For most people, dreams are mysterious ‘mini movies’ that play in their minds while they’re sound asleep, seemingly without their control, with some being rather pleasant, and others, not so much. However, we now know that it is actually possible to make dream control a complete reality, bringing about what is known as lucid dreaming.

But is this actually real or is the reality of dream control or lucid dreaming just a myth? It it really is true then what are the benefits of it? And can anyone really achieve this state of being able to control everything that happens when you are dreaming?

Exactly What is Dream Control?

Dream control, (through the use of lucid dreaming), is your becoming aware of the fact you are in a dream state, and that you can actually control the happenings in your dream. As you are sound asleep, you recognize that the events you think are going on are actually dreams, and that you can control how the events transpire to even the ending.

There are people who do suffer from nightmares and frequently. This method is powerful and simple, and just the method they may need to relieve themselves of these disturbingly bad and distressing dreams.

Common Ways of Inducing Lucid Dreaming

A very effective, but a very simple method to achieve lucid dreaming is the use of audio (binaural) and this method entails listening to a couple of different frequencies, together at the same time, and this will synchronize your brain waves and help put you into a deep state of relaxation, a state to possibly bring about the state of lucid dreaming and this is called (REM) or rapid eye movement state of sleeping.

Long before the discovery of modern technology and bringing with it the availability of all kinds of programs. Programs which could now be found on DVDs or CDs. The methods, before the explosion of technology, were meditation and self hypnosis and were accepted as the techniques used for lucid dreaming. Even though many individuals, using these methods, reported it to be very difficult to achieve the state of lucid dreaming.

In addition to these approaches to lucid dreaming, many other techniques have been developed over the years by those who are experts in the fields of both science and psychology. But, regardless of the initial method used, the main purpose is basically to train the mind, while asleep, to realize that it is in the midst of a dream.

To obtain this, it is essential to begin while awake and the key is to remember to say something or do something while dreaming to trigger recognition that is necessary for the mind to be aware and allow us the ability to control the activities in our dreams.

It’s as simple a thing as reminding yourself while you are awake and before going to sleep you’ll be dreaming and in that dream you’ll remember to say or do something, something specific, at which time you will know that you are dreaming.

This particular method to dream control is referred to as MILD, or mnemonic induction of lucid dreams, which was discovered by scientist Dr. Stephen LaBerge. With this approach, your brain is then in complete control as to what occurs in the dream, meaning that nothing could or would come of harm to you as it’s simply all in the mind and you are only limited by your own imagination.

Another means of achieving lucid dreaming is by keeping a dream diary or journal, using a small notebook and pen kept by your bedside to write down everything you can remember in the minutes after waking up. After doing this for a few nights, you’ll start to notice being able to remember what you’ve written and have a similar dream in which you can then begin to control what happens.

Tame monsters in your nightmares, ‘visit’ any location you wish, explore imagined worlds that you envision within your own mind, speak to anyone you like, and basically be free of all worldly constraints and limits. With dream control, all of this is possible, in essence, giving us the power to be the ruler of our own nightly fantasy worlds where we are in complete control of everything that transpires.

There is one potential drawback to lucid dreaming, say the experts. As with life in general, it holds true that an opposite effect is, an actuality, when you get too much of a good thing. The natural dream state is when we find out things about ourselves, things which would normally have been hidden from us and may never have surfaced. This is the main reason for you to enjoy your lucid dreaming, but you should also take some time off from lucid dreaming to dream in a natural state. Just remember to take a break and enjoy.