.

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4.4 WHAT QUALIFIES THE LUCIDITY INSTITUTE TO WRITE THIS
FAQ?

On the internet, anyone can play "expert", and there are several FAQs on dreaming
and lucid dreaming. Which FAQ is authoritive? What qualifies the Lucidity Institute
to write this FAQ? Why should readers take its contents any more or less seriously
than those of other FAQs? These are all reasonable questions to ask. This FAQ was
written by LI staff (primarily Lynne Levitan) and Stephen LaBerge. Dr. LaBerge has
had more than 20 years of relevant personal and professional experience, having
received his Ph.D. in Psychophysiology from Stanford University for his pioneering
laboratory research on lucid dreaming. During the course of his dissertation study he
learned to have lucid dreams at will, and has recorded more than a thousand lucid
dreams which he has used for personal growth and exploration as described in his
books Lucid Dreaming and EWLD. His contributions to lucid dreaming
methodology include developing lucid dream induction techniques (e.g., MILD, the
counting technique for falling asleep consciously, and early morning napping), the
spinning and hand-rubbing technique for stabilizing lucid dreams, and various lucid
dream induction devices such as the DreamLight and NovaDreamer. His scientific
contributions include using eye-movement signals to prove the reality of lucid
dreams, characterizing the basic physiology of lucid dreams (and coining the terms
DILD and WILD), and showing through a variety of experiments that lucid dream
actions affect the brain (and to a lesser extent the body) as-if they were actually
happening. Lynne Levitan has also had many years of personal and professional
experience with lucid dreaming and wrote many of the articles in NightLight.

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4.6 WHAT ARE THE LUCIDITY INSTITUTE'S CURRENT RESEARCH
PROJECTS?

The Lucidity Institute's research currently has three foci. These are: the mapping of
brain activity during the initiation of lucidity, the study of Tibetan Dream yoga
methods of inducing and manipulating lucid dreams, and the development of expert
explorers of states of consciousness.

The brain mapping project is an extension of prior research into the
psychophysiology of the lucid dream state, which found that high central nervous
system activation is a prerequisite for lucidity. The goal is to identify which brain
areas are activated during the onset of reflective consciousness in the REM sleep
state. With this knowledge, we may be able to develop methods of easily and
reliably inducing lucid dreams whenever desired, using biofeedback or direct
stimulation.

The study of Tibetan Buddhist techniques of lucid dreaming is aimed at making use
of the thousand years of experience accumulated by this tradition. Literature
currently available is couched in esoteric language from which it is difficult to
discriminate useful techniques from culture-bound ritual. Through our annual
newsletter NightLight and laboratory experiments, we are testing the effectiveness
of lucid dream induction methods found in the Dream Yoga doctrines.

The third aspect of our work is part of the long term goal of the Lucidity Institute to
foster understanding of all types of higher states of consciousness. The purpose of
this project is to assemble and train a group of individuals with extensive experience
in meditation, lucid dreaming, hypnosis, and other altered states to facilitate study of
these states' mind-body relations and potential applications and benefits.