The deepening techniques used by an advanced practitioner essentially differ little from those used at the basic level. However, there are two fundamental differences in the way these techniques are performed. First, an experienced lucid dreamingr will prefer to perform deepening at the same time he begins to implement his plan of action. That is to say, he doesn’t do as a novice does: separate, deepen, and then implement the plan of action. Instead, he separates and immediately implements his plan of action, in parallel to intensifying the realness of his sensations. This has beneficial effect on the quality of the deepening, and it simply saves time for other things in lucid dreaming.

Second, advanced practitioners and novices differ in their intent to deepen and how it they realize it. If, when performing a deepening technique, a novice will often expect results from the simple fact of mechanically performing some action, then an advanced lucid dreamingr will perform deepening techniques with the focused aim and desire of obtaining a hyperrealistic lucid dreaming, as if being pulled towards it by the techniques themselves, all while recalling the sensations of previous experiences. The techniques merely serve to help him better express his intention.

Science first accepted the possibility of lucid dreaming state within the dream consciousness context with Keith Hearne’s 1975 experiment at England’s Hull University. Over the course of the experiment, practitioner Alan Worsley was able to make deliberate and previously agreed eye movements at the same that an EKG monitor indicated his brain was in a state of sleep. Several years later, Stephen LaBerge would perform a similar experiment at Stanford University that became well known due to his active contribution to the development of this field of study.

Quite a number of scientific experiments have been conducted worldwide to prove the existence of the phenomenon and investigate its nature. For example, experiments on three lucid dreamingrs at the Max Plank Institute in Frankfurt (2008) demonstrated the following: the largest difference between the states of wakefulness, lucid dreaming, and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep is observed at the 40 Hz frequency, and is concentrated in the frontal parts of the brain. Essentially, it was demonstrated that lucid dreaming is something in-between wakefulness and REM sleep. Notably, those very parts of the brain that are very much responsible for consciousness and whose development distinguishes humans from primates turn out to be the most active while in lucid dreaming. This work was undertaken by J. Allan Hobson, Ursula Voss, Romain Holzmann, and Inka Tuin. They are credited with demonstrating the difference between states of consciousness at 40 Hz.

More in-depth explanations of the nature of lucid dreaming state phenomenon remain to be discovered. With each passing year, the scientific community increasingly realizes how important the study of this state is, recognizing that it enables a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for consciousness and how varying states of wakefulness and sleep arise.

There is also a theory which states that lucid dreaming is a product of the evolution of human consciousness: consciousness first arose in and occupied wakefulness, and then gradually began to seep into the REM state, the next-closest state still free of conscious awareness. Possibly, conscious existence in two worlds – wakefulness and lucid dreaming – will be as commonplace for men and women of the future as being aware only during wakefulness is today. However, there is also a completely opposite theory which maintains that lucid dreaming ability used to be inherent, but is gradually disappearing. It points to the frequent ease with which younger children enter lucid dreaming, but later lose the ability with age due to its neglect.

Ventura, USA

I went to bed at 10 pm. I woke at 5:30, used the bathroom, and went back to bed. It took me a while to fall asleep. Once I did, I woke up a couple of times and changed positions each time. I felt vibrations come on and heard people talking as they came in my house. I also heard little footsteps near my bed and thought it might be one of my kids. Luckily, I remembered that this type of phenomenon happens when entering lucid dreaming (M.R.: no separation). I stayed still and strained the brain to increase the vibrations. This worked really well (M.R.: no separation). I then used phantom wiggling and got my left arm out. At this point I tried to separate by rolling out, but with no success. I then got my right arm out, but I thought I had actually moved my real arm. I was worried I had blown the whole thing, but decided to continue anyways. I tried to see both arms in front of me. They quickly appeared and I saw them through closed eyes! I started swinging my arms from side to side and rolled out of my body.

I was now on the floor next to my bed. I was so excited. I had just done what I had been reading about for 10 months! I remembered to stabilize the experience by rubbing my hands together. As I was doing this, I looked down and noticed my hands looked fat and swollen. I then saw my wife leave the bedroom and go downstairs (M.R.: no plan of action). I followed her and noticed the sun shining in through the windows. It was still dark in real life. My wife then went back upstairs, so I decided to go outside. I started for the front door but decided to fly through the window. I landed in the street and walked around for a bit. I started to go up to my neighbor’s house, but noticed that everything was fading (M.R.: no maintaining). I had lost the experience and was now back in bed. I quickly spun around (in my mind) and noticed myself right back in the same spot I had left! I walked up to my neighbor’s door, rang the doorbell, and waited for her to come. I then lost it again and tried spinning, but it did not work.

Quick Instructions for Novices

Success Rate:

For 1-5 attempts (1-3 days) – 50%

For 6-10 attempts (2-7 days) – 80%

For 11-20 attempts (3-14 days) – 90%

Immediately after separation, the practitioner’s attention is focused on his already having achieved his desired embodiment. This must not merely be imagined – instead, one must try to feel the new embodiment immediately. For example, if a lucid dreamr wants to transform into a snake, then after rolling-out he must try no matter what to immediately feel himself rolling out while in the elongated body of a snake, and not of a person. If this is not successful, then other transmutation techniques need to be tried, as this one is to be used only at the beginning of a lucid dream entrance. If transmutation is successful, then one should immediately move on to deepening lucid dreaming while in the newly obtained embodiment, like after a conventional separation.