Augh, WILD is p---ing me off ~_~

[Wolffe]

When attempting WILD, evening, early morning REM or afternoon nap; I can only get so far. Using the counting technique, I can usually notice my heartrate becoming rapid and breathing being shallow and quick by the count of 50-60 or so; trying to use hypnagogic imagery, I SUCK. I don't think I've ever seen proper hypnagogic imagery, and the only thing close would be when I managed to get a similar heart-racing, fast-breathing state by watching random scenarios that I let m' mind randomly generate for a while. After I get to that state, I wait for a bit, and then everything just goes calm, and doesnt seem to go anywhere after that, and I basically wake up. Any ideas?

[mongreloctopus]

forget about all the techniques for a while. just try to become more aware of what your body does as you fall asleep. once you are accustomed to certain sensations, it will be easier to experience them without thinking about them, and continue on to the next stage.

[Wolffe]

Hmm, you mean in a general falling asleep way, or in a falling asleep, WILD style?

[mongreloctopus]

just normal sleep. one of the main obstacles i found was expecting too much. as soon as i felt SP coming on i would get excited and the SP never came. if you stop actively trying to WILD and take the more passive approach, you'll probably end up starting to have accidental WILDs.

[pj]

For an old reference, WILDing reminds me a lot of how Jonathan Livingston Seagull learned to fly. You have to be intent on it, but you can't really be fully focused on it. It's sort of like watching something carefully out of your peripheral vision. The problem is that it is awfully easy to lose the thread when you have to hold it so very carefully. I've developed a personal analogy for WILD - ever so gently turning my consciousness inside-out by pulling a delicate thread. Pull too hard, and the thread breaks. Likewise, any outside disturbances break it. The analogy comes from recognizing that I'm turning all of my awareness toward internal things, and it has to be a smooth transition or it doesn't work for me. I've pretty much given up on WILDing at home under most circumstances. We have a remote piece of property I spend time at alone sometimes... I can WILD there at will. There are no distractions. At home, even a ticking clock or somebody moving or making noises or the dog's collar rattling will break the thread for me.

[Wolffe]

Hmm, ok, so I dont try, but I still should wake at a good time in the early morn'?

[pj]

Originally posted by Wolffe Hmm, ok, so I dont try, but I still should wake at a good time in the early morn'? *grin* Yeah... as I type more words the meaning gets buried deeper and deeper. Rather than answer that directly, let me try a short re-statement of my prior diatribe. Do try, and WBTB is a great way to go. While you're DOING it, though, see how far you can let go without losing it completely. That's all. My experience is that a successful WILD is JUST this side of losing it and falling asleep... and I mean just barely. Does that make more sense?

[Wolffe]

I catch ya drift ;D I'm always quite conscious when attempting WILD, and wondered if maybe that was the prob. I've noticed a lotta people have accidentally had 'em while trying to fall asleep in the early hours, so this makes perfect sense. Thanks for the advice guys!

[TygrHawk]

You might try another method, at least for a while. People seem to get such tunnel-vision about WILDing that they forget there are other ways to achieve LDs -- and really, the end result is what's important, not the method for achieving it. I've never been able to do WILD very well myself. But I can LD fairly well using MILD with WBTB, so I'm not frustrated about not being able to WILD. Perhaps one day I will really go to work on it, and figure out how to do it, but for now it's just not that important to me.

[Wolffe]

Mm yes, I try to use MILD as much as possible, but I'm just hoping to achieve one WILD before I go back to my regular sleep pattern :3

[gameover]

Dont try. Just WBTB and dont worry about it. It's like a catch 22. Its almost impossible to secceed if youre trying... but if you repeat the proper conditions, it will happen. At least for me, thats how I've always done it. About 15-20% of my wbtb's are wilds.

[adamhill87]

Yer, very true, i've only ever WILDed by accident, while trying to WBTB

[Sarah]

Originally posted by Wolffe I catch ya drift ;D I'm always quite conscious when attempting WILD, and wondered if maybe that was the prob. I've noticed a lotta people have accidentally had 'em while trying to fall asleep in the early hours, so this makes perfect sense. Thanks for the advice guys! YEAH! I think I had an accidental "partial" WILD last night- i described it in my most recent post in this forum, you should check it out!

[Wolffe]

I actually had some luck, just experimenting with not TRYING to WILD. This was when I went to bed though, so probably wouldnt have gone anyway, but I was still pretty pleased. I managed to get to the beginning of SP, but was awakened again by the sound of hypnagogic dogs barking, and found myself in the vibration phase! Looks like you guys were 100% spot on, on the advice

[adamL28]

just normal sleep. one of the main obstacles i found was expecting too much. as soon as i felt SP coming on i would get excited and the SP never came. if you stop actively trying to WILD and take the more passive approach, you'll probably end up starting to have accidental WILDs. [/b] I agree, that's what was holding me back in the end. Once you have one its easier to continue since you know that feeling.

[blade5x]

Instead of thinking about trying to WILD, think about trying to get yourself into SP, and only that. All you have to do is just barely keep conciousness, let your mind do the rest, and once you're in SP, its really easy from there (you might get excited the first few times, but even then, its pretty hard to get our of SP from my experience, but its very normal if you do).

[baronbrocoli]

Well I just tried WILD this morning and IT WORKED!!!!!!!!! I woke up after some 10 minutes of lucidity but fell asleep again and only remembered part of my lucid. I love the sensations. Before this morning I was scared of WILDs because of all the freaky stuff I've read about them but now I see it's cool and I love'em! P.D. I'm trying it again tonight!

[The Blue Meanie]

WILD is pissing me off, too, but I'm working at it steadily. I've now got to the stage where I can relax and go into SP (or at least, the light version of SP that I get) at will. That's no problem. For me, the problem is getting the HI, and staying awake long enough to get the HI. WILD is fantastic, I love it when it comes out, but, it takes a LOT of work to refine the technique. It also doesn't help that WILD is EXTREMELY difficult to explain, especially with what yiou've got to do to get the HI, and after the HI, how you "enter" the dream. It's also really subjective... but... yeah. I just think WILD is a long, long, LONG process of trial and error. If you work hard enough at it, you'll get it.

[Wolffe]

Originally posted by The Blue Meanie WILD is pissing me off, too, but I'm working at it steadily. I've now got to the stage where I can relax and go into SP (or at least, the light version of SP that I get) at will. That's no problem. For me, the problem is getting the HI, and staying awake long enough to get the HI. WILD is fantastic, I love it when it comes out, but, it takes a LOT of work to refine the technique. It also doesn't help that WILD is EXTREMELY difficult to explain, especially with what yiou've got to do to get the HI, and after the HI, how you "enter" the dream. It's also really subjective... but... yeah. Cool, thanks! I'm gonna try every night when exams are over. I just think WILD is a long, long, LONG process of trial and error. If you work hard enough at it, you'll get it.[/b] Or just pure fluke!! xD

[The Blue Meanie]

Originally posted by Wolffe Cool, thanks! I'm gonna try every night when exams are over. Actually, I'd highly reccommend NOT trying every night. If you try every night, you're going to lose sleep, get demoralised, and each time you do it, you'll be less motivated. I generally find that the more often I try to WILD, the less close I actually come. You're far better off trying three or four times a week, and the other nights focussing on getting good dream recall, rather than burning out with WILD attempts every day. I know it;s really tempting to just think, "I'm gonna be motivated no matter what, and try my hardest! Gonna try every night" but, believe me, it's counter-productive. You're much better off being more relaxed and steady with your efforts, than burning out trying every night...

[Abstract Fire]

My personal experiences with WILD... nonexistant. I either fall asleep or nothing happens.