What to Expect from Lucid Dreams
Recently I've been discussing lucid dreaming with a few friends and have realized that much of what one thinks will occur when they have their first lucid dream, will not. It's easy to be inticed into lucid dreaming by the prospect of being able to control the reality around you and do amazing things within your mind, and this is one of the things to lucid dream for, but at times, it doesn't work this way.
I had my third lucid dream last night and it was excellent. Exactly what I wanted it to be. However, I think there may be a small misconception between what non-dreamers believe lucid dreaming is like and what those who have become a few times, but are mostly still dreaming novices, know what lucid dreaming at that level really entails. This is not to say you cannot improve your skills at dreaming. In fact, my first lucid dream was incredibly 'choppy'. Since then, I've had two more lucid dreams; both that give me a little bit more control and a bit less anxiety.
I wanted to put together a little guide for new dreamers on what to expect, and to not, from lucid dreaming when beginning. These are from my own experiences and may not reflect your own.
What to Expect
[list]You may not achieve a lucid state in a matter of days - or even weeks. It could take months or more to have enough recall and a stable enough grasp on reality to realize when you are dreaming and remember those dreams. It took me about three weeks to have my first lucid dream, and then about three or four months to have my second. Granted, within that time I didn't stay on top of my reality checking and dream journal, so the time frame is a bit off. However, it took me another week to have my third.
This leads me to my next point; take into the account the amount of sometimes fruitless work that is required to become lucid. It is almost imperative that you keep an active dream journal and that you do reality checks often throughout the day. At worst, you must think about dreaming every day or so and immerse yourself in material on the subject. It takes hard work and determination if you don't have the natural ability.
You will eventually have a lucid dream if you stay active. I don't believe anyone, except those without determination, is unable to become lucid. It takes a commitment, though.
You may have times in which you don't lucid dream for months. Don't get discouraged.
Lucid dreaming will become a whole new hobby for you if you are interested.
You can expect lucid dreams to be amoung the greatest attained goals you will keep. It is one of the best experiences one could have while dreaming - and sometimes waking as well. It's a way to fullfill some of the most insane and often excellent desires you may have - such as floating through downtown or causing things to appear and interacting with them. I agree with those who claim it to be orgasmic, because it most certainly is.[list]
What not to Expect
[list]Do not expect lucid dreaming to be exactly like reality - simply because a dream is so radically different from the real world. You may not see things in dreams the same way that you do when awake when starting out. Details on faces or objects may be obscured, parts of your dream may go missing, and you may have fuzziness or a 'grainy' perception of what you remember in the dream depending on a few factors. Keep in mind, if you were to wake up you normally you may not even remember the lucid dream, making the process pointless. This is where recall is crucial.
Do not expect to have an instantaneous grasp of lucid dreaming and to have one on the first night of attempting. It doesn't work that way. It takes concentration and effort.
Do not always expect to accomplish everything you'd like to do in the dream world in one lucid dream. Depending on when you enter lucidity after entering the REM cycle, and how much control you have over the dream, it could last anywhere from a minute to an hour or more. Expect your first lucid dreams to be base and quick, and not overly complicated.
Not every method you attempt will work for you. You must experiment and struggle to find one that fits your needs in order to lucid dream.[list]
The most crucial point to remember when attempting to lucid dream is to not give up!
I'm not an expert yet, though, so I'm positive this guide will change over time. ;)
