Thread: Some thoughts on Reality Checks

I think, Eddie, that you very nicely summarized a deep misunderstanding about state tests (RC's) that has evolved over the years, especially thanks to all the "experts" explaining to unsuspecting newbies that RC's make you lucid. I know I've said this a hundred times on these forums, but RC's don't make you lucid, they confirm your lucidity -- and even then they are an imperfect tool.

In order for a RC to work during a dream, you must already know, at least slightly, that you are in a dream. In other words, you are already lucid when you do a functioning RC in a dream. If you are not lucid, then you are only dreaming about doing the RC, and it may or may not work, depending mostly on your expectations. Then, again if you are not lucid, your dream will likely follow one of two paths: either the RC will work (meaning it confirms that you are not dreaming by, say, making you think you can't breathe when you plug your nose), and DC-You will continue your dream assuming you are awake; or it will fail (meaning, say, that you can still breathe with your nose plugged), and you will then have a nice dream about being lucid, without even a wit of lucidity on hand. I can't tell you how many times I've seen this happen to dreamers over the years; I don't think it's ever happened to me, thankfully, because I developed my skills long before RC's were invented as a technique and never relied on/expected a RC to "make" me lucid. I have used them occasionally to help increase my lucidity, and used them for years during daywork, because they really do work for that:

As Moonage Daydream already noted, RC's are very useful in daytime work, though. Practicing them can help you to think about LD'ing repeatedly during your busy waking-life day, which is a very good thing because it helps build your expectations and general lucid mindset. Also, just by maintaining a routine of sincerely doing them, you are learning the skill of "remembering to remember," which is critical for achieving and sustaining strong lucidity. So I highly recommend doing them, for those reasons. But they still don't make you lucid during a dream.

What's the bypass here? Well, I guess the first step is to forget the countless times the "experts" told you RC's will make you lucid. Keep doing RC's during the day, but just remove them from your plans for your night's dreams -- at least in that context; they are still helpful in confirming and strengthening lucidity, after you know you're dreaming. Judging by the fact that you've already had LD's, this step ought to be relatively easy.

The next step -- and those who've known me for a while here can say it with me -- work on your fundamentals! In the end, there is no technique, machine, drug, or fancy trick that will "make" you lucid. Period. Lucidity is not a stimulus response, it is a state of mind. In a very real sense, becoming consistently lucid comes down to a decision, and only you can make that decision. Develop your waking-life self-awareness, memory, and expectation/intention (the fundamentals), add in some discipline and solid focus, and lucidity will come, probably regardless of the techniques you use to get there. Okay, I guess that's less a bypass than it is getting on the high road, but the best stuff is never easy, right?

tl;dr: You're right, RC's don't make you lucid; they confirm lucidity; yes, I have never become lucid thanks to doing a RC; and the bypass, unfortunately I suppose, rests in practice, patience, and the fundamentals.

Originally Posted by MoonageDaydream

I think the act of practicing reality checks is actually practicing presence. The ability to notice things in the dream that are off, different, etc. Practicing reality checks during the day helps bring us into the practice of being present in our environment, and in dreams.

I guess the bypass would be all-day-awareness, or intense meditation practice. But, I think that reality checking is a great stepping stone that helps those of us who have very active, wandering minds.

That does make sense, and actually describes a little more accurately what I'm trying to say!

Originally Posted by Sageous

I think, Eddie, that you very nicely summarized a deep misunderstanding about state tests (RC's) that has evolved over the years, especially thanks to all the "experts" explaining to unsuspecting newbies that RC's make you lucid. I know I've said this a hundred times on these forums, but RC's don't make you lucid, they confirm your lucidity -- and even then they are an imperfect tool.

In order for a RC to work during a dream, you must already know, at least slightly, that you are in a dream. In other words, you are already lucid when you do a functioning RC in a dream. If you are not lucid, then you are only dreaming about doing the RC, and it may or may not work, depending mostly on your expectations. Then, again if you are not lucid, your dream will likely follow one of two paths: either the RC will work (meaning it confirms that you are not dreaming by, say, making you think you can't breathe when you plug your nose), and DC-You will continue your dream assuming you are awake; or it will fail (meaning, say, that you can still breathe with your nose plugged), and you will then have a nice dream about being lucid, without even a wit of lucidity on hand. I can't tell you how many times I've seen this happen to dreamers over the years; I don't think it's ever happened to me, thankfully, because I developed my skills long before RC's were invented as a technique and never relied on/expected a RC to "make" me lucid. I have used them occasionally to help increase my lucidity, and used them for years during daywork, because they really do work for that:

As Moonage Daydream already noted, RC's are very useful in daytime work, though. Practicing them can help you to think about LD'ing repeatedly during your busy waking-life day, which is a very good thing because it helps build your expectations and general lucid mindset. Also, just by maintaining a routine of sincerely doing them, you are learning the skill of "remembering to remember," which is critical for achieving and sustaining strong lucidity. So I highly recommend doing them, for those reasons. But they still don't make you lucid during a dream.

What's the bypass here? Well, I guess the first step is to forget the countless times the "experts" told you RC's will make you lucid. Keep doing RC's during the day, but just remove them from your plans for your night's dreams -- at least in that context; they are still helpful in confirming and strengthening lucidity, after you know you're dreaming. Judging by the fact that you've already had LD's, this step ought to be relatively easy.

The next step -- and those who've known me for a while here can say it with me -- work on your fundamentals! In the end, there is no technique, machine, drug, or fancy trick that will "make" you lucid. Period. Lucidity is not a stimulus response, it is a state of mind. In a very real sense, becoming consistently lucid comes down to a decision, and only you can make that decision. Develop your waking-life self-awareness, memory, and expectation/intention (the fundamentals), add in some discipline and solid focus, and lucidity will come, probably regardless of the techniques you use to get there. Okay, I guess that's less a bypass than it is getting on the high road, but the best stuff is never easy, right?

tl;dr: You're right, RC's don't make you lucid; they confirm lucidity; yes, I have never become lucid thanks to doing a RC; and the bypass, unfortunately I suppose, rests in practice, patience, and the fundamentals.

Thank you for responding! After I read your reply I realised this might tie in well with your own points on self-awareness vs general awareness. Also, I guess 'bypass' was a wording mistake on my part, sounding too much like a shortcut. What I meant is indeed going to the core of what makes us lucid - the self-awareness and presence in the situation - instead of adding in a reality check, potentially complicating the process. Although I guess the habit of reality checking is a good way to trigger that feeling of self-awareness regularly and reliably.