I was first introduced to lucid dreaming this past winter. I experienced three lucid dream in quick succession and a fourth one a month later. Since then, zilch...
I do my RC's regularly during the day. I practice MILD and WILD almost daily. At some point I realized I was mostly waking from very long dreams, probably at the end of my REM cycles, and changed my mantra to waking as soon as I start dreaming, which hasn't changed much so far.
I've even purchased a REM-dreamer.
My dreams burst with potential dream signs that I analyze when I wake up. No matter what I do, my dreaming mind stays on dumb auto-pilot.
I should also say that I fall asleep very quickly. If I do relaxation exercises and let go, I say my mantra five times and I'm out. When I try to stay awake a bit longer, my mind begins to wander. When I try to focus on a mantra for a longer time, my mind starts feeling as if I were meditating, and I can't fall asleep.
Any suggestions? Thanks!