The Five layers of Lucidity

Kind of like my dream guides article, I know about this information, but haven’t really found a place (Other than the Youtube Videos by user ReceeJones87) that this information is covered. Myself, and a few others reference this information fairly frequently. But it seems like some are unaware of the five layers of a lucid dream. So I decided to fill in a gap. This basically just covers the 5 layers of lucidity with a few minor tweaks (Including a new variant of Layer 0.)

If you think I need to change anything or want me to make a correction, leave me a comment or send me a PM.

Focus

I’ve seen several posts from new lucid dreamers asking if it is possible to experience a lucid dream where they are not 100% lucid, or asking if various things count as a lucid dream. I always end up explaining that they just had a ‘Layer 1’ lucid dream or tell them what layer of lucidity they may have experienced. In fact, Many users on Dreamviews who use color codes in their Dream Journals have a color reserved for partial lucidity.

So, if you came here with the question “Can you have a lucid dream where you are not 100% lucid?” Then, to that I say; yes.

The Short Version

Layer 0: Oh no… all my teeth are falling out. :P Not like it really matters though. It will be over soon.

Layer 1: *Nose Pinch RC* Oh my gosh! I’m dreaming! WAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!1!!!11 *Wakes up or gets distracted.*

Layer 2: I’m dreaming, but I can’t remember what exactly what I wanted to be doing when I’m dreaming. I guess I’ll punch this wall as hard as my arm can and make it blow up…

Layer 3: I’m lucid dreaming! This dream is a creation of my mind. I am in control. *Goes on to do the task of the month…*

Layer 4: *Creates a universe and everyone in it.*

Layer 0

Layer 0 is often defined as a sort of subconscious awareness of your reality. It has two three major variations. A newcomer who experiences a layer 0 would probably come out of it and believe that they were completely non-lucid or perhaps just experienced some lucid-dreaming related content within it.

The first variation of Layer Zero is the one in which you encounter lucid dreaming related content while remaining nonlucid. This could be things such as logging onto Dreamviews and reading an article about the five layers of a lucid dream, engaging with dream characters in discussion on the topic of lucid dreaming. Or even going as far to think “Man, I hope I have a lucid dream tonight…” Without even realizing that you are already dreaming right at that moment.

I find that this layer occurs a lot in people that, while motivated to lucid dream, are having difficulties becoming lucid.

The second variation of Layer Zero is the one in which you are experiencing a situation where (while not lucid) you have the idea that whatever is happening is not a part of standard reality. Something bad could happen (You crash your car or are severely injured) yet you are not emotionally invested in the situation because you have the strangest inkling that what you are experiencing will somehow not affect you in the long run. Though you will not go as far as to realize that you are dreaming. You may also have the feeling that you can ‘reset’ whatever you are doing, or even utilize the ability multiple times.

I find that this manifests most in more experienced dreamers. Though it could happen to anyone.

The third variation of Layer Zero is not one mentioned in Receejones’ video, but It’s one I experience quite often, and I’ve heard a few other dreamers mention this on occasion. The third variation is similar to the second, however your lack of direct investment and feeling that there are no long term-consequences. Though in this variation, it is because you are a character in a book, movie, video game or TV show, or are taking part in a virtual reality simulation.

I often dream of outlandish or ridiculous scenarios in this layer of lucidity, such as taking part in a star-wars style space battle or zombie apocalypse survival story. My friends and family will die, but I will be relatively unaffected by their deaths because I believe that it is ‘Just a Story’ and has no bearing on reality.

This is likely to manifest in those who absorb a lot of media, or perhaps even those who are authors or screenwriters.

Layer 1

Layer One is often said to be one of the most difficult and motivation-destroying layers of lucidity. Layer One experiences are often ones that involve a burst of lucidity followed by one of two things that can determine what variant of Layer One you actually experienced.

The first variant is by far the most well known. Many of us have heard of how in your first lucid dream, you may wake yourself up due to your own excitement. Though the only real requirement for experiencing a this variant of Layer 1 is that you wake up moments after becoming lucid. For example, I recall some times where I was having a nightmare, and became lucid. However, in my panic, I immediately woke myself up to escape the nightmare.

Though this variant can be frustrating. If you can learn to remain more calm and keep yourself under control, then even if you wake up, these Layer One LDs can be great for stepping into DEILDs or WBTBs.

The second variant is similar to the first. You’re dreaming. You reality check and become lucid. But then, something in the dream distracts you, causing you to slip back into non-lucidity shortly after. Usually this is caused by a major shift in the dream, changing settings, characters or plot-lines. Though it could also be caused by poor attention on the part of the dreamer.

The third variant is somewhat a cross between the second and the first variant I described in Layer 0. In this scenario, You decide to question your reality and preform some kind of check, however the check fails. If this is a mental reality check, then possibly false memories could interfere with your ability to discern what really happened and what you think happened. If it is a physical reality check, such as the hands check or a lightswitch check, then the nature of your dreams is to blame.

This is different from the first variant of Layer 0 because in this case, you are legitimately questioning your reality rather than just accepting it. However, your results come up false and you believe that you are still in waking reality.

Though don’t be disheartened by Layer 1 experiences, no matter what variant you experience. Layer one means that you are literally right on the brink of fully-fledged lucidity.

Layer 2

It is said that layer 2 is the first layer where lucid dreaming really starts starts to ‘get good’. Since this is the first time that you experience prolonged lucidity. The kicker with layer 2 is that while you will realize that you are dreaming and/or that you have some level of control over your reality, kind of like the layer 0. Though you won’t quite grasp the implications of what the fact that you are dreaming means.

Chances are, for new lucid dreamers, the first time you really lucid dream, it will be a Layer 2.

You may also find that there are some errors in your logic. For instance, I once dreamt that I had left my cell phone with a friend in a previous dream. I later became lucid and was trying to find it. I asked my dream guide where it was, and she told me to check my pocket. Sure enough, it was in there, but when I pulled it out I told her that this was not helpful because it was just the dreams’ projection of my phone and not my actual phone.

In Layer 2 lucid dreams, you may find that you frequently make errors like this, often to humorous effect. I like to call Layer 2 dreams ‘Drunken Lucidity’, since they are quite similar to that.

Another example of a layer 2 lucid dream that I have found interesting is this: I once dreamt that I was taking part in the Hunger Games. I was being chased by some other contestants through the woods when I stopped running and said that nothing mattered because I was dreaming. Though the implication behind that statement wasn’t planted in my head. After I said that, I thought about why I had just stated that I was dreaming and realized that I in fact was dreaming.

This sort of cognitive disconnect is the reason that we are not always lucid in our dreams. Our brains are still active, but they are disconnected. This failure to make connections between what is happening and what is normal in standard waking reality is the reason that we are not simply lucid all the time.

Layer 3

Now when most people get a first impression of what lucid dreaming is like, Layer 3 is probably what comes to mind. Layer 3 is honestly the easiest layer of lucid dreaming to explain. A Layer 3 lucid dream is a lot like a layer 2 lucid dream, only your lucidity is more clear. In this variant, your full waking consciousness is present. You’re lucid, but you’re no longer drunken and groggy acting like a layer 2. So, I guess it could be called ‘Sober Lucidity’.

In a layer 3 lucid dream, you are fully aware of what the fact that you are dreaming means. You will know that everything that you are experiencing is a construct of your mind, that you can stop the experience at any time, and that everything around you, both the characters and the environment are constructs of your mind. You remember that your real body is back in bed and that you are acting things out in your dream body. Your full waking consciousness will be present in the dream and you will often find that it is much easier to remember the goals that you might have set out to do before going to sleep.

One may also find that the dreams’ clarity is much higher once you reach this level.

Layer 4

Layer 4 is a lot like layer 3, so there is not a lot to cover that was not mentioned in the layer 3 section. The only major difference being that in a Layer 4 lucid dream, you are no longer just an actor of the dream, but rather the director. This may or may not actually result in the destruction of your dream body, and this is not to be confused with going out of body in a dream. A situation in which you have no body and are simply observing the dream. This is not a layer 4 lucid dream.

In a layer 4 lucid dream, one may find that not only the dreamer, but also all of the dream characters have awareness that they are a part of the dream. You may also find that you have an awareness of the elements in your dream and what they represent. Many also claim to have had spiritual or enlightening experiences in this layer of lucidity.

Now I’ve never had a Layer 4. In fact, I don’t think most new or intermediate dreamers have them. From what I can gather these are very rare experiences to have, even for the more advanced LDers out there.