Thread: Any tips for SSILD? Also a few questions

Usually I do 4 Cycles (focusing on sight, hearing, then touch) quickly (~5 seconds per component), and then do 4 Cycles more slowly (~10 seconds per component). The original page said I should do closer to 30 seconds for the slow cycles, but that was too hard to keep reasonable track of, so I went to 10 instead. Q: Does this alter my chance of success?

Q: What should I do if I constantly lose track of where I am during the slow cycles? Should I start over at the beginning of the cycle every time?

Hey there,
So wbtb after 4-6h, go to the bathroom, lay back down and think about my goals for the Lucid I want to have. Then I start ssild.
I do my cycles on my back.
So I do the short ones about one long breath in breath out (try simulating the breath while you are asleep, this helps to fall asleep and to calm down) and then switch to the next sense. I do this about 6 times.
Then I do the long ones. Can't tell how long but I think more 15-30 secs. It doesn't matter how long exactly.

Concentration : I sometimes feel very unconcerned at the beginning, My mind wanders to waking life crap or similar stuff but I notice that even if I am distracted at the beginning my mind calms down after some cycles and after some time I 'feel' that I am in the right mindset and I turn to my side and do maybe some more cycles with very low effort and only with sight and hearing with so small focus that I fall asleep within some minutes. Only so much that my mind don't start wandering too much while falling all asleep.
When my mind wanders at the beginning I bring him back to same sense because it wanders after short time. Later when I notice my mind wander I go to the next sense
The cool thing is you don't have to think about Lucid Dreaming. Just do your cycles and then fall asleep. Maybe you won't have a Lucid but your dreams get more vivid and present. When this happens repeat it another night or after awaking again.

There is no black and white here. I know that some change it and Only do one sense or only so short cycles till they fall asleep etc.
Try around and reflect your experiences. Everyone is different and only you can learn from yourself what is best for you!

Originally Posted by Jacob46719

Usually I do 4 Cycles (focusing on sight, hearing, then touch) quickly (~5 seconds per component), and then do 4 Cycles more slowly (~10 seconds per component). The original page said I should do closer to 30 seconds for the slow cycles, but that was too hard to keep reasonable track of, so I went to 10 instead. Q: Does this alter my chance of success?

Q: What should I do if I constantly lose track of where I am during the slow cycles? Should I start over at the beginning of the cycle every time?

You are SUPPOSED to lose track of where your at during the cycles as this means you are losing consciousness and will soon fall asleep, which is the goal of SSILD. What I like to do is once im onto the slow cycles, i put my hand in the air for the first 3 cycles and then really relax and cycle some more and will then fall asleep. 10 seconds is not enough time to create a free flowing state of mind. Once you get to the point where you get 'lost' in a cycle then you know thats the right track. I hope this helps

Originally Posted by ezzolucid

You are SUPPOSED to lose track of where your at during the cycles as this means you are losing consciousness and will soon fall asleep, which is the goal of SSILD. What I like to do is once im onto the slow cycles, i put my hand in the air for the first 3 cycles and then really relax and cycle some more and will then fall asleep. 10 seconds is not enough time to create a free flowing state of mind. Once you get to the point where you get 'lost' in a cycle then you know thats the right track. I hope this helps

But you should complete most of the cycles before falling asleep and have a little focus to really do ssild and not drift Away in thoughts and fall asleep unconscious.
If you fall asleep to early or with not enough focus you won't have any success.

I see now. Huh. I guess I did it right the first time.

What if I just kept doing cycles until I fell instead of stopping after the 4 main ones?

As i said before: it is good to keep on doing cycles after you have done the "obligatory" cycles until you fall asleep. me for my part need to loose up a little of focus/effort to fall asleep then but falling asleep while doing the cycles is most of the time a lucid for me!