Any dream in which you are conscious that you are dreaming and can manipulate the dream is considered a Lucid Dream. Used contextually in this instance the word lucid refers to simply means that you are conscious and aware. The true extent of your lucidity actually varies according the stability of the dreaming session, your experience with lucid dreaming, how well you can influence the dream, and how much you remember when you wake up.

The most striking aspect of having a lucid dream is this very control. Knowing that the things going on around you are only a part of your dream is something which is quite unlike anything else. You are at the wheel of this ship and have full control over what happens. Other than your imagination, there are no boundaries to what you can do in your Lucid Dream experiences.

Just imagine that for an instant. It looks feels and sounds exactly the same as �normal� reality, except that you know that it isn�t. You know that you are perfectly safe; you cannot die or get injured when lucid dreaming. There are no normal rules and regulations about what you get up to! It is truly your own �Individual Virtual Reality', with a depth of realism far beyond the most sophisticated computer imitation.

Lucid Dreaming is an incredible skill and many more people are learning to experience it. The Lucid Dream is very rarely experienced by those who are unaware of it or who have not taken the time to learn how to do it. Can you imagine how fun and thrilling it would be to be able to have a lucid dream whenever you wanted to?

If you truly want to open up a new path into some pretty amazing experiences then you probably want to learn just what you can do with these dreams. Imagine, if you will, being able to create your own universe, your own movie saga, create novels and book, or even experiment and design things all in the state of peaceful relaxation and slumber. You could even time travel and speak to people you have never met or have not seen in many years. Your dram has no limits!

Being able to have Lucid Dreams on a regular basis was until very recently a very difficult thing to accomplish. People would spend as long as a year training themselves before having even the first lucid dream; others never managed to achieve it.

So are there any easier ways to have a Lucid Dream?

Many people feel that particular foods can encourage or induce a lucid dream. You should try these immediately before going to sleep. Orange Juice, Milk and Cheese and also Mustard have been reported as being good things to consume for the best results.

Other foods are less effective but are still thought to help; pickles, ice cream and popcorn. These foods do have the drawback of having a lot of salt or fat � meaning that they are less likely to produce restful sleep.

Can Technology Help?

There have been some recent technological innovations which can help people to experience Lucid Dreaming. There are LED eyeshades and sleep masks. These LEDs activate once REM sleep is detected. The lights serve to remind the dreamer that they are dreaming. Once the sleeper comes to realize this, they are able to take control of their dreaming experience.

The most exciting developments have been in audio technology. Sound waves at slightly different frequencies are played in to each ear of the listener � a technique known as binaural beats. This can open the experience of Lucid Dreaming to many people.

Binaural beats serve to induce a synchronizing in both hemispheres of the brain. As if instantly these two special frequencies induce the brain to produce a state of REM sleep. This is where your Lucid Dream can begin.

For anyone wondering what it is like to experience a Lucid Dream, then this is definitely the easiest and most reliable way of getting started!