How to recognize dreamsigns

Okay, we have arrived at the final part of the program before we continue to the "Conclusion" section where I provide you some remaining ideas to officially sign off. This means that inducing that lucid dream really needs to happen in this part of the Lucidipedia Matrix: recognizing you are dreaming. All six steps we've previously discussed so far have all led to this part of the program. Let's keep focussed.

Recognize dreams column

At the time the 60 minutes of "Recall dreams" (column 1) and "Discover dreamsigns" (column 2) are properly spend, it is time to go to bed again. Prevent any potential disturbances for the next hour. Relax and lay comfortably in bed. Close your eyes.

The part of the brain that is responsible for enabling self-awareness in dreams is called the dorsolateral prefrontal cortext (DLPC). This part of the brain is located in the frontal area of your brain, and is responsible for all kinds of cognitive functioning. A skill that we need to focus on to allow this DLPC to get activated, is called "prospective memory": the intention to remember to do something in the future at the onset of a particular cue.

Your success in recognizing dreams is highly related to your prospective memory skills. Knowing which recurrent dreamsigns you have, having a specific lucid dream plan ready, feeling motivated and excited, and your ability to visualize yourself becoming lucid are all related to empower your prospective memory skills as much as possible before going to bed. So as I mentioned earlier on, all six steps we've previously discussed in the Lucidipedia Matrix have led up to your success in prospective memory.

While visualizing your lucid dream plan, rehearsing yourself recognizing dreamsigns and becoming lucid, you gradually fall asleep and lose consciousness. Hopefully your prospective memory faculties have been stimulated enough in order for you to recognize your first dream as quickly as possible and enjoy a lucid dream.

Step 7. Recognize dreams

Recognizing dreams is based on your performance in applying prospective memory skills: the power of your intention to remember to do something in the future. Dr. Stephen LaBerge has done some interesting research on this part and discusses his research and designed techniques extensively in his book Exploring the World of Lucid dreaming. Based on the technique he calls MILD: Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams, he eventually designs the Napping technique (which most lucid dreamers call the Wake-Back-To-Bed technique nowadays) that addresses the interruption of your normal sleep cycle with a brief period of wakefulness to greatly enhance your effectivity in lucid dreaming. As you know, this tutorial program is based on this popular technique. Step 7 or cell number 7 represents the MILD technique: recognizing dreamsigns based on prospective memory skills.

Step 8. Get into bed

Motivated and focused on your prospective task to turn lucid, you go to bed again. Your job is to relax the body completely while keeping your mind highly focused on recognizing the first signs of dreaming. The past hour of wakefulness and exercised intention and motivation techniques really enhance your chances for success. It has all led up to this moment when you go to bed again. So be serious about it, recognize those upcoming dreams!

Step 9. Visualize

While gradually getting more and more relaxed while mentally getting more and more alert, almost like in a meditative state, it is time to start visualizing your rehearsed lucid dream as vividly as possible. You will notice your brain starting REM sleep very slowly and distracts you with other unrelated impressions of people, talks or locations. This doesn't matter at all, use those "distractions" to refocus and implement your lucidity in the very thing your mind has distracted you with, and visualize your rehearsed lucid dream in that very distracted imagination. So be sure not to suppress any thoughts or imagination that is not related to lucid dreaming. Refocus and visualize becoming lucid by recognizing a particular dreamsign WITHIN that same imagination. This way you keep focused on your intention to remember to recognize dreamsigns while being intimately involved into starting REM sleep. Eventually you'll fall asleep and hopefully recognize you're dreaming in a few minutes.

This completes your training at Lucidipedia's basic tutorial course. Great job! Let's continue to the remaining Liberation and Awakening part to officially sign off.