We tend to operate under the assumption that our dreams are something entirely out of our hands. We think of them as a mysterious happening which we do not fully understand, much less have the ability to control. However, these nightly journeys made by our subconscious are something which we can indeed take control of. Thanks to a technique known as lucid dreaming, dream control is an ability which is well within our reach.

But what is lucid dreaming and how does one do it? What are the benefits of being in the driver?s seat for these nocturnal journeys? Keep reading to find out more about the practice of dream control or lucid dreaming.

What Is Dream Control?

Dream control is something which is available to us through the use if lucid dreaming and grants us the ability to know, even while in the midst of a dream, to be aware that you are doing so ? this lets you start to take control over the direction of your dreams! Even while you are fast asleep, your mind can be in total control of what happens.

Those who suffer from nightmares, especially recurring ones can get relief from these bad dreams by using dream control. Once they have learned this simple but powerful skill, these people can finally get the good night?s rest they so badly need.

Common Ways of Inducing Lucid Dreaming

One of the most effective ways of inducing lucid dreaming is also one of the newest ? binaural audio. This is a technology which involves listening to two different frequencies at the same time. This listening produces deep relaxation and allows your brainwaves to synchronize, leading to the REM sleep state necessary for lucid dreaming to occur.

Before it was possible to find CD and DVDs of binaural audio, the primary methods used to induce lucid dreaming were self-hypnosis and meditation. While these both work very well, it takes time to develop these abilities far enough to reliably gain dream control.

Other than these methods, many others have been used by psychologists and sleep researchers. However the mind is trained to assert dream control, the object is the same ? to enable the dreamer to realize that they are dreaming and to begin taking the reins of their dreams.

This training begins while you are still awake. The goal is to remember to perform some kind of cue which will remind us that we are dreaming ? this allows dream control to begin.

This can be as simple as telling yourself that you will be dreaming and that you will do or say a certain thing in the dream; which will tell you that you are dreaming, setting off a state of lucid dreaming.

This form of dream control training is called MILD (mnemonic induction of lucid dreams) and was developed by the scientist Dr. Stephen LaBerge. This mnemonic technique allows you to start using dream control to decide how your dreams will play out. Once you are lucid dreaming, there are no limits except for your own imagination!

Starting a dream journal can also help prepare you for lucid dreaming. Keep this by your bedside and as soon as you wake from a dream, write down everything you can remember from it. Once you have been doing this for a while, you?ll begin to start lucid dreaming ? remembering is the first step to dream control.

Chase away the bad guys in nightmares, travel to whatever location you desire, go to your imagined hideaways, talk to famous people if you want, and basically be unshackled by worldly concerns. Through controlling your dreams, you can accomplish this, it gives you the ability to be in control of your nightly dream world and all that happens there.

However, there can be too much of the good thing which is lucid dreaming. Dreams can tell us important things, according to psychologists. So while you should unlock your full potential to have lucid dreaming experiences, make sure to give yourself some time off now and then to have natural dreams.