Free A Field Guide to Lucid Dreaming by Dylan Tuccillo, Jared Zeizel, Thomas Peisel Page B

jabbering going on in
    our heads. A reality check is a great way to take us out of zombie
    mode, allowing us to achieve an expanded awareness throughout
    TOTEM
    Keep a small item that is personal to you in your pocket, on your key chain, or somewhere you’ll see it throughout your day. Whenever you see it, or feel it in your pocket, perform a reality check. This will help you create the habit of determining if you’re dreaming or not, which will then carry over into your dreams.
    = 91 <
    our daily lives. Use it as an opportunity to come back to the pres-
    ent moment, look around, and see the nice things that surround
    you. The waking world can be a real trip, too.
    = 92 <
    �
    Summary
    You begin your dialogue with the dream world while you are
    awake, with reality checks.
    •   By asking yourself throughout your day “Am I dreaming?” you 
    will soon ask the same question while in a dream. “Yes! I am 
    dreaming this time!”
    •   As you pose the question, perform a physical check as well. 
    •   Perform a reality check five to ten times a day, at regular 
    intervals. Use a consistent occurrence to remind yourself to
    perform a reality check, such as “every time you see a dog.”
    = 93 <

    P a r t t h r e e
    ArrivAl

    Now that you’ve packed your bags, it’s time to get going.
    Your destination is not always the easiest place to
    find, but we’ll guide you through your arrival. Pretty
    soon you’ll look around and take in the strange but familiar
    surroundings.
    As we were learning how to lucid dream, we came to real-
    ize that becoming lucid wasn’t an impossible skill, as some people
    might think. After trying out various techniques, it seemed just as
    accessible as any hobby or sport: we simply trained our bodies and
    minds to form new habits.
    Being disciplined was important, but we discovered that the
    right frame of mind was even more essential. So be confident,
    upbeat, and willing to fail in order to try again. The wrong state
    of mind is like a Chinese finger trap: the more you force it, the
    more frustration and pressure you exert, the less likely you’ll have a
    lucid dream. If you stay focused and relaxed, the dream will simply
    come to you.
    Can you feel the excitement? We’re almost there! After this
    section you’ll have all the knowledge you need to enter a world of
    your own creation. Have fun. We’ll see you on the other side.
    = 97 <
    9
    Becoming Lucid
    <•=
    In forming a bridge between body and mind, dreams may be used as a
    springboard from which man can leap to new realms of experience lying
    outside his normal state of consciousness.
    —Ann Faraday,
    dream writer, advocate for personal dream interpretation
    On July 20, 1969, a machine with legs like a spider
    detached from the command module and touched down
    on the surface of the moon. If they had been able to
    survive without their helmets on, the astronauts would have heard
    the complete silence of outer space. Commander Neil Armstrong’s
    foot reached the surface, but because of the constraint of the suit
    he was wearing, he was not able to see the historic footprint that
    he made. He described the surface as having a powdery feel. Buzz
    Aldrin joined him, looking out at the empty landscape, finding
    that double kangaroo jumps were the most effective way to get
    around.
    = 99 <
    Hundreds of thousands of miles away, the Earth listened to
    the men speak. In an attempt to describe this strange place, Aldrin
    used the phrase “magnificent desolation.”
    If you’ve ever wanted to reach out into the mystery of outer
    space yourself, lucid dreaming is not far off. In this chapter we’ll
    finally arrive in our dreams, using the tools we’ve collected over the
    last few chapters. Houston, we’re about to touch down.
    The