[Moxie]

A prerequiste to lucid dreaming is having good dream recall.
You can program yourself to remember your dreams by stating to yourself prior to sleep that you will recall your dream. Do this for a solid week (maybe 2) and you will certainly begin to remember at least one dream in the morning.

When you wake up, it's recommended to not open the eyes and to lay still for a few minutes and the dream will come to mind. It's also good to note your mood, emotions, colors of objects & other surroundings and to jot these down in a journal.

My former husband declared (as many do) that he doesn't dream, which is just not true. He started to remember his dreams within 1 week.

After you have developed good dream recall, the next step is to insert the words "I will become aware, within my dream, that I am dreaming" prior to sleep. It is also recommended that you have some idea of where or what you would like to do when you become lucid. If you become lucid within a dream that is challenging or frightening, you can of course, Change the circumstances, take control to overcome whatever it is.

It takes practice to remain lucid within a dream, but, after some time, you will begin to have more and more control of the content within your dream, where the are NO limits as in 3D.

At one point, while I was practicing these methods, I crossed over into out-of-body experiences, that's a whole 'nuther subject. Now that I've become a bit more informed, I would use protection or shielding (the Maharic Shield would be good, Ashayana Deane's) every day & reinforce it prior to sleep, just anyway, whether or not you are lucid in the dreamworld/astral.

I am no expert at all, but I would not "play around" in the real/dream/or astral without shielding. Ask w/thankfuless for assistance from the Higher Realms, your Higher Self for direction and understanding.