Working With Dreams | dream studies portal

Got evidence? The Real Effect of Milk on Sleep and Dreams

Posted by Ryan Hurd on May 11, 2013 | 9 Comments

Two new milk advertisements by the dairy industry have been making their rounds on American television. Both ads suggest that drinking a glass of milk before bed will prevent awakenings in sleep and give you better dreams. Unfortunately, the evidence for a good night’s sleep thanks to a glass of milk is a little thin.
Or [...]

Don’t Mistake Tactics for Strategy when Learning How to Lucid Dream

Posted by Ryan Hurd on April 27, 2013 | 6 Comments

As a lucid dreaming teacher, I hear from a lot of people who wish they could go lucid more frequently. When I ask what is the plan being using to stir up more lucid dreams, they usually list off a dozen different induction practices. At this point, I already know the problem: they are mistaking [...]

Filed Under: Lucid Dreaming

Are Creative Muses Visiting Us During Sleep Paralysis Hallucinations?

Posted by Ryan Hurd on April 8, 2013 | 6 Comments

Next month, I’ll be giving an invited talk at a dream conference in Weston, Massachusetts. I’ll be showcasing examples of how people throughout history–and especially today–have used their sleep paralysis-induced hallucinations for creativity.

Filed Under: sleep paralysis

The Benefits of Recognizing Ancestral Dreams

Posted by Ryan Hurd on February 11, 2013 | 8 Comments

Dreams can provide a quick path to connecting with our direct ancestors. They are waiting to remembered. The road has simply been covered by a few inches of cultural plastic debris whose gods are industry and ecological warfare. But the older path is still laid, hidden in the dreams, folklore, and sayings of our families [...]

Filed Under: Ancestral Dreams

Skullcap: this herb you probably haven’t heard of can help you sleep

Posted by Atava Swiecicki on January 30, 2013 | 6 Comments

A guest post by Atava Garcia Swiecicki. This is the first in a series of articles that will go in depth about all the ways herbs interact with sleep and dreams. But to be able to dream, we first must be able to fall asleep. Insomnia and other sleeping disorders are rampant in the United [...]

Filed Under: Consciousness & Health, Dream Herbs & Supplements

The Secret Posture for Triggering Wake Initiated Lucid Dreams and Out-of-Body Experiences

Posted by Ryan Hurd on January 17, 2013 | 13 Comments

A few years ago, I took a flight from Atlanta back to my home in San Francisco. I was sleep deprived after a late night out with old friends. The afternoon I arrived home, I drove down to Ocean Beach and took a nap in the car, leaving the window open for the ocean breeze. [...]

Filed Under: Lucid Dreaming