Thread: Reality checks

dont forget flipping a lightswitch and looking at your hands

Why would I look at my hands? the lightswitch is good though. I like.

For some people the light switch and reading work normally in the dreams world and questioning if you are dreaming alone has made me lose lucidity before, personally I like to try and press my fingers through my other hand and if it goes through I am dreaming, another one that is supposed to be good is plugging your nose and trying to breath through it. It is always important to expect that the reality check will work though.

Yes I agree Nakara. It is apparent that different types of reality checks may be more useful to certain people because of differing levels reliability. I wonder what different types of mind structures are responsible. Some people are more artistic while others are more mathematical. Perhaps people who read more often find reading to occur in the same manner in both realms. There's a thought that could change the way we ought to select our reality checks. Unfortunately there only seems to be a few that I am aware of, I wish there were more.

As part of my reality check routine I am also using the finger technique that you mentioned, although I have yet to recreate that in a dream so far. Mostly because I have only just started.

In any case I think it is imperative that whilst reality checking to really and truly question whether or not it is possible if it is possible that you are dreaming. During a wakeful reality check it seems that I can just sort of instantly know the answer and be on my merry way but this is a mistake because if you don't pressure your consciousness to question its state of mind while conscious you cannot hope to do it during the drunken stupor of dreams. I believe the base of reality checking is the question. Am I dreaming? I say this because for me personally I can see and do the most crazy and ridiculous things in a dream and yet never once question the impossibility of it. It's really at that moment when the word "dream" slips into my thoughts that my dream becomes lucid. The trick is to find a way to hinge the question and reality check with something that you can bring within the dream. Like a noise or something.

Have you tried magic RCs? I like magic RCs because you can do them without too much motion. What I do is stare at an object and try to change its color, or make it move, or basically anything. I also hold up my palm and try to create a fireball. It's a very awesome feeling when I hold up my hand, and a fireball appears. (when im dreaming ofc)

Yeah its all different for different people. Looking at my hands always works, I have hundreds of fingers! But for others it never works. The nose plug has not failed me yet and seems to be the most popular. However writing and clocks NEVER work for me. Possibly because I write for a living, I dunno. In my last few lucids I've made a point of reading things to see what the words look like, and apart from 1 letter changing, each time I look and look away, it is the same and in perfect, sensible English.

Originally Posted by isthisit

In my last few lucids I've made a point of reading things to see what the words look like, and apart from 1 letter changing, each time I look and look away, it is the same and in perfect, sensible English.

Ahh, I know how that feels. Rereading text hasn't paricularly worked well for me either, because the words or numbers would stay the same. Anyway, check out this post I made, it might help you out

http://www.dreamviews.com/f11/realit...7/#post1934141

Originally Posted by paigeyemps

Ahh, I know how that feels. Rereading text hasn't paricularly worked well for me either, because the words or numbers would stay the same. Anyway, check out this post I made, it might help you out

http://www.dreamviews.com/f11/realit...7/#post1934141

Makes a lot of sense! I'll try this next time, many thanks.

Originally Posted by paigeyemps

Have you tried magic RCs? I like magic RCs because you can do them without too much motion. What I do is stare at an object and try to change its color, or make it move, or basically anything. I also hold up my palm and try to create a fireball. It's a very awesome feeling when I hold up my hand, and a fireball appears. (when im dreaming ofc)

That's a really good idea. I have to thank you because this is too good too pass up. Although I am doing reality checks by attempting to levitate already, I suppose one could argue that its pretty much the same thing in theory. I never thought about the different possibilities. I'll try the fireball technique, now I just have to make sure I CAN make a fireball, which I have never attempted before. I can jump ridiculously high though.

Originally Posted by isthisit

Yeah its all different for different people. Looking at my hands always works, I have hundreds of fingers! But for others it never works. The nose plug has not failed me yet and seems to be the most popular. However writing and clocks NEVER work for me. Possibly because I write for a living, I dunno. In my last few lucids I've made a point of reading things to see what the words look like, and apart from 1 letter changing, each time I look and look away, it is the same and in perfect, sensible English.

So how long have you been doing reality checks? How do you remember to make one while your sleeping?

No problem! Go ahead, hope it works out for you

Originally Posted by paigeyemps

No problem! Go ahead, hope it works out for you

Yea, I can't wait to become a Firebender!

Originally Posted by Neversoft

Yea, I can't wait to become a Firebender!

Awwwshiiiii then we'll have to battle then!!

Your dreaming. How do you propose we do that? I mean, unless you have some insight into shared dreaming I don't think we can battle with these types of abilities.

Originally Posted by Neversoft

Your dreaming. How do you propose we do that? I mean, unless you have some insight into shared dreaming I don't think we can battle with these types of abilities.

I was kinda kidding hehehe :') But if that happens, awesome still!