Here is a description of my method to intentionally have a dream. I have little success in controlling the content of the dream though, at least without turning it into a horrifying nightmare.
The most reproducible dream method for me is to enter a half-asleep mode, whatever the correct medical term may be. This leads naturally to two obvious choices of:
In my experience, the latter can easily be achieved by having an alarm clock set an hour or two earlier than the natural waking time, therefore interrupting the sleeping session. The former choice however is more flexible, since there is a bigger chance for interfering with the dream's content, if that is the intent.
I have read somewhere that this method of entering a half-asleep status, especially before real sleep, is used to controllably set up an environment in dreams for applications such as talking to the dead or self-examination. More sophisticated assistance such as brain activity monitoring may improve the success rate of manipulating the dream.
I am thinking of applying this method to tulpa training. Since I do not keep one at the time, experiments will be postponed until I have formed my tulpa. Nevertheless, several documented procedures of diving strongly resemble controlled dreams, leading me to suspect that they are actually of the same mechanism.
Sleep deprivation is another method mentioned in both dreams and tulpas, to achieve the state capable of sensing the non-existing. I did experience actual effects, but without further experimental conclusions.
Tulpa is a topic that I would probably mention more in upcoming posts. Maybe a separate tulpa journal should be kept, should I commit my self to tulpamancy.