Prep for Death: Lucid Dreaming Support 2

Ways to help induce lucid dreams.

Art by Indigenous Australian artist Wingu Tingima

Brief:

(suggested background music: Dream On, Aerosmith

Dream a dream of dreamers. Walk around, fly around, know your place. Is dreaming prep for death?

Full:

(suggested background music: #9 Dream, John Lennon)

In* Prep for Death: Lucid Dreaming Support 1 *I gave a brief overview of various techniques that help foster lucid dreaming. Almost all of those techniques involved some type of direct mental/physical/spiritual preparation, and the few that didn’t impacted one’s mind and spirit indirectly.

There are countless stories of people getting results from those techniques, and also having little luck with them. The biggest challenge with any of those techniques was finding some consistency of results, which is a tall order for lucid dreaming.

As mentioned in the first article, I titled these articles to indicate an idea that many indigenous shamanic cultures have: lucid dream states are a way to help one prepare for what they may find on the other side.

By learning to be awake in one’s dreams, one will be better able to navigate the spirit world beyond death.

Those cultures have also used specific entheogens to achieve the kinds of mental and spiritual states that facilitate awareness in the dream world.

What follows is a brief description of some of those substances, as well as some substances that have little or no shamanic connection.

Should you decide to experiment with any of these substances, please take every precaution to ensure your safety.

Check with your doctor to see if there would be any possible interaction with medications you may be on. Have a friend act as a monitor when you ingest one of these substances. Research the substance thoroughly to familiarize yourself with the possible physical and mental/spiritual states in which you may find yourself.

As with all psychoactive substances, set and setting are important, and often the amount required to achieve results may be very specific.

If you’re using a substance that has thousands of years of shamanic use behind it, consult with a practicing shaman of that culture and, if possible, have them conduct the session for you.

Until you’ve gained experience with a substance, do not take in combination with other substances.

Finally, and perhaps most important, do not use any of these substances if you’re already struggling with challenging mental and emotional states.

But if you take all the precautions, and you’ve prepared your spirit and psyche, then here are some substances that may enhance your ability to dream.

In no particular order of effectiveness:

Xhosa dream root.

Xhosa Dream Root is most associated with the Xhosa people of South Africa who ingest this herb to induce vivid and prophetic dreams.

The Xhosa use this herb in the initiation rites of shamans, as it is believed to open up pathways of communication to ones ancestors.

The root is ground into a powder which is mixed with water and drunk in the morning on an empty stomach. The effects are apparently slow to be induced and will take effect by the nighttime.

Mugwort.

Mugwort is recommended for dream-work due to its extraordinary dream experience.

Mugwort benefits the dreamwork by adding color to the dream canvas (in the case of black and white dreams). It also stimulates your other senses to help with the visuals.

It’s also credited with assisting in dream recall and increasing the frequency and clarity of your dreams.

Chamomile.

Chamomile is widely used as a bedtime tea to help ensure a good quality sleep.

Chamomile is considered one of the 9 sacred lunar herbs of the Saxons.

It is believed to help open inner doors to the psychic dream for visions, lucid dreams, and dream-work.

Mexican Tarragon.

Also known as Mexican Marigold, it is often used in Dia De Los Muertos celebrations.

It can be used in a variety of ways, incense, smoked, or as tea before bedtime to help stimulate vivid and sometimes lucid dreams.

Skullcap.

Skullcap is recognized as an herb that can help produce restful sleep, but isn’t always associated with lucid dreaming.

Used by both the Cherokee and Lakota to communicate with ancestors, they believed the plant had the ability to connect them to the spirit world.

My notes indicate that one source explored how the herb got its common name, and the theory was that it impacted one’s dreams so intensely that it opened the head of the user, or ‘blew the cap off the skull.’

Wild Asparagus root.

Placed into the category of substances known as adaptogens, wild asparagus has a history of shamanic use.

It is believed to allow the consciousness to fly during sleep, to journey into other dimensions.

Blue Lotus.

The Blue Lotus was among the most sacred of plants to ancient Egyptians.

The plant was worshiped as a visionary plant, along with other medicinal benefits.

It was used to reach euphoric states of visionary consciousness.

Additional substances:

Wormwood

Passionflower

Mucuna

African Dream Bean

Galantamine

Choline bitartrate

Alpha-GPC

An Amino Acid Blend made up of 2000mg L-Aspartic Acid, 4000mg L-Glutamine, and 300mg L-Theanine can substantially increase your odds of having a lucid dream.

5-HTP is the immediate precursor of serotonin, and can increase your odds of having a lucid dream.

Vitamin B-6 can increase dream vividness.

Fish Oil helps recall dreams.

Ginko Biloba may have a similar effect to B6.

Finally, the plant Calea Zacatechichi is used by the Chontal tribe of Mexico to obtain divinatory messages.

Though it can certainly open the gateway to lucid dreaming, the really meaningful aspect of Calea Z is its ability to take you on an incredible inner journey. The kind of dreams that change you, even more, perhaps, then many of your memorable waking experiences.

Please remember the precautions and preparations before you ingest any of these substances. Taken responsibly, they can facilitate your dream world explorations.

Dream on!