A question on DEILD

I just started trying out DEILD, and had a question... I usually wake up on my own after having a dream. Last night I tried DEILD and found I could also remain still with eyes closed when I wake up (as least I THINK I did). Here's the problem... when I wake up, I usually do not have immediate dream recall... it takes me some time to remember what I was dreaming about, and sometimes (especially earlier in the dream cycle) I cannot really recall it. Now, do I need to specifically recall the dream to use DEILD? Would I be better off once I wake up to keep still and eyes closed, and work to recall the dream (which could be several minutes), or am I better off just knowing I had been dreaming and try to get back with DEILD? Or, should I forget that and go for later in the dream cycle after I awake and know what I was dreaming about?

I tried last night, and thought I was getting close... but instead of getting fully into the dreams, I'd have more of H.I. and then awaken... then drift off and more H.I and then awaken... its like I knew I was starting to drift off but then my mind would pop back to being awake, etc.

Any tips?

Hm.. I don't really understand your question but no you don't have to remember your previous dream to do a DEILD. you simply lay completely still and try to fall back asleep while keeping yourself concious by counting or focusing on your breath or something. If it doesnt work so good, try visualizing a new dream. You don't have to think about your last dream at all. But if you had a good dream and remember it, DEILD can be used to reenter it by visualizing the previous dream.

Try visualizing the last dream you do remember... works for me!

DEILD occurs in a matter of seconds. If you can't remember the dream you want to re-enter, don't bother trying, you can resume your recall attempt once you enter a LD. You wouldn't want to waste a DEILD opportunity would ya? Instead, do DEILD, enter a dream, stabilize, and then spend some time trying to remember the previous dream and render it accordingly.

I successfully performed this method last night for the first time without having a prior dream to build on. So I'm going to say no, as long as you know the steps involved to the actual process you should be fine. I'm sure it helps to have a dream to build off of but I don't believe it is necessary.