Gravity RC Tutorial

**Azul** · 09-03-2014 02:44 AM

Gravity Reality Check

This tutorial will consist of a technique that I use to become lucid from gravity. I had this technique bestowed upon me by Hukif, who learned it entirely on his own and perfected it for himself. So with that being said, much credit goes to him!

The Gravity RC is an amazing reality check that one can use to become lucid. This technique isn't one to be taken too lightly, since it's a different type of awareness it will require patience, persistence, and perseverance. One might ask, how could you use gravity as a reality check? Well, through my lucid experiences I've discovered that dream gravity is completely different compared to gravity in waking life. In this 3rd dimensional realm we as humans are bound to it by duality. Positive and negative, left and right, up or down, etc. The polarities are much different in the dreaming world. Gravity is also an element that sets standards for certain objects here as well. What's awesome about this technique is not only can you use it all day long, you can also use it to stabilize your dreams out as well. The benefits are countless in ways you could imagine but don't imagine, go and experience it!

Now to do the actual RC, there are many ways one could practice it. For starters you could simply focus on your own body weight and grow accustomed to it. The first question you will probably ask is “how do I know if I'm doing it right?” Well with this RC there is no right or wrong way, you should do what feels natural for you. For instance, Hukif focuses on different body parts for specific activities. I myself tried that route in the first few months of practicing Gravity RC and nearly quit. After all the dreadful days and nights of trying to focus on these different parts I sat down and started thinking. I thought to myself what could I do to simplify things for myself, so simple it would be impossible to ignore. Well I thought about using my hands because I mean we do use our hands very frequently. So I for a few days I did just that, focused entirely on my hands regardless of the activity.

After about 3-4 days I had a gravity induced lucid from it. Now of course I was ecstatic but I already had gravity lucids prior to this so it wasn't as overwhelming. After that night I totally stopped using what I had learned and continued the original way. Went through a few more months of terror but I soon came to realize what I did before actually worked. After that realization I achieved daily lucidity.
I've learned with this specific RC there is no way around the hard phases and epiphanies. I feel that one should go through all of them to get the idea of what it is you're actually learning. The first few months are the most frustrating because you stress about whether you're doing it right. You will also get anxious to see results as well but after while you realize it's more than that. It teaches you patience and discipline which makes it easier in the long run. The point of this RC is to practice it so much that it becomes a habit. Although you can use it all day long, that doesn't mean you have to. You just want to be to the point where you don't have to remember to do it, it's just second nature.

Basically you could literally focus on whatever you're most comfortable with. You don't have to do what I did, I found out what worked best for me. For beginners some ways to be aware of gravity are by noticing the weight of your legs as you walk, the weight of food as you eat, the weight of your body as you're sitting, or even how your hands feel as you type, etc. What's cool about this RC is that the area of focus can be anywhere so you can be very creative with it. The goal is to just become used to normal or waking life gravity so you'll notice it when you're dreaming. An example of what you could experience in a dream is you could be walking and all of a sudden your legs feel heavy as boulders. Almost like it's impossible to walk or move, then you're most definitely dreaming. One thing I have learned and I advise everyone who uses this technique to take heed of, is to NOT USE LOGIC. In waking life I would use dream logic when I would do my reality check. In return, I got screwed out of quite a few lucids which made me realize I had to stop that immediately.

In a nutshell the Gravity RC is simple, it's only what you make of it really. The hardest part is getting used to doing it but after that it's quite easy. Normal gravity = waking life, abnormal gravity = dreaming. If one does decide to take up this reality check do your best to stay dedicated. I cannot emphasize how much it will pay off in the long run. For example, along with this technique I also discovered a few other dream elements that can be used as reality checks. But that's a tutorial for another day! Enjoy!

**Zangetsu** · 09-03-2014 03:40 AM

Nice! This is just what DV needed. If enough people try this and report back maybe we can get this down to an exact science and make it even easier. The fact that Hukif taught you how to do this and it got you to daily lucidity is amazing. I can't think of any method that's as simple and has such an incredible success rate. Thanks for the tutorial, hopefully I'll have something unique to add to it soon.

**Azul** · 09-03-2014 06:54 PM

Haha no problem just trying to help out. That's the thing, getting enough people is the anticipated goal but it does seem like people are starting to give it a shot.

Most people want a short and sweet way of achieving lucidity but that's just not how it works.

Lucid Dreaming is an art and science if you will, an art so beautiful it's perceived in different ways and a science so deep it makes us scratch our heads.

**Bharmo** · 10-25-2014 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by Sharpshoey

Glad to see that you decided to join! That sounds like a good idea to move the discussion to that thread. And hopefully we can help each other out to overcome any challenged we may be having.

GTG to a family dinner (I'm in another time zone)
Could you maybe post your experience here, Sharpshoey? Later/tomorrow I'll come back and post mine.

**Sharpshoey** · 10-25-2014 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by dreambh

GTG to a family dinner (I'm in another time zone)
Could you maybe post your experience here, Sharpshoey? Later/tomorrow I'll come back and post mine.

Do you mean the post I put that bumped the other thread about trying Gravity RC up?

**VagalTone** · 10-25-2014 09:25 PM

Excuse me: what is your lucidity rate? Have you achieved Hukif's proficiency?

While i think gravity RC will work with enough practice, as with so many other things, i see most of our modern approaches as contrived techniques which result in contrived lucidity, bound by hopes and fears. I praise lucidity that comes out of an upgraded awareness, a new perspective on life and perceptions, and not merely on will power workouts. I think that we as human beings do have the right to lucid dream naturally providing we are exploring our experiences and therefore reaching a more fresh outlook on reality and life, and not merely labeling our life mindlessly and taking it for granted, from which all non-lucidity emerges.
Ultimately, i think lucid dreaming must be self sustaining and not dependent on scarce, depletable mind resources. We simply have to look at lucidity as a natural consequence of something more important to which we should really pay attention to: our moment to moment experience, which just like in a non lucid dream we take for granted, and so crystalize every moment of pure perception with a dichotomy of self other, building layers and layers of our own version of reality, within an agenda of a neurotic ego.

**Bharmo** · 10-25-2014 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Sharpshoey

Do you mean the post I put that bumped the other thread about trying Gravity RC up?

Sorry, I often do not express myself clear enough, so just forget that and let's get this thread rolling

Ok, so I'm going to explain my experience and challenges, summarizing as much as I can:

My experience:
I've been working on the Gravity RC for a little more than two months. Hukif and Azul helped with my questions. Got into a dry spell, felt I could not keep the RC often enough, and my motivation began to gradually drop by the end of the second month, when I started to think "This technique might not be for me", "Self-awareness OneUp-style feels more natural", etc etc.

Challenges that I've found, and things I *know* I've been doing wrong:
1- Dryspell: This technique is a medium/long term investment, I usually get more or less quick LDs with LaBerge's modified Reflection-Intention technique, but with Gravity RC I was not doing very well.
2- Bad dream recall: I'm not doing well, but this is just a personal problem for me, as I lack discipline for regular DJing.
3- Not being able to keep the RC going through the day: Quite often I found myself totally forgetting about gravity for hours

4- Lack of motivation: My head told me to not drop the technique, but I did. So that's a problem with motivation, I think, maybe I should had stablished epic goals (the kind that you need daily LDs to accomplish) in order to keep me working at the Gravity RC.

TL;DR: Points 2 and 4 are particular to myself, but I believe 1 and 3 are challenges that most people will find when they try this technique.

If anyone has suggestions I'll be happy to hear.

EDIT: Just remembered something else...

5- Mental blocks: For instance, "I'm too old" (I'm 36, but Hukif was in his early twenties when he developed this, and I believe Azul is quite young as well), "What if this is not a technique appropriate for me", etc etc

**Sharpshoey** · 10-25-2014 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by VagalTone

Excuse me: what is your lucidity rate? Have you achieved Hukif's proficiency?

While i think gravity RC will work with enough practice, as with so many other things, i see most of our modern approaches as contrived techniques which result in contrived lucidity, bound by hopes and fears. I praise lucidity that comes out of an upgraded awareness, a new perspective on life and perceptions, and not merely on will power workouts. I think that we as human beings do have the right to lucid dream naturally providing we are exploring our experiences and therefore reaching a more fresh outlook on reality and life, and not merely labeling our life mindlessly and taking it for granted, from which all non-lucidity emerges.
Ultimately, i think lucid dreaming must be self sustaining and not dependent on scarce, depletable mind resources. We simply have to look at lucidity as a natural consequence of something more important to which we should really pay attention to: our moment to moment experience, which just like in a non lucid dream we take for granted, and so crystalize every moment of pure perception with a dichotomy of self other, building layers and layers of our own version of reality, within an agenda of a neurotic ego.

Lol my LD rate is not very high, as I've only been practicing LDing for about 2 months. My LD Count on my profile is 13, and that is all the lucids I've had. So I am nowhere near Hukif's proficiency! And yes, I agree with what you posted but what were you trying to get at. Were you supporting the Gravity RC, or going against it? (Sorry I just didn't really get what you were going for in your post)

**VagalTone** · 10-26-2014 02:39 AM

I was aiming for a reply from OP, but thanks anyway

No, i don't have anything against gravity reality check, or any other contrived LD approach.
They clearly have a role, although a very limited, and more often than not, an unsatisfying one.
I am also not supporting those anymore, because while still wanting to lucid dream i just realized how lucid dreaming was to become a secondary effect of something more important. I take lucid dreaming as a hard lesson to change my waking life perspective and not just to fix my sleeping mind.
I think we are trapped in techniques, and it's to so obvious that nonlucid dreaming is a call to wake up, to alleviate even if for a short moment this pain of labelling an always ineffable and interdependet reality.

**Sharpshoey** · 10-26-2014 03:08 AM

Oh my bad

I didn't know who you were directing that at, I just assumed it was me because my comment was right before yours. I was wondering why you'd be asking me, now I know why.

**Bharmo** · 10-26-2014 08:39 AM

Originally Posted by VagalTone

Ultimately, i think lucid dreaming must be self sustaining and not dependent on scarce, depletable mind resources. We simply have to look at lucidity as a natural consequence of something more important to which we should really pay attention to: our moment to moment experience, which just like in a non lucid dream we take for granted, and so crystalize every moment of pure perception with a dichotomy of self other, building layers and layers of our own version of reality, within an agenda of a neurotic ego.

Originally Posted by VagalTone;

I am also not supporting those anymore, because while still wanting to lucid dream i just realized how lucid dreaming was to become a secondary effect of something more important. I take lucid dreaming as a hard lesson to change my waking life perspective and not just to fix my sleeping mind.

Thanks for your contribution, VagalTone, they are always very meaningful.
I would like to ask something, though. I've heard "Mindfulness=Lucidity" before, but I personally do not know of anyone, specifically, who got that working. The closest thing is what OneUp does, having "Am I dreaming?" constantly in the back of his mind, but you'll agree that is not mindfulness but something different.
So how are you doing? What is your LDing rate leaving "contrived LD practices" aside and going 100% for mindfulness? Or are you saying you don't care that much about rates anymore?

**Bobblehat** · 10-26-2014 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Azul

along with this technique I also discovered a few other dream elements that can be used as reality checks. But that's a tutorial for another day! Enjoy!

Could you touch on those briefly, please? If not here, then please send me a private message.

**VagalTone** · 10-26-2014 10:32 AM

I think that more important than mindfulness is insight, but you can't develop it if you are always lost in automatic reactions. But it's not necessary to be always hypervigilant and aware. In my view it is very easy to catalyze very short lived insights that will undermine our solid perceptions with time. The method i now use is to cultivate uncontrived awe and a sense of mystery at existence, and compare this speechless and almost nonceptual state that arises with the habitual reactive, labelling state, taking everything for granted. It's ok to use our intellect but without this recognition of pure perception that arises when your mind doesn't know everything even if for a short moment, which is probably very much like a reality check but one that i see as a truly meaningful and ultimate, you will be likewise feeling like nonlucid living. Then it becomes more and more obvious how we and everyone else are simply constantly identified with our thoughts and playing roles and egos.
Then it becomes a matter of seing your self referential thoughts decreasing with time and a natural sense of nowness arrives without effort because your mind doesnt have anywhere to go.

As to my LD rates it's pretty much daily, but i dont recall them very well, although they last much more. They feel like semilucids. Beyond intention to recognize waking and dreaming perceptions as pure and not self referential, i haven't practiced any other thing. But i see a close relationship between my waking life practice of short moments and lucidity, so therefore i think this will improve but i am ready to accept that dreaming may not come anymore, as it is stated by some mystics. Ultimately, lucid dreaming is a tool and not an end in itself.

Edit: it is not likely that self referential thoughts and emotions will decrease, indeed it may seem like they increase because now you are recognizing them so much more.
But in time, with the stability of insight, you can take the amount of self processing time as a sign of progress.

**mimihigurashi** · 10-26-2014 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by VagalTone

I was aiming for a reply from OP, but thanks anyway

No, i don't have anything against gravity reality check, or any other contrived LD approach.
They clearly have a role, although a very limited, and more often than not, an unsatisfying one.
I am also not supporting those anymore, because while still wanting to lucid dream i just realized how lucid dreaming was to become a secondary effect of something more important. I take lucid dreaming as a hard lesson to change my waking life perspective and not just to fix my sleeping mind.
I think we are trapped in techniques, and it's to so obvious that nonlucid dreaming is a call to wake up, to alleviate even if for a short moment this pain of labelling an always ineffable and interdependet reality.

Amen @ both of your posts mate, very well said. I thought about this for quite a while. Most of us are so obsessed with various techniques and tricks up to our necks, that we forget the simple key to lucid dreaming: 'mere' awareness. Don't stay on auto-pilot, just pay attention to what you're doing and what is happening. Zombie in waking life = zombie in dreams, to me that's very obvious. Of course, that is much easier said than done, especially 12 hours a day, but some of the best things in life don't come easy and quick.

**Bharmo** · 10-26-2014 02:56 PM

Wow VagalTone, your approach to lucid living is inspiring!
I would keep on commenting and asking, but your approach really deserves a thread of its own. If there is one, please point me to it, if there isn't... you should start one!
On the other hand I think we should not derail this thread further

**Sharpshoey** · 10-26-2014 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by mimihigurashi

A question for you: do you feel weight in your dreams? I'm asking because I tried this technique for over a month until I realized that it won't be very useful for me since the realistic feeling of weight is present fairly often in my dreams. At first I was looking forward to this technique too because I did not recall gravity existing in 99% of my dreams, but that was only because I was not lucid/did not care/did not notice it. When I got more LDs I noticed how present and realistic the feeling of weight/gravity is in my dreams, so after a fairly long try I realized I kind of wasted time. Everyone's dreams are different, some techniques work for some and do not for others, that's why I'm saying you should think about how your dreams are beforehand.

mimihigurashi, I read the post you had about the gravity problem in your dreams. Let me just say that even though gravity was present, that still could trigger lucidity. The whole point of the Gravity RC is to get used to the feeling of normal gravity, and then in a dream you'll be able to tell if the gravity is different. You said the gravity felt really heavy on you in the dream, so even though there is gravity, it doesn't matter. Because the gravity is heavier than IWL, you'll be able to tell its a dream...so if you still want to do the Gravity RC, you should do it.

**mimihigurashi** · 10-26-2014 04:14 PM

Originally Posted by Sharpshoey

mimihigurashi, I read the post you had about the gravity problem in your dreams. Let me just say that even though gravity was present, that still could trigger lucidity. The whole point of the Gravity RC is to get used to the feeling of normal gravity, and then in a dream you'll be able to tell if the gravity is different. You said the gravity felt really heavy on you in the dream, so even though there is gravity, it doesn't matter. Because the gravity is heavier than IWL, you'll be able to tell its a dream...so if you still want to do the Gravity RC, you should do it.

If you mean the thread I made, the thing is, it wasn't really abnormal gravity. It felt heavy because there actually was something really heavy in the dream, it wasn't like I tried to lift a cup and it weighted 10 kg xD Thanks for the advice but I think I'm gonna stick with general self awareness, at least for a long while. Good luck with Gravity RC to you, though.

**Sharpshoey** · 10-26-2014 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by mimihigurashi

If you mean the thread I made, the thing is, it wasn't really abnormal gravity. It felt heavy because there actually was something really heavy in the dream, it wasn't like I tried to lift a cup and it weighted 10 kg xD Thanks for the advice but I think I'm gonna stick with general self awareness, at least for a long while. Good luck with Gravity RC to you, though.

OK good luck with your self-awareness! I've heard so many posts about that type of awareness helping people, and I know it'll work for you! If you don't mind me asking though, what do you mean by this

It felt heavy because there actually was something really heavy in the dream

I didn't get what you meant by that.

**mimihigurashi** · 10-26-2014 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by Sharpshoey

OK good luck with your self-awareness! I've heard so many posts about that type of awareness helping people, and I know it'll work for you! If you don't mind me asking though, what do you mean by this

I didn't get what you meant by that.

Thanks.

I mean I was trying to lift a big dude XD

**Bharmo** · 10-26-2014 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by Sharpshoey

mimihigurashi, I read the post you had about the gravity problem in your dreams. Let me just say that even though gravity was present, that still could trigger lucidity. The whole point of the Gravity RC is to get used to the feeling of normal gravity, and then in a dream you'll be able to tell if the gravity is different. You said the gravity felt really heavy on you in the dream, so even though there is gravity, it doesn't matter. Because the gravity is heavier than IWL, you'll be able to tell its a dream...so if you still want to do the Gravity RC, you should do it.

I totally agree. By what I've read and experienced gravity in dreams varies greatly. You can get more or less or equal gravity, but it seems to be typically a little lighter than IWL, which is not that easy to notice.
But as SharpShoey said the point with this technique is noticing the difference in gravity (not a lack of gravity or you'd be floating in all dreams), even though sometimes it will be the same or similar to WL.

**mimihigurashi** · 10-26-2014 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by dreambh

I totally agree. By what I've read and experienced gravity in dreams varies greatly. You can get more or less or equal gravity, but it seems to be typically a little lighter than IWL, which is not that easy to notice.
But as SharpShoey said the point with this technique is noticing the difference in gravity (not a lack of gravity or you'd be floating in all dreams), even though sometimes it will be the same or similar to WL.

Yes, like I said, for some people it's different, it doesn't work the same for everyone, unfortunately. For me it's often very realistic.
It seems that no technique is truly foolproof.

**Sharpshoey** · 10-26-2014 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by mimihigurashi

Thanks.

I mean I was trying to lift a big dude XD

maybe I should have read the post more carefully...and ya, that would probably cause gravity to be a little bit heavier.

In my personal opinion, and from what I have learned so far, I think for everybody gravity in dreams is never the same. I think that it can be very close to the same, but it is always a small difference. Now I could be wrong because I don't have that much experience, but that is just what I think. Also, the Gravity can fluctuate so if at one point it seems normal, at another point in the dream you could suddenly become super heavy/light. So if my thinking is correct, then I would assume that even if in all your dreams gravity is as close as it can get to WL, if you have practiced the Gravity RC long enough you may be able to tell the difference. Finally, Hukif said that this RC also builds up some General Awareness, so maybe even if you can't tell a difference in gravity, because you have that general awareness built up you can become lucid off of that after a lot practice.

Just some thoughts. And this wasn't to convince you even more to try this RC again mimihigurashi, I was just saying what I had on my mind, and maybe we can experiment with this and see if I was right or wrong. I understand that you want to stick with your Self-Awareness...and good luck with that!

**mimihigurashi** · 10-26-2014 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by Sharpshoey

maybe I should have read the post more carefully...and ya, that would probably cause gravity to be a little bit heavier.

In my personal opinion, and from what I have learned so far, I think for everybody gravity in dreams is never the same. I think that it can be very close to the same, but it is always a small difference. Now I could be wrong because I don't have that much experience, but that is just what I think. Also, the Gravity can fluctuate so if at one point it seems normal, at another point in the dream you could suddenly become super heavy/light. So if my thinking is correct, then I would assume that even if in all your dreams gravity is as close as it can get to WL, if you have practiced the Gravity RC long enough you may be able to tell the difference. Finally, Hukif said that this RC also builds up some General Awareness, so maybe even if you can't tell a difference in gravity, because you have that general awareness built up you can become lucid off of that after a lot practice.

Just some thoughts. And this wasn't to convince you even more to try this RC again mimihigurashi, I was just saying what I had on my mind, and maybe we can experiment with this and see if I was right or wrong. I understand that you want to stick with your Self-Awareness...and good luck with that!

Indeed, it is unstable/fluctuates. Your theory sounds plausible, if you have a lot of faith in this technique, go ahead and give it your all. Personally I'm not going to because I believe you need a lot of faith in a technique which motivates you to put a lot of effort into it and do it properly.
You say "So if my thinking is correct, then I would assume that even if in all your dreams gravity is as close as it can get to WL, if you have practiced the Gravity RC long enough you may be able to tell the difference" Yeah, don't want to discourage you or anything, but you would probably have to be a master at it for that to start happening. Which would take, I don't know, 6 months at least? Would take some serious work and dedication to reach that level, so good luck to you too. Lol, these techniques that require mental effort whole day are the most difficult, but I think are the most rewarding, because they "wake us up" from the zombie state that most people live their whole lives in.

**Sharpshoey** · 10-26-2014 05:18 PM

Yeah, don't want to discourage you or anything, but you would probably have to be a master at it for that to start happening. Which would take, I don't know, 6 months at least? Would take some serious work and dedication to reach that level, so good luck to you too.

I was thinking it would take more like a year for that to happen. Luckily for me, now that I think back to some dreams when I've noticed the gravity, the difference has been really noticeable.

**mimihigurashi** · 10-26-2014 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Sharpshoey

I was thinking it would take more like a year for that to happen. Luckily for me, now that I think back to some dreams when I've noticed the gravity, the difference has been really noticeable.

Yeah, a year sounds more realistic, it's good that you acknowledge that and still feel motivated and accept the challenge, lol, I would not be able to. And also good that it is noticeable, the more abnormal it is, the better when using this technique.