I've been practicing and studying lucid dreaming for a while and I understand it's not easy to achieve, it can be a very frustrating process when it takes forever to have one. Here are some things to consider before lucid dreaming:
1.) Lucid dreaming is entirely different from Astral Projection. Astral projection is classified as a willful Out of Body Experience (OBE) (even though OBE and AP are not the same, they share similarities), where the spiritual or astral body leaves the physical one and is able to travel. Astral projection is also done while the mind is awake, or conscious. Lucid dreaming takes place within ones body and happens while the mind is asleep, or unconscious.
2.) Lucid dreaming is not sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis occurs when one is waking up or falling asleep; there is awareness, but the person is unable to speak or move. Hallucinations can occur during sleep paralysis. The mind is semi-conscious during this state and the person experiencing sleep paralysis is not really in control, whereas while lucid dreaming, the person is unconscious/asleep and has control.
3.) Lucid dreaming is not the same as False Awakening. False Awakening is a phenomenon where one has a vivid dream that they have woken up but is actually still sleeping. Once again, this is different from lucid dreaming because during a false-awakening one does not have lucidity or control while dreaming. However, it is a good idea to always to a reality check when you wake up IF you have a false awakening.
4.) Lucid dreaming is NOT dangerous. Lucid dreaming is perfectly safe; once you gain lucidity in your dream, you can influence what happens during your dreams. Given you go into it with a positive attitude, you should have a positive experience with lucid dreaming.
Here are some things to help get you started on lucid dreaming:
1) Have a dream journal on hand.
A dream journal is much like a regular journal in that you write down what happened, or what you remember, from your dreams. This may sound kind of simple or unimportant, but its imperative to keep some kind of dream journal in order to have success or at least get something out of trying lucid dreaming. This does not need to be a physical book, in fact, it could be in a document on your computer, phone, etc. Just make sure you have somewhere to document your dreams. If you aren't so much into writing you could perhaps draw what you saw in your dream.
Why you should have a dream journal on hand:
Ever been able to remember your dreams right when you wake up, but forget them quickly throughout the day? A dream journal can help solve this problem; you'll be able to remember what you dreamed about and if you had, or were close to having a lucid dream.
You can refer to your dream journal to look at the progress you have made, as well as what needs improvement when it comes to lucid dreaming.
If you like interpreting dreams for divination purposes, keeping a dream journal can help you organize the significant pieces of your dreams for interpretation.
Once you can lucid dream, keeping a journal will help you remember your dream adventures.
2) Reality checks
A reality check is an action repeatedly done during one's waking life that is meant to confirm that one is awake. Once you repeat these practices in your waking life over a long duration of time, you may start to perform them in your dreams on autopilot; in the long run, this can lead to the realization that you are dreaming.
Reality checks are extremely important in the process of lucid dreaming, when we are dreaming we don't understand that what is taking place at the moment is strange and you accept that what is taking place at the moment is reality, and when you wake up you notice how being able to breathe underwater wasn't realistic.
Here are some common reality checks that you should try:
When you wake up ask yourself "am I dreaming?" you should be able to access your surroundings easily and remember yourself waking up in the morning to confirm you are not dreaming.
Try checking your phone/clock/watch look away and look again, or simply reading a book, often in a dream, the time won't be the same as it was before.
Turning on or off a light switch most of the time in a dream it won't work.
Hold your breath or plug your nose if you can still breathe you are definitely in a dream.
Doing reality checks can take countless days, weeks, or even months until you get on autopilot and do them in a dream, that's why most people like to give up because this process is very frustrating.
Crystals
Crystals are often put under one's pillow (or dream pillow) that can increase your ability to lucid dream. Keeping these crystals near your bed or under/inside your pillow can promote lucid dreaming
Moldavite: Helps promote inner-journeys and increased awareness of one's consciousness.
Lepidolite: Helps you have a peaceful and stable sleep, which is ideal when trying to lucid dream.
Azurite: Helps develop intuition and introspection, which can put one into the reflective mindset required for lucid dreaming.
Amethyst: Helps with dream-recall.
Herbs
Herbs can be used in a couple of ways to help with lucid dreaming.
-If the herb is edible, you could bake it into food or make a tea from it. -Herbs can also be added to a dream pillow, essential oil, or sachet/mojo bag kept near the bed.
Mugwort: This herb can be brewed into a tea and drunk before sleeping or added to dream pillows and sachets/mojo bags. This is the most common herb used in lucid dreaming and it is known to be very helpful.
Peppermint: Peppermint tea is pretty easy to find. It is a relaxing herb that promotes sleep and increases the vividness of dreams.
Wild Asparagus Root: This is best used by being brewed into a tea. Wild Asparagus Root has been used in Chinese folk medicine for the purpose of lucid dreaming since ancient times.
Burdock Root: This root is usually ingested through a brewed tea. It helps to keep dreams positive and away from nightmares, which is helpful if this gets in the way of your lucid dreams.
