Thread: General first-timer questions

Originally Posted by Bansheet

This link will send you to a thread with lots of links to really good threads, guides and sources :-)

-link-

Also, I highly suggest that you join the intro course at the DV academy. It is great to keep up your motivation, consistency and to get advice from some really knowledgable lucid dreamers!

link: -link-

Thank you, I'm about to be going to bed soon here, but I'll definitely get to work on this tomorrow.

Originally Posted by gab

I don't like saying "no, I'm awake, or not dreaming". I want to keep the sensations that yes, I'm.

1. I start with awareness question "wow, am I dreaming?".

2. Then I examine my surroundings, take note of details, while really thinking that I'm dreaming.

3. While keeping this "I'm dreaming" feeling, I do my RCs.
- look at my hands and expect to count more than 5 fingers
- thumb/palm - with all RC, you have to expect them to work, because you are in a dream
- nose plug
- levitation

4. Then, without saying, "No I'm not dreaming", I start saying mantra "Next time I'm dreaming, I look at my hands and realize I'm dreaming". Each time I say "look at hands" I raise my hands up and look at them, and I count fingers, as if I didn't know the answer, how many there will be.

Yes, it's good to do more than one reality check. At least 2-3.

If you normally sleep with TV, I don't think it will hamper your chance.

Don't forget to put emotions into your RCs and reality checks.

Here is more about RCs, mantras, DJ (what to write when you don't remember any dream), recall (how to start remembering dreams) and awareness question. -link-. Good luck

Thanks for the helpful post! I've actually naturally just tried to do that "dream feeling" affect, and it feels a little weird, but I always make sure to do it with the hand/palm test (I also do put emotions into it). I've now started applying the ADA method everytime I do a RC; although I'm not too sure what a mantra is, but I'll definitely be looking into it.

Originally Posted by Hawaiian Eskimo

I can answer 1, 2, and 4.

If you do a RC (or series of them) and fail, there's no problem with saying to yourself "ok, so I'm not dreaming now. Nice to know". But after you see that you're in reality, stop and take a second to look around, observe your surroundings, and think to yourself: "If I were in a dream right now, what would/could be different?" It helps raise your awareness in general.

The general wisdom is to do more than one reality check at a time, just in case one of them gives you a false negative. Personally I do the nose plug test, reading test (alternatively I try to use powers if nothing is there to read), and memory test (what was I doing an hour ago?).

As for when it's going to happen? Depends on the individual. Some people get theirs the first night they learn about it, others can take months or more, although it's usually not that bad. I got mine after the first week or so. Just keep improving your dream recall, since it's totally possible you had one, and just didn't remember it.

Great advice. I'll definitely try to be more aware of my surroundings after a RC check. Also, I hope I can work on my recall more...definitely need to start getting some stuff down in my journal.

Thanks, all the help is appreciated.