My "dream sign" or cue that I'm dreaming

[HardAnxiety]

The first real cue, or "dream sign" as this website refers to it, that I taught myself was to ask someone in my dream a question. I would ask them a question that I knew for sure that I did not know the answer to.

For example, if I met someone whom I did not know their middle name, and asked them their middle name, I would either not get a response, the dream would alter course to distract me from the question, or there would be a major hesitation.

Any of these things I would notice as a hesitation, that my mind was trying to come up with an answer to a question, an answer that I did not know, and so either had to make something up or distract me.

So, I became aware of these things, these hesitations or avoiding of answering specific questions, as solid clues that, yep, I'm dreaming, and I can now exert control of my dream.

[icedawg]

hrm. Interesting. Generally, the purpose of a dream sign is to simply remind us to perform a reality check to ensure we are not dreaming. Instead, it seems you would already have a suspicion you are dreaming and then perform a reality check to ensure. I'm assuming that anyway, unless you went around asking people strange questions during the waking hours as well (which is the actual intent of performing reality checks)!

[HardAnxiety]

Yep, your first statement was right, these questions that I ask are a result of some "feeling" that I may already be dreaming. I could, if I wanted, ask these question in the waking world, but I don't (at least in the sense of doing a reality-check) because I'm convinced that this is the real world, that is, I know I am awake.

My lucid dreaming came on gradually at an early age, and it was tricks like these that I developed to make sure that yes I was dreaming.

Hmmm... I don't know if this is realated at all to lucid dreaming, but something in the back of my mind is telling me it might be related... as a very young boy, after watching a scary movie right before goign to bed, I would sing "jingle bells" to myself to ward off any nightmares.... it's vague memories after that, but I think somehow that was one of my first steps into achieving lucid dreaming. hmmm, things that make you go hmmm.

[icedawg]

Originally posted by HardAnxiety
Yep, your first statement was right, these questions that I ask are a result of some \"feeling\" that I may already be dreaming. *I could, if I wanted, ask these question in the waking world, but I don't (at least in the sense of doing a reality-check) because I'm convinced that this is the real world, that is, I know I am awake.


The interesting point to note is often in dreams we (most of us anyway) simply accept the world as real, no matter how obscure it may be. If we were simply to pause for a moment to seriously consider if it is real, then we would usually realize it is likely a dream. It seems very silly to perform reality checks during the day when we are certain we are awake. The only reason for doing so of course is to get us in the habit of questioning the world around us while we dream.

Originally posted by HardAnxiety+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(HardAnxiety)</div>My lucid dreaming came on gradually at an early age, and it was tricks like these that I developed to make sure that yes I was dreaming.
[/b]

Yes, there are those who started early and have always been able to do so. My sister is one such individual who seems to have a natural ability to control her dreams, w/o mental discipline.

<!--QuoteBegin-HardAnxiety
Hmmm... I don't know if this is realated at all to lucid dreaming, but something in the back of *my mind is telling me it might be related... as a very young boy, after watching a scary movie right before goign to bed, I would sing \"jingle bells\" to myself to ward off any nightmares.... it's vague memories after that, but I think somehow that was one of my first steps into achieving lucid dreaming. *hmmm, things that make you go hmmm.

That's related to dream control, which is not the same as lucid dreaming (but you're probably aware of that). Perhaps it's a rather futile distinction, since many seem to see the two as one and the same. Regardless, our dreams are a product of our own minds, and reflect our mind's general tone. Thus, if you manage to ward of any dark thoughts from watching a scary movie by cheering yourself up, then you will likely have a more pleasant dream.

[Neo Neo]

whenever i talk to people in my dreams they respond normal to questions i know the answer too, but what about the ones they dont? well in my dream they would just make something up lol, and then when i woke up the conversation i had with that "person" lol, i would haave forgot it. whenever i try to remember what someeom says in a dream i like just remember them blabbing on about something random lol. i should try doing that sometime. thx for bringing that up!

[aac2f]

I am one of the people who also just kind of has a feeling that I am dreaming when i become lucid, my trick for testing is to lift my hands above my head and if i am lucid i instantly take flight. For me this gives me the most control. I think it is because when i started dreaming, flying was one of the first things that i tried. It took me a while to master it but now it doesn't really take any effort at all( trying to flip light switches is another trigger for me, and it is easy to train yourself to remember this)

keep dreaming

[the one]

THE FIRST STEP IS TO RELIZE ITS A DREAM, IF U WANT TO KNOW HOW TO FIND OUT ITS A DREAM ALOT OF DREAMS START OFF IN YOUR HOME, SO YOUR DREAMING THAT YOUR IN YOUR HOUSE, LOOK FOR A LIGHT SWITCH YOU CAN NOT TURN THE LIGHTS ON IN A DREAM!!!!!! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, IF U SWITCH THE LIGHT SWITCH ON AND THE LIGHTS DONT TURN ON IT MEANS YOUR DREAMING...ONCE YOU RELIZE ITS A DREAM U CAN DO ALMOST ANYTHING U WANT HAVE ANY TYPE OF SEX U WANT TRAVEL TO DIFFERENT DIMENTIONS BUT THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH INFO U CAN BRING BACK I FOUND OUT IN MY DREAM Y I CAN NOT REMEMBER THE MOST IMMPORTANT PARTS, ITS BECAUSE I WOULD SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH THE WORLD IF I COULD REMEBER BUT I CAN'T, I NOW UNDERSTAND Y, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE TO LEARN THESE THINGS ON THERE OWN BUT DONT WORRY THE INFORMATION STILL STAYS IN YOUR SUBCONCIOUS AND IS REVELIED TO U SLOWLY LIKE BABY STEPS TIME IS AN ILLUSION............................

[Kid M]

I have found that for some reason I often dream about trains and elevators.

To expand a bit on the first one, I dream about driving trains, being a passenger in a train, being in undergrounds, crossing train tracks, train accidents, trainspotting or just about railroads in general. I don't know why, maybe it's because trains are a part of my childhood memories. I used to live very close to an absolutely massive train depot.

I also, for reasons unknown, seem to dream about being in lifts. Not only that, but the lifts in my dreams are often weird ones (that move horizontally rather than vertically, for example). And I often dream about being stuck in lifts or that a lift might break down and fall to the bottom floor at an enormous speed (ever watch The Omen?).
I don't see any reason why I should dream about lifts, but it's all well and good since the closest I've come to a lucid dream was me realising that I was dreaming because I was in a lift..

Strange, eh?

[WS6_KID]

Originally posted by HardAnxiety
The first real cue, or \"dream sign\" as this website refers to it, that I taught myself was to ask someone in my dream a question. *I would ask them a question that I knew for sure that I did not know the answer to.

For example, if I met someone whom I did not know their middle name, and asked them their middle name, I would either not get a response, the dream would alter course to distract me from the question, or there would be a major hesitation.

Any of these things I would notice as a hesitation, that my mind was trying to come up with an answer to a question, an answer that I did not know, and so either had to make something up or distract me.

So, I became aware of these things, these hesitations or avoiding of answering specific questions, as solid clues that, yep, I'm dreaming, and I can now exert control of my dream.

WOW :shock:

I'll definatly give that a shot!

[CT]

meh.

[Lowercase Society]

How would you test this out on a day to day basis...somethin like this:

HardAnxiety walks up to a random man, who is in fact Russian...

Anxiety: Hey, dude....old man....Hey! am i dreaming you old fart!??!!?

former Russian KGB guy: KEGERBAUGH NAH TUNNNG BUESSSSSS! *pulls vodka bottle out of bag, smashes it over Anxiety's head, then spits on him*

Anxiety tries to fly to get out of the situation and jumps off the top of the apartment complex...and breaks 134 bones, then the russian injects him with CHOLERA...and pours more vodka down his throat, and Anxiety is screaming...WAKE UP WAKE UP!!!!!

[Alric]

I think your lucky you dont try it in real life, because I don't think random people you meet would tell you their middle name heh. I also think a dream person could easily make up a name.

I think the reason it works however is you expect them to pause and not have an answer. As long as you expect it, in most cases it should happen.