Pre-programmed dreams

Hi guys!

I've been an active lucid dreamer (by active I mean I've used different techniques and writing the dream journal) for about three years now.

Still, it seems I have mostly what I call pre-programmed dreams, instead of lucids.

First pre-programmed dream I had, when I registered a G-mail address for my subconscious mind. Then I wrote what kind of dream I'd like to have and I had it. It was partially lucid, but mostly it was just very vivid dream. I've also emailed to my subconscious mind to help me with my dream recall. My normal recall is something from three to six dreams per night, depending on the morning (early/late), but after I had asked my subconscious to help me with it, I remembered nine dreams! Unfortunately that was only one time.

This email technique, which I found here in DV forum (as SMS to your sub-c version), as effective it seems to be, just gives me pre-programmed dreams. I have dreams about the subject I want, but they are not lucids. Maybe I should pre-program myself a dream, where I'll do RCs?

WBTB has also given me two pre-programmed dreams, but not lucids.

By listening audio tracks saying: "You are dreaming..." as cell phone alarm (you can time the tracks by changing your default alarm tune) early in the morning I've had dreams where the DCs talk about dreaming. Unfortunately I missed that obvious clue as well. :cheeky:

I hope this helps some of you and I'm interested in your ideas and comments. I already know my RCs are quite visual (thanks Jamal for pointing that out to me!), which might be the reason DC talking about dreams/dreaming doesn't work for me.

Oh, forgot... When you visualize your dreams, how long are the longest "storylines" you have had? Is there a limit or should I just visualize just the over all theme of my dream and go on from there if it turns lucid?

Well reality checks is only the first step, well for me anyway, for instance I question if I am dreaming and then I look at my hands they go all fuzzy and out of focus, I conclude I am dreaming, however I am as you say "partially lucid" the trick is gaining full lucidity, for me this involves asking myself what does "dreaming" mean. Specifically my body is asleep in bed whilst I am in the dream world. It can be pretty full on like a sudden realisation pretty cool. I'm fairly new to lucid dreaming but I have found this an effective way of "breaking through" so to speak. Hope this helps :)

And again... Not lucid, but the subject I wanted. I was visualizing a dream about couple weeks ago. First I didn't knew what to pick, then I was thinking of Spider-Man, but there aren't enough tall buildings in my home city, so I picked the Iron Man, even watched some pics and video clips online and created a short flight scene in my mind. So I ended up being the Spider-Man, who wore the Iron Man armor! Then there were also the real Iron Man, but he turned out to be just an hologram, projected by Tony Stark in a (business) suit. :D No flying though.

I guess I should try the same technique again, but this time a scene with me doing RCs. Or just staring at my hands. Usually that has got me lucid. Once I got lucid, when I looked at my feet! :D

And yes, this Spidey in Iron Man suit came to me after couple of weeks.