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    on the subject, each offering a laundry list of techniques. We felt
    that these sources of information didn’t speak to us; many were
    too academic in tone and focus. The ones that weren’t dense and
    complicated seemed to lack a straightforward path—they would
    offer many different options and let you experiment and see what
    worked. We found ourselves lost in the jungle, trying this way and
    that. In the end, we did learn to lucid dream, and discovered bril-
    liant techniques along the way. But looking back, we saw that the
    road doesn’t need to be all that complicated.
    As your guides, we don’t want you to go through the same
    laborious process. We’ve decided to boil down all the numerous
    techniques out there and present to you only the best. As we ven-
    ture forth, it’s important that we give you a well-equipped toolbox
    filled with the basics of lucid dreaming. We won’t tell you more (or
    less) than what you need to know.
    In this section you will learn how to reconnect to your dreams,
    if you have lost touch with them, as so many of us have. You will
    learn the single most powerful technique for inducing lucidity. By
    the end of this section, you’ll be ready to jump into your own sub-
    conscious and start exploring it. We know you’re excited, but take
    your time. To master lucid dreaming, you first need to remember
    your dreams, learn the art of a good intention, and build a healthy
    suspicion of reality.
    It’s just like learning to sail a boat. Before you become an
    expert skipper, you need to learn how to steer the boat, how to
    catch the wind, and what to do when you capsize. Master the boat
    and you shall master the sea. Ahoy dreams!
    = 41 <
    4
    The REM Stage
    <•=
    For the function of the brain which, during sleep, conjures up a completely objective, perceptible, and even palpable world, must have just as large a share in the presentation of the objective world of our waking hours.
    For both worlds, although different in their matter,
    are nonetheless made from the same mould.
    —Arthur Schopenhauer,
    pessimistic German philosopher
    You’re trying to catch a train to a faraway place. You run
    through the doors of the station and lift your arm to
    check your watch, but when the steam whistle blows you
    know that there’s only a minute to spare. Heart pounding, if your
    feet aren’t quick enough to reach the platform in time, the train will
    chug along without you. The window of time is closing quickly.
    You see the train now, smoke pouring from its top. All aboard!
    Out of breath, you leap through the air.
    “Next stop, dreams!”
    Safely on board, you take your seat. The rhythmic clickety-
    clack of the wheels relaxes your body, and though you’re not quite
    sure where you’re heading, you’re excited to be going there all
    the same.
    = 43 <

    We’ve explored the idea of what dreams are, but when do
    they happen? Let’s scribble three letters onto our clean and empty
    blackboard: R-E-M. No, we’re not talking about the 1990s pop-
    rock sensation, we’re talking about the stage of sleep where dreams
    occur. These modest letters couldn’t be more important for a lucid
    dreamer. Let’s find out why.
    Back in the early 1950s, Eugene Aserinsky was dead broke and
    trying to support his family. Even though he never obtained an
    undergraduate degree, he had managed to convince the University
    of Chicago to let him attend as a graduate student. Dusting off
    an old EEG machine found in the basement of a university build-
    ing, Aserinsky hooked electrodes to the scalp of his son, Armond,
    studying his sleeping patterns. The young wannabe scientist took
    note of some curious readouts. During certain periods of the night,
    Armond’s sleeping brain would suddenly shift, as if his brain were
    wide awake.
    Aserinsky had a good idea what was causing this anomaly: his
    machine was broken. “If I had a suicidal nature, this would have
    been the time,” Aserinsky recalled. “I was