Inducing Lucid Dreaming Based on a Contemplative Practice of Compassion
Brain Sciences March 16, 2026 Daniel J Morris, Susana Gabriela Torres-Platas, Karen R Konkoly et al. 1 citation
Lucid dreaming—dreaming while aware that one is dreaming—can be intentionally shaped by combining Tibetan-Buddhist visualization practices with modern dream-engineering techniques. In an exploratory sleep-laboratory study, five participants spent seven overnight sessions with polysomnographic monitoring and auditory reminders to visualize Chenrezig, a Buddhist embodiment of compassion, during REM sleep. Two participants reported lucid dreams: a frequent lucid dreamer without prior Tibetan-Buddhist training experienced a lucid dream that included a visualization of Chenrezig after auditory cueing, and a monastic participant with no prior lucid dreaming history reported their first-ever lucid dream the night after their session. The findings suggest that dream content can be deliberately influenced through this integrated approach.