Don't Try So Hard

I've been going over a lot of threads and noticing a trend. People are constantly worried about their methods. They're worried about following instructions to the polished details, when it's that very persistent attitude that I believe is failing them.

Everyone is different, no doubt about that. We all learn differently. And similarly, we all have our own - questionably unique - techniques when it comes to attaining lucidity. Some use WILDs while others might prefer a MILD (I love these acronyms!). But beginners, like myself, have studied other users' methods with hopes of achieving a lucid dream on the first try - most often ending up with a disappointing and demotivating failure.

There is no "perfect" method! The real trick is figuring out what method works the best for you! Of course, beginners need to learn from somewhere - I'm not saying don't learn, I'm saying don't look at it with such a focused eye. Try a few different methods, vary it up a bit, and see what sticks!

For those who are just starting out, here is what I believe is important - remember, I'm not claiming this to be The Method, I just think it makes logical sense:
What is required to have a lucid dream? Well, we need to be asleep. We need to fall asleep before we can be asleep. And we need to be asleep before we can realize we're asleep. If we're focusing so hard with falling asleep, it's never going to happen. If I said, "Don't think about peanut butter!", then you'll start thinking about peanut butter. Likewise, if you're thinking about trying to fall asleep, then you probably won't be falling asleep anytime soon, as you'll be too caught up in thought.

Instead, go to sleep as you naturally would! Cross your arms, cross your legs, curl up into a ball -whatever!- and just relax. Find a way to keep your goal in the back of your head (not forgetting it, just not thinking about it) and let your thoughts drift as they naturally would each night.

Be sure to have plenty of sleep! Go to bed at a reasonable time to ensure you get enough sleep with time left in the day to use on trying your techniques. If you try to have a lucid dream at 9pm, just going to bed, then more than likely you'll fall into a deep sleep because your mind hasn't had a chance to unwind.

Oh! And just because a particular method doesn't work one night, doesn't mean it won't ever work! People have dry spells with lucid dreaming, so it might not have been a good night to try anyway.

Once again, this is all my own opinion. I hope this helps and that you give a few different methods a try and that you find your perfect technique!

I'd really like to hear what you all think

The peanut butter analogy is pretty good!

I agree with your post, if one is too stressed out, nothing will happen - you really just have to take your time, relax, and not rush the results.

I guess I have a question for you. I have a 5 week long dream journal and 3 S.P.s under my belt. I also downloaded a subliminal messages song thats an hour long onto my phone. I tried the song 3 nights in a row- once on my computer, then on my phone in bed, the on my phone again but as I was falling asleep. I also think it is making me have less vivid dreams. Should I continue with the song, or just leave it and focus on another method?

Subliminal messages can work, but not for everyone. If you don't find success with one method, you can always move on to another one. I wouldn't say the song is causing the drop in your dream vividness; that's most likely just a coincidence. I'd combine it with other forms of MILD, such as writing out that you'll have a lucid dream, or saying it. You can always try WILD, too, since you've gotten SP a few times now.

I was never really clear on MILD and WILD. Could you maybe explain the two methods in your own words?

MILD stands for mnemonic-induced lucid dream. Basically, it involves telling yourself that you will lucid dream, and being 100% certain of it. If you "know" you will have a lucid dream tonight, you will. That's the gist of it. There's different ways to MILD - you can write it on a sheet of paper, think it to yourself, or say it out loud. You can also play audio that says you will have a lucid dream.

WILD (wake-induced lucid dream) is when you go from the waking state to the dreaming state without losing consciousness. You lie still for a while, and eventually you get to the onset of sleep paralysis - you can get HI, auditory, tactile, or visual hallucinations, and other wierd stuff happening. At this point, you don't pay much attention to the hallucinations, but instead you simply allow a dream to form around you as you relax further and further into the SP. You can help the process by actively imagining a certain dream sequence yourself, and by imagining tactile sensations to help trick your mind into speeding up the dream creation. Sleep paralysis, as you may know already, can be unnerving at times but it's 100% safe - any hallucinations you experience during this time are just that - hallucinations. They can't harm you. :)

I have tried both at a certain level, without much success. I started out Knowing and telling myself that I will Lucid, but of course, no dice. I then went on to WILD, but I only ever got as far as S.P. No hallucinations, no auditory or tactile stuff either. Best I ever got was a rushing in my ears, and the very real feeling that I was being pushed off my bed at my waist by some force, but of course, was just lying flat on my bed.

I think I will try the sub messages tonight again, while I am lying still, doing a WILD. I also forgot to mention that I do R.C.s during the day, only really started 2 days ago, but I'm doing them as often as I can. I seem to remember to do them everytime I think of a clock, or see my hands.

thanks for this. last summer i hit a dry spell and gave up for months. I've hit a dry spell again and now i'm just trying to keep my head up, dream Journaling and doing those reality checks. The biggest change is i'm trying to practice ADA whenever i can and that can be exhausting. Keeping the excitement and intention while not burning myself out is difficult but i keep going. it's only been a week and a half since my last LD so here i keep going.

I'm a big WB2B guy but i've been fooling around with the wild technique. I keep having this problem where when i start to get into the SP my hands feel like they are filling up with blood, tingling and hurting and eventually i just pull out of it. I can last up to 15-20 min in the still posiiton.
what is up with that?

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Originally Posted by Origami

I have tried both at a certain level, without much success. I started out Knowing and telling myself that I will Lucid, but of course, no dice. I then went on to WILD, but I only ever got as far as S.P. No hallucinations, no auditory or tactile stuff either. Best I ever got was a rushing in my ears, and the very real feeling that I was being pushed off my bed at my waist by some force, but of course, was just lying flat on my bed.

I think I will try the sub messages tonight again, while I am lying still, doing a WILD. I also forgot to mention that I do R.C.s during the day, only really started 2 days ago, but I'm doing them as often as I can. I seem to remember to do them everytime I think of a clock, or see my hands.

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Just because you aren't getting that many hallucinations, it doesn't mean you're not in SP. Some people simply lie down for a while, then feel a sudden "shift" in their awareness or surroundings. That's when they get up to explore the dream. If you're in SP and aren't sure if it's over (and if you're in a dream) yet, expect a dream character to walk by you and pull you out of bed. Imagine the feeling you'll get when they do this - gravity working against them trying to lift you up, imagine what their footsteps will sound like. Imagine their voice, saying something like "come on, it's time to get up". If it works and someone does come by, you're dreaming. If not, just keep with it!

Also, remember that reality checks can work, but only if you use them in the right way - don't just go through the motions. Be skeptical as to whether you're awake or not. Reality feels real so we don't question it, but so do dreams - they also feel real, yet we don't question them. What's up with that? :P If one gets into the habit of really being aware and questioning things when they're awake, backed up by a reality check or two, it'll generate awareness (and lucidity) within their dreams!

This is great advice, I learned this the hard way before I came hear.

Yep, you are right. For me the best method would probably be MILD/DILD.
I don't really think about achieving lucidity instead I focus on lucid dreaming in general (Dreamviews forums, RC ect).

just let it happen, one night i woke up in the middle of sleep paralysis and soon fell into a dream. Wasnt lucid though :/. Its true though you can get more success by telling your self that YOU DO lucid dream even though youve never had one!

,QR

Thank you Puffin! I've been out all day so I've been unable to reply, but you've done a great job :D

I'll do my best to reply...

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Originally Posted by tblanco

I'm a big WB2B guy but i've been fooling around with the wild technique. I keep having this problem where when i start to get into the SP my hands feel like they are filling up with blood, tingling and hurting and eventually i just pull out of it. I can last up to 15-20 min in the still posiiton.
what is up with that?

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Well I'm not very good at WBTB methods... The closest I've ever gotten was the vibrations, but I don't think everyone will experience the same things. Think of people as a vehicle - there are different brands and models with different features which operate differently. Some people actually can't experience SP! For me, I've gotten to the vibrations (twice, in a row) without ever entering SP. As for the hands issue: how are you sleeping? I would recommend switching positions. You shouldn't be sleeping on your back with your arms and legs pin straight, because it's not a natural sleeping position, and you need your mind to believe you're going to sleep. I recommend using what is known as an anchor. Basically it subtly reminds you of your goal. It could be as simple as an audio clip repeating "You're falling asleep, prepare to become lucid" or something.

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Originally Posted by Matt123

Yep, you are right. For me the best method would probably be MILD/DILD.
I don't really think about achieving lucidity instead I focus on lucid dreaming in general (Dreamviews forums, RC ect).

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You've got the right idea! Think about reality checks, methods, and things like that. It's bad to focus on actually becoming lucid! Instead, casually thinking about dream journals, previous dreams, anything related that can help remind you, is what (I think) will work.


If any of you would like my list of techniques and methods, or just some advice, feel free to PM me! :)

No problem, I'm glad to help!

tblanco, just to add to ASmitt's reply, you may be lying on what they call a pinched nerve. Sometimes if you put pressure on a certain point of your body, or lie a certain way, it can become very uncomfortable. Try lying in a different position - for some people, like ASmitt said, lying on their back can be very awkward for their body.

I can usually enter S.P. if I really try. Recently I have not been able to, as before it never achieved any results, so I kinda gave up on it. When I did get into it, this is what happened:

I lie in my normal sleeping position, dead still, eyes closed. I then hear a rushing sound in my ears, but it is not exactly deafening, just quite loud. My heart starts beating quite fast, making me very alert. I then feel the typical vibrations, and any feeling of my bed and gravity (almost) is gone. It lasts for maybe 5 seconds, then just slowly lifts, and I'm left a little more awake than before.

How close was I? Could I have imagined a dream character to come along, or was I just in S.P., then out of it? When Is the best moment to start imagining?

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Originally Posted by Origami

I can usually enter S.P. if I really try. Recently I have not been able to, as before it never achieved any results, so I kinda gave up on it. When I did get into it, this is what happened:

I lie in my normal sleeping position, dead still, eyes closed. I then hear a rushing sound in my ears, but it is not exactly deafening, just quite loud. My heart starts beating quite fast, making me very alert. I then feel the typical vibrations, and any feeling of my bed and gravity (almost) is gone. It lasts for maybe 5 seconds, then just slowly lifts, and I'm left a little more awake than before.

How close was I? Could I have imagined a dream character to come along, or was I just in S.P., then out of it? When Is the best moment to start imagining?

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the problem is you're becoming too aware of the SP, and thus snapping awake. Ignore the SP. I say that because it's the most common issue people have. Be aware that it's happening, but don't try to force it to further or concentrate too hard. The one night I actually got some results with that method (achieving vibrations), I got too excited by the event that I woke myself up.

I can understand that, but it's very very hard to ignore them! I will try tonight, but I doubt it will work. I did try once to just imagine where I wanted to end up, but it just wore off, and I just lay there until I fell asleep...

Thanks though, the more information, the better!

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Originally Posted by Origami

I can understand that, but it's very very hard to ignore them! I will try tonight, but I doubt it will work.

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That's a bad mindset to get yourself in. If you think it won't work, then it won't work! I wish I could be of more help, but I'm not very experienced at that technique... My specialty is more DILDs/MILDs. But the one time I did get close, I noticed I tensed up. Unfortunately, I didn't notice this until after I woke up. Turns out that I was clenching my teeth and practically flexing all my muscles (out of excitement or something else, but I believe was due to me focusing too much on the SP). My best guess as to my failure is that I wasn't relaxed enough. Perhaps this is what's happening to you?

Also, just thought of this - what sort of "roll out" techniques are you using? Some people pretend to grab a rope above their head, some try to literally roll out of their bed, etc. Have you gotten to this point before, and if so, what were your results?

yeah, i'm trying too hard, i need a break. Any suggestions for what to do on a break?

Don't think about Lucid Dreaming.

You'll probably have one on the first night you stop focussing on it.

I tend to imagine just sitting up in bed, as it's the most familiar one. Either that, or rolling out of bed. I'm going to try this CAT technique, as well as the ADA method. Both can be done at the same time I presume, as they are used at different times of day.

I don't think I will just give up one night and hope I suddenly have a lucid, I'm going to keep at it. I will try to be more positive tonight towards my S.P. I can see it happening, just not really it working..

I like your insight and I completely agree with what you've said. I think the most important point to take out of this discussion is that whether you're a newbie or a pro going through a dry spell, you should never just give up hope. Also never try a certain technique just once and switch to another... most likely it won't work on your first try. Consistency WILL pay off!

are sure your a beginner you sound like a vet to me 5starr post all the way im putting it in my dream journal to help remind me sometimes we forget whats important. namaste

OMG! i had atleast 2 lucid dreams because of this method,.
What i did:
I read this post 2 hrs before bed time.
went to bed at 2:30 (around 2 am)
all i did then was just put the thought of trying intentionally to lucid dream tonight, in the back of my mind, and went to sleep, next thing i know, king kong is my back garden and i am asking myself if im dreaming. :D thanks dude, u helped me find the key. also, it helps to believe you will lucid dream. ;)

I agree with original post, but i didn't know people really freaked out over going to sleep because of the whole trying to lucid dream aspect. The first couple times i tried i overthought it and i knew it at the time even, but it's something new and it's hard to not think about it. So i pretty impossible not to at least have that thought in your head, but maybe just not focus solely on that individual thought. Just my two cents on the matter at hand.

Well said... I have to shake my head when I read some of some the lucid dreaming 'methods' . herbs... cheese.. binaural beats and so on. Find out what works for you and stay with it. Anyone who thinks they are an 'expert' should be avoided.

Yeah , it actually works. After I stopped trying so hard , I started randomly realizing i'm in a dream. I wasn't able to squeeze a lucid out of it yet , but it still got me somewhere.

This reminds me of the other thread "Key to Lucid Dreaming". But this sounds too good to be true. I'll do it.