strange visual effects of my room?

[spinny]

Howdy folks Well, I think i've just about read 'everything' on this forum by now heh and i mean everything! (I like to read lol , so I think I know what's 'supposed' to be going on... but still no luck whatsoever in going lucid after 'years' of trying! (waaa ) I'm aware of 'all' the techniques (or at least I think I do) and have tried most of 'em at some point or another, but all that ever happens is I fall asleep and then it's tomorrow and no lucid dreams! (wt...!) One strange thing 'has' just recently been occurring, however... and that is; as am lying there intoning my mantra(s), tapping myself repeatedly on the head to lucid dream, doing breathing exercises (to relax) and everything! (lol I've tried everything!), these last few nights, just before I conk out completely, am sure I have been seeing the faint outlines of the room am sleeping in with my eyes closed? A few times I've opened them to check the dimensions are roughly the same... and they are! The effect is like viewing one of those 3-dimensional cubes you see in drawings? Only, in the dark they are white-ish lines that take on the same contours of the room! Can't see anything else of the room, just these white 3-dimensional outlines as though drawn with pale chalk... nothing else happens, only this and then I conk out at some point... but sometimes it's as though I am seeing the exact outlines of the room through my closed eyes? And when I open my eyes to check (which is hard to resist seeing as this is just about the most that's ever happened during any attempt) those same chalk lines 'were' roughly overlaid on the same dimensions of the room! So, has anyone else experienced this, or is it just me playing with myself (I don't mean that literally btw hah, although it is pretty boring sometimes when nothing 'else' ever happens lol +J/k?) Once or twice I'd accept as being just standard unusual visual phenomena, but it's happened several times now fairly consistently and I guess am hoping it might just mean 'something' after sooo very long of nothing? Still trying to be positive here boss! Many thanks in advance for any advise(s) With kindest regards from spinny...

[anderj101]

Try rolling out of bed slowly and doing a reality check. It sounds like you're right on the edge of pulling off a full-on LD.

[spinny]

Try rolling out of bed slowly and doing a reality check. It sounds like you're right on the edge of pulling off a full-on LD. lol a friend of mine said something similar to me just the other day, he jokingly said: if you're having any probs m8 just lie on the edge of your bed and you'll soon drop off?? I nearly poked him in the eye for being so cheeky! hehehe...

[spinny]

ok, so i ended up on the floor trying that one heh, your suggestion implying that i might 'already' be asleep once seeing those lines? but i wasn't asleep... it is a weird effect though, the distinct impression being that i am seeing the room through closed eyes but only the vague outlines of it... I was reading about OBEs and wouldn't mind trying something like that, if they're real that is, many suggesting that they're really just a different 'kind' of lucid dream... which would likely rule me out then anyway seeing as i'm hopeless at this lol you'd think I could have had at least 'one' more lucid dream by now! snif...

[anderj101]

That is an interesting effect, but it's much safer to try a roll-out rather than fly out a window. Sorry that you ended up on the floor. I've had luck with a roll-out sometimes, but once busted my head pretty good on my night stand on the way down.

[spinny]

That is an interesting effect, but it's much safer to try a roll-out rather than fly out a window. hehehe Sorry that you ended up on the floor. I've had luck with a roll-out sometimes, but once busted my head pretty good on my night stand on the way down. ah no, it was alright really, I sleep on a thin mattress on the floor anyway so it was only a 3 or 4 inch drop, tops - I think the cat was more surprised than I was? (laughing) it sort of sat bolt upright with a look of: wtf?? on its face hahaha anyhoo... another attempt tonite coming up, let's see what happens eh... plus thanks for the reply

[gab]

When you start seing your room with eyes closed, you could be in a dream already. Stand up or roll out and you will realize you are lucid.

[Verre]

I recommend trying to move in a way that would be impossible in waking life, rather than rolling out of bed in the way you normally would with your physical body. That way you can avoid the risk of rolling out for real and ending up falling painfully on the floor! Once you've transitioned into the dreamstate, you can move in all kinds of ways that would not be possible for your physical body, so these actions can also act as a reliable RC, in addition to being a heck a lot safer. There are plenty of options: rotate laterally (spinning sideways like a helicopter blade) rotate vertically (spinning vertically like a windmill blade) slide horizontally in any direction (without moving your limbs) sink down into the bed float up toward the ceiling If you can manage any of these, it will serve as positive proof that you're dreaming, and moreover avoid not only the physical danger of actually falling off the bed, but also the nuisance of accidentally moving your real muscles and disrupting your passage into the dreamstate.

[xxPhoebusxx]

My bench mark test for determining if astral projection would be real would involve shuffling a deck of cards and flipping one face up in another room without looking at it. I've had experiences in life over the years that lead me to believe that it's possible there's merit to them. Anything done would have to involve some kind of very stringent testing. That would leave no room for error. Or perhaps learn the name of a friend's relative that I could have no way of knowing. Seeing through closed eyes is really good. You're probably close.

[spinny]

When you start seing your room with eyes closed, you could be in a dream already. Stand up or roll out and you will realize you are lucid. Hi Gab, i kinda got that from anderj101, but apparently am not actually asleep and can still move for real? (hence ending up on the deck lol) I'm not trying to 'make' this effect occur, it just started happening all by itself, although it is interesting that it keeps happening... Am definitely... awake! (coz I haven't even gone to sleep yet heh), it's while on the way to sleep that it starts happening, I get curious and start playing around with it a bit seeing an nothing else is happening! (nothing everrrrrr happens...) I really hope it is something and that something happens (anything pleeease) + thanks for the encouragement! although honest to goodness only knows what I'll do if it does! lol yikes! haha...

[spinny]

I recommend trying to move in a way that would be impossible in waking life, rather than rolling out of bed in the way you normally would with your physical body. That way you can avoid the risk of rolling out for real and ending up falling painfully on the floor! Once you've transitioned into the dreamstate, you can move in all kinds of ways that would not be possible for your physical body, so these actions can also act as a reliable RC, in addition to being a heck a lot safer. There are plenty of options: rotate laterally (spinning sideways like a helicopter blade) rotate vertically (spinning vertically like a windmill blade) slide horizontally in any direction (without moving your limbs) sink down into the bed float up toward the ceiling If you can manage any of these, it will serve as positive proof that you're dreaming, and moreover avoid not only the physical danger of actually falling off the bed, but also the nuisance of accidentally moving your real muscles and disrupting your passage into the dreamstate. actually that makes a lot of sense! try to do something 'odd' and if ya can do it (or something weird happens) then I'd know I was dreaming and could try something else! Yes! am gonna try it! (am excited now + watch this space tomorrow if anything happens wheee!

[spinny]

My bench mark test for determining if astral projection would be real would involve shuffling a deck of cards and flipping one face up in another room without looking at it. I've had experiences in life over the years that lead me to believe that it's possible there's merit to them. Anything done would have to involve some kind of very stringent testing. That would leave no room for error. Or perhaps learn the name of a friend's relative that I could have no way of knowing. Seeing through closed eyes is really good. You're probably close. Do you really think it 'might' be... astral projection?? - like that would be just sooo cool! i want it! i want it! - lol pleeease let it be that! - I will be sooo happy! yeeea!

[xxPhoebusxx]

I think it's possible. There have been lots of interesting stories over time. At the very least there is some kind of higher self awareness seated within the subconscious imo. I have met DCs that don't do what I want even in very high lucids. Some of them seem to have their own agenda and actions independent of my expectations. Most are however very simple projections. I have two experiences from my life that I haven't been able to explain away. I can share if people are interested. Actually I have 3

[Ruusunen]

Hey yeah, sure! That would be fun xxPhoebusxx !

[spinny]

howdy dream friends haven't had much of anything different to report on or offer here of late (if ever lol) as nothing works, at least not for me it doesn't waa so all i can do is to try every nite, as usual duh, and keep a journal here about how i didn't dream last nite either nor the nite before and so on... (boring!) however... a strange thing did happen last nite while i was watching and playing around with those white lines i mentioned? i was lying there just wishing maybe something would happen for a change, such as perhaps seeing more than just those white lines? e.g., some of the details in between those lines, other parts of the room as well i mean instead of big blank/grey spaces... when all of a sudden, and just for a moment because it gave me such a shock that i kind of recoiled back out; everything kinda lit up with a glaring bright white light and it distinctly felt as though my whole head had gone through the wall (or something) into the room next door, except that it was daytime in there!?!? i can also add that it was frightening and that i nearly poo'ed the bed in shock (lol) but it was all over so fast that i didn't even have time to examine anything before i was right back in the dark shaking like a leaf hahaha... has anyone else ever experienced something like this, and if so what the hell was it? i do hope it's something! with kindest regards from spinny

[xxPhoebusxx]

Haha, it happens. Some kind of imagery or a dream who knows.

[Spock]

Hi spinny, to me your latest experience sounds like either a dream or what is called "pre-dream" / "hypnagogic imagery" (HI), probably the latter. HI is one of the things that tend to happen while falling asleep, together with numbness in the physical body (REM atonia), hypnagogic hallucinations, and actual dreams. Basically, any or all of these can happen while falling asleep but we usually don't notice them. But since you're essentially trying to WILD, which involves maintaining awareness thru the process of falling asleep, you do notice these things. HI is simply a rather short and not well developed dream scene that sometimes comes before full blown dream - I usually just wait them out until a more well developed dream starts, one that feels more real. The difference really depends on the feeling it has, so it could be pretty tricky to know when it's not too early to try and get active with the dream... I think you should keep experimenting and "get the feel" for it... Next time maybe just wait the experience out and try not to let it frighten / distract you, and don't try to focus on it or interact too much. When the actual dream starts, then it's time to get involved more. It does sound like you were getting fairly close to completing the WILD, so congrats!

[spinny]

Hi Spock! do you really think it might have been something to do with... WILD?? i would sooo love that to be the case whoo-hoo! A wild... WOW! am really gonna read-up some more on those heh... just in case! and then perhaps i wont have to beat my poor horsey so much lol )) (he's very lazy i think...)

[spinny]

Haha, it happens. Some kind of imagery or a dream who knows. i wasn't expecting something like that and it really scared me lol really LOUD noises (like a jet plane!) and now this?? i'll be saying my prayers tonite for sure heh

[Spock]

do you really think it might have been something to do with... WILD?? It's not a completed WILD - that would be having a LD afterwards without losing awareness on the way... But WILD is about staying somewhat aware thru the process of falling asleep - so yes, the fact that you reached the imagery means that you were half way there, or maybe even reached a dream. So it's pretty close to completing a WILD

[BadAssLongCoat]

Sounds like Classic WILD, going from your awakened state going to bed and then remaining self-aware the whole way through initial sleep where your brain would usually enter delta or NREM sleep. I have had success once so far with DEILD but it was by accident and was caused by a false awakening. I have tried Classic WILD and don't particularly like it, I never get good recall after attempting it, better recall from intending to notice micro-wakenings and close to lucidity more often that way, but when I have tried to Classic WILD I have seen the outlines where the last points of light in my room were before closing my eyes, if I focus on them they can turn to smoke and there I can play with them a little. This is me playing with HI, I often lose awareness though as the brain takes over and I become a spectator in a fairly vivid ND. As for the flash of light you saw and the sensation of being fired through the wall before awakening, sounds like you had, without really meaning to, asked your dream to do something interesting, which is what it did. You weren't specific enough and clearly weren't prepared for what happened and you were shocked into being awake in your dark room again. Next time try and do something more subtle with it, like turning up the light slowly and stopping it at a point, then see if you can move without moving (eg. levitate softly, fall through the floor into another world or something that you can be prepared for.) With WILD I know that you need to remain self aware the whole time, and know that I have lost that awareness during HI because I got too distracted by the pretty colours I was making to remember to hold onto my self awareness, so always keep that on your mind as you do it. As Spock said he likes to wait through the HI until something more stable comes up, this is the most sure fire way to retain lucidity with WILD from what I have read by successful and experienced WILDers. Hope I have helped.

[spinny]

Sounds like Classic WILD, going from your awakened state going to bed and then remaining self-aware the whole way through initial sleep where your brain would usually enter delta or NREM sleep. I have had success once so far with DEILD but it was by accident and was caused by a false awakening. I have tried Classic WILD and don't particularly like it, I never get good recall after attempting it, better recall from intending to notice micro-wakenings and close to lucidity more often that way, but when I have tried to Classic WILD I have seen the outlines where the last points of light in my room were before closing my eyes, if I focus on them they can turn to smoke and there I can play with them a little. This is me playing with HI, I often lose awareness though as the brain takes over and I become a spectator in a fairly vivid ND. As for the flash of light you saw and the sensation of being fired through the wall before awakening, sounds like you had, without really meaning to, asked your dream to do something interesting, which is what it did. You weren't specific enough and clearly weren't prepared for what happened and you were shocked into being awake in your dark room again. Next time try and do something more subtle with it, like turning up the light slowly and stopping it at a point, then see if you can move without moving (eg. levitate softly, fall through the floor into another world or something that you can be prepared for.) With WILD I know that you need to remain self aware the whole time, and know that I have lost that awareness during HI because I got too distracted by the pretty colours I was making to remember to hold onto my self awareness, so always keep that on your mind as you do it. As Spock said he likes to wait through the HI until something more stable comes up, this is the most sure fire way to retain lucidity with WILD from what I have read by successful and experienced WILDers. Hope I have helped. hiya... that's really really interesting! And am really gonna' try ALL that! And thank you indeed for your lengthy and considered reply, and because I know how long it typically takes to type that all out... As a gift I'd like to post a link to a beautiful 2-minute lucid dreaming video I've just seen, would that be ok? I've watched this lovely cartoon a dozen times or more by now and it's still wonderful and very beautiful every time is it permissible to post it? am sure everyone will enjoy it too...

[spinny]

ohhh no answers to my request either here or in PM's to staff? so ok, at risk of getting banned (or something, because am not sure the policity for posting links of this nature) here goes + gulp, here it is... a beautiful little vid of lucid dreaming... https://vimeo.com/3971434 I love this little movie heh

[BadAssLongCoat]

You wouldn't so much get banned as asked to remove it Anyhow I can say I very much liked it. I even feel like I might actually have a lucid dream tonight (Despite feeling that way each night, even more so now)

[spinny]

You wouldn't so much get banned as asked to remove it Anyhow I can say I very much liked it. I even feel like I might actually have a lucid dream tonight (Despite feeling that way each night, even more so now) yeeeeea! do you think it would be ok to add that link to my sig? am not really sure about forum policy on links yes there IS something about that video isn't there? whomever made it is really sooo clever! and because that's exactly how i'd like to lucid dream too! i hope LOL