Recalling dreams is a huge reward in and of itself, but add on top of that the benefits of lucid dreaming, and the positive affects on your life multiply by exponential numbers. My own experiences with lucid dreaming have changed my life for the better. I can't say I am a super duper master of lucid dreaming, for I still have to spend a day or so intensely focusing my mind on generating a lucid dream, or they happen spontaneously when life gifts me from my deepest self. However, I have had enough experience with lucid dreaming to realize its positive effect on my life. It has improved my life in more ways than I can count. Number one on the list of benefits that I have had from lucid dreaming is the spiritual enhancement it gives, along with the freedom to explore spiritual truths at their deepest level. Right on the heels of that benefit would be the next benefit of being able to learn about my faults and improve on them during dream time, learn new skills during dreamtime (even new motor skills), and learn new ways to navigate in difficult situations. It is an extra arena besides human daily waking life in which to grow and improve in the understanding of self and the universe, and develop the qualities of the heart and mind, all in far less time than it would take to do in waking life. Entire lifetimes can be lived during the night, and that much more wisdom can be gained.

I have had the chance to have adventures that I simply cannot accomplish on the Earth plane unless I was willing to apply myself for long periods of time to the task of attaining that experience. In dreams, I don't have to go to a university for 8 years before I can have the experience of being a talented brain surgeon who heals people. I don't have to spend years practicing to be a gymnast to win the gold medal at the Olympics. I don't have to work for years in a corporation before I have the opportunity to be the head honcho at a huge and successful business. I can fulfill these desires immediately without having to put any more time or effort in than my sleep hours.

I had many desires as I was growing up. In fact, too many. I didn't know which direction to go because there were so many things I wanted to do, so many different career paths that I could have pursued successfully, but how to choose? Ultimately, we all make choices that make decisive direction changes in our lives, but there is always a part of yourself asking, "What if I made that choice instead, and how would my life have turned out if I did?" In dreams, you can answer these questions. I have found it quite useful to my ego self to answer these questions and explore these experiences that I wished I could have had. This is not to say that I am unhappy with the life I live, for I am not unhappy with the outcome, and I like my life very much just the way it is. However, I have a curious spirit and always want to know, "What if…" I want to know what it is like to be an ice skater, an Eskimo, a rich English gentleman, a movie star, etc. Don't we all wonder what it would be like if we could stand in someone else's shoes, especially someone we admire? We would be lying if we say that we do not.

Another use for this ability is that not only can you have experiences for yourself that are impossible in waking life, but also you can test waking life situations in the dream world and see their outcomes through trial and error. You can literally practice being better at waking life while you are dreaming. You can practice your social skills, your understanding and compassion for others, your self control—everything. You can even practice your piano skills. Whatever it is you would like to be better at in waking life, you can achieve the skills necessary during your dream life. I cannot even describe how valuable this is! It saves money on piano lessons, too!

Lucid dreaming is a place where you can explore all the questions about the universe, God, and yourself that you have ever had. If you have had questions you would like to ask God, lucid dreams are the place to do it. I have had incredible peak spiritual experiences during lucid dreams, experiences that kept me riding high for weeks at a time. Lucid dreams, especially peak spiritual experiences, have a way of energizing you in your waking life, and bring deep joy to your heart. The peak spiritual experiences in lucid dreams cannot be matched. They are unique and special, created just for you, and apply to every level of your being.

That being said, I must add, however, that after many years of experiencing lucid dreams, the novelty of it has worn off somewhat. I no longer get quite as excited as I used to when having a lucid dream. It seems kind of normal now. Sometimes I even let go of being lucid because I want the dream to follow its own path instead of being directed by me. There is a time when controlling a dream is not necessarily useful, and if you get good enough at controlling them, you can avoid facing fears and such. After awhile, it is refreshing to simply receive the "movie" your consciousness generates for you and let yourself be pleasantly surprised, or delivered a useful piece of wisdom or lesson. Lucid dreaming has many uses, but I believe that a balance between lucid dreaming and non-lucid dreaming is necessary to truly receive all the messages from your deepest self. In both lucid and non-lucid dreams, you learn about yourself and meet yourself in many ways, and neither has an advantage over another.

I encourage you to develop this ability sooner than later if you can. It can help you take quantum leaps in your growth and your spiritual evolution, faster than you can accomplish by only using your waking life time. Use the time during sleep wisely! It is not that hard to develop this skill, and if you focus, you will be having lucid dreams within the first month or two of training yourself. You will have at least the beginnings of progress, and this will encourage you to keep going with it. It is a whole world of adventures that awaits inside you, and no human-made virtual reality machine will ever match the virtual reality machine that is already built into your consciousness. You have had this all this time, and you didn't even know it. So take the time to teach yourself this skill, and gain the exponential wisdom that comes with it. Also, associate with other people who have lucid dreams, and if you don't know anyone, start a club. If that is too much time commitment, visit the lucid dream forum that I have included below where you will find others who are learning to dream lucidly just like you are!