Thread: Need help with the blinking reality check

Originally Posted by WildWolf1

Hey there. I came back to this thread cuz I'm struggling with the part about feeling the sensation of not knowing whether or not I'm in a dream. I've tried repeating the phrase "I could be dreaming" in my mind but I don't think that's enough. Do you have any tips for inducing this sensation?

Originally Posted by HumbleDreamer

Sensations are different for everyone when you are lucid. I don't think repeating " I could be dreaming", is really going to work either.
On average you really supposed to do more than a reality test.

Hey, I just want to clarify. The advice I gave to really think to yourself I could be dreaming - I didn't mean during a lucid dream. I meant that as a waking-life practice during a sensory-themed walk, and while doing reality checks.

It's not meant to be repeated - that is mindless. Here's what I mean: Cultivate a feeling of truly not knowing whether or not you are dreaming. This makes your reality checks more potent. How do you do this? Imagination. You need to picture yourself as if you are in a dream, right now, even though you know you're not. You need to imagine you're in a dream that's so life like, you don't even know you're asleep. That's the mindset to build on. The feeling should be one of slight fear and excitement together - fear at not knowing, excitement that you could be dreaming. You can grow that from a slight feeling to a strong feeling by focusing on it.

Originally Posted by MoonageDaydream

Hey, I just want to clarify. The advice I gave to really think to yourself I could be dreaming - I didn't mean during a lucid dream. I meant that as a waking-life practice during a sensory-themed walk, and while doing reality checks.

Do you mean like The Journey Technique or Idea?

Spoiler for Journey Idea:

This is where you use the daytime practice focuses on increasing mindfulness, observation, prospective memory, and focus. Night practice builds upon the daytime practice to aid in visualization in order to transition into a WILD.

​1 - Establish a journey you take on a daily basis.

During your daily life, choose a journey you take often as the focal point for this technique, ideally, this should be a daily journey or commute. This must be a journey you are very familiar with.

Examples include: walking to work/school, your jogging route, walking the dog, the journey between your house and a local shop, etc.

2 - Choose your focal points.

The next time you take this journey, pick five stable points of interest, and five personal landmarks on the journey.

Examples include a well-established plant or tree, a building, a street sign, and a crack in the pavement.

I recommend a variety of different focal points, some organic and more prone to change, others solid and unlikely to change. `

3 - Familiarize yourself with your chosen focal points.

When taking this daily journey, become familiar with your chosen focal points. Get to know them well. Be vigilant in your observations.

If you notice any changes from day to day, perform a reality check.

4 - At night, visualize your journey.

If you wake during the night, especially in a period where returning to REM is likely, allow yourself to fall back into sleep while vividly imagining your daily journey, step by step, in as much detail as possible.

Engage the same level of observation and preparedness to reality check that you would employ during your waking journey.

5 - Observe results and record.
​
If successful your visualization will smoothly transition into a WILD, failing that, if consciousness is broken, a DILD.

If unsuccessful, attempt this technique whenever you wake again during the night.


As always, record whatever dreams you experience upon awakening.

Alright people, thanks for all the help. I'm gonna try to implement your advice as best I can. Maybe I'll post an update once I start getting results (should I make another thread?)

Originally Posted by WildWolf1

Alright people, thanks for all the help. I'm gonna try to implement your advice as best I can. Maybe I'll post an update once I start getting results (should I make another thread?)

Don't forget, it's not just about doing mindful reality checks. You may also need to work on memory skills, and your critical reflective attitude. Good luck.

Feel free to make a new thread to discuss your progress (especially if you won't be posting about the blinking technique). Another thing you can do is create a workbook in one of the class sections.