Starting to get frustrated.

[EvilMuffin]

Okay so this is starting to annoy me a bit. How long did it take you guys to actually gain lucidity regularly? It has been 10 months since i discovered what a 'lucid dream' is, and I've only gained lucidity about 6-7 times since. I've tried heaps of techniques; RC's, WILD, ADA, DILD, i do keep a dream journal, however, I can't seem to find any pattern or dream signs in my dreams. I'm starting to think that my mind is blocking my ability to become lucid, as i'm slowly starting to lose my courage trying to become lucid as it just seems impossible. Also, the few times i do become lucid it seems like i have no control over my dreams at all. I find it extremely easy to jump unrealistically high though. Whenever i realize it's a dream everybody just disappears and i can't seem to find them. As far as i know the easiest way to fix this is to stabilize the dream, i usually jump really high, feeling the wind a few times and then eat an apple. Though, the last 3 times i couldn't remember what an apple tasted like, and my whole dream ended up being about me wondering about what an apple tasted like, and why my apple tasted like a peach -.-' anyway, have any of you guys on here had the same problem? is there another technique that i should give a try?

[Alric]

I can tell you that most people do get frustrated with trying to lucid dream at some point or another, because usually no matter how often you have them, it isn't enough. When you say regularly have lucid dream, you need to be more specific, because it depends a lot depending on what you consider regular is. Some people would consider one a month to be regular, while others might say once a week. And some people can have a bunch in a row, and it seems like they are having one every few days but then suddenly they have a dry spell and don't have one for a couple months. Then even peoples definition of a lucid dream can change, as there is a lot of gray area involving semi lucid dreams. I would try giving dream signs another chance. Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be a pattern you see every dream. If you see something repeat once a month that works fine as well. Maybe think about old homes you lived in or old schools, any place you spent a lot of time but no longer see. That seems to be a fairly common theme, to dream of places you know very well.

[Erii]

Its different for everyone. Don't believe lucid dreaming is hard. If you think it's hard, it will be. I reccomend you read Silver Bullets Guide To Lucid Dreaming (I'd link you but I'm on my iPod and about to go) And with with dream sign thing, I don't have any either, or any that I notice.. Just try to take a break because frustration is not good, keep LDing in the back of your mind :3

[Arch]

Have you tried sticking with a techique, what are you best at, if you really work one technique and master it, it can improve your chances much more in other techniques. WILD is difficult, don't beat yourself up if you can't do it. What is your recall like? Do you keep a Dream Journal? Good luck and keep it up!

[Buddy]

Alrics description is spot on. For a few months I was absolutely frustrated that I couldn't get lucid anymore and I actually ended up forgetting about them and just stopped cold turkey. Recently, though, I started getting back into them after about a three month hiatus. When I did come back, again, I didn't see immediate results but I did stick with it. Generally I just do reality checks whenever I start to feel sleepy, see something even a little bit odd, or just randomly throughout the day; My digital watch is amazing for this because sometimes I'll take it off and forget I did which just calls for more reality checks lol. These days I'm having at least one lucid dream a week. I actually didn't expect to have one at all this week but I did last night out of nowhere. In my opinion, regularly reality checking is the simplest and easiest way to get lucid. It's just something I feel you need to get into the habit of doing regardless of what other technique you're using. DILDs are my most frequent source of lucid dreams.

[Pops715]

I agree with Buddy. Reality checks is the way to go. For me, I look at my hands to see if they look normal. My watch is set to beep on the hour so that I remember to do it. I'm also using the sporadic awareness technique. I have some dream signs that I've identified in my dreams but they don't seem to do any good; I always seem to just "go with the flow" of the dream. But consider yourself lucky. It's been way longer than 10 months since I learned about lucid dreaming and to date have only had three; and they were all last month and I haven't had another one since. But I keep trying. I'm probably my own worst enemy, though, because I'm usually watching TV and on the computer right up until bedtime. I've read that those are both no-no's because they serve as a distraction.

[Buddy]

...I'm usually watching TV and on the computer right up until bedtime. I've read that those are both no-no's because they serve as a distraction Definitely. I can recommend two really good books on lucid dreaming that are great to read before bed and you can get them online pretty cheap too. The Conscious Exploration of Dreaming (Still reading but it's pretty good so far) Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self (The first book I read on Lucid Dreaming; It's more for experienced dreamers but it's helpful and has good ideas nonetheless).

[Pops715]

What a coincidence! I just finished reading Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self (by Robert Waggoner) a couple of weeks ago. Now I'm almost halfway through Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming by Stephen LaBerge & Howard Rheingold. I actually began reading LaBerge's book first. But then I got a Kindle and got Waggoner's book in Kindle format. Since I wanted to use my new toy, I read it first. Interestingly enough, I found out about lucid dreaming (and Laberge's book) by reading a book called Adventures Beyond the Body. And I found out about that book by listening to one of George Noory's Coast to Coast radio shows on the way home from work one night. If I hadn't been listening to that radio broadcast that night, I would never have discovered lucid dreaming. Funny how things work out...lol.

[Pops715]

Here is the link to SilverBullet's guide: http://www.dreamviews.com/f12/silver...eaming-117015/

[faceonmars]

Have you watched the Stephen Berlin Lucid Dreaming Discourses? Here's a link: StephenBerlin.com

[Pops715]

Have you watched the Stephen Berlin Lucid Dreaming Discourses? Here's a link: StephenBerlin.com No but I'll check it out. Thanks!

[Lassa]

It took me since august this year and I have one atleast every 2 weeks now, which is kinda cool although I'd prefer every week, like someone said I think you should just find a technique you like and stick to it. I don't care for dream signs and all my lucid dreams start with me being semi-lucid and then a reality check confirms it. Goodluck!

[MatrixMaster92]

You can't get frustrated and think that you will never succeed, then you won't. I was having lucid dreams regularly over the summer, then college started back and I have three crazy hard classes to deal with... i've only had one short LD over the past two months. I'm not frustrated... my experiences up to this point have left me with a lot to think about and try to wrap my head around. You just have to let them come and not force it. They kind of come and go like a gentle breeze, you can enjoy it and learn from them, but they are not totally under your control (unless you are a WILD master I guess).

[siuol]

Don't switch back and forth between heaps of techniques, give a technique a few months of dedication to see if it works for you, and then switch it up if it dosen't, just be consistent. From what you mentioned with the techniques you are doing, you are practicing WILD (keep trying, WILD can be a bit tricky for some) and DILD (ADA is a variant of that, and RCs are something you do to suppliment DILD). If you don't think that dreamsigns are your thing, then don't use dreamsigns. I've seen some comments telling you to stick with them, but for me personally, there is no one reoccuring factor in my dreams I could use, much less one I would want to depend on for lucidity. So, drop the dreamsigns, however, keep the Dream Journal and the Reality Checks. DJs make a big difference no matter what the technique, and RCs are good for stabalization, and can make the difference between a semi-lucid that lapses into a non-lucid, and a good quality lucid. I would recommend you try MILD, after you get it going it can become very reliable, and importiantly, you can use it as well as other methods. Try setting something up with DILD practice during the day, MILD before bed, and a WBTB with either another MILD or FILD/DEILD/WILD (or something else, whatever works for you.) Just stay determined and good luck.

[EvilMuffin]

wow, thanks everybody, I've gotten so much more help than i expected! It really cheered me up and gave me what i needed to start trying again! Awesome to see that you're all so supportive! Also, it seems like even though i thought i'd already do a good research on lucid dreaming, there're some techniques that i still haven't heard of, or have forgotten in my disappointment. Time to start reading again and keep going! And to start my DJ again.... I haven't written anything in it since i moved to Australia haha

[Pops715]

Have you watched the Stephen Berlin Lucid Dreaming Discourses? Here's a link: StephenBerlin.com How cool! I found out that Stephen Berlin's Discourses are available on iTunes, so I subscribed to them and downloaded everything to my iPad so I can watch them anytime, anywhere!