My personal method of becoming lucid. If anyone is interested.

**Harionago** · 02-26-2014 10:16 PM

Hello! I have been lucid dreaming for about 8 years now and over this time I have come up with my own way of attaining lucidity. I shared it on Reddit and it's helped a few people already, so I thought I might as well tell you guys too.

I am just going to copy and paste it from the Reddit thread so I apologise about any formatting errors.

I tried all the conventional methods (DILD, WILD, MILD, ect . .) Some worked and others didn't.
After years of practicing I have come up with my own personal way of inducing a lucid dream and I have been using it ever since. This method could be described as a type of Wake Initiated Lucid Dream. I know you all like to tag names onto these techniques, so maybe we could call this a Rhythm Induced Lucid Dream? I don’t know. I’ll let you guys tell me what you think.

This might be easier if you have had a few Wake Initiated Lucid Dreams before, but it’s not necessary.

Here goes!

Right now as you are reading this, clap your hands together rhythmically. Like you are tapping to a beat. Try to remember this feeling of your hands clashing together and the feeling of your arms moving in this particular motion. It’s important that you are able to remember these sensations as vividly as possible later down the line.

Now stop clapping.

Here is what you need to do.

Wake up a few hours before you are suppose to but do not get out of bed.
Turn over and allow yourself to fall back to sleep
Wait for the moment when you can feel yourself dropping to sleep.
Now imagine your hands clapping just like before. Imagine this as vividly and strongly as possible. Repeat this motion in your mind over and over as rhythmically as you can.
Try and do this in the back of your mind while allowing yourself to fall back asleep. Think of this like counting sheep. Let your mind wander as much as you want but keep this clapping motion running in the background.

If you have done this correctly one of two things might happen.

While still laying in bed your arms will physically move and clap. In this case you are dreaming and you should get out of bed and start your lucid dream. Do not let yourself confuse your dream body with your real one. If you feel yourself physically clap it’s because your dream body is doing it and not your waking body. (If by any chance it is your waking body, then you are not tired enough to do this!)
You find yourself in the middle of a dream clapping. In this case you just stop clapping and get on with your lucid dream.

I guess the purpose of this is to allow yourself to fall asleep while the rhythmic motion keeps you conscious and fuels the birth of a dream.
As you get better at this you can substitute clapping for other actions. For example, after a while I started imagining myself running instead.

Here are some other variants that I have tried successfully over the years.

I am very familiar with the sensation of a female riding me in the cowgirl position. I would imagine her thighs pushed against my sides and the weight of her body bouncing rhythmically on top of me. Eventually I'll find myself in a dream with a DC riding me. All I need to do is push her off and continue with my lucid adventure. I often hear her talk to me and it would cause me to open my eyes. I’ll see a woman there and I know I am dreaming.
Turning a pedal on a bike is also a good rhythmical action to imagine. Particularly if you are interested in starting the dream on a bike, which is always fun.
Riding a horse/dragon/unicorn/bull/moose which is pretty much self-explanatory.
Swimming. I use this perpetual motion to start my dream in a body of water.
Once I imagined myself swinging a machete from left to right, so I would start my dream in a jungle and I was cutting through foliage.

I am pretty sure that you could come up with a huge variety ways of doing this, these are just the ones that I have been using. Have fun with it and find something that suits you.

I apologise if this is already an established method. I just hope this helps

**Eddydpyl** · 02-26-2014 11:15 PM

So basically imagining a well known motion or other sensation in a very vivid way when falling asleep? It does seem like a form of WILD, though the motion approach is new for me. Like the idea, I'll try it out.
"I am very familiar with the sensation of a female riding me in the cowgirl position" Lol, lucky you!

**faxonboy** · 02-26-2014 11:19 PM

This I will have to try. Do you have to wake up and go back to sleep for it to work? What if you are awake for like 24 hours before doing it?

**Harionago** · 02-26-2014 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by faxonboy

This I will have to try. Do you have to wake up and go back to sleep for it to work? What if you are awake for like 24 hours before doing it?

It's doesn't really matter when you do it as long as you are in REM. Try whatever feels comfortable

**Nailler** · 02-27-2014 07:36 AM

Seems like a clever variation on the basic WILD technique to me.

Continuously visualizing the clapping action serves as the "anchor" for maintaining awareness as you transition into the dream state.

Have you ever experienced any hi or sp along the way?

Thanks for sharing, mate!

Niall

**Harionago** · 02-27-2014 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by Nailler

Seems like a clever variation on the basic WILD technique to me.

Continuously visualizing the clapping action serves as the "anchor" for maintaining awareness as you transition into the dream state.

Have you ever experienced any hi or sp along the way?

Thanks for sharing, mate!

Niall

Yes sometimes. Although I do believe that SP is always a good sign. It tells you that you are half way there!

**FreddyKrueger** · 02-27-2014 06:42 PM

I tried this last night, but instead of clapping, I did walking. It worked! Thanks!

**FuzzyPotatoes** · 02-27-2014 06:57 PM

Seems clever but tbh I hate methods that Make me wake up during the night, most of time i cba to do the method at like 4am, still a good method!

**Harionago** · 02-27-2014 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by FreddyKrueger

I tried this last night, but instead of clapping, I did walking. It worked! Thanks!

Great! I'm glad this has worked for you.

This brings up a good point too. The beauty of this is that you can substitute clapping for anything you want. It makes this technique extremely versatile and accessible.

**AstralMango** · 03-06-2014 12:53 AM

Sounds great! Going to try it out tomorrow morning.

Edit: Oh, can I do this in a normal WBTB instead of straight away after waking up?

**DreamWarrior** · 03-06-2014 01:26 AM

Can you do this right before you sleep? Not a few hours before you wake up?

**parkmeats** · 03-06-2014 02:39 AM

Originally Posted by DreamWarrior

Can you do this right before you sleep? Not a few hours before you wake up?

Unfortunately, at night it is EXTREMELY uncommon to hit REM before you sleep for at least a couple hours or more. Being that REM is where most of our dreams occur, no WILD methods work efficiently before bed for most people. Unless its a nap in the morning or afternoon.

**TwitchLucidity** · 03-06-2014 02:48 AM

Well, since I figured out my last REM cycle yesterday (I wake up at 7:00 for school, and the last cycle is at 6:00. CONVIENCE!

) I will try this. This sounds very interesting, and would love to call it RILD (Rhythm Induced Lucid Dreaming)

I will post my findings tommorow morning,

**AstralMango** · 03-06-2014 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by FuzzyPotatoes

Seems clever but tbh I hate methods that Make me wake up during the night, most of time i cba to do the method at like 4am, still a good method!

If only REM started at the beginning of our sleep at night. Unfortunately the REM cycles hit best in the early morning so I guess to have those lucids you gotta work for 'em.

Or... you could try this at midday/in the afternoon where you can get straight into REM. it seems like the best option for you if you hate waking in the middle of the night.

**Machine1k** · 03-08-2014 03:19 PM

I just wanted to stop by and say this technique works, as I have done this in the past without knowing it was a technique. I imagine I was driving a race car that required me to zig and zag at the wheel at a rhythmic tempo (ala rhythmic clapping) and I then next thing I know I was in a dream (completely lucid) driving up very curvy road up some mountain. I didn't think it was my imagination of the driving that did it for me at the time, but after reading this I know to try it again!

Thanks!

**Harionago** · 03-09-2014 01:58 AM

Originally Posted by Machine1k

I just wanted to stop by and say this technique works, as I have done this in the past without knowing it was a technique. I imagine I was driving a race car that required me to zig and zag at the wheel at a rhythmic tempo (ala rhythmic clapping) and I then next thing I know I was in a dream (completely lucid) driving up very curvy road up some mountain. I didn't think it was my imagination of the driving that did it for me at the time, but after reading this I know to try it again!

Thanks!

Excellent! I knew that I probably wasn't the only one who did this.

**TwitchLucidity** · 03-09-2014 07:45 AM

No, did not work because I did not try! :O

Will try tonight,

**AstralMango** · 03-09-2014 08:03 AM

Because this idea sounds so fucking awesome, I'll give it a try tonight! Gonna do the clapping one and if it works then I'll try my own variations.

**lucid555** · 03-09-2014 08:39 AM

I'll try it tonight too. I really hope it will work

**AstralMango** · 03-09-2014 08:56 AM

Originally Posted by lucid555

I'll try it tonight too. I really hope it will work

Don't hope it'll work; believe it will work. <:

**Harionago** · 03-09-2014 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by lucid555

I'll try it tonight too. I really hope it will work

Great! I look forward to hearing your results. Remember that you don't necessarily have to do clapping. It's just the action that I choose to begin with.

I had a lucid dream this morning using this method. I usually tend to slip straight into the lucid dream but this morning I felt restless and needed something to help me get lucid. The motion that I imagined this time was the sensation of jumping onto my bed and bouncing out of my window. Bounce Bounce. Bounce Bounce. Bounce Bounce.

The first time was a false awakening, for some reason I had convinced myself that I was really jumping out of my window and I could seriously hurt myself. I confused my dream body with my waking one, which I believe is a common mistake with this technique. The second time round it worked perfectly and I started my lucid dream.

**Kuyarei** · 03-09-2014 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by Harionago

Great! I look forward to hearing your results. Remember that you don't necessarily have to do clapping. It's just the action that I choose to begin with.

I had a lucid dream this morning using this method. I usually tend to slip straight into the lucid dream but this morning I felt restless and needed something to help me get lucid. The motion that I imagined this time was the sensation of jumping onto my bed and bouncing out of my window. Bounce Bounce. Bounce Bounce. Bounce Bounce.

The first time was a false awakening, for some reason I had convinced myself that I was really jumping out of my window and I could seriously hurt myself. I confused my dream body with my waking one, which I believe is a common mistake with this technique. The second time round it worked perfectly and I started my lucid dream.

Can you help me with something? everytime i try to do a technique i feel like i'm not putting enough effort into it, and so i have never done a technique other than DILD. I don't know why this happens even though i really want to do it.

**Harionago** · 03-09-2014 05:00 PM

Originally Posted by TheAssassin56

Can you help me with something? everytime i try to do a technique i feel like i'm not putting enough effort into it, and so i have never done a technique other than DILD. I don't know why this happens even though i really want to do it.

Can you explain what you mean by not putting enough effort in? Are you struggling with imagining yourself clapping?

Maybe running might be better for you? You could imagine you are running barefoot and the feeling of grass/mud/sand/snow at the sole of your feet. I use sand a lot because it's a very unique feeling and it conjures up a beach scene beautifully.

**AstralMango** · 03-09-2014 07:05 PM

Had a bad case of insomnia last night. Ugh. So obviously I wasn't able to try this out.

**Screen** · 03-09-2014 07:23 PM

This sounds like a much easier method to get into, and what's great is it leaves room for personal modifications. I'll try it and share my results the first chance I get. This should get me my first real lucid dream. Thank you.