MILD autosuggestion: Next time I see the light

[Urside]

Last night, in between two sleep cycles, I thought of a reformulation of the MILD autosuggestion. Instead of thinking "Next time I'm dreaming, I will recognize that I'm dreaming" (the standard formulation), I thought "Next time I see the light, I will look at my hands and recognize that I am dreaming". The point is to avoid the chicken-and-egg problem associated with the standard formulation: In order to trigger the event of recognizing that you are dreaming, you must have recognized that you are dreaming. If I set my prospective memory to check for light detection (something straightforward), and I set this task with my eyes closed, in the dark, chances are the next triggered event will be in a dream. Have you tried it before? P.S.: It worked last night! Thank you prospective memory...

[Silentium]

The point is to avoid the chicken-and-egg problem associated with the standard formulation: In order to trigger the event of recognizing that you are dreaming, you must have recognized that you are dreaming. If I set my prospective memory to check for light detection (something straightforward), and I set this task with my eyes closed, in the dark, chances are the next triggered event will be in a dream. I had never thought about it that way, sounds legit. I'll try it out for a few weeks!

[Sageous]

What if there is no light? Seriously, though this is a fine idea, and has worked at least once for you, keep in mind that the autosuggestion method originally suggested in EWOLD said to avoid any statement, but rather: "...put yourself in the frame of mind of genuinely expecting that you will have a lucid dream tonight or sometime soon" (EWOLD, 1992, pg 81) Saying a specific phrase can tend to cause you to lose faith in yourself if it fails a few times; better to simply expect to become lucid tonight or sometime soon -- be positive but not demanding, because sometimes there is no light. And yes, you are correct in saying that "Next time I'm dreaming, I will recognize that I'm dreaming," is not correct, and is also seriously flawed, logically -- if you already know you are dreaming, your MILD is complete, and there is no need to recognize you are dreaming (because you already have). I wasn't aware that it had become the "standard formulation," but if it has, a whole lot of people are being told to do the wrong thing. Such a phrase is not mentioned in Zoth's excellent DV MILD tutorial, so at least officially here at DV this is not a standard formulation.

[yaya]

thanks for redirecting to Zoth technique. that's a shame on me i didn't know there is such a great method on this site. i will combine that with my DILD practices, specially the visualization and affirmation part.

[Urside]

I wasn't aware that it had become the "standard formulation," but if it has, a whole lot of people are being told to do the wrong thing. Such a phrase is not mentioned in Zoth's excellent DV MILD tutorial, so at least officially here at DV this is not a standard formulation. Thank you, Sageous, for pointing this out. I used what I called "the standard formulation" while doing MILD because that is what appears (1) in EtWoLD, chapter 3: "3. Focus your intent While returning to sleep, concentrate singlemindedly on your intention to remember to recognize that you’re dreaming. Tell yourself: “Next time I’m dreaming, I want to remember I’m dreaming.” Really try to feel that you mean it. Narrow your thoughts to this idea alone. If you find yourself thinking about anything else, just let go of these thoughts and bring your mind back to your intention to remember." In my view, the inventor of the technique sets the standard, and everybody else is free to modify it and create derivatives. Look, I might be wrong, since english is not my mother tongue... Sorry if my choice of words created some confusion... (1) Notice that my first post inadvertently used the words "I will recognize that I'm dreaming" instead of " I want to remember I’m dreaming". In either cases, the logical flaw is present.

[Sageous]

^^ I could see how that would be confusing, Urside. I'm not sure that LaBerge was talking about MILD autosuggestion there, as much as he was setting intention/getting your mind in the right place. Also, for what it's worth, in English "I will recognize that I'm dreaming" is much different from "I want to remember I’m dreaming," in that the logical flaw is not present in the latter phrase. This phrase is looking to do a little prospective memory-triggering by getting your mind in the right place in general (rather than a momentary recognition) for remembering that you are dreaming. In other words, if it works, during a NLD you will remember that you are dreaming and be lucid, because you have laid the general notion that you are dreaming into your mindset, and instructed yourself to prospectively remember that you are dreaming. I hope that made sense; if it didn't then don't worry about it, because it's pretty far off topic anyway. And, again for what it's worth, I'm pretty sure LaBerge himself would have a real problem with calling even "I want to remember I’m dreaming," because he is more interested in getting the feeling of wanting to LD in your head than a specific instruction.

[OneUp]

I've tried this exact phrase before, with a little different wording. The way I did it was, "The next time I see anything, I will realize that im dreaming." I sleep in total pitch black darkness, so that's why I made that phrase. It turns out to work pretty well.

[dolphin]

I just boil it down to, "Wait for the dream." That way I include watching out for other stimuli as well such as noises, sensations, vibrations, ect. If I miss the dream, I don't feel I lied to myself, I just wait for the next dream.