My attempt lastnight :(

[iamnotharry]

WELL i only just found out about LD yesterday morning & i spent aaaall day looking at different things regarding it. I'm still not at all really knowledgeable on the whole thing but i'm DEFINITELY keen to do it & what not. SO lastnight i went to sleep at about 8:30pm & i had been thinking about it all day excited as hell, as i was going to sleep i was trying really hard to relax & i was telling myself in my head "i WILL have a lucid dream" also throughout the day i was asking myself if it was a dream & such whenever something seemed off. I fell asleep at maybe 8:45-8:50pm, now.. it's weird cause i woke up every couple of hours remembering i tiny part of the dream i was just having, i had a notepad next to me so i wrote it down, maybe just a line or two - there were about 3 dreams. I just don't seem "with it" enough in my dreams to realize i'm dreaming, like i can't understand how to tell myself i'm dreaming when i can't do things as a reality & see things as normal - that sounds weird.. <<< but i don't really know how to explain it hahaha! if you've got any tips or anything i'd really appreciate it! <3333

[SorenTheBrandt]

To quote The Matrix, everybody falls the first time. Being able to dream lucidly so soon after discovering it would be incredible. Kinda like being able to play an instrument well the first time you pick it up. You're on the right track with asking "Am I dreaming?" The aim of reality checks is to teach yourself to question reality. We go about the day accepting everything as real, so it comes as no surprise that we go about our dreams without questioning their reality. By questioning the reality of waking life, you will train your mind to question the reality of your dreams. You will realize you are dreaming when no reality is forthcoming. All I can say is, be patient. Just like playing an instrument, lucidity will come with time and practice. Keep it up, and good luck!

[iamnotharry]

thanks alot for the advice! i'm just still sort of caught up in like how i'll manage it as when i said "i don't seem with it" like my dreams just happen, i feel like i have no way to contribute to it?!

[Laurelindo]

Dude, seriously, take it easy. Expecting a lucid dream the very first night after discovering the subject is like expecting to be an expert at playing the piano one day after seeing a piano for the first time. It will generally take at least a couple weeks or months for most people to develop enough awareness and critical thinking to trigger lucid dreams. It is possible to have them in a couple nights, but it's very rare and definitely not something you should demand from yourself either. Also, striving for "a lucid dream" is pretty vague, I would advise you to strive for a concrete experience instead. You should be able to picture your desired lucid dream in your mind in as much detail as possible, and it's a huge plus if that fantasy also gives you a genuine feeling of excitement. One of my chief goals right now is to snowboard down a steep endless hillside, and therefore I imagine the whole landscape in detail and try to imagine what it would feel like; maybe that's something for you to plan for if you like that sport. Also, dream recall is vital for any lucid dreamer. It's pretty obvious when you think about it, because in order to even be aware of your possible lucid dreams you have to be able to remember those dreams (in fact, you may have had a lucid dream last night, but simply don't remember it). Although a lucid dream can certainly color your mood in the mornings even if you forget it, it is obviously much more fun if you can remember it. Keep practicing and you will gradually see that you improve more and more.

[iamnotharry]

Laurelindo hahaha i've just realized i was definitely coming onto it a bit strong, i just spent all day looking at LD'ing & i was like"NAWERGOUEWBRGBERGI I WILL DO THIS NAOW" but yeah i'm going to take it easy & try to get my recall better & whatnot thanks alot for the advice!

[Laurelindo]

Laurelindo hahaha i've just realized i was definitely coming onto it a bit strong, i just spent all day looking at LD'ing & i was like"NAWERGOUEWBRGBERGI I WILL DO THIS NAOW" but yeah i'm going to take it easy & try to get my recall better & whatnot thanks alot for the advice! Hehe, well it's completely natural to be eager for lucid dreaming, you're not the only one. Lucid dreaming can be truly rewarding, the first time I found out that lucid dreams can be as vivid as waking life I could hardly believe it, it sounded incredibly awesome - and it is. You can literally feel just as awake and alive in lucid dreams as you do in waking life, and the details can be so realistic that it might even overwhelm you with awe in the beginning. Anyway, I think one good way to practice is to take it in small steps at a time. Right now, while you are still new to lucid dreaming, I would advise you to focus on dream recall and to learn to know your dreams better. If you notice that your dreams often have a common theme - for example, you often dream about your family or of doing certain activities - it will become easier for you to recognize them the next time they are that way, especially if you prepare yourself to recognize them before you go to sleep. I recommend that you check out these videos which decribe a method that is considered really effective for beginners. The guy who recorded the videos is very knowledgeable and also very humble, and he describes the whole procedure with great enthusiasm. Part 1 is pretty much a presentation, and in Part 2 he gives advice on good lucid dreaming books, then the actual tutorial starts on Part 3.

[RobiZ]

Haha, i remember myself first time, knowing about the lucid dreams(when i actually understood what are they, i've had heard about them some years ago, but didn't understand what are those). First days I was feeling like I will get the LD in a week or so. 4 months have passed , and I've almost got lucid two times. First time it wasn't clear if I was dreaming about lucid dreaming or something, but the second time(a month ago) i literally looked at my hands and saw over 7 fingers on it ( I almost didn't realize that, only when I started to lift my head up , like lightning trough my head , i realized that i am dreaming , and did the finger through arm, it felt like it was melting into my palm), but it wasn't vivid enough , and i got lost after some seconds , or didn't even got lucid. Also I've gained a lot better dream recall ( before summer I rarely recalled any dreams from night, but in August , I had 4 long, vivid and cool dreams in one night). But yeah, don't worry about the times others are saying ( like 4 months , year etc), because you won't feel it actually. You will turn the LD and its inducing procedures into your life , and you'll see that it will eventually come to you. Also don't get too excited , as if you're excited in waking life, you'll probably be so excited in your first lucid dream , that you'll lose it. P.S Sorry if i didn't make sense , when i explained my "almost Lucid experience", i am a tired atm.