Lucid Dreaming - Day 12 - Prospective Memory

Prospective Memory Exercises

As I mentioned in my last post, prospective memory is essential to the MILD technique. During MILD we are setting an intention to remember something in the future (that we are dreaming). Stephen LaBerge, the one who coined the MILD technique, describes an exercise that can be done throughout the day that builds your prospective memory and doubles as a reality check.

The Exercise

Daily decide on four things that when you experience them you will do a reality check. This could be looking in the mirror, getting in a car, hearing a dog bark, etc. In the morning write down four times you will do a reality check. Then throughout the day note each time you remembered to check your reality. Before bed review how well you did throughout the day. Did you remember to always check all four, or did you miss some? Repeat this daily, but change what you are checking each day.

Example

Some of these are mine and some are from Stephen LaBerge. Notice how they engage multiple senses.

Monday:

• When I see a pet
• When I feel pain
• When I hear music
• When I drink something

Tuesday:

• When I look in the mirror
• When I see a traffic light
• When I flick a light switch
• When I hear a dog bark

Wednesday:

• When someone says my name
• When I see a clock
• When I open a door
• When I drink something

Thursday:

• When I eat something
• When I hear a phone ring
• When I use the bathroom
• When I see a cloud

Friday:

• When I eat a vegetable
• When I hear the wind blow
• When I see a butterfly
• When I change my clothes

Saturday:

• When I find myself day dreaming
• When I see an advertisement
• When I hear an airplane overhead
• When I see a red truck

Sunday:

• When I hear laughter
• When I see the starts
• When I touch a metal surface
• When I put on or off my shoes

Progress

Yesterday was very exciting. I remembered 4 dreams plus a few fragments! I also experienced some sleep paralysis but was unable to ride it out until sleeping. When I woke up early this morning remembering a dream I was unable to fall back asleep, so here I am writing an early morning post :)