Any tips on intentionally lucid dreaming?

Edit: the question that partially inspired this question is http://www.fluther.com/disc/60808/what-is-the-scariest-dream-you-can-remember-having/, not the link I posted in the question.

I’ve tried very hard, but to no avail. Try watching the movie Waking Life. It’s all about lucid dreaming, so maybe it will help you out.

I’ve read some articles on them a long, long time ago, the most important I remember is to constantly question everything you see around you. Ask yourself: is this a dream or is it real? When you touch the doorknob, when you smell bacon, when you fly through the air (erm wait, that should be self explanatory). The point is become aware of your surroundings, because when you dream you need to do the same in order to recognize that you’re in a dream.

Don’t listen to me though, I failed horribly! I’m still dreaming about going naked to school (must be someone else’s nightmare I’m in) :P

Check neurosoup, this is an explanation of lucid dreaming, and here are some tips from her. You also may want to check out some of her youtube videos on lucid dreaming.

The “trick” I’ve had the most success with is, when I start to get the feeling that I’m dreaming, to try to look at my own hands. For some reason this tends to “unlock” some things and I gain some control over the dream.

Pick this up now.

Trust me, it’s the most coherent, intelligent and approachable book on lucid dreaming I’ve ever read. It’s well worth the money and is packed with information and techniques – but is never overwhelming and will hold your hand, if you want it to.

Check out stevepavilna podcast #10 Lucid Dreaming

This is pretty cool…

Last night, when I was going to sleep, I kept repeating in my head “I’m gonna look at my hands, know I’m dreaming, and control it. I’m gonna look at my hands, know I’m dreaming, and control it.” After a couple minutes of repeating it, I started to fall asleep. I found myself breathing faster and my eyes (though closed) were spazzing out and blinking relatively quickly. I started seeing trippy-esque patterns and I was on the border of sleeping and being awake, and I knew that I was neither awake nor asleep.

The part that frustrates me is that for the last 4–6 days I’ve had some chest congestion, and when I was in this weird state last night, there was a faint whistling every time I breathed in, and I needed to cough. I knew that it was taking my focus away, so I snapped out of it and coughed.

When I went back to sleep about 45 minutes later, I was not in as good/upbeat of a mood, and decided not to try it again. It was pretty interesting, though.

I had a mostly lucid dream last night in which I was a young boy who was also a flying squirrel, on the run from a gang of killers. I’ve never been a little boy in a dream before (or a flying animal, for that matter). It was way cool.

I’ve tried writing a number on the back of my hand, and looking at it whenever I think of it during the day. Seemed to work.

I’ve also heard that constantly asking yourself “Is this a dream?” throughout the day works, but also that it can cause sleep-paralysis on waking, which you really don’t want.

I’m having really really bad dreams at the moment…maybe I should stop following this thread…. :-/