Thread: werty52's Workbook

I think you're right NyxCC, I've thought about what you said over the past week carefully. I guess if I want to get somewhere with lucid dreaming then I need to do something about it. I got complacent just with having the ability to lucid dream and forgot the reason I started lucid dreaming in the first place.

It'll be 1 year registered for me on the 3rd of October so I think that's a good date to meet a goal.
I've had 29 lucid dreams that I can properly remember, but that number doesn't make me feel too good when I think it's been nearly a year. So I'd like to bump it up to 45 by the time I reach 1 year registered . Which is like a 50% increase, and a lucid dream every 2 nights roughly.
Hopefully that will be the starting point for a much bigger goal that I'd like to set afterwards, but I'll get to that at a later date.

So far so good, tried out my old SSILD technique and managed 2 lucids last night.

31/45 and 14 more to go.

Way to go, werty!

Originally Posted by werty52

So far so good, tried out my old SSILD technique and managed 2 lucids last night.

31/45 and 14 more to go.

Congratulations, werty! 2 in a night... excellent work!

With a performance like that, you're well on your way to reaching your goal! Keep up the great work.

Finished an exam and then had a field trip that left at 7:25am.. Insomnia had kicked in that night and I just barely slept . Going to try my SSILD technique again tonight as I don't have anything on tomorrow. I'm going to aim to have another 2 lucids tonight.

21 nights left + 14 lucids to go

18 nights left + 13 lucids to go. I had food poisoning over the past couple days which really hacked away my ability to dream.
Also managed to test out my sense of taste which is a small goal I had been wanting to try out. Hopefully I'll remember to test my hearing next time.

Sorry to hear this. Hope you are feeling better.

Had a large amount of complications come up in RL which completely put a hold on dream-related stuff.

I've remembered a few dreams over the past week or so but haven't been able to write them up. Now things are probably going to go back to normal with dreaming, but I won't be able to attain my 45 LD mark. But I am at 32, so I thought that maybe reaching 35 in the next 3 nights would be a small achievement to cap off the years' subscription .

-32/35 lucids

At any rate, your results are really good! It's great that you've managed to keep up the efforts despite all the challenges and distractions, etc. It's people like you who end up being awesome lucid dreamers because they never give up.

33/35, tonight is the last night I think... I was working until 3:15am last night so that really went bad. Couldn't recall anything and I had maybe 4-5 hours sleep.
The one lucid I've managed to have was pretty horrific too, and it was weak as hell. 2 lucids in 1 night? I'm going all out today + tonight.
I'm a little excited about the challenge.

It still says '6 months registered' for the achievement so I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm still trying to reach 35 lucids .
I'm now at 100 DJ entries too, it's gotten easier to recall my dreams again which I'm pretty happy about.
I'm in the DreamViews Buddy Program now with Emnition so hopefully we start to really see some progress for us both.

Goals:
-determine how I hear in dreams
-need to improve lucid dream clarity and stability

Happy DV and lucidversary! I would wait a few more days to see if the badge updates. If it doesn't we might report it to the bugs thread in meta.

Happy to hear you've joined the Buddy program. I think you guys will make an excellent team.

Me and Emnition have started a challenge with each other to see who can attain a lucid first with the DEILD technique. My first night was rubbish and I had an unexpected bout of insomnia >_<. My dream recall has improved I think, and I've started testing a few phone apps for lucid dreaming. Mainly to find an alarm that will switch off after a few seconds rather than several minutes -.- since I realized if I wake up to an alarm while trying to DEILD it won't turn off unless I get up and turn it off which would ruin my attempt at DEILD.

I figure it's been a year registered but it hasn't updated so maybe it is a bug, I'll keep an eye on it for a couple more days.

Nice! Good luck to both of you!

Yay, I can see that the badge is updated now!

Ah, you're right! Haha that's good to see

Me and Emnition are still continuing with the challenge, I managed to have a lucid but it was with the SSILD technique instead. My dream recall has been pretty good except for last night, likely due to the accumulative effects of a bad sleeping pattern. My final exams are coming up within the next month (1 is in 6 days) so things might get stressful and I might have to prioritize study over sleep. But I'll tackle the issue if it comes up.

As I'm writing this I started thinking about the clarity in my lucid :/.. I kind of felt like I need to do something to break through and properly stabilize myself and improve the clarity. I don't know what, but I think the only way I can properly find out is by having lots of lucids in a short period of time. Otherwise I feel like my ability to achieve lucidity will stay the same and stagnate.

The dream challenge is still ongoing with Emnition, I feel like I'm really on track with motivation for lucid dreaming. For now my priorities are focused on exam studies but I am having a severe problem of procrastination (even now since I'm taking the time to type this lol). I have almost sorted out my sleeping pattern which I decided to do because I don't think I can DEILD properly without it. For now I've been waking at 7:30am over the past few days and trying to get to bed by 10:30pm.

I had a WILD experience last night, I really suck at WILDs O_O. I lack the balancing to guide myself into the dream but that will change with experience I think, plus it's been a long time since I've had a WILD. I also remembered how to SSILD more effectively again, which I tried last night and it probably caused me to WILD. Instead of getting comfy I just lay down on my back with my arms by my side, that helped me keep focus on the cycles. The problem was that I seemed to get too aware at some point and took a while longer to fall asleep.

Another thing that's new is that I'm using the Brainbuddy app to quit porn/masturbation. I've been aware that porn was harmful and masturbating to it changes how you think so I've tried quitting it before. Sometimes successfully. But I've relapsed a few times by telling myself that just a little is pretty harmless. Now I'd like to quit masturbation + porn completely and sort out my brains dopamine levels and reward systems. The app seems really good and it keeps track of a lot of things so it's just a matter of willpower to hold off and see what changes happen . I've heard that it boosts your confidence, you become more aware, makes you less socially anxious, some people (I imagine <20 year olds) have gotten deeper voices, more muscle etc. Just random stuff like that. Another reason people seem to quit is ED, but I don't have that issue ^_^. I think I'll be getting some pretty intense dreams as a result of this, but I'd also like to see how it may effect dream recall, chance for lucidity etc.

Nice! Congrats on the Wild! This is the third post about wilding and ssild that I read about today. I think there's something in the air.

Good luck with the new app! I think that quitting anything can be very helpful and once you do that one or few times you can accomplish anything. There's a book on that topic. Actually, Emnition also mentioned this book to me recently - the Power of Habit. He read the whole book so you can ask him all about it.

I started meditating a little bit because the Brainbuddy app told me too (just breathing in and out for like 5 minutes). Since then I've read A LOT of articles and watched hours of videos about how porn changes the brain and the effects this has on someone. I'm completely astounded by it to be honest my mind has been blown. It's made me realize that even though you could say it's 'normal' socially, it isn't healthy and there aren't any benefits. I have been poisoning my young mind .

So I've been clean about 9 days now and the effects so far:
-Better sleeps (feels like I have better recall but that's automatic with a good sleep regardless )
-More active during the day
-Bored with the computer (forcing me to do more)
-Actually interested in my studies (I no longer automatically procrastinate for hours)
-Socializing more
-Been in a good mood, hard to feel down when you sit outside in the sun rather than kill time at the computer

I also decided to get more interested in meditating
My interest in it has always been on and off so I never really got into it. I also picked up ADA today and gave it a try, it honestly nearly gave me a headache towards the end of the day.
I hate the feeling that I'm on autopilot and I've never known how to combat it so I'm planning on sticking with meditation + ADA.
My plan is to increase my awareness/mindfulness throughout the day as I'm aware of how unaware I am. This should hopefully allow me to improve frequency of and stability + clarity during my lucid dreams.

So far I've noticed it's difficult to maintain ADA while on the computer, talking to someone or studying. I found it really hard to get into it at first too, like swimming against a current. For future reference I managed on and off 6 hours today. I've started doing more reality checks randomly too to help maintain my awareness.

Sounds like you have gotten a true energy boost from your behavior changing strategy.

Not sure how you got started on the path of this habit you're trying to change, but it comes to mind, especially after reading your post that this has to do with some sort of societal values or so. Some people may do it because others do it, just like one would pick up smoking or any similar habit. Without going into a long ramble, I think that if you go back to the point of why you started this and how you trigger such behavior and really understand your inner workings, then it will be easier to start undoing all of this.

Feeling pretty good already, my social anxiety has gotten better. Hopefully this keeps up as I want to see how far this abstinence will take me.

Well it started when I was around 12-13 and from there I can remember how it all progressed. It seemed pretty normal for people my age when everyone was getting hyped about sex. It was probably more a result of playing computer and then having that access to high-speed internet, where it becomes more of a free-for-all. There's really nothing holding you back at that point since looking at porn is literally a click of the finger away.

Played guitar in public today with a friend which I wouldn't normally do. Also managed to maintain ADA from 8-12 but my focus has completely plummeted. Managed some meditation this early morning (7:15-7:30) and intermittently a bit more throughout the day with some guided meditation ---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEya...uxI4iG2UUuHN4z

http://www.dreamviews.com/dreamviews...ml#post2176901
Just finished listening to the audio Sensei made and it made me think a bit about my future with lucid dreaming. I'm ~1 year in with 35 lucid dreams, and one day I think I'll be able to make it to that '1000 lucid dreams' milestone. But I don't know when I'll get there, I don't have a clue how long it'll take . This is fine with me because like Sensei said, the time is going to pass anyways so it doesn't matter how long it takes to finish a goal. But in saying this, I want to do it sooner than later .

So now it's time for an update of how things have progressed over the past 3 months (last one was #42). Motivation, goals, success, etc. How much has changed and where am I headed?

Since booting up LDing again:

Dream Recall
Then: My dream recall was terrible. Dream recall was basically this: IF I woke up after a dream then I would think about the dream and 'cement' it to memory. Then I would probably write it up once I got back home after a long day of university. I started with the goal of writing my dreams up 3x a week.
Now: I recall 2-4 dreams a night by making notes after every dream cycle. My dreams are pretty vivid and I tend to lack the literary skills to articulate everything sometimes. I make sure I journal my dreams every morning prior to starting my day so that it's fresh enough to add unwritten details too.

Lucidity
Then: Usually I'd just use SSILD to obtain lucidity, and I have even had quite a few stress-induced lucids. I wasn't particularly interested in learning any new techniques.
Now: SSILD is still the only technique I can use with some level of proficiency. I've started practicing DEILD (though I'm terrible at it) and haven't had any lucids from it yet. I've also started using meditation and All-Day-Awareness (ADA) as a way to increase my mindfulness to achieve more frequent DILDs (just started this within the past 10 days so the fruits of my labour are yet unseen). I plan to start Dream Yoga soon too.

Sleep Cycle
Then: My sleeping pattern sucked and this made any and all attempts to practice LDing much more difficult. Late nights finishing assignments, watching too much anime or talking to friends until past midnight... I also suffer from mild insomnia, just like my mom. It took me 2-4 hours a night to fall asleep, coupled with the late nights and the necessity of getting up early for university. I have tried many times to fix this by doing things like reading before bed, dimming light before bed, no computer for an hour before bed, etc. It just didn't work. So I began experimenting a bit on how deal with it.
Now: I feel tired when I sleep in too long and I feel tired if I go to bed late and wake up late in the day. So I get up at the same time and go to bed at the same time . I've settled on using running as a way to burn myself out, along with just spending time in the sun and keep away from the computer throughout the day. Also I think the whole Brainbuddy thing has helped a lot too. It's taking me like 1 hour to fall asleep now, which is incredible to me.

Motivation
Then: I had previously lacked the motivation, focus and perseverance to properly stay on track with LDing. I didn't know why at the time but I couldn't motivate myself for ANYTHING. I found it hard to stick to anything for a long period of time. I could DO things, I just couldn't continue doing those things (I think Sensei's audio mentions something about this too).
Now: All I can say is "Brainbuddy app". It hasn't been long since I started it (11 days) but I've noticed changes already. I've just found a lot of energy lately and I've started taking up more hobbies to fill the time instead of idling in front of a computer screen. Also the meditation + ADA I've been doing has helped my focus and desire to persevere in everything.

Health
Then: I had my first 'serious' injury last year in July, spraining my ankle really badly after falling 15-20m off a cliff. The time spent unable to walk was pretty crucial for kindling my motivation to start running. I started running more seriously around this time and wanted to be able to run to the peak of the mountain I live at the base of, without stopping to catch my breath. I had also started eating way healthier, just because money was an issue (I completely stopped buying all sugary things and learnt a lot about frugal living).
Now: About 1-2(?) weeks ago I ran to the top of the mountain I live next to without stopping for the first time, and have done it several times now. Also my food habits have improved and my sleeping has improved (as mentioned before). I spent a lot more time outside in the sun and have been doing more activities in general. The use of Brainbuddy has aided me quite a bit since I started using it as well, and I think it will pay off health-wise even more later on. Another thing to mention is that I think last year I found a dwindling interest in video games. Over the past month I just dropped all interest in watching anime too and started reading manga instead. Now I barely glance at manga and I started reading ETWOLD again.

Awareness
Then: Not much I can say other than that I was conscious of how every day just seemed to slip by. A friend once said to me a few years ago that he was suffering from depersonalization disorder, and said he felt like a backseat driver to his own life. While I was never like that, I still feel that it sums up how a lack of awareness can leave you.
Now: I've started meditating straight after waking up (6:30-7:30ish) along with doing other mindfulness + breath meditation throughout the day. I've just started with ADA and it's pretty hard . There isn't much I can say with how it's affected me since I just started though. I'm keen to see how it will affect me and whether I will attain more lucids from it. One thing's for certain: it feels good to meditate.

A lot has changed I guess, and hopefully it's uphill from here.

Goals:
- Bump up my lucid count and practice dream stability. I want longer lucids

Just started my first day of dream yoga in Sivason's class. My dreams last night also felt strangely more distinguishable, it's kind of a weird feeling. I woke up from a dream cycle much earlier in the night than I would usually do too. Usually I skip waking from the first dream cycle (e.g. 11pm - 12:30am) because I just don't notice, so it was a first to tap into that dream cycle.

I checked the frequency of my LDs out of curiosity and noticed that there are some patterns. Lately it looks to be every 10 days. I've been trying to get lucid with SSILD but it's been unsuccessful which has led me to believe some other factor may have been responsible for me getting lucid. I've been doing what I normally do except better so I expected my LD rate to actually increase.

Cool new avatar!

So you live near a mountain? I already imagine the beautiful scenery. There are endless opportunities for awareness practice and recharging at such places. ADA is litterally waiting for you out there.

Originally Posted by werty52

http://www.dreamviews.com/dreamviews...ml#post2176901

This is definitely going on my to 'read' list. I'm interested

Originally Posted by werty52

I had my first 'serious' injury last year in July, spraining my ankle really badly after falling 15-20m off a cliff.

15 - 20m and all you did was sprain it?! My knee is jealous of your ankle

Originally Posted by werty52

I had also started eating way healthier, just because money was an issue (I completely stopped buying all sugary things and learnt a lot about frugal living).

I'm also looking to start eating healthier. Do you have any recommended sites/books where I can find tips?

It's great to see you've made progress and not only dream related Keep it up!