Meditation for the Lucid Dreamer Help

[NickCamp]

I understand that one of the many ways you pro lucid dreamers become able to have LD's frequently is through meditation. In fact most of the Mantras request that you become relaxed and meditate and THEN propose your intentions. I'm not really tense in fact I've gotten good about relaxing. Currently I am working on a mix of "See your hands" techinque and MILD techinque to become lucid. When you sit in your bed and tell yourself you will see your hands do you meditate first and then set in intention? Here are my questions: 1. when practicing lucid dreaming do you meditate? 2. What induction do you use it for if you do? 3. Do you put mantras in your meditation, and does it deliver results? 4. What meditation techiques are simple, or what do you use? I would really like insight because as far as I know meditation is a big help in achieving every day lucid's (or every night rather) Thank you

[GoldenLight]

I understand that one of the many ways you pro lucid dreamers become able to have LD's frequently is through meditation. In fact most of the Mantras request that you become relaxed and meditate and THEN propose your intentions. I'm not really tense in fact I've gotten good about relaxing. Currently I am working on a mix of "See your hands" techinque and MILD techinque to become lucid. When you sit in your bed and tell yourself you will see your hands do you meditate first and then set in intention? Here are my questions: 1. when practicing lucid dreaming do you meditate? 2. What induction do you use it for if you do? 3. Do you put mantras in your meditation, and does it deliver results? 4. What meditation techiques are simple, or what do you use? I would really like insight because as far as I know meditation is a big help in achieving every day lucid's (or every night rather) Thank you Not a PRO but I have done and do a lot of meditation. Less so on WILD/MILD but have had DILDs. Question 1: Yes, I am meditating. Question 2: I'm not entirely sure whether you are asking the induction method for LD or meditation. I'm guessing LD. I'm attempting SILD. Previously, I've just had DILD. Question 3: I do not have mantras in meditation but I do use affirmations before sleep to help with DR. Question 4: IMHO what works best for ME has been to use Metamusic/Binaural beats and headphones. The binaural beats are to help your brain go into a sleep or trance-like state (alpha/beta/theta waves). The advantage of using headphones and metamusic is that it blocks out unwanted external noises as well as gives you something to focus on. While using the metamusic CD, I watch the black space behind my closed eyes. Every time my thoughts wander, and everyone's thoughts wander, I simply acknowledge the thought without scolding myself and return my focus to the blackness and music. Continue to repeat this process. You're mind will chatter at you: You aren't doing this right. Is this working? Wonder what time it is? Crap, I wasn't focusing...etc. Just refocus. That's all meditation is. The discipline to first hear your own thoughts, then refocus your mind. And eventually, your thoughts become few and far between. It also helps me to establish a meditation ritual - I sit in the same chair, use the same incense (not necessary to use), sit the same way ( and the position doesn't matter), in the same room, at the same time of day. It prepares my mind the moment I sit down in the chair and light the incense. Meditation is not just used to relax you, it's used to clear your mind and focus your mind. If you have good mind control, theoretically, that can transfer into sleep. Hope that helped. Best of luck! I'm sure some Pros will come along to add to this.

[NickCamp]

Not a PRO but I have done and do a lot of meditation. Less so on WILD/MILD but have had DILDs. Question 1: Yes, I am meditating. Question 2: I'm not entirely sure whether you are asking the induction method for LD or meditation. I'm guessing LD. I'm attempting SILD. Previously, I've just had DILD. Question 3: I do not have mantras in meditation but I do use affirmations before sleep to help with DR. Question 4: IMHO what works best for ME has been to use Metamusic/Binaural beats and headphones. The binaural beats are to help your brain go into a sleep or trance-like state (alpha/beta/theta waves). The advantage of using headphones and metamusic is that it blocks out unwanted external noises as well as gives you something to focus on. While using the metamusic CD, I watch the black space behind my closed eyes. Every time my thoughts wander, and everyone's thoughts wander, I simply acknowledge the thought without scolding myself and return my focus to the blackness and music. Continue to repeat this process. You're mind will chatter at you: You aren't doing this right. Is this working? Wonder what time it is? Crap, I wasn't focusing...etc. Just refocus. That's all meditation is. The discipline to first hear your own thoughts, then refocus your mind. And eventually, your thoughts become few and far between. It also helps me to establish a meditation ritual - I sit in the same chair, use the same incense (not necessary to use), sit the same way ( and the position doesn't matter), in the same room, at the same time of day. It prepares my mind the moment I sit down in the chair and light the incense. Meditation is not just used to relax you, it's used to clear your mind and focus your mind. If you have good mind control, theoretically, that can transfer into sleep. Hope that helped. Best of luck! I'm sure some Pros will come along to add to this. In theory though, being in a full meditated state could increase the power of your mantras and intentions right? Before "looking at my hands" I usually let down my shoulders and breathe deeply for a minute or two and then begin my 5 minute casual chatter with my hands lol.

[GoldenLight]

In theory though, being in a full meditated state could increase the power of your mantras and intentions right? Before "looking at my hands" I usually let down my shoulders and breathe deeply for a minute or two and then begin my 5 minute casual chatter with my hands lol. Sure, in theory. Because you are making a suggestion to your mind. It's similar to an affirmation but probably more potent. And staying and relaxed, as you did, is key, from what I've read for LD. It's not going to hurt to try. I'd say go for it. Keep in mind that the mantras should be specific, short, and probably in the positive. Did you have a mantra prepared? I use affirmations before sleep and they work for me - albeit right now - I use them for dream recall and they are a bit too effective because my affirmation needs tweaking. "I recall my dreams and record them in my journal upon waking." Yeah, and I have ended up waking every 20-30 minutes after my dreams. Someone suggested I put 'easily' in there and see if that fixes my problem. Good luck to ya!

[EarthInferno]

Hey goldenlight, I was looking through old posts and found one on meditation that I will include here. Thought you might be interested. So, I was wondering how does meditation affect lucid dreaming, if it does so in a direct or indirect way, and if anyone took the time to analyse and post any results. I'm not refering to the obvious indirect advantages it provides, like improvement on clearing the mind and more easily focus on a mantra/ADA/WILD or decrease on the "mental noise" we usually possess (random thoughts during the day). This is the main idea I've gathered from several sources around: - In deep meditation, people seem to enter such state that can somewhat relate to the deep sleep stage. The regular and constant breathing, the abstraction of the mind regarding physical and external stimulus and the relaxed position of the body can be observed in both sleep and meditation (assuming naturally the differences in physiological characteristics of sleep vs awake state). I also heard that performing meditation can reduce the amount of time you stay in deep sleep, thus entering in REM stage more quickly. I found no evidences or anyone commenting on these things, so I'd like to hear some input about whether meditation can decrease the average time of deep sleep. Many oneironauts report that meditating a bit before focusing on your mantra (for example during WBTBs) helps, but is this only in the "mind clearance" department?

[NickCamp]

Sure, in theory. Because you are making a suggestion to your mind. It's similar to an affirmation but probably more potent. And staying and relaxed, as you did, is key, from what I've read for LD. It's not going to hurt to try. I'd say go for it. Keep in mind that the mantras should be specific, short, and probably in the positive. Did you have a mantra prepared? I use affirmations before sleep and they work for me - albeit right now - I use them for dream recall and they are a bit too effective because my affirmation needs tweaking. "I recall my dreams and record them in my journal upon waking." Yeah, and I have ended up waking every 20-30 minutes after my dreams. Someone suggested I put 'easily' in there and see if that fixes my problem. Good luck to ya! Yeah being that it's a technique that I didn't create I took the "Tonight, while dreaming, I will see my hands in a dream and realize i'm dreaming" and turned it into a more simple and personal mantra such as "The next time I drem I will see my hands and realize i'm dreaming." For my MILD I use a simple one which is "The next time I'm dreaming, I will remember I'm dreaming." They are a bit lengthy, but I seem to use them well. Of course using two techniques may be conflicting but I only use the MILD when I am doing the 5 minute WBTB Thanks and you too!

[NickCamp]

Hey goldenlight, I was looking through old posts and found one on meditation that I will include here. Thought you might be interested. It makes sense in theory also if you have a day journal and recall your entire day (i've read) you seem to clear your mind of what happened that day and also at the same time it greatly increases your dream recall. So from now on I think i'm going to make a habbit out of a ritual I'm piecing together to maximize LD expierences such as this: 1. At night when ready for bed I will remember my day backwards and then forward, write it down and clear my mind. 2. Sit indian style, relax, clear my head completely and then open my eyes 3. Work on the "look at your hands method" for 5-10 minutes or until i get tired, depending on how I feel. 4. Go to sleep 5. If I wake in the middle of the night, open my laptop and record my dreams 6. Lay down, practice breathing and use my MILD technique "the next time I dream, I will remember that I am dreaming" until I fall asleep. I tend to make my own methods for every hobby I become involved with. If my tech begins to work I'll call it the CILD lol Campbell Induced Lucid dreams. Though, like I said, I'm not sure if using two techinques is conflicting. I have yet to formulate results begin that I just now finished filling my arsenol.

[Ctharlhie]

So, I was wondering how does meditation affect lucid dreaming, if it does so in a direct or indirect way, and if anyone took the time to analyse and post any results. I'm not refering to the obvious indirect advantages it provides, like improvement on clearing the mind and more easily focus on a mantra/ADA/WILD or decrease on the "mental noise" we usually possess (random thoughts during the day). This is the main idea I've gathered from several sources around: - In deep meditation, people seem to enter such state that can somewhat relate to the deep sleep stage. The regular and constant breathing, the abstraction of the mind regarding physical and external stimulus and the relaxed position of the body can be observed in both sleep and meditation (assuming naturally the differences in physiological characteristics of sleep vs awake state). I also heard that performing meditation can reduce the amount of time you stay in deep sleep, thus entering in REM stage more quickly. I found no evidences or anyone commenting on these things, so I'd like to hear some input about whether meditation can decrease the average time of deep sleep. Many oneironauts report that meditating a bit before focusing on your mantra (for example during WBTBs) helps, but is this only in the "mind clearance" department? The implications are just amazing if that's true. @Nick Camp; the most immediately obvious and applicable benefit of meditation is awareness which is crucial in both DILD and WILD as it helps you question your state while dreaming as well as hold on to that thin thread of consciousness as you WILD.

[GoldenLight]

Hey goldenlight, I was looking through old posts and found one on meditation that I will include here. Thought you might be interested. That's just awesome. Thank you. I know the more I meditate the faster I can go into a trance and while in trance, after I've been meditating for a while, I can remain calm when 'weird' things occur - like my centers pounding and such. But that makes sense. I have no proof other than my own experience. I can tell you that I get to sleep very fast - and sleep deeply but if you read my most recent affirmation/dream recall I woke very easily. I'm not sure if that is what it's saying. I think the main ingredient is mind focus and the ability to remain relaxed because I've read so many times already on here how folks get so excited and that breaks the dream out of LD. Just a guess. Thank you, EarthInferno.

[saltyseedog]

1. I try to meditate everyday, but I haven't been actually. Sort of off and on depression makes it hard to be motivated. 2. I have lucid dreams naturally. Although I often have difficulty remembering many of them. 3. I don't use mantras. But for the mild technique saying a mantra is sort of like focusing your intention. You focus your mind and energy into that intention when chanting it over and over. You don't want to chant it without truly being aware of the meaning. You want to focus your intention on that idea. Use the rhythms of your body to time when you chant the mantra, like you heart beat. 4. When I meditate I sit with my legs crossed normally with my back against the wall or maybe with pillows against the wall. I put my hands in my lap. Inhale with my stomach taking deep breaths letting everything flow naturally. Focus on breath to keep yourself grounded if you feel you are wondering off in many directions or drifting away with random thoughts. Don't try to reject thoughts or how you feel. Just let them pass by and do their thing and just keep bringing attention to your breath. It is also okay if you feel the need to breath faster. Just let stress and any tension in your body flow out with your breath. I would recommend meditating for at least 20 minutes to get a true effect from it. You may want to meditate for about 5 to 10 minutes before you begin chanting a mantra. It allows you to focus your energy better. (it still may be difficult) Another thing I like doing is meditating to music. Listening to music that matches how I feel. Focusing on the music sort of mixed with my breathing. Another thing is often when I sit with my legs crossed for a long time they fall asleep. It's okay to straighten them out for a minute till the tingling goes away.