Thread: No real method

After a few lucid dreams (20+) I've noticed that there is no real method that I use to become lucid in my dreams. In waking life I do reality checks and log my dreams but when it comes to actually being in the dream, I just kind of know that I'm dreaming in that specific lucid instance of my dream, there's no need for a reality check or asking myself, I just know. Why does this happen, am I not reality checking correctly? I'd like to know because I want to improve improve the amount of lucid dreams I have but I don't know how because I don't know how I get lucid in my lds.

That happens to me too. I believe that what happens is just that as soon as the question "Am I dreaming?" appears, even without noticing it, in a corner of your mind you immediately check reality, and there's no need to RC because (if not always at least -very- often) a gut sensation already tell you that you're in a different place.

Same here. I just know i'm dreaming. But it's very random. No real 100% guaranteed way of becoming lucid

I think the word "spontaneous" best captures this phenomenon. It is an indication that you are conditioning yourself to be more critical of reality. Regardless of which technique you use, you will likely have these spontaneous lucids mixed in with others.

Delving deeper, consider how you are doing reality checks. The MILD approach is to identify dreamsigns that appear in your past dreams and in real life. When you encounter a dreamsign in real life (say, your dog), you perform a reality check. Using this method, the moment you become lucid will be more deliberate and obvious (see your dog, perform reality check, fails, "I must be dreaming!"). This is prospective memory in action.

But there are other approaches to reality checks. If you use a timer reminder or do an RC just whenever it comes to mind, you'll likely get more of the spontaneous lucid moments. If you practice doing an RC any time you see something strange (but not necessarily a pre-selected dreamsign) then you'll get something in between.