Advice?

[Idionym]

Hi guys I started trying to LD about 1-2 weeks ago. I'v been keeping a dream journal (2 full or mostly full dreams remembered), I reality check 1-3 times a day (nose plug). I have yet to find my dream sign, although I think its school and a blackhawks jersey. During school days I wake up at 6:25 (end of my REM is at 6:30ish) to DIELD. I was able to wake up 1 out of 3 times without moving but I had REALLY labored breathing so I gave up. I WILD every weekend fri-sat sat-sun, but I usally give up after 30 minutes of nothing (next week/time I WILD I'm just gonna count my breaths till I fall to sleep). I have yet to get an LD (or go into SP for that matter), so I'm just wondering If I can do much more or if I'm able to do more. ANY advice about anything is really appreciated Thanks!

[gab]

next week/time I WILD I'm just gonna count my breaths till I fall to sleep next time when you do this, pay attention to the images that start forming behind your closed eyelids. At first, there will be swirls of grey and black, then maybe some color, then you'll see some images, that will turn into movies. Once you see a clear movie, say with intent 'I am there' and you should be transported into the movie/dream. At least that's how it works for me (WILD). Dream journal is good and also RCing. You can add some daytime awareness and mantras (MILD method) to it to help you have DILDs. You can find some good ingo in DV Wiki. Good luck!

[Rothgar]

I practice DILD.. it is the easiest method, so I would encourage you getting your first LD with that. Later, once you know what an LD is like, then you can try other methods. You are keeping a Dream Journal... that is good. Keep it up every day. Second, your RC's should be more in the neighborhood of 10 a day, not 3 a day. A study by LeBerge showed that those that did 10 or more a day had significant improvement in LD. Third, make sure when you do your RC's you have the mindset that you are actually dreaming, and expect the RC to fail (of course, while awake it will "work" and you simply confirm what already know... that you are awake). But you HAVE to be serious on the RCs because in your dream you will often think exactly the same thing... that you know you are awake .... so be looking for the RC to fail. When it does fail you may be astonished like I was a couple days ago... (this is too real to be a dream!) Finally, do you wake up after dreaming? If so, in one of your later dream periods after you awke (after 4:00am maybe), then reaffirm to yourself that you want to know you are dreaming, and have a Lucid Dream. Reaffirm this maybe 5 times... then forget about thinking or trying to "force" and LD (it doesnt work) and just go back to sleep. This works for me. I've had one LD each week now for 4 months using this method. I'm working on awareness now, and just had 3 LDs in 2 nights, so I'm hoping I'm getting the hang of it. Oh, and dont watch anything exciting on TV before you go to bed or that will dance in your brain and you will just rehash the movies (and probably in 3rd person, which isn't real helpful for LDs).... happened to me last night... but it was a good movie

[Idionym]

next time when you do this, pay attention to the images that start forming behind your closed eyelids. At first, there will be swirls of grey and black, then maybe some color, then you'll see some images, that will turn into movies. Once you see a clear movie, say with intent 'I am there' and you should be transported into the movie/dream. At least that's how it works for me (WILD). I do that to measure were I am in my WILD, I have only gotten to the lights going all over the place =/

[ShadowOfSelf]

I was able to wake up 1 out of 3 times without moving but I had REALLY labored breathing so I gave up That's common, don't worry about it, get through that and you're there. but I usally give up after 30 minutes of nothing That's another problem, you're impatient, give yourself a time limit of something stupid like 2 hours, that way you're not going to get impatient as you've got 2 hours to do it.. Though WILD is a tricky one, i'd follow Rothgar's advice if I were u Best thing you can do though is not worry about it, don't stress out, trust yourself that you will do it when the time is right

[chase]

Reality check more often. 3-6 times a day at least. Don't just nose plug, pay close attention to the time and if it changes when you close your eyes and reopen them. Also try mantras too, when you lay still without moving you risk having SP which isn't very fun. -Chase