I've been trying various techniques, including writing 'you are dreaming' & 'are you dreaming?' on bits of paper left around the house. I do this with my partner and we hide them in strange places for the other to discover, as suggested in another thread. Its amusing, but since starting this I havent actually seen a similar note in a dream. If I did I'm sure it would work as my reality checking is normally quite good (I try to fly!). Haven't tried the watch/ alarm - I can see the problems there. There are two things this method may do - 1. seed the dream so that a dream watch beeps, and then you do an RC; 2. encourage you to remember to do RCs with or without a watch. Even RCs may not work - I frequently fly without being fully lucid, and I tried the hands method the other day (but I was already lucid enough to remember to try it!) It didnt work though - I saw my hands as old and gnarled, Nosferatu-like, and they were writhing like snakes - I concluded that I must be looking at someone elses hands, (Nosferatu's) and lost lucidity!!!!!

I think one thing to keep in mind is to (keep it real). What I mean by that is that no matter what method you use, you have to not fall into the habit of falling through the motions without really questioning whether your really in a dream state or reality.[/b]
That's it - the key is developing a continual present-centred acute awareness of 'reality' - waking or dreaming. My most common dream sign is simply dreaming. The Tibetan dream yogins suggest that all is a dream!!!