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.

Belleville, USA

I found myself struggling to fall into a full sleep, with what felt like "naps" and the last recognizable time occurring in reality was at 4:30 a.m.

I had once again rested my head back down and what felt like almost immediately after doing so the next thing I was "aware" of is that I am in a field walking toward what I had recognized as an old comic shop I used to visit. Not having any notion as to how I may have gotten there, I remember staring at the ground of the field beneath my feet and questioned if I had been dreaming. I then tried jumping as high as I possibly could, which initiated a leap several feet high and long, cueing the realization that I was in fact dreaming.

Now this is where things get a little broken (sequence-wise) for me, so please bear with me:

The next thing I recall is being inside of the building I was heading towards in what I was told was a rehabilitation center. Everyone around me was dressed in white. None of the faces where completely recognizable except for two: a good friend of mine named Dan and a women with no name (in lucid dreaming I referred to her as "the one I love") and even the woman’s face blended back and forth between what I can only describe as a mix between Natalie Portman and one of my ex-girlfriends.

I remember Dan leaning against a doorway next to me while I was staring into a mirror (I could see myself, but my hand kept touching my face as it was blurred – the only visible portion was my white clothes and hair) as he began answering what I can only assume was my subconscious question of why I was there and for how long. I told him I could not remember how I got there or why I was there and I remember his response as clear as day:

Dan: "Do you know why you’re here man?"

Me: "I can’t even tell you how I got here. Marijuana?"

(keep in mind I was in a "rehab center")

Dan: "Haha – you can’t remember? That’s probably why you’re here in the first place. You’re here for like a month dude. Go check the schedule."

At this point I believe my subconscious began to panic about possibly becoming stuck, because time in lucid dreaming seemed to begin to narrow. People began crowding me around the "schedule". I remember specifically an African-American man shouting beside me, "who’s Josh, who’s Josh!" soon after leading me outward toward the front door where "the one I love" had been leaning, gesturing me to come closer.

I then remember walking with "the one I love" when she began crying, begging me not to wake up, screaming that we could be happy there together if I stayed. During this tantrum, chains developed on her arms and legs and I began to feel heavy.

I then began thinking of my family, my mother specifically and thoughts of getting stuck in a coma, which I do believe led to my subconscious to panic further because time seemed to narrow even further.

"The one I love" then led me into a back room and well, not to get vulgar, but we began having sex and right before my "orgasm" she started screaming at me not to go, at which point I felt myself being pulled away – and in fact I was being pulled away.

Now here’s what really blew my mind about the whole experience: I then awoke to daylight and rushed out of my room to find my mother and stepdad standing in the living room. I began explaining my experience to them both. However, my stepdad began pre-guessing my whole experience dead on, which I questioned. I then took out my phone and noticed there were scratches and dents all over it. I handed my phone to my mom to look at the damage and as she hit the back light button I WOKE UP!!

I shot up almost immediately after opening my eyes, it was still dark outside I looked at the time..5:17 a.m.