DILD help and improvements

Hey guys, recently (due to real life constraints) I've swapped techniques to focus more on DILD, rather than WILD as I was previously. Hopefully you guys could review what I've been doing, my technique, preparations and results so far and offer some advice? I'm already fairly knowledgeable about things such as dream recall, journals and REM cycles so I think my basics are sound.

For the past week or so I've been watching two binaural beat videos before bed. The first starts at 12Hz (Alpha) descending to 4Hz (Theta) with suggestions running along the top. The second runs at a constant 4Hz (Theta) and is more focused on suggestions, including a whole list rather than a select few. I watch both of these in that order every night before going to bed.
This seems to get me into the right mindset, I am relaxed and composed but also confident in myself and my abilities. I go straight to bed after watching these two videos, having done other pre-sleep preparations before starting the videos. I've not had a restless night, ignoring a few times when I've woken up around 3 am, and generally sleep well.
I think for every day that I have used this routine I have had at least one vivid non-lucid dream, which I have recorded in my journal. This is a huge improvement over what I was getting, I genuinely do believe that these videos have allot of potential.
I have a few questions for the lovely people of Dreamviews though: Am I doing everything "right"? Are there any improvements to be made? I haven't had a lucid from this technique yet, am I on the right path?

All help and comments appreciated as always :)

If the beats are helping you, that's good. I don't really use any, so can't comment.

You are not mentioning if you do RCs, mantras and daytime awareness. What I normally recommend for DILD is:

1. Start with an awarness question.
"Wow, am I dreaming?" It should stop you in your tracks and make you believe, that you are.

2. Do a RC. Believe, that it will work, because you are in a dream.

3. Repeat some mantras.

Here it is in more detail - Collection of techniques for DILD. You should notice the emphasis on emotions while doing this.

Please ask any questions, or check out the DILD class. happy dreams:alien:

Ta very much for the quick reply Gab :)

I do some RCs but am generally awful with my short term memory on the whole. I can tell you most things about the history of the British Empire, but can't remember my locker code three minutes after using it ..
The useful thing about the videos is they also feature things encouraging you to do mantras and RCs, which is helpful for me.

You can use some reminders to RC.

- setting your watch to beep on the hour
- timer
- sticky notes on places you see/use most often

Once you get into habit, you may not need them any more and you will notice yourself RCing at random, and that's the best way. Check out my post #7 in this thread. :alien:

I do try to RC, specifically the hand check RC, however I've started to notice that my hands never appear to come up in my dreams. Perhaps time for a change?
I guess RCs not coming across to dreams is only due to me not doing it for long enough then?

Generally for me it's an instant snap of awareness. Like I'll be carrying on in the dream and all of a sudden I'll be like "WOAH! I'm dreaming!". Like I don't question it, I just instantly know I'm dreaming. So maybe try that. I don't know maybe it's just me because I'm usually half-lucid in over 3/4 of my dreams. So I can just do that.

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Originally Posted by Vampireboy

I do try to RC, specifically the hand check RC, however I've started to notice that my hands never appear to come up in my dreams. Perhaps time for a change?
I guess RCs not coming across to dreams is only due to me not doing it for long enough then?

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I would say it's more about the emotions that you put/don't put into RCing and awareness.

And yes, you can add more than one RC when practicing. At least two or three are recommended. You never know which one will catch on with your mind.

I do see where you're coming from Brent, I am starting to get an appreciation of what being in a dream "feels" like and am starting to truly question whether I'm awake or not, as well as other RCs.

And just because we all seem to be getting along .. U.S. foreign policy, discuss :P

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Originally Posted by Vampireboy

And just because we all seem to be getting along .. U.S. foreign policy, discuss :P

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Nope :evil:, haha, you have to ask that in offtopic section.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Vampireboy

I do see where you're coming from Brent, I am starting to get an appreciation of what being in a dream "feels" like and am starting to truly question whether I'm awake or not, as well as other RCs.

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It is always good to realize that you actually could be dreaming at any time. Hard to explain, but when you are in a really realistic dream and find out that you are dreaming, you will understand. This leads to a few days of really questioning your reality. :D

I think even if you don't instantly become lucid it's still a good thing to practice :)
I am starting to understand what being awake and what dreaming feels like and understand the differences between the two. With me dreaming generally seems to involve being in my own movie or scenario and being swept up in the moment without thinking, this has become one of the dream signs I look out for.