If you are just getting started with learning to lucid dream, or want to check on your progress, this page will be a critical resource in mastering the process.
Here we outline the general steps needed to learn to lucid dream, stabilize your dreams, and learn to control them, with links to the necessary knowledge required for each step.
Note: This page is a guide navigating our learn to lucid dream resources. In it, we link to 5 articles that contain detailed knowledge on each of the 5 steps you need to take to master lucid dreaming. If you want a shorter, less informative path to start lucid dreaming, please see How to Lucid Dream in 4 Steps
How to Master Lucid Dreaming
These are the skills that you need to master to start having lucid dreams and to get the most out of them once you do:
- Develop Good Dream Recall
- Learn to Conduct Reality Checks
- Find the Right Lucid Dream Initiation Technique
- Learn to Stabilize Your Dreams
- Take Control of Your Dreams
Developing Better Dream Recall
To get the most out of your dreams, you need to remember them well. If you don’t remember the details of your dreams, then lucid dreaming is out of your reach – since you won’t even know it happened.
If you can’t remember your dreams in detail yet, you will first need to start by improving your dream recall. You can do this by starting a dream journal, as outlined in our article on Dream Journaling
If you do remember your dreams well already, then you have already overcome step 1 of 5 steps to mastering lucid dreaming. However, even if you have good dream recall already, we recommend that you still read up on how dream journals can benefit you in the long run.
Learn to Conduct Reality Checks
Once you can remember at least one dream in detail from each night, you’re ready to have your first lucid dream. Step 2 of 5 to master lucid dreams is learning how to conduct reality checks.
A reality check is any test that you can conduct throughout the day and in your dreams to determine if you are dreaming. Once you get into habitually checking or testing reality in your daily life, you greatly increase your chances of becoming lucid in your dreams.
To learn how to conduct reality checks and view a list of top reality check methods, see the article: Mastering the Reality Check
Find the Right Lucid Dream Initiation Technique For You
At this point you should both remember your dreams well and conduct regular reality checks. Technically, this is all you need to get started lucid dreaming, as conducting reality tests in your dreams is a type of lucid dream induction technique in and of itself. However, to increase your chances of having lucid dreams, you should learn about other dream initiation techniques and aide techniques that will make it easier.
You can learn about lucid dream initiation and helpful supplementary techniques in the article: Lucid Dream Initiation Techniques
Learn to Stabilize Your Dreams
Once you have successfully become lucid within your dreams, there is still one major hurdle to enjoying yourself: stability. Though most books and guides on lucid dreaming don’t consider this part of the process of learning to lucid dream itself, we believe that it is so important that you are essentially going in blind without it.
When you become aware of the fact that you are in a dream, things will often become unstable if you are inexperienced. Losing clarity and waking up from excitement are common for people who have not explored targeted techniques for keeping their dreams stable.
You can learn how to stabilize your dreams in the article Dream Stabilization: Fundamental Lucid Dream Techniques
If you have successfully completed the steps up to here, you should now be able to have lucid dreams. The 5th step is not required to lucid dream, only to master lucid dreaming and make use of advanced dream techniques.
Take Control of Your Dreams
People who learn about lucid dreaming often confuse becoming lucid for having control over your dreams. While the goal for lucid dreaming often involves controlling the dream to some degree, lucid dreaming and dream control are not synonymous. Learning the proper techniques to take control of your dream world and manifest your desires requires intent and focus, and becomes much easier if structured properly.
To learn more about how to control your dreams, please see our article Developing Dream Control
Explore Your Inner World
Once you have learned to have lucid dreams and control them, there is still much to explore. Yes, even beyond the new universe that belongs to you in your dreams.
By this point you can basically dream about whatever you like, and if you are content with that then that is fine. However, for those interested, there are many things that you can pursue within the dream world to optimize your dreams for healing, exploration, and self-discovery, if you’re so inclined.
To get an idea of the many things you can do to explore and expand your mind after mastering lucid dreaming, visit our article What Should You Do in Lucid Dreams?**
**Coming soon
Your Dream World Awaits
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! You have given yourself the tools needed to delve into lucid dreaming and take control of your own personal reality. What lies ahead is endless wonder, fantasy, and discovery. Enjoy your new power, and best of luck to you in your dreaming endeavors.
Check back with To Lucid Dream for even more dreaming techniques, dream enhancement, and community.
