For People Who Have Completely Mastered Lucid Dreaming: What Does the Lucid Dream Feel Like?

My goal in mastering lucid dreaming is to be able to make my lucid dreams feel like reality while being in full control. So far, I have had a few lucid dreams but they have never felt real. I am never 100% conscious and in full control of my thoughts. For example, in my lucid dreams sometimes I forget certain things (like stabilization techniques) that I would not forget if I was awake. I can never think clearly. Whenever I wake up from my lucid dreams, it always feels like a distant memory.

I want to ask, for people who have mastered (being in full control, lucid dream every day/week, etc.) lucid dreaming, what does it feel like for you? Is it possible to master lucid dreaming to a degree where you are 100% conscious, can think clearly as if awake, everything looks and feels like reality, and you are in complete control of your surroundings? Basically, can lucid dreams feel like when you're awake?

*Moved to General Lucid Discussion*

That’s an interesting question, neo.

There was a time in my life when I was very lucid, very often (and was also finding some success in OBEs), but I can't say I'd ever achieved absolute 100% clarity-wise, nor control.
(and that goes for both LDs and OBEs)…. Hell, come to think of it, I can't even say that I've meditated or done yoga with 100% clarity, at least for very long.

Although I'll be patiently awaiting responses from the "other side," meanwhile, I do wonder if it is ever possible to truly capture the same essence in dream-world as the physical plane(?) There are laws on each plane and I’m not saying they can’t be broken or bent, but….there do seem to be certain universal laws in play.

Obviously the physical plane has them and they take the form of: energy, oxygen and gravity to only name a few.

No researchers (that I can find) really seem to agree as to whether the "dreaming plane" is of the same substance as the "astral plane" (and maybe LDing is purely within the more recently identified plane: “etheric”) some researchers seem to think that your dream state is more like an OBE (again Etheric) until you "make the shift" and then enter the astral, with designs on going further. So, in that instance there seems to be an additional plane of recognizable existence for dreaming. (beyond the standard 7 that appear through esoteric and religious texts. So, I suppose in layers it is: Physical – Dreaming (Etheric) – Astral – Mental – Unity, etc.

I think it's generally agreed that the "dreaming plane" is not automatically of this earth, until you decide it is. So, what I'm trying to say is; the possibility seems remote to actually create life on earth (off earth) because the entire idea behind high recall and dreaming consciously is to "escape" (for lack of a better word) this physical plane and its many "trappings" Ie; limitations.

So, since you are LDing and since that means you have no limitations, (I wonder) how it could ever truly feel or look life-like(?) That would seem to undermine LDs entire essence.

And if one was to master manipulation of the physical world (usually for one’s own benefit) from any other plane (remote viewing, astral projection, OBEs, channeling, etc.) than the prevailing thought is that you’d either be in some state of “trance” (again for lack of a better word) or dreaming and therefore would be operating within the “laws” of that space.

And then, if you delve even deeper into the literature, (some of which is on this plane; and others texts are elsewhere) than you might find the theory that we're trying to harness control in our dreams in order to practice the abilities we wish/plan/want/already have on the physical plane.

That is, the argument that there is only this moment (but there are at least 7 connected other selves on the other planes all operating at once but in sync) and whether we realize it or not - we're ALWAYS controlling every aspect of each dream we have (just as we have full control of our everyday goings on) – I know it “feels” like we’re trying to lucid dream (because we’re following steps and putting in effort, but the fact is; we are all doing it already, - it's only realization.....reMEMBERing what we already have the ability to do. Here, now......

…now,.....I'm rambling. :p

As I said, I'm curious about what others can share about actually attempting or succeeding in making the dreamworld look, feel and operate like the physical plane.

Have a great day! :)

In most of my Lucid's I come round in bed, get out of body and have complete waking memory.
I think and act as I do in waking life, it literally feels as if I've woken up fully conscious in a different world.
Even when I get Lucid and arn't in my bed I still get the same level of realism and control.

I have complete control over my thoughts, my actions and choices but not 100% control over the Dream environment or doing things that are impossible in waking life.

For instance I can't summon anything always at will or make the Dream scene change to exactly what I want every time.
I sometimes even have trouble flying and I've had many LDs.

I know I'm able do these things and anything I can think of but because of the absolute realism and total awareness it can be hard to convince my brain to let it happen.

Occasionally though I'll have one or two, usually very early in the night when I forget what I want to do and kind of go along with the Dream or just fly around and not attempt the goal/goals I'd wanted to try.
I find these LDs to be not quite as real as waking life, when I'm in them they feel pretty real but when I wake can see things wrong with them and know I've done things I wouldn't have done if fully conscious.

I also often study the Dream to check the realism and in these odd few can tell the things wrong with them.
Sometimes the weight of things is off, for instance I rip a tree out of the ground and swing it but it feels like an inflatable with no real weight to it, or I look at the scenery and see it doesn't look quite lifelike.

In a usual Lucid for me though I'm amazed at the realism and can spend them just doing some what mundane things, like running my hands through water or feeling the weight of things because it blows me away that what I'm holding isn't physically there.

I also have more control over the Dream environment in the less realistic Lucid's, as the slight lack of realism/conciseness allows my mind to let go more and do the impossible easier.

Lastly I've often tested myself to see how much waking memory I actually do have and can recall anything I try in almost all cases, except of course the few less realistic ones.


So keep going mate coz you can get completly realistic LDs with full waking consciousness and on on a regular basis.

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Originally Posted by Mr0Blonde

In most of my Lucid's I come round in bed, get out of body and have complete waking memory.
I think and act as I do in waking life, it literally feels as if I've woken up fully conscious in a different world.
Even when I get Lucid and arn't in my bed I still get the same level of realism and control.

I have complete control over my thoughts, my actions and choices but not 100% control over the Dream environment or doing things that are impossible in waking life.

For instance I can't summon anything always at will or make the Dream scene change to exactly what I want every time.
I sometimes even have trouble flying and I've had many LDs.

I know I'm able do these things and anything I can think of but because of the absolute realism and total awareness it can be hard to convince my brain to let it happen.

Occasionally though I'll have one or two, usually very early in the night when I forget what I want to do and kind of go along with the Dream or just fly around and not attempt the goal/goals I'd wanted to try.
I find these LDs to be not quite as real as waking life, when I'm in them they feel pretty real but when I wake can see things wrong with them and know I've done things I wouldn't have done if fully conscious.

I also often study the Dream to check the realism and in these odd few can tell the things wrong with them.
Sometimes the weight of things is off, for instance I rip a tree out of the ground and swing it but it feels like an inflatable with no real weight to it, or I look at the scenery and see it doesn't look quite lifelike.

In a usual Lucid for me though I'm amazed at the realism and can spend them just doing some what mundane things, like running my hands through water or feeling the weight of things because it blows me away that what I'm holding isn't physically there.

I also have more control over the Dream environment in the less realistic Lucid's, as the slight lack of realism/conciseness allows my mind to let go more and do the impossible easier.

Lastly I've often tested myself to see how much waking memory I actually do have and can recall anything I try in almost all cases, except of course the few less realistic ones.


So keep going mate coz you can get completly realistic LDs with full waking consciousness and on on a regular basis.

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Have you always had the ability to have lucid dreams where you're 100% conscious or did you achieve that ability with practice? If you achieved it through practice, then how long did it take you obtain the ability to be 100% conscious in lucid dreams? What techniques do you use when you're awake? What techniques do you use when you're in the lucid dream?

I'm certainly not a master but the WILD technique will make you at your highest peak of lucidity without having to put any effort into making it real, basically I am saying using the WILD technique will make your dreams very realistic. Some say it is frightening how realistic dreams could be while using this technique.

It is some what natural as my first intentional LD was as real as waking life and I remembered things I'd read on this forum to try, but I had a lot more less than WL Lucid's when I first started, so it's also a learnt ability.

I've got a post already up on the attaining Lucidity page called "what I've found works for me" which gives a step by step of what I do to achieve Lucidity.
It should be near the top as it's pretty recent so check it out.

When you say your LDs feel like distant memory's, I've found that can happen if I LD very early in the night and sleep long after having it.
When I wake, I'll find it hard to remember sometimes so maybe that's what's happening to you.

Do you often wake right or soon after you have a LD?

If not then you can either try to WBTB around an hour or two before you wake, then try MILD or WILD.
That way if you get Lucid you won't sleep to long after it and should have a much clearer memory of it.

I wake naturally after most REM cycles so wake as soon as my Lucid's end.
I've read some people train to wake after their REM cycles but I'm not sure exactly how that works.
I think they set an intention to wake after their Dreams before going to bed and over time get success with it, so you could look that up, or maybe someone who does that on here can explain what they do better than me, as I've never trained myself to do it.

One last thing....
I don't think I covered what I do while Lucid in my "what I've found works for me" post.


(This next bit is what I now do so you can give it a try, however I used to do the touching surfaces/hand clapping techniques to try to stabilise and had some success with them for a while, so not saying to just throw them out as they could work better for you)


I don't really do anything anymore when I become Lucid, I just think of one of my many goals I want to try and go about doing it, I don't try to stabilize or anything.

I've found, and think I remember Laberge or Waggoner also coming to the same conclusion, that it helps to have goals you want to achieve so you can go from one to the other while Lucid, there's something about doing that, that seems to make the Lucid last longer.
When you just go about randomly they can tend to collapse easier.

The only thing I do use is when I'm sometimes already aware and Lucid before the Dream forms around me, in these cases I switch between clapping and rubbing my hands very fast, to sort of snap me in to my Dream body.


Hope something in there helps, I can go on a bit once I get going lol.

You have to take into consideration the memory factor:
You said they feel like distant memories. I would blaim the actual short term memory for that effect. Often, the LD does feel so real, but since, after you lost lucidity , you fell to regular dreaming or deep sleep, which would defray most of the memory of the experience, leaving you with a vague memory of it, making it feel unreal or barely lucid or clear. I'm not talking about how much events you remember, but I'm talking about how much 'richness' of the dream was saved.

Best thing to do is to wake yourself up while inside the LD ( after doing your goal of course) so that the memory is still intact. Indeed, if you fall into only 5 seconds of non lucidity, alto of the memory is lost.

Of course this is expert's opinions, not my personal diductions or experiments. Also try supplements, they help the memory 'stick' more strongly, making it feel much realer upon awakening.

My LDS are unfortunately somewhat short... seconds to a few minutes and they almost always collapse eventually and I awake instead of drifting off to non-lucidity. But they are clear memories like they just occurred in real life. I transition from one reality to another. As far as realism and mental awareness it is pretty realistic but often like i am a little drunk I suppose.

At the peak of my lucidity I had a a lucid dream that was so powerful that I could not wake myself of my own freewill.

I was inside of a beautiful beach-side resort made from exotic clay architecture, and I lived in red clay house that was finely decorated. Outside my house was a fountain with the most brilliant, lively flowers... This was the only dream that I've ever felt mirrored the exact feeling of "real life". Gravity felt correct, my presence felt accurate, the only difference being a sort of heavenly glow around things. The feeling was so strong that I eventually started believing I had died and was in the afterlife, as I couldn't wake myself.

I don't believe it is possible to reach a 100% perfect realism in dreams, but when you drift too close it becomes scary; trust me. I am perfectly fine with my 70% or so usual realism and the ability to alter my surroundings!

EDIT: By no means am I calling myself a master, either. But I have had great vividness and thought I could add to the discussion.

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Originally Posted by LouaiB

You have to take into consideration the memory factor:
You said they feel like distant memories. I would blaim the actual short term memory for that effect. Often, the LD does feel so real, but since, after you lost lucidity , you fell to regular dreaming or deep sleep, which would defray most of the memory of the experience, leaving you with a vague memory of it, making it feel unreal or barely lucid or clear. I'm not talking about how much events you remember, but I'm talking about how much 'richness' of the dream was saved.

Best thing to do is to wake yourself up while inside the LD ( after doing your goal of course) so that the memory is still intact. Indeed, if you fall into only 5 seconds of non lucidity, alto of the memory is lost.

Of course this is expert's opinions, not my personal diductions or experiments. Also try supplements, they help the memory 'stick' more strongly, making it feel much realer upon awakening.

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Agree with this completely.

Also, hey LouaiB, long time no see.

I have a good example of this from just this morning.

I gained lucidity in a dream, and that lasted about 20 minutes. I did a lot in those 20 minutes. It eventually faded into non-lucidity.

I also had one at the very end of a REM cycle that lasted maybe a total of 2 minutes at the max. I woke up and it was my last dream of the night.

Guess which one I remembered more vividly?

The latter one.

Even though I had 20 minutes of content in the first one, it was all lost when my mind drifted into non-lucidity.

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Originally Posted by SinisterDezz

Agree with this completely.

Also, hey LouaiB, long time no see.

I have a good example of this from just this morning.

I gained lucidity in a dream, and that lasted about 20 minutes. I did a lot in those 20 minutes. It eventually faded into non-lucidity.

I also had one at the very end of a REM cycle that lasted maybe a total of 2 minutes at the max. I woke up and it was my last dream of the night.

Guess which one I remembered more vividly?

The latter one.

Even though I had 20 minutes of content in the first one, it was all lost when my mind drifted into non-lucidity.

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Yes exactly! This is a perfect example of what I was talking about

And yeah it's been a while since my last activeness, but I'm planning to be more active. Nice seeing you again buddy :D

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Originally Posted by LouaiB

Yes exactly! This is a perfect example of what I was talking about

And yeah it's been a while since my last activeness, but I'm planning to be more active. Nice seeing you again buddy :D

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Nice seeing you as well :)

I too am awakening from a long hibernation...-

Er, absence.

Life gets in the way, you know?