Failed Reality Checks When Dreaming

**fullmetaljacket** · 01-03-2006 04:17 AM

Last night, I managed to come extremely close to acheiving lucidity. In my dream, I was doing something completely nonsensical, and I managed to ask myself if i could indeed be dreaming. I tried to plug my nose and see if I could still breathe through it. It seemed like I could a bit at first, but when I tried to do this again, the test kept failing. I was in a reasonably plausible situation when I was doing the reality tests, so I thought that maybe I wasn't dreaming. I was not completely buying that I was awake, but after several other failed reality checks, my mind began to wander and I slipped back into the dream.

I had basically acheived complete lucidity, but because my reality checks were failing, I lost it. What is the best way to make sure when you are reality checking?

**h0ju** · 01-03-2006 04:40 AM

My advice...In a situation like that ASSUME you are dreaming and dont rely on one RC. I find that if I think Im dreaming I AM. So I always come to the conclusion that I am dreaming the second I think I may be. Dont do anything dangerous or uhh wrong until you complete a few diff RCs all the while telling yourself "This is a dream, I am dreaming".

**fullmetaljacket** · 01-03-2006 04:54 AM

That was part of my problem though. I know how to do many different RCs, but for some reason I could not seem to remember any of the ones i have learned other than plugging my nose. I could not conjure up what they were no matter how hard i tried as long as I was in the dream.

I even remember trying to think of other RCs to try in the dream, but they would not come to mind, and i was afraid to do anything that might harm me because i was not certain that I was in a dream.

However, I remember trying to make people appear when I went around a corner, and this worked. But there always seemed to be reasonable explanations for them being where they were, so again I was not certain.

Maybe I should have tried to make people appear that should not be there in the first place.

This was my first lucid dream, so I was at least proud of being able to contain my excitement when I realized I may be dreaming.

Still, I am uncertain of what would be the best and most certain way to RC, and any tips would be greatly appreciated.

**samf** · 01-03-2006 05:18 AM

I find that if you count your fingers and/or look at the time and see if it changes each time or at least one time (a dramatic change obviously) works the best of all. So remember to rely and on the more.....reliable RC's.

**h0ju** · 01-03-2006 05:51 AM

There are so many RCs...
-clocks,
-nose plugging,
-jumping to see if you stay up even a split second longer than you know you normally would,
-finger through the palm (or many other surfaces),
-mirrors (odd reflections),
-light switches (not working or doing something diff),
-your hands being altered in someway(though Ive not had success with this RC),
-memory loss (not knowing how I got somewhere is a good give away that its a dream for me!)

You get the idea, there are TONS. Like I said though most times when I simply think I am dreaming I AM. Awareness is the prime cause of LDs for myself and Ive heard the same from many others. Always good to RC but they can get tricky sometimes. Ive had almost all types of RCs go wrong and try to mislead me. If you're really worried about doing things because you just arent sure its a dream, go about it as if you were awake (remember to repeat over and over that you are dreaming) you will probably prove to yourself that youre dreaming very shortly or will wake up and have new info to work with. I know you'll have one very shortly if not tonight

Best of luck and LDs!

**Thadius** · 01-03-2006 09:20 AM

I had the EXACT same problem last night!!.. I tried to do an RC multiple times but it failed.. It was the nose plugging one too. I couldn't breathe so I decided it was reality.. I don't get it. Trying to LD is so frustrating..

**Khaz** · 01-03-2006 05:01 PM

Heh, I did a reality check recently in a dream, and it worked! The problem is, I didn't believe it! I just kept thinking "I'm just doing something wrong" and doing it over again until I woke up...

*sigh* Why!?

**Kyhaar** · 01-13-2006 12:38 AM

I am having lots of great attaining lucitdy. Any tips? I alwaya remember my dreams very clearly. They are never strange, so I feel as if I am in the real world, but better!

Is this a lucid dream:

After having a dream about missing the bus (still asleep) saying to self: Oh dear. I had another dream about missing the bus.

And then waking up.

Is that a lucid dream?

**Pokle** · 01-13-2006 11:02 AM

Originally posted by Kyhaar
I am having lots of great attaining lucitdy. Any tips? I alwaya remember my dreams very clearly. They are never strange, so I feel as if I am in the real world, but better!

Is this a lucid dream:

After having a dream about missing the bus (still asleep) saying to self: Oh dear. I had another dream about missing the bus.

And then waking up.

Is that a lucid dream?

Did the scenery and everything in the dream seem more real than normal. Were colours brighter than normal? Did you feel more 'alive' and energetic than normal? If not, it may only be just a memorable and vivid dream. Of course, we are all individuals and I cannot experience your dreams and nor you mine, so it is difficult to compare feelings, impressions etc as it's all down to us individually. I am by no means an expert, but have been very lucky indeed to have received a number of LDs but only in recent months. More recently, however, they seem to have stopped which is why I am trying to get them going again. On these occasions, for me, I had not intended them to happen - they just did by themselves which is making it even more awkward to make them come back, but summarising how I felt and knew they were Lucid was that everything was so vivid, so real, but so interactive. The colours and scenery although may be totally unfamiliar was really bright - like stepping into a scene from Wizard of Oz - you know - how the colours are always exagerated to the point of ludicrous in some of the early Technicolor films. To me, it felt like I had been dreaming a little while and then woken up within the dream and played an active part of the proceedings which followed. I could walk along and feel every step in my feet and body, but different and effortless. I could talk to people and understand their replies, I could go into shops, count change, come back out and everything was the same as when I went in. I could turn round and back again and the scene was as I expected it to be. It became 'me' playing a part rather than me 'watching' a part.

As far as reality checks go, I have only in the last week heard of such things when I stumbled into this website. I am sure if I were able to have done a few, some of my more vivid dreams may well have become lucid too. It's not easy to sleep, dream and wake the mind up but leave the body alseep

Recently in one dream I did catch sight of my reflection in a mirror or window and I had shoulder-length hair (don't in real life) and I remember thinking at the time Hmm not bad. Quite like it - but I didn't know this was an unplanned RC.

The other thing I can say for me when I have LD'd is that on waking my spirits were soaring high! I was so happy for no logical reason and my day continued like that all day long. My energy and enthusiasm was also a 100 times greater than normal and little niggles didn't annoy me. It was fantastic, and to get this feeling without taking any artificial substances can only be good I'm sure.

Anyway, I'm prattling on again

You will know when it happens because something will 'click' and you'll say to yourself Wow! I'm in a dream! What shall I do/where shall I go?
It seems, logically, that RCs should, in theory, do the trick of waking only your mind up, but to remember to do them when you're fast asleep is going to be difficult. I keep stabbing my finger into my opposite palm every so often and hopefully it will become a habbit and continue into my dreams and wake my mind up a few more times. Good luck

**Kyhaar** · 01-13-2006 09:31 PM

Well, certain objects stood out more. I really did feel more alive. I have been having many dreams about missing the bus. But this is the first time that I said to myself "I had another dream about missing the bus" in all of the dreams. I like my dreams. It relaxes me.