Did I just get really close to lucid dreaming?

**PatrickLB** · 08-06-2010 09:55 PM

Alright, so I'll be honest and say that before I was kind of skeptical about lucid dreaming, but at the same time it looked like something cool to do.

So, I'm 18 years old, I've always been the worst at remembering dreams, I could remember maybe 1 dream a year.

Anyway, so I started 1-2ish weeks ago, I started myself a dream journal and to my surprise I now remember atleast 1 dream a night already which is a nice change.

Now, this happened just 30 minutes ago, I woke up early with not much sleep and later in the day at around 3:00 pm I decided to go in my bed to relax, now this is where I think I just got really close to lucid dreaming, I also think I was semi awake and semi sleeping since I still heard my dad talk on the phone.

So yeah, I was just in my bed, still hearing my dad on the phone talking like he always does since that's his job, and then I just kind of was already playing a video game on my huge TV, the brain being generally dumb while sleeping found it normal that I just went directly from the bed to playing a video game on my huge TV, but after awhile I realized the game I was playing didn't actually exist in real life so at this point it kind of hit me and I did a RC and checked my hand, it started getting twisted and shit and at this point I realized I was dreaming.

Now from there I got really creeped out, when I realized I was dreaming my eyes closed by themselves, I had the sound of statics in my ears and I felt like I was being sucked in, it was really creepy but I wanted to go on anyway.

Soo at this point after awhile I decided it may be time to open my "dream eyes", now here comes the problem, as I said I wasn't expecting to go to sleep and just wanted to relax in my bed and I still heard my dad the whole time continue talking on the phone, so I think since I was still semi awake that instead of only my dream eyes opening, I also ended up opening them in real life waking me up in the process.

So, I'm asking did I just get really close to lucid dreaming?

Honestly, I was a weird ass experience but I enjoyed it, sure I didn't get to lucid dream but if I got close I think I made some nice progress.

**Elucive** · 08-06-2010 10:55 PM

It kinda sounds like you did have a lucid dream. Good job.

**agent509** · 08-06-2010 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by PatrickLB

Alright, so I'll be honest and say that before I was kind of skeptical about lucid dreaming, but at the same time it looked like something cool to do.

So, I'm 18 years old, I've always been the worst at remembering dreams, I could remember maybe 1 dream a year.

Anyway, so I started 1-2ish weeks ago, I started myself a dream journal and to my surprise I now remember atleast 1 dream a night already which is a nice change.

Now, this happened just 30 minutes ago, I woke up early with not much sleep and later in the day at around 3:00 pm I decided to go in my bed to relax, now this is where I think I just got really close to lucid dreaming, I also think I was semi awake and semi sleeping since I still heard my dad talk on the phone.

So yeah, I was just in my bed, still hearing my dad on the phone talking like he always does since that's his job, and then I just kind of was already playing a video game on my huge TV, the brain being generally dumb while sleeping found it normal that I just went directly from the bed to playing a video game on my huge TV, but after awhile I realized the game I was playing didn't actually exist in real life so at this point it kind of hit me and I did a RC and checked my hand, it started getting twisted and shit and at this point I realized I was dreaming.

Now from there I got really creeped out, when I realized I was dreaming my eyes closed by themselves, I had the sound of statics in my ears and I felt like I was being sucked in, it was really creepy but I wanted to go on anyway.

Soo at this point after awhile I decided it may be time to open my "dream eyes", now here comes the problem, as I said I wasn't expecting to go to sleep and just wanted to relax in my bed and I still heard my dad the whole time continue talking on the phone, so I think since I was still semi awake that instead of only my dream eyes opening, I also ended up opening them in real life waking me up in the process.

So, I'm asking did I just get really close to lucid dreaming?

Honestly, I was a weird ass experience but I enjoyed it, sure I didn't get to lucid dream but if I got close I think I made some nice progress.

I'm still new to the whole thing, but from what I understand, you technically had a lucid dream. You just got over-excited (also from what I hear, dont close your eyes in a dream, or it will most certainly result in you waking up.)

**PatrickLB** · 08-06-2010 11:42 PM

I didn't feel excited though, and my eyes just kind of closed automatically as soon as I realized I was dreaming.

**Michael** · 08-06-2010 11:44 PM

This is how most peoples' first LD is. It is definately how mine went. It was also during a mid-day nap and everything. You had your first LD. It takes a lot of practice to gain control of them, and to have them more often, but it's definately real. Work on dream recall first.

**ZoeSeeker** · 08-07-2010 12:38 AM

The fact that you realized you were dreaming in your dream is the definition of Lucid Dreaming. Congratulations! Did you start because you saw the movie, "Inception"? That might explain why your experience was creepy. I don't remember my first LD, but I've had them all my life naturally. It's only since I saw the movie that I became fascinated. Since watching it and trying to LD, I've had 3, with 1 that was awesome! My experiences now are all positive. Also, what you did was called Wake Induced Lucid Dreaming, or WILD, for short. Look in that forum, and you will see that what you did is how those that practive WILDing are most successful at WILDing. You also might want to pick up the book, "Lucid Dreaming" by Waggoner. It will explaing it better than I can. Stephen LaBerge is a name you will want to get familiar with. Good Luck!

**PatrickLB** · 08-07-2010 12:51 AM

Yeah, I've read around about Stephen LaBerge.

Anyway, so I just did a WILD without realizing it then and no I didn't watch Inception, I just heard about it but I don't exactly know what it's about, also it wasn't creepy as in scary, more like creepy because I'm not really used to having a static sound in my ear while having the feeling of being sucked in lol.

I mostly started lucid dreaming because at first I was skeptical and I thought I'd check for myself and I feel that if all what is said about lucid dreaming is true that if I went a lifetime without even trying it would be like I would be missing on something.

**ZoeSeeker** · 08-07-2010 04:41 AM

Originally Posted by PatrickLB

I'm not really used to having a static sound in my ear while having the feeling of being sucked in lol.

Here's what happened:

Sleep paralysis is an episode in which a person is usually transitioning from wake to sleep or sleep to wake and they find that they cannot move. Sleep paralysis is commonly characterized by hallucinations, vibrations, loud ringing or roaring noises in the ears, pressure on the chest or choking sensations, and often fear of impending doom or terror if the person is has no prior knowledge or experience of sleep paralysis.

Physiologically speaking sleep paralysis is caused by atonia of the voluntary muscles due to the REM cycle. An episode of sleep paralysis occurs because you are either entering or exiting REM sleep and you have become conscious during this transition.

Everyone on this site uses SP for short. SP = Sleep Paralysis
Cool, huh?

**ZoeSeeker** · 08-07-2010 01:03 AM

Go see Inception. It rocks. It's all about Lucid Dreaming.

**PatrickLB** · 08-07-2010 04:44 AM

It didn't really feel like a sleep paralysis though, I've had SP plenty of times before, and it certainly didn't feel like that.

I also couldn't feel my physical body so it's not like I felt that I couldn't move, it just felt like I was being sucked in a portal in my dream and I had static in my ears and I woke up shortly after, it all didn't really last long.

**ZoeSeeker** · 08-07-2010 05:00 AM

I wonder if SP has to mean feeling like you can't move. It sounds like it would freak me out, especially since I don't ever recall having SP. I do have hallucinations quite frequently, some of them so vivid, I swear they are real. Once, I woke up and saw an "angel" at the foot of my bed. No wings, but glowing and white with light behind her. I looked at her for what seemed like at least a second or two before I said, "Dont' leave", and sat up. Of course, as soon as I sat up, she disappeared. For that 2 seconds, though, she was as real. It was really cool. Anyway, maybe you just had an intense hypnagogic halluciation.

Do you think you'll keep trying? You're young, so you spend a lot of time in REM, and have the best chances of having a LD early in the morning. Try setting your alarm for an hour earlier than you usually wake up on a day you can sleep in. Try doing some MILD techniques, and a lot of RCs during the day. When the alarm goes off, turn it off, and try to stay up for 45 minutes. After that, go back to sleep. That's your best shot at a WILD, IMHO. You may already know this, so my apologies if I sound patronizing.

Good Luck!

**PatrickLB** · 08-07-2010 05:01 AM

Of course I'll keep trying, it was a weird experience but it was awesome.

When I started feeling like I was being sucked in and all that I did get kind of creeped out but I remember telling myself something like "I want to keep going" so I just let it take over but I ended up waking up anyway.