Am I close at all?

For as long as I can remember my dreams have been really vivid (Most of them at least). I know that im dreaming tons of the time but I don't ever really go lucid. For months I have tried to get lucid. Have tried Hemi-sync, Wild, etc.. No luck!! I think now that whenever I had somthing scary or strange happen in a dream, I would realise im dreaming. But my first reaction is to wake up. This probably stopped me from having lucids in the past. Ever since I matured my reaction to realising im dreaming was the oposite. However, I haven't been able to go lucid yet.

What works best for you all, or what circumstances have helped you lucid?

Arnt u mad that everytime u realise ur dreaming u wake up??

Try thinking about anger than excitment. Thats wat I did.

Yea I've heard the spinning and/or calming down helps. Just waiting for an opportunity..

Knowing that you are dreaming while in a dream is the definition of lucid dreaming. Try calling for clarity to make the dream more lucid. And stop stressing about waking up, that just makes it worse.

I'd have to argue against that point, Martha. Many time in the past, before knowing about lucid dreaming techniques (before discovering this site), I would know I'm in a dream but still act according to the dream. For example, I wouldn't take my pants off because I'd be worried about the consequences etc.

I have a thread in the 'Newbie' forum about 'faux-lucid'. I bring the topic into fuller contrast there, so if you are interested in helping me (:P), take a look.

Appreciated.

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Originally posted by LDreamer 21
I'd have to argue against that point, Martha. Many time in the past, before knowing about lucid dreaming techniques (before discovering this site), I would know I'm in a dream but still act according to the dream. For example, I wouldn't take my pants off because I'd be worried about the consequences etc.

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Martha is absolutely correct. If you realize that you are dreaming, then it is a lucid dream, period. Dream control is a separate (but somewhat related) issue.

Oops. I made a mistake. :)

Dream control is something I'm having trouble with, then.

Its not that im stressed about waking up. Ever since I have tried to LD I haven't been able to. I probably haven't even realised im dreaming in a dream for years.

When I use to realise i was dreaming I would think " Oh, Im dreaming!!". Then I would wake up, this being a more natural reaction to dreaming.

I just can't seem to LD no matter what I do!!

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I know that im dreaming tons of the time but I don't ever really go lucid. [/b]

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as others said, if you realize that you are dreaming, but wake up quickly, or have no control over your environment, it is still a lucid (just very short). my first lucids were all like this, but i eventually stopped getting overexcited.

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What works best for you all, or what circumstances have helped you lucid?[[/b]

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WILD'ing is one of the more difficult techniques IMO. i wouldn't dedicate a disproportionate amount of time to it.

i'm certainly no expert, but i'd recommend you try the following if you haven't.

before you go to bed, imagine someplace you are familiar with, and when you have a good sense of it imagine that you are there in a dream. then change something insignificant and non-threatening which will trigger lucidity when you actually dream this scenario. gradually allow the knowledge that you are dreaming wash over you.

i did this exercise after i started getting frustrated at waking up every time i'd become lucid.

so, i used my bedroom. i'd imagine myself sitting on my bed in a dream. then, i'd imagine myself slowly having the realization dawn on me that i was in a dream. however (and this was the most important part), i would intersperse commands to stay calm amongst the growing realization.

for instance, i'm sitting on my bed. i imagine the thought "something seems wierd" as i casually survey the room. then i'd imagine myself staying calm, maybe thinking "even if something is wierd, nothing can harm me, investigate further".
my 'change' in the environment was to make my blanket a different colour.
so, next i'd allow another degree of realization to dawn on me in my visualization, as i looked at the blanket "hey, something seems wierd about that blanket", immediately followed by the internal command to stay calm and avoid getting overexcited.
finally, i'd imagine myself thinking "now, stay calm, but that blanket is the wrong colour....you are dreaming".
i repeated this visualiztion until i could clearly feel the different degrees of awareness growing as i realized i was dreaming.


now, i never actually dreamt the scenario i imagined (different coloured blanket in my bedroom).

however, i found my subconscious still remembered to mix the realization i was dreaming with reminders to stay calm. more and more i would remember to stay calm as i simulateneously realized i was dreaming, and i wouldn't wake up right away like before.

i think the key is to somehow train your mind to associate attaining lucidity with staying calm.

*shrugs* this was poorly worded, but i hope you get the general idea...

good luck, it sounds like you're halfway there 8)