Thread: My Journey So Far and Why I Haven't Learnt to Lucid

Hi,

I'm in a similar situation to you. I tried hard about 6 months ago doing all the usual thing like RCs, tried all the other techniques including WILD, FILD, WBTB, SSILD and had a few close calls but never got much further and eventually decided it just wasn't for me and gave up.

I have come back to it now and I'm trying to keep it simple. Been going a few weeks now and a few almost lucid moments in nightmares but no big breakthroughs yet. I have also tried to analyse why I went wrong before and come up with some theories:

1) I gave up really trying any technique too quickly. I would have great enthusiasm for the first week of trying anything and remember to do it regularly to start with but then lose interest and sort of just go through the motions hoping I would get some results. I think there is a mental barrier around the week mark and I'm now trying to keep myself motivated past this point and putting real effort into what I am doing. It takes more than a few weeks for most things to work.

2) I didn't dream journal regularly enough. Again I had a few days of enthusiasm then just sort of forgot about it. I'm really trying to do this every day now without fail.

3) I made it too complicated. I had so many plans for what I wanted to do when I got lucid and wanted to do all the most advanced practices, this just led to disappointment. I was also trying all sorts of techniques all at the same time and it was too much to keep up, I probably overloaded myself with expectations and targets. I'm doing very simple RCs but regularly, cultivating a lucid mindset, keeping a regular dream journal, doing WBTB when I can, and improving my prospective memory - all the 'basics'. Also I'm not expecting too much any more.

Not sure if that's of any help.

PS I enjoy a nice afternoon nap when I'm not at work - I had my most interesting experiences then including getting partially out of body (I wish I could do that again it was one intense experience!)