Thread: Bemistaken's Workbook

Originally Posted by bemistaken

I was able to DILD while on vacation! This is what happened...

Awesome!! Am I right that this is your first DILD? That's fantastic! Congratulations on the milestone and on scoring it while on vacation (when I know you had your doubts.) This is really, really good stuff.

Heh heh, don't feel bad about not remembering Task of the Month right away. Keeping waking life memories alive in dreams is something that takes a little practice but you'll get better and better at it. Keep working those Tasks of the Month and you'll find that it's a skill which trains up nicely.

Hey, so when you tried to open your eyes after closing them and setting your intent on Egypt, what did you see upon opening them? Was it just the same scene or did opening them have bad results of some other kind? For teleportation, I'm a big fan of imagining the target scene in as much detail as possible. The more detail and determination you throw at it, the more of your mental energy gets poured into your goal. Keep trying!!

BTW, if you're interested in a more detailed treatment on teleportation, that was one of the topics of the Q&A podcast that we did a few weeks back: http://www.dreamviews.com/dreamviews...-sleepers.html. If you're looking for more ideas, check it out!

Well, congratulations again. Now that you've got both DILD and WILD available to you, you can keep hitting LDs from either angle. Enjoy!

Awesome!! Am I right that this is your first DILD? That's fantastic! Congratulations on the milestone and on scoring it while on vacation (when I know you had your doubts.) This is really, really good stuff.

Heh heh, don't feel bad about not remembering Task of the Month right away. Keeping waking life memories alive in dreams is something that takes a little practice but you'll get better and better at it. Keep working those Tasks of the Month and you'll find that it's a skill which trains up nicely.

Hey, so when you tried to open your eyes after closing them and setting your intent on Egypt, what did you see upon opening them? Was it just the same scene or did opening them have bad results of some other kind? For teleportation, I'm a big fan of imagining the target scene in as much detail as possible. The more detail and determination you throw at it, the more of your mental energy gets poured into your goal. Keep trying!!

I don't have any format or process when I try to teleport...I didn't know that I was suppose to 'imagine my scene in as much detail as possible.' That makes a lot of sense. I have DILD before, but it was during the first week of me becoming a member of dreamviews and that was 3 months ago. The rest of my attempts have been through WILD's.

For this recent attempt on teleportation, what I did was really a pathetic attempt to teleport. I thought of my goal of going to the pyramids, closed my eyes and opened them expecting to just be standing in front of the pyramids...you know? Kinda like poof, like magic and I'm there ! Like I stated earlier, I didn't know that I was to help form the scene (I guess I thought my long term memory of pictures of the pyramids would just kick in at any moment and take me there). When I did open my eyes, if I remember correctly, I think I was somewhere else...like in another dream or maybe another dream was starting...does that make sense? I don't think I like DILDs very much because I feel like I have to do a lot of work for me to get out of the dream, but when I WILD, I don't ever really recall me starting a dream or being in a dream. Usually, I lay down and within a few minutes, I am already out and in the room where ever I feel asleep in and I can go on my adventures from there.

Any other suggestions? Thanks for your comments!

Cool... I think that the main thing is to simply have the right expectations in your mind. Know that you are already where you expect to be. So if you do the eye closing, know that you are already there, because if you believe it, you truly will be!

Teleporting in such a way that I imagine something is behind my back works well. I also love to teleport whenever I'm stuck in the void. Anything that makes me believe that the scene will be right, you know? That's why I think that looking away or closing your eyes makes teleportation easier. There's no visual information to interfere with the change you're creating. I talk about this a bit more in the podcast, but the short version is that there are some definite neurological reasons that this is easier.

It's so cool that WILD is quite natural for you! It's something I really have to put specific effort into and it always feels like a real treat when I manage one. We all have our style, and you've clearly found yours. But fortunately we can both travel outside of our comfort zones and discover great things!

Cool... I think that the main thing is to simply have the right expectations in your mind. Know that you are already where you expect to be. So if you do the eye closing, know that you are already there, because if you believe it, you truly will be!

Teleporting in such a way that I imagine something is behind my back works well. I also love to teleport whenever I'm stuck in the void. Anything that makes me believe that the scene will be right, you know? That's why I think that looking away or closing your eyes makes teleportation easier. There's no visual information to interfere with the change you're creating. I talk about this a bit more in the podcast, but the short version is that there are some definite neurological reasons that this is easier.

I will listen to the podcast tomorrow and read more of the tutorials on teleportation. I know I can do this, I am just not concentrating hard enough (or believing hard enough). I need to put more effort into it rather than just thinking that everything will happen on it's own without any help from me. Your explanation does bring clarity to this issue.

It's so cool that WILD is quite natural for you! It's something I really have to put specific effort into and it always feels like a real treat when I manage one. We all have our style, and you've clearly found yours. But fortunately we can both travel outside of our comfort zones and discover great things!

Thanks for that comment...but I don't deserve it. As I stated earlier, I want to control it, not just wake up freaked out, already 'popped out' and staring at myself sleep. Since joining dreamviews, I am making progress with seeing the signs of a WILD coming on and stabilizing it. I have also done a good job with DIELDing. That is more progress than I have ever made since childhood and I am thankful for this site, the moderators, members, and friends. Your right, we all have our specialty and as long as we are moving in the direction of gaining lucidity, no matter what the method, it's all good!

You've got exactly the right idea and a great attitude. The secret to so much of this is to just keep showing up, keep learning, keep refining. You've got a great base, and lots of patience and practice will allow you to reach your full potential. You're gonna like it.

The month of July seems to be working for me to do DILD's. I was able to do the TOTM with a DILD! That's never happened before, but I am grateful! Check it out!

Spoiler for Date: July 24, 2013
Method: MILD & WBTB with WILD
Total Sleep Time: 8-9 hours

:

Date: July 24, 2013
Method: MILD & WBTB with WILD
Total Sleep Time: 8-9 hours

Dream #1

Well, I went to bed extremely sleepy, so sleepy, I broke a record by going to bed before midnight! I kept waking up in the middle of night, I guess because I went to bed so early, I kept thinking it was time to get up. I would use the bathroom and every time I would get back to bed, I would say my mantra and try my best to stay awake. Sometimes, I would go to sleep, but I would be back up in a couple of hours doing the same thing all over again. (that's just how my body works, I naturally wake up in the middle of night). Well, by the third time, in the middle of a dream, I felt my vibrations and I became lucid. I was in what looked like a hotel and I was talking to someone at the front desk. I couldn't get over how the person didn't really look like a human to me (and I can't explain what he looked like either). Somehow, my super lucid senses kicked in and I heard a voice in my head say, "Stop staring and hug the damn thing...NOW!" I flew over that counter and wrapped my arms around that 'thing' and held on for dear life! After what seemed a few minutes, I let go (I guess I thought if I didn't hold on long enough the thing would vanish or evaporate). I was so scared, but I had to wait for the reaction, so I just stood there ready to be vaporized or punched in the face by that thing, but instead, it just smiled at me. I lost lucidity soon after that, but when I woke up, I wrote down the little bit I retained and laid back down trying to see if I could continue, but I think the excitement messed that up for me. I was so excited! I don't know where that voice came from that told me to hug that thing, but THANK YOU!

Originally Posted by bemistaken

The month of July seems to be working for me to do DILD's. I was able to do the TOTM with a DILD! That's never happened before, but I am grateful! Check it out!

Awesome, well-deserved accomplishment! Great work! You are all over the DILDing this month.

I'll check out that DJ entry!

Thanks CL!

You are all over the DILDing this month.

I know right? I have no idea what is happening, but like you all have always said, you must include ADA, RCs, study the tutorials, and any other exercise that will prepare your mentality for the dream world. I believe that was my subconscious talking to me at that very moment. I was too dumb struck looking at the humanoid to really pay attention of what I should do. Remember, I am notorious for believing anything I see in my dreams...I have been really reciting mantras for me to pay more attention and be aware while I am dreaming. It is paying off! With lucid dreaming, you can't do it alone by hoping luck will kick in, you must put in the work and believe it will happen.

Originally Posted by bemistaken

Thanks CL!


I know right? I have no idea what is happening, but like you all have always said, you must include ADA, RCs, study the tutorials, and any other exercise that will prepare your mentality for the dream world. I believe that was my subconscious talking to me at that very moment. I was too dumb struck looking at the humanoid to really pay attention of what I should do. Remember, I am notorious for believing anything I see in my dreams...I have been really reciting mantras for me to pay more attention and be aware while I am dreaming. It is paying off! With lucid dreaming, you can't do it alone by hoping luck will kick in, you must put in the work and believe it will happen.

That all sounds perfect! You are forming very positive new habits that will help you in all kinds of ways with your dream practices. I think you'll find that greater level of self-awareness in dreams will help with recall too.

That hint from your subconscious was just awesome. Your subC is a very powerful ally to have on this journey!

Hello Workbook!

Awwww, baby, don't be like that! I know it has been awhile since my last post, but you must understand! I have been awfully busy...please let me make it up to you! I know...that's not an excuse, but it is the only excuse that I have. Baby, please believe me, I miss you...please let me make this up to you, somehow and in someway! You say, "How bad do I want it?" Let me turn off these lights and show you...

No bullsh*t!

Well, it is the truth, I have been busy, but I totally miss my workbook. I had to lend someone a helping hand recently AND I started back to work after being on summer vacation...so needless to say, my sleep cycle for my WBTB and MILD (with an attempt to WILD) is totally f#cked up!

But, as always, one must remember what is important to them. What is important to me is for me to have an 'intimate' relationship with lucidity. Just like any relationship in life, if you ignore it...it will die. I love lucidity and I want lucidity to love me back...so, the work must be put in so the relationship will thrive.

Until tonight...my love.

Originally Posted by bemistaken

Awwww, baby, don't be like that! I know it has been awhile since my last post, but you must understand! I have been awfully busy...please let me make it up to you! I know...that's not an excuse, but it is the only excuse that I have. Baby, please believe me, I miss you...please let me make this up to you, somehow and in someway! You say, "How bad do I want it?" Let me turn off these lights and show you...

Love it! Welcome back, bemistaken! Lucidity and your workbook are always gonna love you back.

I'm also recovering from a fairly messed up (lack of) sleep schedule, but I think that things are starting to come around. We'll be getting lucid in no time!

We'll be getting lucid in no time!

Thanks CL!

I do treat my workbook (i.e., lucidity) like it is a real person. My goal is to form a personal relationship with lucidity...even if it means getting emotional from time to time. Just like real people you love, you can't ignore them, you must spend quality time with them, and you must acknowledge them so they will acknowledge you in return!

I don't want to be a stranger to lucidity and I certainly don't want lucidity to be a stranger to me!

Great words. The more you get attached to lucidity, the better you really understand how everything works. Kind of like how you tap a thing a certain way in order to get it to work, and only you really know how to make it work because you've been with it for a looong time. I think that's how lucidity is, too

Thanks Paigeyemps!

Progress is right around the corner...stay tuned!

Date: August 6, 2013
Method: WBTB & MILD (WILD)
Total hours of sleep time: 6 hours (WBTB 1 hour)

Well, I have a lot to talk about so let's get to the good stuff!

I went to bed at my usual time of 12:00am and I have to get up to fix breakfast and wake the kids. After getting everything done and the last child out of the house, I looked at the clock frustrated because I just knew I couldn't count this as a good WBTB to WILD technique/method. According to what I have read on DV, I should not do too much activity during WBTB and I should try to be silent and keep the lights dim. Well, with this being the first week of school, this morning my house was grand central station ! I was up cooking, waking up people, shouting that the bus was coming and every damn thing...sigh!


When everyone was out the door, I looked at the clock and realized a whole hour had passed. As I turned off the lights and got back in the bed, I said to myself, "You have done far to much to count this as a WBTB, no way are you going to become lucid now...chalk this up as another loss." However, my inner self told me to continue to say my mantra and just get a few minutes of sleep (It was 7:11am and I had to be up in an hour to get ready for work).

This is when the magic happened!

It seemed like mere seconds before I noticed that I was standing in front of my door screaming at my kids telling them the bus was coming. I had my hand on the couch which is in the living room by the front door, but I noticed that the couch was in a different position on the other side of the living room. Instinct (and I mean pure instinct) prompted me to do a RC. I told myself to levitate...AND I DID!!! That's when I felt the vibrations, and I knew I was lucid! I'm not good at my dream control, so I told myself to calm down and the next thing I knew, I was back in my bed. I stayed still and played sleep and like magic again...I was back in the living room! "Oh GOD, please tell me what to do!" I thought as I just floated there. I remembered that I wanted to gain some dream control so I started to touch the living room wall by the front door. As I was looking at the wall and the front door, I thought it would be fun to see if I can go through the wall...AND I DID!!! As I was going through the wall, I'm not 100% sure, but I think I saw like lights? sparks? flashes? Hard to explain, but also, as I want through the wall, it felt gooey . I did come out on the other side of the wall to my front yard and then I faded to the dark again and was back in my bed.

Well, you know my method for this by now DV, I laid still in my bed and DEILD my way back out of myself. This time, I was in a different scenery, but it was still my house. Everything was not quite right, so I knew I had to do something, or I would be back in my physical body again. So I'm standing there and my husband is just looking at me. He says, "Aren't you suppose to do something?" I look at him strangely, but for the life of me I couldn't think of what I was suppose to do (once I woke up, I realized for the TOTM, I was suppose to ask a DC what is the meaning of life? )! I stood there wondering what my husband was talking about and I realized I was losing my lucidity by getting wrapped up in my husband, so immediately, I refocused my attention on getting out of there! For some strange reason, one thing I can always remember is trying to teleport to Egypt and that is exactly what I tried to do.

Canis Lucidis told me to close my eyes and imagine Egypt down to the very last detail. I closed my eyes (tight) and kept thinking about how Egypt looked with the pyramids and the sand (kinda how it looks when I watch the Discovery Channel or National Geographic). I kept repeating these images in my mind and then I began to hear music, or people singing (this isn't the first time I have heard beautiful music while lucid, but every time I wake up, I can't remember the music or the songs)? Slowly I open my eyes and the first thing I see (hard to explain) is like a wavy image (you know how you look in the distance and it is really hot and you can see the heat waves?). The image clears up and I hear people say that Pharoh is a crook. I look down and a child is telling me to follow him (he looks like my God son in RL, but now he is my God son in Ancient times, his clothes are rags also). So I follow him. He stops by men that are working and building something and they are wearing tattered clothes and they look like prisoners. One of them looks like he is eating something and he gives him some of his sandwich to eat and the child says thank you. When the child let go of my hand to get the sandwich (I saw bread and meat, so to me, it's a sandwich), a new scene in front of me appears. I look back at the child who is running toward me and I start to walk toward the new scene, but the closer I got to the scene the more the scene moved further away. I guess I began to get too tired of what I just went through, because I faded to the black and opened my eyes to see my clock on my nightstand...7:46am.

I got up and lunged for my journal and wrote down all that I could remember. I have no idea why I am able to WILD in three's, but by the third one, my mental energy is shot!

A Special Thank you

To Canis Lucidis,
Thanks for sending me to Egypt, you (along with all the other facilitators, moderators, members, and friends) are appreciated.

Love it! I know I've said all of this already in your dream journal, but I am just super impressed with this whole dream. You were making all the right moves on this one. I was particularly impressed with that eye closing teleportation.

Which brings me to the next thing I need to tell you about! I haven't journaled it yet, but I had a crazy LD chain last night and at the end thanks to your DJ entry I worked up the courage to try the eye closing teleport technique. Even though I didn't succeed at teleporting, I proved to myself that my fear of waking up was all in my head. I'll try to post that dream up soon, but I wanted to thank you for that one!

Looking forward to reading more of these great dream experiences from you!

Which brings me to the next thing I need to tell you about! I haven't journaled it yet, but I had a crazy LD chain last night and at the end thanks to your DJ entry I worked up the courage to try the eye closing teleport technique. Even though I didn't succeed at teleporting, I proved to myself that my fear of waking up was all in my head. I'll try to post that dream up soon, but I wanted to thank you for that one!

Hey CL!

I am so proud of you ! Remember the old saying, "If you don't succeed the first time..." This is truly one of my mantras for lucidity. You have already made this a success by proving to your brain that you are the master of your brain, not your brain being the master of you. I am humbled .

I have such a long way to go...I have tried to teleport 100 times and I believe that I finally done it. The problem is that I question myself so much in my dreams. What I am trying to say is that sometimes, I convince myself that yes, it is a dream, but my mind tells me to stay sleep and let the dream continue as a dream (instead of becoming lucid and taking control of the dream). I have to gain so much mental strength while I am dreaming to be able to change buildings, make DC do something, etc. (which I haven't done yet).

I also am confused at why some of the weird things happen that I don't yet have answers to:

1. Why do I hear music (beautiful music or songs that I never heard be) and I can't remember them when I awake?
2. Why did an 'invisible wind/tornado' pull me backwards during one of my WILD's?

There are so many other things, but I will save that for later. If you can answers these things, it would be much appreciated .

Originally Posted by bemistaken

I am so proud of you ! Remember the old saying, "If you don't succeed the first time..." This is truly one of my mantras for lucidity. You have already made this a success by proving to your brain that you are the master of your brain, not your brain being the master of you. I am humbled .

I have such a long way to go...I have tried to teleport 100 times and I believe that I finally done it. The problem is that I question myself so much in my dreams. What I am trying to say is that sometimes, I convince myself that yes, it is a dream, but my mind tells me to stay sleep and let the dream continue as a dream (instead of becoming lucid and taking control of the dream). I have to gain so much mental strength while I am dreaming to be able to change buildings, make DC do something, etc. (which I haven't done yet).

Thanks so much! Yes, not only did you teleport, but you did it so cleanly. You believed it would work, and you piled on the detail. And of course, it matched up with your expectations!

When I tried this, it led to a false awakening. But even as a failure, this teaches me a huge lesson! Opening your dream eyes doesn't wake you up! Opening your dream eyes does whatever you expect it to. A false awakening is an entirely self-produced phenomenon. That tells me that all I have to do is rewrite the rules in my favor and I'll be good to go. I'm not where you are with this yet, but with practice I know it can be done. Here was my attempt by the way. (It's at the end if you can't wade through this ridiculous entry, ha ha...) Map of the World - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Originally Posted by bemistaken

1. Why do I hear music (beautiful music or songs that I never heard be) and I can't remember them when I awake?
2. Why did an 'invisible wind/tornado' pull me backwards during one of my WILD's?

There are so many other things, but I will save that for later. If you can answers these things, it would be much appreciated .

I love dream music! If you really, really focus, you may be able to remember this music. I heard some amazing music in my one Egypt dream (it even included some jaw harp) and I was able to remember it reasonably well by focusing on it immediately upon waking up.

Did you know that the melody for The Beatles' "Yesterday" came to Paul McCartney entirely in a dream? He assumed that it was just something he'd heard somewhere and recalled, but as he checked and checked, nobody had heard it before. Original music from the subconscious. I think that you're enjoying some of the same stuff! Are you able to play the piano or any other instrument? Maybe even write sheet music?

Hey, do you have a Dream Journal entry for the wind/tornado situation? I've had issues with wind at one time or another but I don't want to push any of my issues onto you by making the wrong assumptions.

Would you mind if we were to pick up one or both of these questions for the podcast? They're both excellent and would probably benefit from more perspectives than just mine!

Opening your dream eyes doesn't wake you up! Opening your dream eyes does whatever you expect it to.

Hi CL,

Quick question...you have never opened your dream eyes when lucid? My eyes are always open! I didn't know that I was suppose to keep them close, I mean, I didn't even know that we really had a choice in the matter. It seems like if I do keep my eyes closed, I see swirly images (hard to explain) and that's when the 'strangeness' happens. I can be blown away from behind or see 'things' (I can PM you about this). When my eyes are closed I'm scared to think, the silence seems to send me to another level or something (hope you can follow). If I keep my mind silent, it's like 'someone' else will make the decision of what I'm suppose to do or see next and without my knowing, I'm taken 'there'...involuntary.

Hey, do you have a Dream Journal entry for the wind/tornado situation? I've had issues with wind at one time or another but I don't want to push any of my issues onto you by making the wrong assumptions

For the wind/tornado experience, click on my workbook at look at reply #30.

http://www.dreamviews.com/intro-clas...-workbook.html

Are you able to play the piano or any other instrument? Maybe even write sheet music?

I have NO MUSICAL TALENT WHATSOEVER! I can't sing, dance, or nothing. I have no idea why I always hear music. It sounds like a million people are playing a million instruments, but at the same musical note. A weird pitch, but it sounds angelic

Would you mind if we were to pick up one or both of these questions for the podcast? They're both excellent and would probably benefit from more perspectives than just mine!

Of course I don't mind!

Originally Posted by bemistaken

Quick question...you have never opened your dream eyes when lucid? My eyes are always open! I didn't know that I was suppose to keep them close,

Yeah, I just leave my eyes open, never really closing them. Sorry, should have been more clear! When I close my dream eyes and reopen them, I have this fear that my real eyes will open. All in my head, it turns out!

Your wind experience! I've dealt with hostile winds many times in the past, although it was always while flying. The more anxious I got and the more I fought it, the worse it got. What has worked well for me is to just deny entirely that it's happening or to imagine that the wind is gently pushing me toward something important and helping me. If you can flood yourself with positive emotions, the plot will tend to take more positive turns as well.

As to "why", my general feel is that a little something happens, we feel anxious about it, it gets worse, we feel more anxious and try to resist, and pour all of our attention and energy into the obstacle. Since it draws its strength from us, it becomes incredibly powerful and suddenly turns into a huge problem.

Here's one where I handled it poorly: Pants Gone with the Wind - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views
Here's one where I handled it a lot better, I think: On the Back of the Sphinx - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Hope that helps!

Your wind experience! I've dealt with hostile winds many times in the past, although it was always while flying. The more anxious I got and the more I fought it, the worse it got. What has worked well for me is to just deny entirely that it's happening or to imagine that the wind is gently pushing me toward something important and helping me. If you can flood yourself with positive emotions, the plot will tend to take more positive turns as well.

As to "why", my general feel is that a little something happens, we feel anxious about it, it gets worse, we feel more anxious and try to resist, and pour all of our attention and energy into the obstacle. Since it draws its strength from us, it becomes incredibly powerful and suddenly turns into a huge problem.

Thanks! I will check out your dream experiences...look forward to reading them!

Hello Workbook!

Well, not very much to report lately because I have not been able to practice much due to work schedule (no excuse ). I did make an attempt to try to WILD this morning, but something about the 'hastiness' of it was not right. I only tried this morning because I was able to sleep a little later than normal. Once I realized my attitude was not right, I gave up. I realize that attitude has everything to do with me becoming lucid, so I decided not to waste my time with faking it. Again, I say, lucidity is like an intimate relationship...it knows when you are faking it !

Originally Posted by bemistaken

Again, I say, lucidity is like an intimate relationship...it knows when you are faking it !

LOL, nice. Your workbook is highly quotable.

My work schedule lately started beating me up a bit, but I'm finally settling into a groove of getting to bed on time and trying not to wake up thinking about work. It takes time to adjust to these kinds of changes, but you'll get there!

Thanks CL,

I hate it when I am not in my 'sleep zone.' It stresses me out and hinders my attempts at lucidity. I'm lucky if I can get lucid every couple of weeks with the way I'm sleeping and it can be so frustrating ! I forget to RC at work, I can't meditate by the time I get home, and I'm breaking my own insomnia record with how late I'm going to bed! We all have been there, so I just have to get my sleep schedule in order and I know lucidity will follow.