In this article, I’ll show you an 8-Step process for ridding yourself of a phobia in a lucid dream. Â 8 Steps may seem like a LOT to keep in mind while trying to maintain the dream state and keep control of the dream. Don’t let this scare you off. Â When you’ve finished reading this article, if you don’t come away from it with a sense of “I could do this!” then I haven’t done my job as a teacher.
Make sure to read the disclaimer at the bottom of this article prior to using this process for yourself.
What is a phobia?
In order to make sense of how to Cure a Phobia in a lucid dream, we first need to understand what a Phobia really is. Â A phobia, to define it simply, is an irrational fear of something. Â By irrational, I mean a fear which is so overpowering that it makes a person unable to do something or be somewhere. Â I’ve heard several people refer to “anxiety” or “fear of something” in terms of phobia. Â This isn’t quite accurate. Â Let me use the example of flying in an airplane to illustrate the difference.
If you are faced with the prospect of getting on an airplane, and are able to motivate yourself to get on the plane, that is not a phobia. Â That is anxiety about flying, or possibly fear of flying.
With a phobia, however, the subject of the Phobia (which I’l refer to hereafter as X) is something that no matter how much you WANT to do X, or how much you NEED to do X, it simply won’t happen. Â A person with a phobia of flying will NOT get on that plane short of someone pulling a Mr. T and drugging him/her into unconsciousness and then being strapped in to the plane. Â Better hope that he/she doesn’t wake up on the flight, or all hell could break loose.
As promised, the point of this article is to introduce you to an 8-step process whereby you, as an experienced lucid dreamer, can rid yourself of an irrational fear of X.
Here are the steps: (again, don’t let this scare you)
- Close your Dream Eyes.
- Announce an intention to see a symbol representing your current phobia/irrational fear of X.
- Open your dream eyes and study the symbol from every possible angle until you have an intimate understanding of the symbol and how it’s put together and what it looks like.
- Ask the symbol how it would need to change inorder for you to be unafraid of X any longer, in the appropriate circumstances and contexts.
- Tell the symbol to make those changes.
- Ask again to make sure there are no further changes that need to be made. Â Make any changes that are left.
- Once the symbol is changed, take the symbol back into yourself.
- Allow the changes to permeate through your body and mind.
Of course, I’ll explain each step in enough detail to make sense.
1. Close Your Dream Eyes
This step is as easy at it sounds. In the lucid dream, just close your eyes.
2. Announce the intention to see a symbol which represents your current phobia of X.
For this step, it’s enough to simply say aloud “When I open my eyes, I want to see a symbol which represents my current phobia of X. Â This can be similar to conjuring up a dream character except now you’re keeping intentionally vague and letting your Subconscious Mind control what the symbol is that shows up.
3. Open  your eyes and study the symbol.
For this, open  your dream eyes. Look at whatever is there that wasn’t there before. Don’t try to analyze or understand it.  Your Subconscious Mind knows a lot more than you do about the phobia.  Your only job is to get to know that symbol by seeing it from each possible angle. Your job is to understand what the symbol looks like in intimate detail, but not what it MEANS.
4. Once you have a good understanding of how the symbol looks, ask it directly how it would need to change in order for you to be unafraid of X any longer.
Just ask the symbol, “What about you need to be changed so I’ll no longer be afraid of X like I am now. I understand that being mindful of X in certain contexts is appropriate. But how would you need to change so I’m not afraid of X in contexts Idon’t need to be afraid?” Â Then, wait for the answer. Â The answer(s) will come to you in any of several possible ways. Â Pay close attention to what answers you get about changes that need to be made. Â If you have ask if the answer is real or something YOU came up with, then simply ask for clarification to make sure.
5. Once those changes are known, tell the symbol to make those changes to itself, and give it permission to do so.
At this point, the symbol may seem to take on a life of its own This means the process is working.
6. Once those changes are made, ask the symbol if there are any changes that are left which need to be made to make the process complete.
If there are any changes left to be made, have the symbol make them to finish up the change process.
7. Once the symbol is changed, take the symbol back into yourself.
Once the symbol is changed as it needs to be, literally take the symbol back into your dream body so it can integrate back into you. Â This can be done in any way which seems appropriate for you to get it integrated. Â If the symbol is a person, a simple hug could work, so the person melts into you. Â If the symbol is an abstract image, you can reach out and grab it and pull it into yourself. Â Or you can just walk right into the symbol and through it like walking through a fog. Â The options here are limited only by your imagination.
8. Allow the changes to permeate through your body and mind.
For this final step, the changes you make will cause a sort of “ripple effect” in your body and mind. A good way to describe this is by way of example. Imagine a completed jigsaw puzzle, which represents the whole YOU.  Now, imagine you take out a single piece of the puzzle.  This is like seeing the original symbol.  Now, imagine that you change the shape of that particular piece of the puzzle like you did with changing the symbol.  When you re-integrate the symbol, it’s much like putting that new puzzle piece back in the spot you pulled it from.  Since it’s a new shape, the pieces around it have to also change shape so the new piece can fit where it belongs.  The ripple effect comes about because as those pieces alter and adjust, the pieces around THOSE PIECES must also change to accommodate the changes each piece has to make.  So changing that one piece has far-reaching implications for the entire puzzle.
***Disclaimer *** I have NEVER done this process with anyone. Â However, my growing experience as a hypnotist leads me to believe this would work beautifully in a lucid dream. Â As I do not have any phobias that I am yet aware of, I cannot test this for myself.