How to Lucid Dream.

Step #6 - Self-Hypnosis

Have you ever been hypnotized?

I guarantee you have.

I'm not talking about being the unwitting star of stage hypnotism - but the simple act of becoming mentally entranced by a particular person, thought, image or sound.

You probably fall into a hypnotic trance state every day. Whether you're gazing out the window on the train - or absorbed in the dramatic plot of a movie. You're focused on one specific stimulus, ignoring the rest of the world and totally immersed.

That's hypnosis.

And now I'm going to teach you how to perform a simple self-hypnosis routine as way of incubating spontaneous lucid dreams tonight.

Getting Started

Like meditation, hypnosis draws on the same relaxation response that helps calm your body, reduce stress hormones and focus your mind on affirmative thoughts.

All the while, you can use this suggestible state of mind to plant the seeds of lucidity: to teach your subconscious mind that you want to recognize when you're dreaming.

Remember, self-hypnosis is a safe and natural way to direct your thoughts and achieve your goals. You remain fully self-aware during hypnosis, stay in complete control and can awaken from the trance when you choose - it is impossible to get "stuck" in hypnosis!

So let's begin...

1. Get Comfortable

Sit or lie down with an open, relaxed body posture. Take some slow, deep breaths and allow your eyes to close naturally. Observe your thoughts briefly then sweep them away without any interaction. Allow your inner monologue to be silenced.

2. Release Tension

Just like our lesson in total relaxation, systematically release all the tension from your body, starting from your toes and working up. Visualize gold light or warmth to help cement your intention to be completely and totally relaxed.

3. Visualize a Staircase

Imagine you're standing at the top of a staircase. This represents your consciousness. Starting from 10, slowly count and move down the steps, going deeper and deeper into the trance until you reach the bottom: your subconscious.

4. Begin Auto-Suggestions

At the bottom of the staircase is a dark, quiet room with a large comfortable couch in the middle. Take a seat and then go through the following hypnotic auto-suggestions in your mind:

"My dreams are vivid""I find it easy to remember my dreams""I often recognize when I'm dreaming""I find it easy to have lucid dreams""I can control my dreams"

You can adapt these auto-suggestions as you like; just remember to keep everything positively phrased and in the present tense.

5. Wake Up Gently

You can, if you feel like it, stay in the trance for longer, exploring the space in your subconscious and see where the visualization takes you. If you can't feel your physical body at this stage, it may even lead to a lucid dream.

Otherwise, return to the staircase, count your way to the top, and awaken feeling refreshed and alert.

Final Thoughts

Try this technique before you go to sleep each night this week. It's ok if you fall straight to sleep after planting the auto-suggestions. In fact, I recommend it.

Otherwise you can practice this routine any time you have 20 minutes to spare - when you wake up, on your lunch break, or just before an afternoon nap.