Lucid Dreaming Essentials – Awaken to Lucid Dreams

Lucid dreaming offers a great many benefits that I am sure you are already aware of. Unfortunately, learning to lucid dream can be time-consuming and frustrating for some people. The good news is that through the use of certain herbs it is possible to dramatically increase your chances of having a lucid dream. In this article I will cover the most popular herbs and effective herbs for inducing lucid dreams. For lucid dreaming it is best to use several different herbs that have different characteristics. Herbs for improved memory, such as those that contain Galantamine or Alpha-GPC are needed to help the dreamer remember their dreams andalso remember to perform reality checks while in a dream. Herbs that promote better cognitive skills and higher mental functioning, in addition to increased amounts of R.E.M., through the use of Choline and other derivatives, are needed to improve the chances of experiencing lucidity while dreaming. Why use herbs for inducing lucid dreams? Before you continue reading I should point out that just like other forms of lucid dreaming products, herbs are not a magic bullet for inducing lucid dreams! They are an aid, albeit a very useful one, but they will not make you into a consistent lucid dreamer if you do not use other lucid dreaming techniques as well. Although some lucid dreaming products are better than others, herbs being a perfect example of something that works while lucid dreaming masks being a perfect example of something that doesn't, they all should be viewed as aids only. Any lucid dreaming product must be used along with induction techniques if you want it to work. I covered clearly the pros and cons of using lucid dreaming products in the article do lucid dreaming masks work. Lucid dreaming aids, such as herbs, are only effective if they are used in conjunction with induction techniques. Although herbs will not make you magically start to have lucid dreams, they will greatly increase your chances of having them. Additionally, using the right herbs along with a good lucid dreaming course will speed up your results and greatly shorten the time it takes you to become a consistent and controlled lucid dreamer. Before I detail the best herbs to use for inducing lucid dreams let's take a look at why using them can help you in your quest to become a lucid dreamer. Why are herbs so effective for lucid dreaming? Some People find it hard to lucid dream. Using herbs can make experiencing lucid dreams a lot easier. Additionally, there are a very small number of people who do actually become lucid in their dreams but find that they cannot control them and merely wake up when they try to. Herbs can help these people also. Using herbs to help you enter lucidity can also make lucid dreaming become easier over time. There are four main reasons for using herbs in your quest to master lucid dreaming. Four reasons to use herbs for lucid dreaming: Herbs that contain natural chemicals which promote improved memory will help you remember to perform reality checks and look for dream signs within a dream. They will also help you to remember your lucid dreams after you have woken. Herbs that cause more vivid dreams, dreams that can be very surreal, give you a better chance of realising that you are actually experiencing a dream. Herbs that promote better cognitive functions will give you a better chance of becoming conscious during a dream, which will lead to lucidity and dream control. Herbs that cause increased R.E.M. periods during sleep (the time when you dream) give you more chances to become lucid. Let's briefly cover the 4 main reasons for using herbs to improve your chances of having a lucid dream. 1. Remembering your dreams is a vital step in learning the skill of lucid dreaming. In fact, it is so important that keeping a dream journal is the cornerstone of all lucid dreaming techniques. Not only is it important to train yourself to remember your dreams so you can recall them (what is the point of having a lucid dream if you don't remember you had it?) but improving your memory will also help you to remember to perform vital lucid dreaming reality checks and look for dream signs while you dream. When you perform a reality check and realise that you are dreaming this is all that is needed to become lucid. Unless you are in a very small minority of people, the very act of becoming conscious that you are in a dream is enough to make you fully conscious in it and is also enough to give you full control over it. Realising that you are dreaming causes you to become lucid and is therefore a vital thing to do in a dream. Any aid you can use to help you get to that realization is a big plus - certain herbs can help do that. 2. Promoting vivid dreams is a great way of increasing your chances of becoming lucid. When you have surreal crazy dreams that are colorful, vibrant and filled with strange and wonderful things you give yourself a better chance of realising that you are dreaming. Wacky dreams offer you an enhanced opportunity to realise that you are experiencing a dream and thus give you and improved opportunity to become lucid. This is why herbs that promote colorful, surreal dreams work well for inducing lucidity. 3. As I demonstrated in a previous article there are some higher cognitive brain functions that are evident in lucid dreamers that are not seen in non-lucid-dreamers, during sleep. This does not mean that lucid dreamers are smarter than non-lucid-dreamers. but it does indicate that they are more consciously aware both while dreaming and also while awake. By using herbs that promote better cognitive brain functions you will train your brain to act in similar ways to lucid dreamers and thus give yourself a better chance of becoming lucid when you dream. 4. Dreams occur during R.E.M. periods. So, by increasing the amount of R.E.M. periods you have while asleep, and by also expanding their duration, you give yourself more chances of becoming lucid and also lengthen the time of your lucid dreams. As you can see herbs can be very effective for creating the correct mental state and ideal dream environment for becoming lucid. Now let's look at how to use herbs for creating vivid dreams and inducing lucid dreams, before we look at the best herbs for doing this. How to use herbs for lucid dreaming If you obtain herbs in leaf form then you can use them to make a tea. Be aware that if your herbs are crushed up then you will need to use a tea strainer to ensure your broth is drinkable. It is possible to buy empty pill capsules and simply fill them with the herbal mixture of your choice if herbal tea is a little sour for your taste (I personally hate herbal tea but will drink English breakfast tea at any time). You may need a pedestal and mortar to ensure the herbs are crushed and mixed sufficiently if you want to make your pills though. Drink your tea, or take your home-made herbal pill, about 20 - 30 minutes before bedtime for optimum results. What herbs cause vivid dreams We will first start with a list of herbs that are ideal for causing vivid, colorful and vibrant dreams. There are a variety of different herbs that can be used to promote vivid dreams. Below are seven of the most common and popular. 7 herbs that promote vivid dreams: Ashwagandha: Great for stress relief and the promotion of peaceful, vivid dreams. Get it here. Bacopa Monnieri: Promotes vibrant, vivid dreams. Also heightens dream recall.Get it here. Calea Zacatechichi: Known as the “dream herb” this natural substance has been used for millennia in Mexico to create vivid dreams. Cardamom Extract: Creates wacky dreams that feel surreal and when used with ginger root ensures happy colorful dreams. Get it here. Pure Ginger Root: Promotes happy dreams that feel good and that are vivid and colorful. Get it here Mugwort: This is another herb that has been used by aboriginal tribes in different countries for centuries. It creates vivid, vibrant dreams. Get it here Myrica Gale: Promotes peaceful fast sleep. Creates vivid dreams, colorful dreams. Also known as sweet gale. Bear in mind that creating vivid dreams is only one part of the herbal approach to inducing lucid dreams. The herbal lucid dreaming induction process requires not only herbs that create vivid dreams, but you will also need to use other herbs that can help put you in the correct mental state for becoming lucid. You also need herbs that improve your memory and enhance your mental cognitive functions, as I pointed out in the article about lucid dreaming pills. Best herbs for lucid dreaming So, which herbs are best for inducing lucid dreams? The herbs mentioned above are great for creating the type of vivid dream environment where you are much more likely to realise that you are dreaming but you need something more. The best herbs for lucid dreaming will actually be a mixture of different plant extracts and supplements. Herbs that create vivid dreams are the first step but you also need herbs that heighten cognitive functions, ones that increase R.E.M. and ones that enhance memory. A combination of appropriate herbs gives the dreamer the best chance of becoming lucid. Below is a list of the most common herbs that should be used in conjunction with one or more of the other herbs mentioned in the previous section. 7 herbs for lucid dreaming: Any of the herbs mentioned above for creating vivid dreams: Creating vivid dreams is the first step to using a herbal approach to lucid dreaming. The more vivid and wacky the dream, the better the chance you will realise that you are dreaming and become lucid. Alpha GPC: Rather than being a herb itself this is a plant extract. Alpha-GPC is usually sourced from highly purified soy lecithin or from purified sunflower lecithin. It has been shown to greatly enhance dream memory and be very beneficial for inducing lucid dreams. Get it here. Celastrus Paniculatus: Enhances cognitive functions. Gives you a greater chance of realising that you are dreaming. This herb is rare and is endangered in some parts of the world. As well as improving cognitive functions it also creates exceptionally clear and vivid dreams. Get it here. Chamomile: Helps you remember your dreams. Also improves your chances of remembering to perform reality checks and looking for dream signs while you are dreaming. Get it here. Choline Bitartrate: Another supplement derived from plants, and not an actual herb. This too is a memory enhancer but will also help to improve mental functions. This supplement will also improve your ability to be more conscious during your dreams and help you to remember them fully when you awaken. Get it here. Galantamine: This is, arguably, the most powerful lucid dreaming supplement. Derived from from the bulbs of certain types of daffodils it is a memory enhancer, cognitive brain function improver and has been shown to help people enter lucidity during dreams. Get it here. Huperzine A: Again this is not a herb in its own right. It is a natural supplement derived from the herb Chinese club moss. It greatly increases the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain for better memory and heightened cognitive functions. It is a powerful substance that will help you remember your dreams and also help you to remember to perform reality checks and look for dream signs while you are dreaming. Get it here. If you have followed any of the above links to the herbs and supplements mentioned then you will immediately notice just how expensive it can be to obtain each of the necessary supplements separately if you intend mixing them together yourself. There's good news though - you don't have to source lucid dreaming herbs and supplements separately at all! Lucid dreaming pills include all the mixed herbs you need Rather than purchasing, mixing and preparing lucid dreaming herbs yourself, it is often better to simply purchase a pill that contains the correct mixtures and doses of the best lucid dreaming herbs. I remember the first time I actually came across these pre-packaged lucid dreaming pills. I was shocked by their price. But, as this was early on in my lucid dreaming experiences, and I wanted to increase the number of lucid dreams I was having, I wanted to try herbs as a gateway to enhanced lucid dreaming. So I thought I would forgo paying the high price for a lucid dreaming pill supplement and simply bought myself a good book about lucid dreaming supplements. Armed with my book I went to work testing herbal mixtures so I could determine which herbs worked best for me. I soon realised though that far from being the cheaper route to using lucid dreaming herbs it was much more expensive! I didn't save myself money at all with this approach but just ended up paying out a lot more as it would have been much cheaper just buying the lucid dreaming pills. Herbs are not cheap and more often than not you can't get them in the very small quantities that are desirable for lucid dream testing. You have to buy a bag of each herb and this can equate to the same price you would pay for a lucid dreaming pill supplement i.e. each herbal bag costs the same as a box of pre-mixed lucid dreaming pills - and you need to buy multiple bags of different herbs. However, I have to say that if you have the money and time to try this approach it is definitely the best way to go. Being a part of a lucid dreaming community and having several friends who have learned to lucid dream over the years I have discovered that the herbs which work best for me are many times different from the herbs that work best for others. We are all individual and each one of us responds differently to different stimuli. So testing herbs, and different combination of herbs, is a great to find the exact herbal combination that creates the most amount of lucid dreams for you personally. It can also be quite a lot of fun experimenting with surreal dream they conjure up, but it is an expensive route to take. Obviously this approach is far from ideal, or even possible, for many people. Luckily though, there are some very good pre-packaged solutions. Effective lucid dreaming pills exist which are basically capsules filled with different combinations of dream herbs and supplements. There are different mixtures of herbs available depending on the manufacture you buy from. Just like mixing the herbs yourself can mean trial and error, it may also take you a few tries with different lucid dreaming supplement products to find the one that works best for you. However, the availability of lucid dreaming pills, and the fact that they are cheaper than mixing the herbs yourself, makes trying a herbal approach to lucid dreaming much easier and far less expensive. Buying and mixing herbs yourself can be rewarding but it is expensive. A cheaper option is to use lucid dreaming pills that are capsules filled with the most effective dream herbs and supplements. 2 of the most effective lucid dreaming pills on the market: Lucidimine - This is a great lucid dreaming supplement and the only one that contains the powerful supplement Galanatime. These pills also contain Alpha-GPC, CDP Choline and L-Theanine. Lucidimine is a fantastic supplement that will create positive-feeling vivid dreams and give you a solid platform for becoming lucid. It is widely available in the USA and Canada. LucidEsc - This is another great lucid dreaming pill that uses a different selection of herbs and supplements. As it is manufactured in the UK it can be difficult to get in the states and Canada.