Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (MILD)

Introduction

I used to overlay regularly. I had a habit of turning the alarm off and going straight back to sleep. Often I couldn't even remember turning the alarm off. However, if I had a flight to catch I used to worry about overlaying and as I was falling to sleep I would keep saying to myself, "I must get up at 06:00am!!" The fascinating thing was that I never overlayed when it was important to me and on numerous occasions I would wake up just before the alarm went off. I mention this because I hear many people have had similar experiences. MILD uses the same techniques.

Similarly you will have been in a situation where you need to remember to do something. What do you do? You repeat it to yourself over and over to fix it in your mind. "I must remember to phone Kelly when I get home!". Maybe you even imagine walking through the front door at home and picking up the phone? Again, this is how MILD works.

These examples should make you realise that you are already familiar with programming your mind to do something at a set time (e.g. 6:00am), or in response to a certain prompt (e.g. walking through the front door).

The basis of the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams (created by Dr. LaBerge) or MILD for short, is that you are going to program your mind to wake after a dream, and also to remember that you are dreaming.

MILD Steps

1. As you fall to sleep, repeat to yourself in your mind "I am going to wake after I dream" or whatever words you choose. It will only work if it is important to you so make sure you mean it. Imagine that you will miss your flight or be late for school if you don't wake up after your next dream.
2. When you wake from your sleep, update TheDreamJournal that should be by your bed.
3. Use the WakeBackToBed method to prepare yourself for your final dream of the night, i.e. wake up an hour or so before you are due, get up for 30 minutes or so, read about lucid dreaming and then go back to bed.
4. This time as you fall to sleep, program your mind to realise that you are dreaming, repeat in your mind "I Am Lucid Dreaming" or whatever words you choose. Imagine yourself to be in a dream location (maybe TheDreamRoom), you spot one of your DreamSigns, perform RealityChecking, become lucid and carry out the tasks you have planned for your lucid dream. It's just like we imagined walking through the front door and remembering to ring Kelly in the introduction. Again, make sure it feels important to you.

If you get distracted by other thoughts after you program your mind, repeat the procedure again.

And finally, believe that this will work. You have used the technique many times before :)

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