Performed a reality check. It didn't work

**Shamiran** · 06-12-2024 02:05 PM

Last night I was in a dream and suspected I was lucid dreaming so I performed the same reality check twice. I tried pressing my thumb through my palm and both times my thumb got stuck in my palm as it would in my waking life. It did not pass through either time. I stopped suspecting I was in a dream and lost any semblance of awareness.

I've always been told this is one of the most foolproof reality checks but it didn't work for me. My thumb acted as it would in the waking world and I didn't notice anything abnormal about my hands. I'm relatively new to lucid dreaming and this is the first time I've recalled performing a reality check in a dream. Also the first time it didn't work out. I am wondering if I am just naturally resistant to RCs or if the thumb through hand RC is not as reliable as I thought and there are more reliable ones out there. Please give some advice!

**happyhunter** · 08-07-2024 09:38 PM

the first two reality checks I did didn't work. and they where both in extremely embarrassing scenarios I put myself in lol. I found cloggin your nose and breathing through it is a better rc. But really the best thing is is to give you a second to see what is happenning.

**tacky** · 08-08-2024 12:11 AM

ive had a few failed RC's, too. like happyhunter said, trying to breathe through your nose does seem to be more reliable. when you do waking dream checks, are you taking your time, and expecting to find yourself in a dream? or are you doing it simply habitually, looking to confirm youre awake, or not paying much attention at all?
ive found that i prefer Mental RC's over Physical ones. these just involve stating the date & time, and trying to think back to where i am, how i got there, where i was before. those questions are things i cannot easily answer in dreams, so im sure if i ever end up doing one in a dream, ill become lucid. thats the hope, at least!

best of luck with this !