Smells and Tastes

[Sensei]

Is there anything that you can use in the way of smells and tastes to induce a lucid dream? I am very interested in paying attention to the senses, but in order to induce a lucid dream you normally just use thought, touch, sight, or sounds. Any ideas?

[Marm]

That's an interesting idea, one that I have never touched upon. Although sometimes when I'm in that transitional state between unconsciousness and lucidity I can smell and hear the environment I am going to become lucid in. (For example, I was able to smell the aroma of flowers and hear the sound of birds before I became lucid in a grassy meadow.) Becoming lucid is almost entirely about identifying dream-like elements, so if you can do so through smell/taste then there's no reason why you can not become lucid through those means.

[IAmCoder]

They say that putting some Mugwort under your pillow affects your dreams. I have not been able to reproduce this.

[Sensei]

That's an interesting idea, one that I have never touched upon. Although sometimes when I'm in that transitional state between unconsciousness and lucidity I can smell and hear the environment I am going to become lucid in. (For example, I was able to smell the aroma of flowers and hear the sound of birds before I became lucid in a grassy meadow.) Becoming lucid is almost entirely about identifying dream-like elements, so if you can do so through smell/taste then there's no reason why you can not become lucid through those means. Yeah, I was thinking about it while I was meditating yesterday (oops. ). I am going to try and see if I can find a way to use this. I was kind of hoping that there would already be a method They say that putting some Mugwort under your pillow affects your dreams. I have not been able to reproduce this. Does that even have a smell?

[Spyyko]

Hmm... I don't usually pick up on smells and tastes in dreams unless I'm completely lucid. When I do, however, those senses are either magnified or ridiculously skewed. For example: A tomato might taste like a peach, or an orange might be unusually spicy. Maybe you could do a reality check every time you sit down for a meal or taste a food? Same goes for the aspect of smell: Whenever you consciously smell something, look for dream signs. Quite unconventional, but worth a shot.

[faceonmars]

Both smell and taste can be used as reality anchors I would imagine. Try putting a scented candle next to your bed ( try not to burn down your house) or eat a particularly spicy something before a WILD attempt. I might even try this myself.