Traditionally, it was believed that humans had no control over the dream world. Psychoanalysis has expanded these ideas to an extent by suggesting that our subconscious mind actively constructs the plot of a dream simply by focusing on a certain topic. More advanced scientific research has suggested that visualizing the desired dream in the evening – for example, mentally “rewriting” a recurring nightmare or creating the intention to see the solution to a particular problem at night – is likewise effective.
Elizaveta Solomonova and Michelle Carr have authored a detailed study on the development of attention as a way to increase control over ordinary dreams and improve the practice of lucid dreaming (LD). The practice starts during our waking life, because even in reality we often wander into a state of semi-attention: from simple daydreaming to immersion in the world of art, especially cinema and literature. Focusing on the present moment during the day also increases one’s degree of awareness at night.
The authors mention popular techniques for inducing lucid dreams (which we refer to as a phase state, together with out-of-body experiences): reality checking, keeping a dream journal, meditation, and setting the intention to become lucid. An advanced technique is visualizing a recent dream and imagining yourself lucid within it.
However, awareness does not always mean absolute control. If a person begins to notice some oddities in the plot of a dream, this is already a step up from completely unconscious dreams, which the sleeper confidently accepts as reality, without asking questions. The level of influence on the world of LD is also different for experienced practitioners, who can develop the ability to change their surrounding space at will.
What is your level of awareness?
The authors’ work will be part of the book Access and Mediation: A New Approach to Attention, forthcoming in 2022.
