Are you dreaming right now?
You probably think that you aren't, but that's fine,
because that's the default.
Most of us, most of the time, assume we're awake.
However, roughly one in ten times, this conclusion is wrong.
Ignoring the time you spend unconscious,
in each 24 hours, 10% of your brain activity is spent dreaming.
So if you were to live to 80, you would spend
roughly six years being completely and utterly wrong
about the reality you're experiencing.
But there is an alternative to being wrong,
and it's called lucid dreaming.
And if you don't know what that means, then you're in the right place.
So hold onto your underpants, button up your bootstraps, and prepare for an intensive brain download.
It's time for you to receive a mind upgrade.
It's time for an intensive course on lucid dreaming.
Lucid dreaming is the ability to know that you are dreaming while dreaming.
That's it -- it's nothing more mystical than not being wrong.
Most of the time, we don't realise a dream was a dream until we wake up.
But in a lucid dream, that realisation occurs within the dream.
You wake up inside of the dream.
When you know that you are dreaming during a dream,
this allows you the chance to control the dream --
to dream whatever you want. However, being able to control
your dream is not lucid dreaming -- it's a skill you learn
after you learn how to lucid dream.
The word "lucid" means "to fill with light", or "to see clearly" --
and the term "lucid dreaming" was popularised by 20th century
Dutch writer and psychiatrist Frederik van Eeden.
Now, if you search for "lucid dreaming" on YouTube -- which you must have done,
because otherwise, you would not be here,
and that raises all sorts of weird philosophical questions --
then you will most certainly have found thousands of videos
of people claiming to teach you how to lucid dream.
However, most of the videos you will find are complete and utter over-hyped monkey smeg.
Firstly, any video that claims that you can lucid dream easily,
or lucid dream tonight, or lucid dream in five minutes, or one minute, or two minutes
is as dishonest as a man trying to sell you donkey nipples
and claiming they are diamonds.
So, you're an intelligent human being, and you're not easily fooled
by that kind of twaddle -- so what is the truth about lucid dreaming?
Firstly, lucid dreaming is a complex skill,
and like any other complex skill,
it will take time and effort to master.
Think of it like learning to play a musical instrument.
With the right training, it will take most people somewhere between one to four months
to experience their first lucid dream.
Sometimes it can be much sooner -- but this is an average.
So don't feel bad if you've fallen for the lies of the YouTube hype merchants
when you don't lucid dream tonight.
To become a regular lucid dreamer takes more time --
on average, a year of intensive practice
is the minimum required to get a real handle on the skill.
Lucid dreaming comes in two flavours.
These are called Wake Initiated Lucid Dreams (WILDs)
and Dream Initiated Lucid Dreams (DILDs).
These terms were coined by American sleep researcher
Dr Stephen LaBerge, and they refer to the two points of entry
into a lucid dream.
A Wake Initiated Lucid Dream is when you fall asleep consciously --
so the dream initiates from wakefulness.
And a Dream Initiated Lucid Dream is when you become aware that you are dreaming
during an already established dream --
so the lucid dream initiates from within the dream.
Neither WILD nor DILD are techniques --
they are just the two doorways into a lucid dream.
There are literally hundreds of techniques for lucid dreaming.
However, there is no such thing as a perfect, guaranteed technique.
Most lucid dreaming techniques started life in community forums,
and have not been scientifically studied.
Because of this, it is very hard to distinguish between reliable techniques
and nonsense dreamt up by bored, stoned teenage students
indiscriminately jizzing random ideas in a forum.
However, there are four core principles that are proven
to help induce a lucid dream.
These are: 1. Keeping a dream journal.
2. Performing regular reality checks -- which is nothing more than
seriously asking and testing if you are dreaming.
3. Interrupting your sleep to increase awareness during the night.
4. Focusing on something whilst returning to sleep
to maintain conscious awareness.
Most lucid dreaming techniques are variations on these basic principles,
so it is best to invent your own technique based upon these principles!
It is wise to always take everything you learn about lucid dreaming with a pinch of salt.
This is still a very new field of study,
and nothing is set in stone.
Experiment with techniques and principles
until you find what works for you.
With that said, if you're looking for a good place to start,
I would recommend using a combination of the Wake Back to Bed technique
and the Dreamwalker technique.
You can find videos covering these on this channel.
A lucid dream can only occur during REM,
or rapid eye movement sleep.
This is where the vast majority of dreaming occurs,
so remember, even the very best lucid dreaming techniques will fail
if you make your attempt when REM isn't about to occur.
Fortunately, for most people, REM is most common in the final
four hours of sleep -- so this makes for a really easy target.
One of the most common issues for lucid dreaming beginners
is to wake up only moments after becoming lucid.
This is perfectly normal, and not something to worry about.
Normally, this will correct itself with experience -- however,
if you want to help to avoid this, practicing relaxation
and meditation techniques are both good ways
to help quell the excitement that can wake beginners up.
Another useful technique to prolong your lucid dream
is to engage all your senses with the dream world.
If you feel that your lucid dream is unstable,
or you may be close to waking up,
sing, shout, touch the environment,
stamp your feet, or do whatever you can to fully engage in the dream.
Be careful: if you do wake up,
be sure to perform another reality check.
It is common for lucid dreamers to dream of waking up.
This is called a false awakening.
So even though you may think you've woken up,
all that has really happened is that your dream scene has changed
to mimic waking up. So don't fall victim to a false awakening,
and be ready for them when they happen.
On the flipside, if you want to wake up from a lucid dream,
do the exact opposite: withdraw from the dream,
close your dream eyes, and try to ignore everything in the dream environment.
This should lead to your awareness transferring back to your sleeping body.
Equally, a quick means to wake up from a lucid dream is to hold your breath --
although be aware that this can lead to quite an abrupt awakening.
Again, be ready to catch any false awakenings that might occur.
Some people are worried that lucid dreaming might lead to sleep paralysis --
those moments where you wake up and cannot move your body.
Sleep paralysis is rare, but completely natural.
If it does occur, don't worry.
Your body naturally enters a form of paralysis whenever you are dreaming,
only, occasionally, this may start before a dream or remain for a while afterwards.
Simply don't panic, and you will either wake up naturally
or slip back into a dream.
Sleep paralysis is a good opportunity to experience
a Wake Initiated Lucid Dream.
Again, if you want to wake up from sleep paralysis, some people report
holding their breath quickly ends the state.
There are currently no lucid dreaming pills
or lucid dreaming devices that will guarantee a lucid dream.
The nearest thing we have are pills that contain something called
acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, such as galantamine.
These pills increase your focus and memory,
and, in studies, have shown to increase your chances of lucid dreaming
by 30%-40%.
However, most of these pills are untested,
and the long-term side effects are unknown.
It is best to avoid lucid dreaming pills
without first speaking to a trained medical professional.
The devices that claim to aid lucid dreaming
are generally very overpriced, and very ineffective.
It is best to save your money. Don't believe the hype.
Most people want to learn how to lucid dream
in order to dream whatever they wish.
But is dream control as perfect as many people claim?
While lucid dreaming is nature's virtual reality, it is not perfect.
You can dream of almost anything you can imagine,
but dream control takes time to master.
You are unlikely to be able to do anything you want in your first lucid dream.
Normally, it takes at least a year of practice
before your dream control abilities are reliable and effective.
Dream control works on the principle of expectation.
In other words, whatever you believe or expect to happen in your dream
will occur.
So if you doubt yourself in a dream, your doubts will come true.
Equally, if you believe you can do something,
you will be able to do it.
However, certain things are impossible in dreams.
For example, it is impossible to have a dream that lasts
for longer than the time spent in REM.
While there are many who claim that they have dreamt of living alternative lives
lasting many years, these claims are untrue, and entirely fiction.
Time in dreams has been studied,
and seems to match real-world time almost perfectly.
That said, the mind can play tricks on us in our dreams,
and the illusion of longer periods of time passing is possible --
but normally, this is just an illusion caused by false memories.
Lucid dreaming is an absolute wonder of the human mind,
and is entirely worth spending the time to learn.
To be awake and aware within a dream
is one of the true marvels of the human mind.
So if you want to learn how to lucid dream,
there are hundreds of videos on this channel
that will help you to unlock your abilities.
So click "Subscribe" now, or join the channel if you're really serious.
If you've enjoyed this video, don't forget to click the "Like" button
and leave a comment below telling us why you want to learn
how to lucid dream.
So that's it for today.
I'm Daniel Love, The Lucid Guide -- and until next time, stay lucid!