Lucid dreaming is being consciously aware within your dream. According to Freud, dreams are a manifestation of the unconscious mind that show our repressed desires. For artists like Dalí, dreams were the main source of inspiration for their art.
The powerful influence of Freudian psychoanalysis, the Surrealist movement at the forefront of art, and the awakening of counterculture movements around the world, made the nineteen sixties a decade of extremes and transformational change. In this bizarre decade of flower power, idealism, and rebellion, we saw dreams become incredibly important, as they were seen as an elevated state of consciousness. A decade, desperate for new experiences, artistic forms, and expressions gave birth to Psychedelia.
How can you experience a lucid dream?
To have a lucid dream it is important to make a reality check, and this entails spotting the difference between a dream state and waking reality. The most effective reality checks are reading the time, counting your fingers one by one, or asking yourself, "is this a dream or reality?" Every half an hour stop and do a series of reality tests while you are awake, and if this becomes a habit it is likely this routine will transfer into one of your dreams. The moment you ask yourself, "is this a dream?" in your dreamscape then you can take control and do what you wish in this limitless, hazy world. Before you go to sleep, it is important you immerse yourself in a state of relaxation. Add these songs to your playlist, and as you begin to doze off, they will be your guides so you can reach a lucid dream state.
__The Doors – "The End"
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This song appeared originally on the album The Doorsand had to be recorded twice in the Elektra studios because Morrison was distracted and couldn't concentrate. In the second attempt they turned off the lights, and the only light that shone came from a single candle.
"Half Full Glass of Wine" – Tame Impala
Since its launch in the fall of 2008, this song has become an essential part of this Australian band's repertoire. If performed live, it can extend to over 10 minutes, as the musicians add other layers of sounds and pedals to the song.
__"Tu Medicina" – Gustavo Cerati & Daniel Melero
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In 1992, the former member of Soda Stereo, a famous Argentinian rock band, Gustavo Cerati, and music producer Daniel Melero collaborated to create the Colores Santosalbum. They experimented with psychedelic rhythms and electronic effects. While this album may be in Spanish, it will still pull you into a trance. "Tu Medicina" lures the listener into a dreamscape, so let yourself be enveloped by Cerati's atmospheric and raspy voice.
__"Picknick" – Boudewijn de Groot
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The album Picknick from this Dutch composer is a musical journey that mixes together folk with progressive rock. The sounds he makes are very relaxing. So, let yourself be taken to a new dreamworld. This Dutch composer and singer has enjoyed a prolific career, composing film music and performing in hit musicals. He has even translated seven Stephen King novels.
"White Rabbit" – Jefferson Airplane
It is a song inspired by one of the greatest works of English literature, which coincidentally is also associated with lucid dreams. Alice is the protagonist of several adventures in Wonderland, making it one of the most psychedelic journeys in the written word, and now it has been put into music.
__"Center of the Sun" – Samsara Blues Experiment
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This German band proposes its listeners a journey to the unconscious mind. Hand in hand with the power of the guitar and repetitive chords, we travel to places never experienced before.
__"Ebeneezer" –Shiva’s Headband
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__"Inna Gadda Da Vida" – Iron Butterfly
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While Iron Butterfly did not revel in the spotlight during the hippie boom in San Francisco, still it is a rock classic.
__"Comfortably Numb" – Pink Floyd
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This composition by Roger Waters and Richard Gilmore is supposedly a narration of the effects of LSD on the human body, causing a myriad of sensations which range from numbness to shock.
__"Sunshine of Your Love" – Cream
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This is an iconic theme of the sixties because of its uniqueness and the power of the initial riff. It was composed by Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce in one night after a Jimmy Hendrix concert. It is positioned as the 65best rock song of all time by the Rolling Stone.
