Lucid Dreaming for Beginners: Simple Techniques for Creating Interactive Dreams

by Mark McElroy

In a lucid dream, you're aware that you're dreaming...so you can transform your dreams into fabulous adventures. From flying to traveling through time to visiting loved ones in spirit form, this book makes it easy for you to experience anything you wish. Popular author Mark McElroy presents a simple and effective 90-day plan for achieving lucid dreams. Along with step-by-step instructions and practical tips, Mark shares entertaining and enlightening stories from other lucid dreamers. Once you've mastered self-awareness while sleeping, you can use lucid dreaming

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Witchcraft, Metaphysics, Spirituality

288 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2007

About the author

After escaping his home town of Anniston, Alabama, in a rainbow-hued balloon, Mark McElroy was kidnapped by post-modern minimalists at the prestigious Center for Writers (University of Southern Mississippi), where he earned an MA in creative writing. During that time, he designed and taught in the nation’s first computer-aided collaborative writing classroom, earned his first writer’s paycheck with a wince-worthy comic book script, and began coming to terms with the fact that, despite having been groomed as a fundamentalist minister, he was definitely gay.

Since then, he’s authored more than a dozen non-fiction books on subjects from Apple Computers (101 Reasons to Switch to the Mac, from Que Books) to lucid dreaming (Lucid Dreaming for Beginners, for Llewellyn Publications). He’s also designed and scripted more than a dozen Tarot decks for publishers in the US (Llewellyn) and Italy (Lo Scarabeo). His books have been translated into more than a dozen languages.

Unlike his characters, Mark lives a quiet and happy life with Clyde (his husband for thirty-one years) and their two rescue dogs, Sunny Day and Windy Day. Parallel Lines is his first novel.

Reviews

[Bouvardia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written book about Lucid Dreaming. I became curious about Lucid Dreaming after experiencing two dreams were I was in control. I ended up picking up this book which helped explain more about what Lucid Dreaming is along with a long list of tips and ideas on gaining a better control over your dreams. Though I have to admit its a bit repetitive in parts and states some rather obvious information that anyone whos done at least a little bit of research would know.. it was entertaining to read and did help broaden my horizon in my dreams. I recommend it for Beginners in learning about your dreams but it's not really for anyone who's already been investigating their dreams for a while.

[Katharina Manassis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up on vacation for some light summer reading, but it was surprisingly helpful. Although the goal of lucid dreaming is to be able to influence dreams as they occur (and the author assumes you are gung-ho to do so!), my more modest hope was to ameliorate nightmares. I tried a few of the techniques (there are far too many in the book to pursue them all), and found journaling about dreams particularly helpful. My journal entries often revolved around similar themes, some of which I was not thinking about in my waking life. Thus, journaling dreams seemed to be a way of making friends with my subconscious mind. As I did so, my nightmares subsided. Worth a try!

[Keli H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

This writing style was way too simplistic and corny. It's written like a really bad DIY craft blog, except it's the length of a book. It definitely felt patronizing to read, although some of the ideas were a good intro to lucid dreaming.

[Eva Foye · Rating 3 out of 5]

the title holds true! it was simple and repetitive but i’m sure it would give the correct results. if this book was condensed into a third of the size it would still have the same information. good advice just too drawn out!

[Sir He-Man · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book frustrated me. There were some good tips, such as anchoring, but practically nothing else in this book was very well put together.

I have read a great deal more on lucid dreaming since reading this book. The writer may be adept at doing it but his voice comes across as a bit self conscious. There is also a lot of unnecessary prose devoted to meaningless subjects. You do not have to describe every color a dream journal could possibly be. Good grief, man.

That having been said, anything useful found in this book is lifted from somewhere else. Technique is not discussed in depth and you really need a much more thorough overview for any real successful foray into controlling your subconscious. I recommend going over to LaBerge, who is a credited physician and pioneer researcher, and ignoring this. I found much more concise and useful tips online.

Lastly, I am fascinated by dreams. I normally love to hear other people's dreams yet none of the case dreams cited interested me AT ALL. I found most of them irritatingly boring. For what that's worth.

[mellyana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Two years ago, I learned that I am "Lucid Dreamer". No, I never learn to have lucid dreaming. Well, I don't even know that there is something called "Lucid" about our dreams. I just knew that I can always control my dream.

This book is one of my "impulsive shopping". I like the cover and the introduction. Unfortunately, I didn't find what I'm looking for. This book is good for those who want to create that kind of dream while I'm looking for more than just that. Although I don't know what is it that I'm looking :)

[Jasper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is a good read for young readers and anyone who is absolutely new to the idea of Lucid dreaming. It has an easy read to it and goes over the reading material from the previous chapters. My personal favorite book on the subject is "Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self"

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very thorough book, maybe even too detailed in places, but I'm OK with that. I haven't had any lucid dreams yet but I will keep trying. If it never happens, it would not be the fault of this book!

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still haven't had a lucid dream... I almost did once tho.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hope I can learn to do even more than control myself as a character as the dream unfolds. I want to be able to control my surroundings and to understand what my dreams mean.

[Cassandra Thiesing · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good beginners book to lucid dreaming. I bought this book for my husband, but I had to read it. This book can teach you how to take control of your dreams.

[Nikki Reads A Lot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Impulse buy. Lots of repeated information/tips. Smells like my favourite candle shop though so that's pretty cool!

[Jayme · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book for beginners. Had my first lucid dream while I was reading this book! Short but to the point.