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Help with WBTB
I tried to have a WBTB today. I set my alarm for 7 and went to bed at 12. I usually sleep about 9-10 hours, but I set it to sleep for 7 hours instead. I woke up, journaled my one somewhat hazy dream and stayed up for 30 minutes watching lucid dream stuff on youtube. However, when I went back to bed I found myself so restless that it was difficult to find a comfortable position. When I did find one and began repeating my mantra ("I will recognize a dreamsign and become lucid") I noticed that I only began to actually return to sleep when I lost my concentration and ceased to repeat it. Similarly when I was concentrating on the mantra and the mantra only, I maintained too much wakefulness. What should I do?
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Well you don't have to actually fall asleep in the midst of repeating your mantra, it is more important that you are relaxed and comfortable. Your attempt was probably thwarted the moment you felt restless and uneasy in bed. How WBTB works so well is that the dream transition happens so quickly, you will realize that you were just awake in your room and now suddenly you are in a dream world. I would suggest concentrating on your relaxation more, and take note of how reality feels when you are awake. As long as your dream recall is good, you WILL wake up in the midst of a dream only minutes after being awake in your room, you just got to realize it.
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Alright. Thanks. Do you think I should set the clock to an earlier time?
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While repeating your mantra try recalling a scene from the dream you just had and notice any dream signs. Visualise yourself realising it is a dream and proceeding to complete a lucid task, such as flying. Then just repeat.
Also, from what I've read about mantras it's best to avoid the use of "lucid" dreams and go with something more simplistic like "realise I'm dreaming" to be sure that you understand it on a subconscious level.
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How about like "I will recognize a dreamsign and realize I am dreaming"?