Lucid Dreaming: Rewriting the End of a Nightmare

This relaxation script is a lucid dreaming exercise for rewriting the end of a nightmare. Being lucid while dreaming means that you can influence the dream.

In this script, I will tell a story where you are the main character, and you can travel out of a nightmare and into a pleasant dream. Practicing this dreaming exercise can help you to rewrite the end of a nightmare differently.

Use this relaxation exercise when you go to bed, as you are preparing to sleep. You can use lucid dreaming so at the end of the story, you can drift off into a pleasant sleep with happy dreams.

Before you begin, repeat this phrase: “If I have a nightmare I will remember that that the words I hear and the images I see and the physical sensations I feel cannot hurt me, and I will rewrite the end so it‘s a good dream.” Remember that you will change your dream using lucid dreaming.

When you have a nightmare, it cannot hurt you. You will use lucid dreaming change your dream so it ends in a good dream.

Let’s begin the lucid dreaming exercise with passive progressive muscle relaxation. Once you relax your muscles, you can proceed with the lucid dreaming exercise. Start at your feet. Imagine a feeling of relaxation beginning in the tips of your toes…a pleasant, tingly feeling of heaviness and relaxation. Feel this relaxation as it continues…filling your feet, and relaxing them completely.

Allow your ankles to relax…not making anything happen, just passively resting and allowing the relaxation to occur naturally…a feeling of heaviness…your feet and ankles are very still.

Feel the relaxation in your lower legs…becoming loose and relaxed…all the way to your knees. A pleasant, calm feeling of relaxation. Your legs are getting very heavy…feel the relaxation in your upper legs…so relaxed…so peaceful…giving up all the tension.

Relax your hips…letting your entire lower body become relaxed, heavy, and still.

Let your stomach relax…and your sides…relax your lower back…letting all the muscles become loose…giving up all the tension…

Relax your middle back…chest….and upper back…Feel your shoulder blades relax…letting go of tension…and feel your sides and entire ribcage feeling loose and relaxed.

Feel the relaxation in your fingertips…spreading to your hands…feeling so heavy…

Let your wrists relax…and feel your lower arms relaxing…allow your elbows to relax…and your upper arms…your arms feel so heavy.

Feel the relaxation filling your shoulders…heavy…loose…relaxed…lowering your shoulders into a comfortable position, free from tension.

Feel your neck relaxing…completely loose and relaxed…and allow your head to relax…relax your face…your chin….lips…nose…allow your cheeks to relax…and your eyes…relaxing your eyebrows…forehead…all the way to the top of your head.

Your entire body is relaxing now…becoming totally and deeply relaxed…so heavy…sinking…relaxing…peaceful…

Now let’s start the lucid dreaming exercise. Imagine a scary scene…a nightmare…so you can practice rewriting the end of the story using lucid dreaming. Then you can use this ability to rewrite the end of your own nightmares whenever they occur. You can learn lucid dreaming and control the outcome of your dreams…to have peaceful, pleasant dreams. By learning lucid dreaming, you can learn to influence your dreams, to have happy dreams…pleasant dreams…get rid of nightmares.

Imagine this story…imagine you are in a place you cannot leave. You’re thirsty, and frightened. Imagine how you would feel in this scene.

There may even be someone chasing you. You are feeling helpless and afraid…unable to run away…and then…

Imagine being given a pair of wings…or simply stretching out to fly…the muscle relaxation prepared you for flying…get ready to fly…

…You rise up into the sky…higher and higher…flying so fast…up and away…escaping the nightmare…escaping all danger…you are in control…

It feels wonderful to fly. You can fly so easily…

You need to cross a large body of water…the water is safety. Imagine being under water…crossing the water like a fish…or a mermaid…you are even breathing under the water…breathing in the beautiful water…it fills you with energy and calm…it is like breathing in pure relaxation…

Imagine what it looks like under water…a mystical place where everything is blue and beautiful…a place where no danger can possibly reach you…

Here in the water, you are perfectly safe…away from all danger…nothing dangerous can get to you here…see the beautiful blue water around you…you feel so at home here…this is like no water you have ever seen before…see the bubbles gently rising to the surface, stirred up by you flying through the water…

You are warm…comfortable…free…flying and breathing under water…

You are completely safe now and no one can chase you here.

The wings you were given are like a part of you…flying is so natural and easy…as if you were born to fly…imagine flying up…up…through the surface of the water…splashing out into the sunshine…into the blue sky…flying in the sky…

It is so easy to fly…so natural…no movement has ever been this easy…through the clouds…through the blue sky…

Imagine a peaceful person who finds you, and flies with you…escorting you to a special, safe place. This person could be a divine being, your best friend, or your favorite teacher. This friend leads you across the landscape…though the sky…imagine where this person takes you…to a peaceful place…the safest place…it is so beautiful. Imagine this dream land, this beautiful, peaceful place…

Your friend leads you to the softest place you have ever seen…maybe it’s made of clouds…maybe you’re in soft grass near a waterfall…imagine this place…complete serenity and peace…

Your friend can watch over you here…protecting you so you can sleep peacefully…giving you water to drink…you are no longer thirsty…no longer afraid…feeling happy…at peace…so comfortable…so tired…

Lie down in this safe place…finding the perfect place to sleep…

Your friend may talk to you…talking you down to sleep…

You are becoming so sleepy…so tired…

Your arms are feeling very warm and very heavy…feel the warmth in your hands…

Your feet are warming and relaxing…so warm…so heavy…feel your legs becoming very warm and heavy…

Your arms are so heavy…they are sinking into the soft surface you are on…complete comfort….

Your legs sink heavily down…so comfortable and relaxed…

Your arms and legs are so warm…getting even warmer…feeling even sleepier…

You feel so safe…so calm…so serene…sleepy…

Drifting…sinking…falling asleep…drifting off into pleasant sleep…pleasant dreams…happy dreams…so happy and peaceful…sleepy…relaxed…

Falling asleep…

Thoughts wandering…