Problem with focus upon realizing its a dream

**buffaloguy** · 05-18-2012 09:40 PM

When I am in a dream and become lucid I do try to rub my hands or say something but every time I become lucid I very quickly basically become completely paralyzed and always fall on my back (time slows down for this btw) as this is happening my vision blacks out. i am guessing that is cause I sleep on my back. Is the problem that i try for to much power or completely thinking I control everything too much stimulation? should I at first just try to stand around. (one of the other almost insta-dream-kills is seeing the sky for some reason) So what should I do.

**Patrick** · 05-18-2012 09:47 PM

Weird, I've never encountered this problem before.

Like you say, I would just try and reduce things to their simplest possible root, so try to just stay still when you become lucid and focus on your thoughts. Maybe try and close your eyes and wait a bit until everything stabilises, then open them.

Again, not sure though. Hope you work it out!

**RebelSeven** · 05-18-2012 11:31 PM

^ Mixed advice from Pensive

Closing your eyes is a sure-fire way to lose an unstable lucid, either by FA or waking up, I'd definitely disregard that piece of advice. Otherwise though his reasoning is solid. Taking time to stop and stabilize is astronomically important.

I suggest a dream form of meditation (this will make more sense if you meditate iwl at all) It's the best way to stabilize in my opinion.

Sit down, run your palms of fingertips over the ground, breathe. Keep your eyes open and look to the horizon, see what you can see. Feel how your body takes up space in the dream world, breathe in the air and smell the fragrances. Quiet your thoughts.

Now, why this works so incredibly well:
The problem with most stabilization techniques is that it puts intense pressure on your attention. You will be told to look at the details of objects, of your hands (at the same time people will say "but don't look to hard). You will be told to get your emotions under control or to think of what has happened in the dream so far. All of this amps up your mindfulness, tilting the balance between you and the dream.

Meditation, alternatively, cancels out this mindfulness without letting you get sucked back into non-lucidity. I cant support this enough.

**OpheliaBlue** · 05-18-2012 11:32 PM

Hey buffaloguy. I have had a similar experience a couple times where I would slowly fall on my stomach during a lucid dream, then wake up on my stomach. It sounds to me like you could be becoming lucid so close to the end of your REM cycle, so you began to feel your actual body (which for you is on your back because that's the position you sleep in).

However if you catch it in time, you can still extend the dream by remaining calm, and even doing very little, as Patrick pointed out. Sometimes less is more. Question: when you rub your hands together, are you also looking at them? I find that helps, looking at my hands, legs, feet. And in your case, also not looking up until you're comfortable with the stabilization.

One final note, if you are waking up from these lucids and it's still early, you could try DEILDing and reentering the dream from a lucid state, and extend it that way. Good luck!