Kristen LaMarca PhD - Learn to Lucid Dream: Powerful Techniques for Awakening Creativity and Consciousness

Copyright 2019 by Rockridge Press, Emeryville, California

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ISBN: Print 978-1-64152-382-0 | eBook 978-1-64152-383-7

With unconditional love, this book is dedicated to my teachers and loved ones, particularly my parents, who have had a profound impact on me.

CONTENTS

ALL HUMAN BEINGS POSSESS A PRICELESS GIFT the ability to explore a state that offers intuitive wisdom and guidance for understanding consciousness, who we are, and where we are headed.

We enter this state every night when we fall asleep and begin to dream. Few people in the modern world hold a deep, genuine appreciation of dreams, let alone the skills to apply their dreams toward nourishing their waking lives. Even fewer people realize their potential to radically alter their dream experience to benefit themselves and othersknown as the extraordinary art of lucid dreaming.

In ordinary dreams, you dont think about your state of consciousness. You assume that youre awake, which limits your range of possible experiences.

To become lucid in a dream, then, means that youre directly reflecting on your state of being and realize: Aha! Here I am, dreaming. This clear recognition of the dreams true nature crosses a threshold from your usual mode of dreaming. You now have a new frame on your reality, granting you freer access to experiences.

This books goal is to introduce you to lucid dreaming, and to teach you not only how to do it, but also how to begin applying it toward improving your life.

If youve been interested in lucid dreaming, youre probably aware that theres no lack of resources available about how to dream lucidlya lot of comprehensive, in-depth work has already been done in this area by previous generations.

However, there hasnt been a short, updated guide that digests the best available information, and organizes it in step-by-step tools that are easy to understand, remember, and apply. The goal is to offer you these tools with more precision and simplicity than is currently available for beginners.

This book was motivated by my interest in applying lucid dreaming toward studying consciousness and treating mental health disorders. My personal journey into lucid dreaming was sparked during my early studies in psychology, when I learned that lucid dreaming is scientifically verifiable, and that with training, it can also be a nightly occurrence. I was fascinated by the expansive spectrum of possibilities for how this state could benefit me and others, which motivated me to learn to lucid dream myself.

My early development as a lucid dreamer was interwoven with my training as a clinical psychologist and researcher. In 2007, I attended my first intensive retreat with Stephen LaBerge, the prominent lucid dreaming expert, and soon I began researching and teaching with him. Later, we authored a study showing that combining the over-the-counter memory enhancer with the skills for inducing lucidity substantially increases the odds of lucid dreaming compared to a placebo.

During graduate school, I integrated my growing knowledge about lucid dreaming into my training in treating psychological conditions. In providing lucid dreaming therapy, I saw firsthand that lucid dreaming can let patients see and think without their usual defenses.

Through the lens of lucidity, they can face their fears more creatively, process emotions better, and get to know themselves in ways that can be gentle and playful, easing them along a path toward healing.

My own lucid dreaming experiences have been nothing short of transformative. Some of my lucid dreams have completely altered my views of myself and how I understand reality. They have added much meaning to my life, which over time keeps growing and weaving itself in with new dreams and waking experiences.

My lucid dreams also help me in small but important day-today ways. No matter lifes ups or downs, or what circumstances Im trying to negotiate, my lucid dreams have always acted as a mirror that I could hold up to help me see what, within myself, I need to look at most.

Ive also appreciated what I might call lucid dreamings secondary benefits, which taught me how to better focus my mind and attention, set and follow through on intentions, prioritize my higher values, and be more observant in my waking life.

Since you are reading this, you too must be curious about lucid dreamings profound potential. Which is why Ive packed this book with the most essential tools for becoming a true oneironautsomeone trained to optimally explore the dream state.

With the right motivation and techniques, learning how to dream lucidly is easier than you might think. If youre just starting out, some of the ideas in this book might seem different or strange, while others might feel highly intuitive. Take your time learning the practices offered. That way, you can best integrate them with your daily routines, and allow your dreams the space they need to expand into one of your greatest creative resources. Learning lucid dreaming will shine a light on many new pathways toward self-discovery, so stay open and curious, and enjoy the ride.