Lucid dreams and how | to control them Lanaeny pp arte l Wives pe nan Dr KEITH HEARNEDr Hearne’s original chart-record of the first ocular signals from a lucid-dream, and his ‘dream-machine’ invention are now on permanent display in the Science Museum, London. se ook ok aoe NB. Regarding Keith Hearne's discovery of the ocular- signaling technique for communicating from within lucid dreams, on the next page is what eminent Professor Allan Rechtschaffen of Chicago University wrote in September 1975 when Hearne sent him copies of ocular signals he had recorded in the sleep- laboratory at Hull University, England. At the same time, Hearne sent the same copies to Dr William Dement at Stanford University. = =THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY use CAST SUE Ep EET CHICAGO © LEE ERady Hocer September 9, 1975 Mr. Keith 4, T. Hearne Depattaent of Psychology ‘The University of Hull Tu 1 HUG 7RX, ENGLAND Dear Nr. Heayne: ‘thanks much for your recent letter on your Jucld drenm research, 1 certainly think this research 1o important hecaune {t is the one orcaulon when the dreamer can critfeally evaluate hts dream consciousness while it is in progress, You have added the ingenfous and important clement of having the dreamer communicate his observations to you at che same time. There is, of course, geod reason to use eye movenents fox this communication wince we know the eye muscles are certainly not inhibited during REM sleep vhavens other muscle groupe are-at least those in the lead and neck region. J have had similar luck with eye rovements as 8 mode of communication during slecp in the study of snurcoluptte lady during sleep paralysis. She evuld respond to my questions while in sleep paralysis with clear eye mavenents in the requested direction. As you may know, 1 think of sleep paralysis as a REM variant in which waking conuclousnass $a not yet conpletely dirinfohed. (That is why the hypnagogic hallucinations which wsually accompany sleep puralysts are viewed as hallucinations rather than dreace, {.e., there is a mixture of reality perception and dreans.) Enclosed is an {}lustration which ahows both the spontaneous ané “command” eye sovements during an attack of sleep paralysis. T am convinced by your evidence that lucid dreams do indeed occur during REM periods. E would also guess, Intuttively, that chey do nat oscur during NREM aleep. However, the failure to conmunicate with eye movements does not necausarily Roan that lucid dreams da nok occur in NREN sleep. There might be # "sluggisimese” of eye movement control In BREM sleep which would prevent thefr cormunicatton ky that technique. Do not warry about my spreading your findings around. Keep up the good work. sneerely yours, Ogg, CRaadSa Sahh— Allan Rechtechaffen, Ph.D. Prafessor, bapartmenta of PayehSatry and Bohavioral Sciences Director, Sleep Laboratory Job Enclosure Yoon