The Science of Lucid Dreaming Methods Used by Richard Feynman (Video)

Here are the video’s lucid dreaming pointers in list form:

  • -Maintain a dream journal: this improves recall and lucidity.
  • -Reality checks: Remember to check the time often, even when you think you’re awake.
  • -MILD: Put that dream journal to use! Think of a recent dream as you fall asleep, while focusing on having a lucid dream. Try waking in the middle of the night for half an hour and then heading back to sleep.
  • -WILD: Keep your mind awake as your body slips into sleep.

Richard Feynman on the Fear of Sleep Paralysis

During the time of making observation in my dreams, the process of waking up was a rather fearful one. As you’re beginning to wake up there’s a moment when you feel rigid and tied down, or underneath many layers of cotton batting. It’s hard to explain, but there’s a moment when you get the feeling you can’t get out; you’re not sure you can wake up.

So I would have to tell myself — after I was awake — that that’s ridiculous. There’s no disease I know of where a person falls asleep naturally and can’t wake up. You can always wake up. And after talking to myself many times like that, I became less and less afraid, and in fact I found the process of waking up rather thrilling — something like a roller coaster. After a while you’re not so scared, and you begging to enjoy it a little bit. – Richard Feynman, Theoretical Physicist

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A handy guide to lucid dreaming, with additional tips from Richard Feynman | io9