Katie Walters, CFNN Editor

While the Gen-Z essential TikTok has just been saved, one of the newest and quite interesting trends right now is “reality shifting.” With the use of lucid dreaming, reality shifting also involves extensive planning and produces an incredibly intense experience.  

Many teenagers are using this as a form of meditation to put themselves into a different world, and as we complete our 7th month in quarantine, it’s not surprising that they want to create a new reality.

While this idea may seem a little peculiar, it has a valid explanation. Meditating is known to have several benefits, such as aligning your conscious and subconscious to help you think more clearly, making your day-to-day life more fulfilling. 

Usually, you would only focus on your breathing or on producing a calming image in your head. Once your mind and body are deeply relaxed, you would enter the meditative state. Reality shifting is based around this idea, but instead of letting it happen freely, the most precise details of your experience are planned by you! It’s like incorporating a daydream into your subconscious.

Reality shifting is a complex process, but anyone is able to do it. Jade, @jambasmurf on TikTok, frequently shifts and has posted several videos instructing others on how to reach their desired realities.

“My desired reality during my first shift ever was The Legend of Korra,” says Jade. The Legend of Korra is an animated spin-off show to Avatar: The Last Airbender, both on Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon has created an extensive universe through these shows, in addition to several movies in the series. “I used a method of lucid dreaming and deep meditation techniques to awaken my R.E.M. enough,” she explained.

Before we get more in-depth, let’s go over these terms. Lucid dreaming is when you become consciously aware that you are dreaming. While this can happen without prior planning, there are several ways to induce it. This realization gives you control over the occurrences in your dream, making them seem very realistic. Still, the dreamer knows that they are not.

R.E.M (Rapid Eye Movement) depends on which one of the 4 stages of sleep you are in. Your R.E.M. will not be very active in your deeper sleep stages. Everyone aims for the “sweet spot,” 20% of the time where dreams are most vivid. This usually occurs during the second half of the night, but there are a few ways to manipulate your brain into thinking you are, even during the day.

Lastly, your desired reality is the place you want to travel to. This can be anything and anywhere you’d like. The Harry Potter universe is a very popular one. Some people write out receiving a letter from Hogwarts, which allows them to travel to the school and create their own stories with the characters.

“No matter what anyone says, you can shift into any fictional 2-D or 3-D world. It’s a part of your subconscious, so it will end up feeling real,” Jade expressed. 

Shifters use what is called “scripting” to plan important parts of their experience. “Scripting helps the transfer of who you are in your reality, based on details from your past and current situations, and how to shift them into your desired reality,” said Jade. 

Basically, this means listing everything that is essential about you and making sure these details will be incorporated into your shift, making the experience even more realistic. This is also where you would plan out any desired events, such as specific character interactions.

There are several ways to induce a reality shift. Before starting, you must make sure you have a clear headspace. Any intrusive thoughts can make your shift unsuccessful. A great way to prepare is by practicing your sleeping habits. “People might want to practice taking a 20-minute nap, waking up, then going back to bed right away to practice R.E.M. activation,” Jade explained.

Once you can better control your sleep, this is where the magic happens! Wait until you are about half-asleep to begin. 

A common method to use is the Staircase method, where you imagine yourself walking up a staircase until you reach your desired reality. Another one is the Affirmations/Counting method, where you close your eyes and say statements such as “I am in (your desired reality),” and count down from a large number.

This deep thinking can give you an enriching experience, feeling refreshed, and with a better mindset. “It helps you better understand yourself not only as a person but your goals and your limits,” Jade says. “It also helps with getting yourself motivated enough to start something you might have been scared to start before.”