Canadian dream researcher Jayne Gackenbach, in an analysis of several studies, estimated that 58 percent of the population has experienced a lucid dream at least once. It is even higher in certain groups, such as longtime meditators.

But others contend it's a very rare experience.

Some people become lucid spontaneously. For others, several techniques have been developed to help induce lucidity.

"I believe it's within everyone's capability to dream lucidly," said Robert Waggoner, co-editor of the Lucid Dream Exchange, a quarterly newsletter.

All that's needed, he said, is practice, a sincere interest and determination.

The best predictor of success is the ability to remember dreams, said Stephen LaBerge, who founded the Lucidity Institute in Palo Alto, Calif.

Techniques to induce lucid dreams range from hypnosis, practiced by psychologist Joseph Dane at the University of Virginia, to LaBerge's Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams, or MILD, which includes these steps:

Resolve to wake up and remember a dream during every REM sleep period.

Recall as much as you can of the dream when you awaken.

Remind yourself to remember the dream the next time you're dreaming.

Visualize yourself as being lucid in the dream you have just had. If you dream frequently of a certain object, which LaBerge calls a "dreamsign," tell yourself that the next time you dream of that object, you'll become lucid in the dream.

		For additional information The Lucidity Institute, 1-800-GO-LUCID, www.lucidity.com. The Lucid Dream Exchange, an independent quarterly publication. www.dreaminglucid.com or info@dreaminglucid.com.

He's found that if he awakes one hour earlier than usual, and then stays fully awake for 30 to 60 minutes, he increases by 15 to 20 times his chance of having a lucid dream.

LaBerge and his colleagues also have created devices that emit light or sound when a person enters REM sleep to induce lucid dreaming.

Some dreamers said they wake up right away over the excitement of realizing they're aware in a dream.

LaBerge has a technique to squelch that, too. He suggests the dreamer spin himself within the lucid dream, which somehow keeps the dream going.

Once someone achieves lucidity, Waggoner said, she can seek to reach certain levels of expertise. Among some of the advanced tasks are asking dream characters to explain symbols in a dream or answer questions about the future. Dreamers can also seek mutual lucid dreams, in which two or more people agree in advance to dream about a certain subject.