This is weird... I read this topic, didn't pay much attention to it, then stumbled on this idea a couple of mornings ago and come back to find that this topic discusses it!

I recently discovered that if I wake up in the morning, then relax and imagine myself doing something as I fall back asleep, the scene will gradually become clearer and clearer, and I will gradually have less conscious influence over it. At some point, there does seems to be a transition where instead of just imagining it, I begin to actually experience it.

I haven't yet managed to get all the way to the dream state, though. After a few moments, I suddenly become aware of how real it's becoming, but that causes me to focus too much on it, and it all disappears and I wake back up.