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

**xArDDe** · 02-21-2016 07:52 PM

Okay, so it has been a month since I seriously started learning Lucid Dreaming.

Before all of this a year ago I saw a video on Lucid Dreaming and I was really interested, but gave up quickly.

This time though, I have been keeping a dream journal every single day. I can remember what I dreamt about every single day if I thought about it.

The first few days I was doing beginner stuff like RCs and etc. I didn't want to WILD or anything like that, because of fear. Fear of SP. And then I joined DV. This changed everything.

I started with FILD and DEILD, but I was forgetting to do it in the morning. So I started WILDING during naps. It felt really close every single time. The first few tries I was actually scared because I have never experienced this before. It felt awesome even if I didn't. Floating, numbness, sinking, HI and so much other stuff. The first try felt really close.

When I WILD I usually put a blanket on top of my head or I put my hand to cover up any light. I was really wondering if my eyes should be hurting from staring at my closed eyelids, where should I keep my eyes? (Stare directly at the darkness or just look to the side like you usually do to fall asleep?) I still have no clear answer to this. I have no problem with staying in one place. Sometimes I have to swallow, or breathe hard instinctively. During my naps I also use guided meditation, which actually helps me relax.

I also have been wondering if I need to be in full paralysis to enter a dream? Since I read that full paralysis is not the goal.

Today was different. I went to bed at exactly 5:30 PM and put a guided meditation video (this one - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcYHqugx4Xk). I put my hand on top of my eyes and relaxed while staring at the back of my eyelids. After like 10 min I started being sucked in by the darkness. But there was not a lot of HI. After that the blackness was moving and then some colors appeared - Purple and it was moving and it seemed to be forming something. I started feeling like I was spinning in circles and for some reason I tried expanding my field of vision and it increased. I was moving my eyes a lot. Thinking this is going to be it and stuff like that. After a while it completely disappeared. I was so let down. I felt my whole body fully paralyzing and I didn't want to bother with REM atonia, so I moved and broke out of the partial paralysis. I was really sad yet happy because this was the closest I have ever gotten. I have never formed any complex imagery through HI and that is bothering me and hurting my motivation a little bit. So I will keep trying every day.

Thank you for sticking with me. If you have some tips on reaching my goal, please share with me. I can't wait to experience my first lucid dream ever.

I feel like I will be overdoing it if start going around trying every technique.

**Hirondelle** · 02-21-2016 08:31 PM

Hi, saw your post and just wanted to say, don't give up yet!!!! I (re)started in the beginning of december and had a real result for the first time today!!! Keep going!

O yes, I want to say as well that I've never experienced SP... and after everything I've read..... I'm not the only one...lucid dreams are still very well possible.

I'm very pleased with the feedback I get on my workbook, it's motivating, maybe you want to start one as well!?!

**xxPhoebusxx** · 02-22-2016 03:01 AM

I generally set an alarm to get up after a few hours of sleep. You should have better results during the night after you've slept for a bit then in the afternoon.

**Smudgefish** · 02-28-2016 11:21 AM

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!)

**jzinser** · 03-01-2016 12:50 AM

Hey, SP is not the goal so don't even worry about it... just be ready in case it happens and don't freak out.

About the eyes... just don't worry about them, the less aware and worried you are of your body the better! If you feel like it, try WILD after 4-5 hours of sleep and check if this makes it easier for you

The feeling of entering a dream like this is pretty unique, for me it feels like im sucked by a vaccum cleaner and suddenly appear in a dream... pretty fun stuff

**xxPhoebusxx** · 03-01-2016 03:33 AM

Yes, the vacuum feeling. By itself it's pretty fun. It can be kinda scary with visuals though. Like a huge rollercoaster you might not be quite ready for.