Attention Grabber: An average person spends almost 25 years of life on sleeping. There is a chance to spend this part of our life in a more productive way.
Purpose Statement: My purpose today is to share with you some information about lucid dreaming, which I find very intriguing and promising.
Audience Application: Most of the people will find numerous advantages of the ability to be aware that he or she is dreaming. This information will be especially interesting to those who are fond of yoga Nidra, in particular.
Ethos: Driven by the desire to be more self-conscious, I have conducted a deep research on the issue. There are numerous works on lucid dreaming, as both psychiatrists and psychophysiologists are interested in this question.
Agenda/Preview of Points: Today, I am going to discuss the phenomenon of lucid dreaming, the most significant investigations in this field, and practical application of the issue.
Transitional Phrase: First of all, it is necessary to mention that the idea of lucid dreaming exists from the ancient times, although the term itself was created only at the beginning of the 20th century.
Topic #1: The author of the term, Frederik van Eeden, claims that there is an ability to control some events and characters in a certain dream. He believes that in lucid dreams “the sleeper remembers day-life and his own condition, reaches a state of perfect awareness, and is able to direct his attention” (van Eeden, “A Study of Dreams”).
Transitional Phrase: This claim has a scientific support.
Topic #2: According to D. Erlacher and M. Schredl, the perception of time remains the same as during waking period to those who have a lucid dream. The researchers conducted the study with the help of five proficient lucid dreamers.
Transitional Phrase: The facts mentioned above lead to the question of the practical application of lucid dreaming.
Topic #3: Nowadays, there are studies that confirm the advantage of the clinical application of lucid dreaming in curing nightmares. A pilot study conducted by V. Spoormaker and J. van den Bout in 2006 shows that the phenomenon of lucid dreaming helps to make the nightmares less frequent.
Transitional Phrase: Thus, the phenomenon of lucid dreaming has more practical benefits than it may seem.
Review of Your Main Points: The idea of lucid dreaming has a long history, a number of scientific confirmations, and the rich perspectives.
Concluding Statement: The ability to control dreams can provide people with the additional time, which may be used with a great benefit. There is a chance for us not only to get rid of nightmares, but also to study, to travel around the world, and even to live an alternative life in our dreams.
- Eeden, Frederik. “A Study of Dreams”. Lucidity.com, http://www.lucidity.com/vanEeden.html
Accessed 4 January 2017. - Erlacher, D., Schredl, M. “Time Required for Motor Activity in Lucid Dreams”. Perceptual
and Motor Skills, vol. 99, 2004, pp. 1239 – 1242. - Spoormaker, V.I., Van den Bout, J. “Lucid Dreaming Treatment for Nightmares: A Pilot
Study”. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, vol. 75, no. 6, 2006, pp. 389 – 394.
