We live in an age where we can find information about pretty much everything under the sun. However, there are still a few areas that are still a mystery to all of us, and dreaming is certainly one of those. We often have dreams and nightmares that feel real and confuse us and we can spend ages perplexed, wondering what it all means, and why we have no control over them. Or do we? Ever wonder what it would be like to have dreams as vivid as those depicted in Inception? Sure, the movie might have been operating on a pretty oblique level in terms of what the storyline was, but the characters did seem to be dreaming a lot – and finding themselves stuck in their enemies or lovers’ dreams. Lucid dreaming is kind of like that. It entails a process wherein you not only remember your dreams when you wake up, you are aware enough as you sleep to be deeply aware of what you are doing in your dreams – to the extent that you can change certain things. This technique has been proven to help people cultivate a deeper awareness of themselves, and may even allow them to feel a calm that alludes them most of the time.
Read on if you’d like to learn more about how lucid dreaming can change your life for the better.
Delve into Your Subconscious
So much happens in the subterranean areas of our brain, buried deep in the subconscious. Due to our hectic schedules, general worries about life, and other practical reasons, it’s hard to understand on a deep level what our subconscious is trying to tell us. Our fears and loves reside in this part of our brain – through lucid dreaming, you can access this important information, and over time, gain a better understanding of yourself and how to handle issues that have been troubling you. Our subconscious minds are often overlooked and it’s important if you want to really understand and have a hold to create lucid dreaming experiences, that you know more about what the subconscious mind stands for.
Tackle Common Fears
We all have certain fears- some we understand, and some come from an experience or thoughts that perhaps we have no idea about just yet. If you have certain phobias, or, say, a fear of public speaking like so many people, lucid dreaming will help you make sense of a great deal and give you the confidence needed to conquer them. A beginner’s guide to lucid dreaming helps to explain your subconscious mind brings these demons to the fore as a way to help you mind sort things out. By nailing down the tactic, you will be able to process your fears in a way that is healthy and allowing your mind to sort itself out. In fact, you might feel a measure of relief from common ailments such as anxiety and depression as a result. While it may seem terrifying and certainly challenging at first, you’ll soon discover that lucid dreaming will go a great way to helping you understand and overcome your fears and phobias.
Practice Real-Life Scenarios
Getting the hang of lucid dreaming will allow you to perform a task that would have previously seemed all but impossible: you can practice real-life scenarios in your head, and guide the process till you get the results you’re after. When you learn to control the dream, you can rehearse virtually any scenario, such as giving a work presentation, pretending to be more confident in front of a crowd, and so on. These scenarios can take new shape in your subconscious, which will lead you to figure out the best approach in terms of solving the problems that ail you in your waking life. Surprisingly, dreams enable you to sort out the heaviest problems, without the fog of consciousness weighing you down.
Surviving Addiction
Addiction is something that many of us suffer with. It could range from small scale addictions to full-blown ones- but either way, they tend to take a negative impact on our lives regardless. Think of lucid dreaming as an intensive form of meditation or Yoga Nidra. Several studies affirm that, when used in conjunction with other therapies, particularly Cognitive Behavior Therapy, it can make the work of getting over alcohol or drug addiction a bit easier. It is a tangible way of training your body to work in conjunction with your brain and reign in different self-destructive impulses. Like everything else, a great deal of work is necessary, but it can be managed through diligence and patience.
Stronger Motor Skills
Many people struggle with their motor skills due to old age or being involved in an accident that rendered them weaker or unable to move the way they used to. It has become increasingly common to use lucid dreaming to aid in the physical rehabilitation of patients who were injured in a major accident or were hurt in a way that impeded their mental faculties to a degree, thus impairing their motor skills. Studies suggest that people struggling with certain physical disabilities can become better over time, with proper supervision.
Become More Mindful Overall
The practice of lucid dreaming can, somewhat ironically, teach you to be more present in the here and now. There is an element of letting go of many mundane worries that prohibit you from reaching your full potential that is intrinsic to this specific technique, which can grant you a sense of peace and calm when you most need it. With practice, you will become more mindful of what your subconscious is trying to tell you about yourself.
While lucid dreaming takes quite a bit of work to attain, it will undoubtedly be a boon to your sense of well-being and overall mental health. It is arguably the ultimate in self-care and will allow you to see yourself in a new light. Using lucid dreaming, you will be able to confront and conquer a number of issues that are plaguing your mind and bleeding into your everyday life.
