Thread: A struggle with SSILD.

Hmm, this is weird indeed! Be sure that the decrease in recall isn't just a normal fluctuation - less than a week isn't long enough to tell, and mentally connecting this with SSILD might increase the problem... (like a bad placebo effect)

That being said, SSILD takes practice to do well since it's so different from other wake induced methods. My experience with it was limited, but manifested mostly in FAs - which is how it usually works. Haven't tried it this time as I have to get used to the normal WILD first.

SSILD does require you not to be too drowsy like in DEILD or CANWILD - have you tried following the instructions and waiting some time at WBTB (like 10 minutes)? This might help, and prevent falling asleep during the cycles. Another variation that helped me with SSILD was to wake up slightly earlier in comparison to WILD (1-2 hours).

Ok thanks Spock! I will try and stay up for 5-10 mins during my WBTB! Is waking up at 5 too late? Or should I do it earlier?

Don't think it's too late, since many people report successes with SSILD even towards the morning or in daytime naps. When I tried it last year, had most success with it around 4 am (also go to sleep ~23), being just the right amount of drowsy, I guess. This might be different for you, though...

About dream recall and how it tends to fluctuate with no apparent reason, here is a great thread from October:
http://www.dreamviews.com/general-lu...am-recall.html

Falling asleep during the cycles is not the problem. I do this all them time and it works fine. Then again, I don't do cycles, I just focus on one sense until I fall asleep.

When there's a lack of awareness/recall while using SSILD, the problem is a loss of intention while falling asleep to be aware of the dream. Redirecting your attention while falling asleep to something related to dreaming corrects this.

Question: During SSILD do you have to make it into a WBTB,(getting out of bed for 10 minutes) or can you start it right when you wake up?

Originally Posted by Spock

Don't think it's too late, since many people report successes with SSILD even towards the morning or in daytime naps. When I tried it last year, had most success with it around 4 am (also go to sleep ~23), being just the right amount of drowsy, I guess. This might be different for you, though...

About dream recall and how it tends to fluctuate with no apparent reason, here is a great thread from October:
http://www.dreamviews.com/general-lu...am-recall.html

My recalls getting worse! I didn't do SSILD tonight but tried MILD again as that was the technique was the one that sky rocketed my DR. But still no luck. Even when I woke up for my WBTB, there was no fragments in my mind, no feelings of having a dream. For all I know, I could have had my first lucid and not remembered it xD

Even when I wake up naturally, the dreams are not there in my mind. I can't write anything in my DJ because I have nothing to write. xD

It isn't SSILD. I think it is just a really really really dry spell despite me never having a LD and starting LD practice just last week. Odd.

MadzAssassin,

Are you getting enough sleep? Just one night ago I had some very bad recall (13.01.2016 in my DJ) due to exercise and not enough sleep. Only recalled some very short fragments.

It could be just a dry spell as you say or just too much stress - just keep practicing and it should come back!

Dolphin, annabeau,

Maybe more experienced lucid dreamers can do SSILD without a WBTB, but I personally can't. If I do this I just fall back asleep pretty fast (and can't keep the intention to remain aware)... Dolphin said that it's not a problem to fall asleep during the cycles - but he meant as long as you maintain awareness. By falling asleep, I was referring to losing awareness and just normally falling asleep. I mean, as long as you maintain awareness it don't matter when you fall asleep, but if you do lose awareness - finishing only the second cycle will get you nowhere, but the advised amount of cycles has the potential to at least induce FAs and DILDs...

Originally Posted by Spock

MadzAssassin,

Are you getting enough sleep? Just one night ago I had some very bad recall (13.01.2016 in my DJ) due to exercise and not enough sleep. Only recalled some very short fragments.

It could be just a dry spell as you say or just too much stress - just keep practicing and it should come back!..

But here is the thing, I am not even remembering fragments. Absolutely nothing! It is scaring me xD

It has now occurred to me that it has started happening since I started WBTBing. Before I used to mantra myself to sleep with WBTB.

Sleep wise? I feel I'm getting enough, I don't feel tired in the day. (22/23-6:50)

I do use an alarm to WBTB, maybe it's the alarm that is cursing my recall? I haven't remembered anything from a dream for 6 days now.

What's cursing your recall is your low awareness during your dreams. We're aware of things we're interested in, so to increase your awareness during your dreams, you have to be more interested in the dreams themselves at the time they're happening. The most direct way to do this is to maintain your attention on something related to dreaming as much as possible while falling asleep until you have one.

For example, sight is related to dreaming. You could keep an eye on what you're seeing until you wake up, do a reality check, and recall what you just saw.

Just keep your attention on something related to dreaming until you wake up.

Originally Posted by dolphin

What's cursing your recall is your low awareness during your dreams. We're aware of things we're interested in, so to increase your awareness during your dreams, you have to be more interested in the dreams themselves at the time they're happening. The most direct way to do this is to maintain your attention on something related to dreaming as much as possible while falling asleep until you have one.

For example, sight is related to dreaming. You could keep an eye on what you're seeing until you wake up, do a reality check, and recall what you just saw.

Just keep your attention on something related to dreaming until you wake up.

Ok I'll try this. But I think it is WBTB related. I didn't WBTB last night and drifted off performing a mantra in my head. I could remember most of two dreams last night.

I think it is WBTBing. It must be. The sudden wake up in early hours must be affecting my recall negatively. I mean, thinking about it now, I remember 3 dreams from last night. If I can have recall when not using WBTB, but lose it when WBTB, something has to be with waking up earlier hours.

I'd like to WBTB as it is a necessary technique to improve on your LD skills.