Why Do I Suck

Hello, I've been here for about two months. I'm on DV like 24/7 and believe i know just about everything to become lucid! I even think about lucid dreaming like all day. Im very looking foward to becoming lucid and have my whole deal planned out. But, the two months I've learned about LD'ing seemed like forever! I still yet to be lucid! I write down my dreams occasionally, but the truth is i write down about 3 sentences, but i think about my dream all day discovering new things that i did. ( i have alot of extra time in school =P) I do maybe 4 RC's a day ( I KNOW IT SUCKS)- which might be my problem. Just, ah im just stressing out because it's been forever and i havn't even had a close-one where i get excited. Just, whats my problem???, and how long did it take you guys to become lucid? And please don't give me the reply " Do more reality checks." I know.

:cry: :| :mad: :pissed: :shakehead2: :shakehead: :huh: :sad2:

Well it may seem obvious, but STOP expecting! and stop rushing to sleep into an LD.
You need to relax and let life flow through you during the day. Forget RC's for a while and focus on all of your physical senses. Observe yourself tasting and smelling. Imagine yourself from the outside as you sit in class reading or walking around.
It will come but you cannot expect to summon it on command

Conforming Non-Conformist makes a good point.

I would like to add that confidence plays a large role in any mind (game?) The reason I use game is because our minds turn it into one. Lack of confidence can snowball just as confidence.
Your Topic alone suggests this --> Replying to Why Do I Suck

You seem to have the tools necessary. Be patient and be confident.
:dreaming:

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Originally Posted by Conforming

Well it may seem obvious, but STOP expecting! and stop rushing to sleep into an LD.
You need to relax and let life flow through you during the day. Forget RC's for a while and focus on all of your physical senses. Observe yourself tasting and smelling. Imagine yourself from the outside as you sit in class reading or walking around.
It will come but you cannot expect to summon it on command
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I really wanna LD though, like im obsessed!. But i will become more aware of my senses. Thanks though.

I had my first LD this very morning and was thinking like yourself why is everyone else having lucid dreams. In fact I was in the exact same situation as you, seriously it's so similar I'm beginning to wonder if I subconsciously created another account named Riff. The technique that worked for me was WBTB followed by MILD. What I did was I woke up 1 1/2 hours before I usually do, did homework for 45 mins and then went straight back to bed, practicing very weak MILD. What happened was that I had a very light sleep that allowed me to retain most of my conscious thought. So when some surreal stuff happened in my dream I realised I was lucid. That's what I'd recommend you try doing. I think it also helps if you don't think about lucid dreaming whilst your trying WBTB, it sounds counter-intuitive but then again lucid dreaming generally is. Also, don't try concentrating as much as you do on lucid dreaming, try and accept it's going to happen sooner or later. I don't do many RCs either but it couldn't hurt to increase it to maybe 7-10 times a day maybe. Try writing RC on your hands and instead of doing the standard nose-plug RC (which I assume your doing) have a look around, REALLY ask yourself am I dreaming? and perform more than one RC do the look at your hands one and the finger through palm one. Hope that helped.

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Originally Posted by Howitzer

Conforming Non-Conformist makes a good point.

I would like to add that confidence plays a large role in any mind (game?) The reason I use game is because our minds turn it into one. Lack of confidence can snowball just as confidence.
Your Topic alone suggests this --> Replying to Why Do I Suck

You seem to have the tools necessary. Be patient and be confident.
:dreaming:
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Alright, thanks. I'll be more confident- i just got a little stressed because just seems like forever! So just stop expecting it and it will come sooner? Idn but i'll try. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by Howitzer

I had my first LD this very morning and was thinking like yourself why is everyone else having lucid dreams. In fact I was in the exact same situation as you, seriously it's so similar I'm beginning to wonder if I subconsciously created another account named Riff. The technique that worked for me was WBTB followed by MILD. What I did was I woke up 1 1/2 hours before I usually do, did homework for 45 mins and then went straight back to bed, practicing very weak MILD. What happened was that I had a very light sleep that allowed me to retain most of my conscious thought. So when some surreal stuff happened in my dream I realised I was lucid. That's what I'd recommend you try doing. I think it also helps if you don't think about lucid dreaming whilst your trying WBTB, it sounds counter-intuitive but then again lucid dreaming generally is. Also, don't try concentrating as much as you do on lucid dreaming, try and accept it's going to happen sooner or later. I don't do many RCs either but it couldn't hurt to increase it to maybe 7-10 times a day maybe. Try writing RC on your hands and instead of doing the standard nose-plug RC (which I assume your doing) have a look around, REALLY ask yourself am I dreaming? and perform more than one RC do the look at your hands one and the finger through palm one. Hope that helped.
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Woooo! Congrats! =P i was hoping i would be the first out of sloths adoptees to ld but its cool! Only every time i read a MILD tutorial i get confused. Can you send me the one you think helps the most? That would be nice =). I'm glad i'm not the only one with this situation.

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Originally Posted by Howitzer

Conforming Non-Conformist makes a good point.

I would like to add that confidence plays a large role in any mind (game?) The reason I use game is because our minds turn it into one. Lack of confidence can snowball just as confidence.
Your Topic alone suggests this --> Replying to Why Do I Suck

You seem to have the tools necessary. Be patient and be confident.
:dreaming:
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Yes, this is also true
Having the proper self-image or in this case...inner-self-image is truly one of the main aspects of being confident enough to let yourself fall asleep, KNOW that you have the ability to wake up within it, and reap the rewards!!

good luck, i really hope you find that balance and get LD-ing!

I know I'm new and all and this probably won't be of much help..... But you say you reality check a lot and that's the main thing you focus on. Have you tried any other techniques like WILD? It's not as hard as some people make it out to be, you just have to have a strong will (which it seems you do). At least that's what I think....

:yumdumdoodledum: :yumdumdoodledum: :yumdumdoodledum:

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Originally Posted by andy360

I know I'm new and all and this probably won't be of much help..... But you say you reality check a lot and that's the main thing you focus on. Have you tried any other techniques like WILD? It's not as hard as some people make it out to be, you just have to have a strong will (which it seems you do). At least that's what I think....

:yumdumdoodledum: :yumdumdoodledum: :yumdumdoodledum:
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It really is all about confidence. You will have your first Lucid dream. Then you'll struggle with
other issues such as staying lucid or learning to do physically impossible things.

Believing you can become lucid is crucial. Keeping your cool and believing you can stay lucid
is mandatory. In order to fly across a valley you'll need to believe you can do that too.

Wake back to bed in my mind is almost mandatory, especially if you sleep deeply and wake
with low frequency. You need to give your conscious mind a chance to re-manifest itself and
then slip into a dream state in a short amount of time.

I've been reading on Tibetan dream yoga lately and I'm slowly integrating some of those ideas into
my daily reflections. Here's a great one that has worked for me already:

During the day, reflect on the "dream like" nature of your wakeful reality. Consider the differences
between dreams and wakefullness - there are none really. Consider each as non-substantial. Neither
are real. The only thing which is real is the common element between them, your conscious mind.
Your conscious awareness is real. everything else is a projection of your conscious mind.

If psycho-actives are something you're comfortable with, try Salvia Divinorum (see my post toward the
end of the Nutmeg thread under Lucid Aids)

Enjoy

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Originally Posted by andy360

I know I'm new and all and this probably won't be of much help..... But you say you reality check a lot and that's the main thing you focus on. Have you tried any other techniques like WILD? It's not as hard as some people make it out to be, you just have to have a strong will (which it seems you do). At least that's what I think....

:yumdumdoodledum: :yumdumdoodledum: :yumdumdoodledum:
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I might try a WILD. I don't do many reality checks, I'm at school and im usually focusing on something other than to plug my nose every 5 minutes. I did 1 today. =\ i know, sucks. I'll try a wild later. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by andy360

It really is all about confidence. You will have your first Lucid dream. Then you'll struggle with
other issues such as staying lucid or learning to do physically impossible things.

Believing you can become lucid is crucial. Keeping your cool and believing you can stay lucid
is mandatory. In order to fly across a valley you'll need to believe you can do that too.

Wake back to bed in my mind is almost mandatory, especially if you sleep deeply and wake
with low frequency. You need to give your conscious mind a chance to re-manifest itself and
then slip into a dream state in a short amount of time.

I've been reading on Tibetan dream yoga lately and I'm slowly integrating some of those ideas into
my daily reflections. Here's a great one that has worked for me already:

During the day, reflect on the "dream like" nature of your wakeful reality. Consider the differences
between dreams and wakefullness - there are none really. Consider each as non-substantial. Neither
are real. The only thing which is real is the common element between them, your conscious mind.
Your conscious awareness is real. everything else is a projection of your conscious mind.

If psycho-actives are something you're comfortable with, try Salvia Divinorum (see my post toward the
end of the Nutmeg thread under Lucid Aids)

Enjoy
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Hey, thankyou. I'm positive i can fly/shoot stuff from my hands, whatever i can do it. Thats not my problem. Like you said its just becoming lucid, and i know its coming. I just wanna speed up the process, and i know the only way is to do RC's which i dont do often. I guess i can actually TRY tommorow to do them. Do you know if theyre easier after the first day to focus on them? I'm 15 i dont wanna try drugs to get lucid. I take 100mg of B6 occasionally but yeah, I wanna do it naturally. But thanks, i'll remember that tibetan thingy. Thanks again!

Simple answer: Because you say you do!

Better answer: You don't suck! But if you say you do, you'll think you do, and you won't get lucid because your mind thinks you can't do it. The first thing to do is to believe that you can become Lucid. It will make a huge difference.

Another thing to do is to is start writing your whole dream in your DJ, every day. It is OK if you are only writing in the afternoon after school when you have spare time (which I assume you have as you say you are here 24/7). In your case it may even be better because you are remembering tidbits all day.

Finally, while not ideal, if your 4 RCs are based on dreamsigns or other triggers saying "is it at all possible this is a dream?", and your RCs are quality, then that's fine. More can be better, but what I have observed is that quality is of the essence (there's a link to my RC guide in my siggy). It may take you a while to get lucid, but the longer it takes, the more sense of achievement you'll get from being lucid :). Look on the bright side of things.

Oh, and one final thing. Don't say you know everything about LDing. I don't know nearly everything after a year here. Even the more experienced LDers who have good control and everything (not me, I'm on a dry spell. Damn it, I just affirmed my failure, do as I say, not as I do :)) don't know nearly everything. The average LDer like me or you, are at the tip of the iceberg. Overconfidence and cockyness lead to failure. Go into it with the until I master LDing I am a beginner, always learning mentality. You have to grab LDing by the horns, it won't come to you just because you know stuff. You have to be proactive, and get yourself your LD, and if you work hard, you will have one.

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Originally Posted by PenguinLord13

Simple answer: Because you say you do!

Better answer: You don't suck! But if you say you do, you'll think you do, and you won't get lucid because your mind thinks you can't do it. The first thing to do is to believe that you can become Lucid. It will make a huge difference.

Another thing to do is to is start writing your whole dream in your DJ, every day. It is OK if you are only writing in the afternoon after school when you have spare time (which I assume you have as you say you are here 24/7). In your case it may even be better because you are remembering tidbits all day.

Finally, while not ideal, if your 4 RCs are based on dreamsigns or other triggers saying "is it at all possible this is a dream?", and your RCs are quality, then that's fine. More can be better, but what I have observed is that quality is of the essence (there's a link to my RC guide in my siggy). It may take you a while to get lucid, but the longer it takes, the more sense of achievement you'll get from being lucid :). Look on the bright side of things.

Oh, and one final thing. Don't say you know everything about LDing. I don't know nearly everything after a year here. Even the more experienced LDers who have good control and everything (not me, I'm on a dry spell. Damn it, I just affirmed my failure, do as I say, not as I do :)) don't know nearly everything. The average LDer like me or you, are at the tip of the iceberg. Overconfidence and cockyness lead to failure. Go into it with the until I master LDing I am a beginner, always learning mentality. You have to grab LDing by the horns, it won't come to you just because you know stuff. You have to be proactive, and get yourself your LD, and if you work hard, you will have one.
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I've read it, its great! Thanks man. In my RC"s- heres my steps. 1- Look around for weird things, realatives, dead people, old friends. 2- finger through hand and nose and watch look back and forth thing 3- Think about what i would do, which is usually fly through the wall and chaos. lol

About the knowing everything i do realize that i can't. Also the 24/7 thing was a exageration! But i do believe i can lucid its just taking so long. But thanks for your help I'm off to read your guide again. :)

Okay so today, i did about 11 RC's. WOOT. Thats about 6 more than the usual. But school still distracted me. And i only did it when i think about lucid dreaming or dreaming. Is that bad? And how can i just get into a habit of doing it. :hijack:

I had my first lucid dream over a long weekend when I didn't have anything to worry about. I had two in less than a week, and was getting pretty excited. Then school started getting intense again, and I haven't been able to LD since then.

Maybe too much stress is part of your (and my) problem? It might be a good idea to just stop worry about LD'ing for a while, and try again when you have quite a bit of free time. This can also be a great help with reality checks, I've heard. You can spend an entire day RC'ing every few minutes, and by the time you go to sleep, you're chances of LD'ing are very high.

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Originally Posted by Riff

Okay so today, i did about 11 RC's. WOOT. Thats about 6 more than the usual. But school still distracted me. And i only did it when i think about lucid dreaming or dreaming. Is that bad? And how can i just get into a habit of doing it. :hijack:
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That's fine if you only do it when you are thinking about lucid dreaming, as long as you do them well a way to make it habitual (but don't be too habitual or you'll not do them goodly) is to say to yourself for example, I will do an RC after ever x math problems, or whenever I do ... I will do an RC (just pick something you do pretty often, but not too often). Eventualy you can train yourself to RC more habitually. Also, stop counting! If you start doing averages and daily RC logs, then you're just training your subconcious that you do four or eleven RCs a day, and that's what you'll keep doing. Just do however many you do, and don't worry about how many you did.

i had`lucid dreams even before i knew olther people had them :cool: i thought i was the only one that could lol before i knew what lucid dreaming was My suggestion is not to try so hard I use to lucid dreaming more often then when i knew about them now i try to lucid dream and its harder.Now i have lucid dreams by trying but my regular dreams are all bad i can hardly recall them now its not that nice.....but i like lucid dreaming:p

I have to say you should not be frustrated as 2 months is not that long. I'm assuming you're still young and 2 months probably just seems longer to you than it does for me, but even for practicing Lucid Dreaming it took Stephen Laberge 2 years of Lucid Dreaming to have them at will. So don't get discouraged I've been trying now for about 6 months and have only had maybe 5 very short (5-10 seconds) lucid dreams. Good Luck, have faith.

Riff, I'm in the same boat as you. I have been trying for 8 months to have a lucid dream, to no avail. I get very angry sometimes about not having one yet. But I guess I should just relax and accept that it will happen eventually. One bit of advice I would give (and I'm not sure how much my advice is worth, seeing as it hasn't helped me yet:p) is that it sounds like you have your reality checks all planned out and that you do them the same way every time. Don't do this. if you do them the same every time, it might become a going-through-the-motions thing, which is not good. You want to really focus on every RC and really question whether you are dreaming or not.

I read somewhere that to become lucid you have to be "determined but detatched". Just try to stop thinking about it so much, try to stay off the site for a day or two, and it should come eventually. It took me forEVER to become lucid. It took me about 4 months. you'll get it eventually, just never give up on it and most importantly BE PATIENT

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Originally Posted by FishtankHank

So don't get discouraged I've been trying now for about 6 months and have only had maybe 5 very short (5-10 seconds) lucid dreams. Good Luck, have faith.

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yay that makes me feel better, it's the same for me. everyone that I see posting says they took about 2 weeks and now they have like 3 a week, it's driving my crazy! how are people that good at it?

other peoples' replies = tl;dr, but might I suggest if it hasn't yet been said that you try investing more time and interest in recording your dreams? You might not be a natural-born novelist or anything, but for me I find that spending a good lot of time elaborating on every possible detail of a dream that I can and spinning a thousands-word long narrative covering what I've dreamed really invests me in what I've been through and if written well, it teaches me to look forward to next night as a new opportunity to gain material to write a new story with next morning. Basically instead of jotting down something like:

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I was in a store, and then I saw Jake there and he was buying something. I left but apparently the store was underwater and when I went through the door I started drowning. Then I woke up.

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,try something that makes it really compelling and interesting in its own right:

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I'm in a store, sort of a mom-and-pop country store with an exposed hatched-timber roof and brick walls. There are dusty plyboard shelves full of pet food, and the clerk behind the counter looks like Brad Pitt, only with orange hair. I'm choosing between Iams Complete and Nutro All-In-One Nutrition Solution when I notice Jake at the counter haggling with the clerk over the legitimacy of a wheatback penny that he's trying to use to buy a grenade with. A grenade? I'm sure he had his reasons.

I decide that a traditional pet store would have more reasonable prices than this place, so I head towards the exit - through the plate glass window I can see an idyllic country setting lit by filtered sunsetlight. I open the door and step through, but now I'm nowhere near those pastures, but underwater! I turn around to go back through the door but it's gone, and I look up to find the surface to swim to but it's pitch black all around me and the pressure is incredible; I must be miles underwater. I'm going to drown!

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The second one (assuming you had most or all of those dream details to go by) not only helps you remember more (which in turn helps you remember more in subsequent dreams) but invests your subconscious in the dreaming effort by 1)spending such a focused amount of time doing nothing but dwelling on the dreams you've just had and 2)producing a piece of work that's cogent and detailed and interesting enough to actually be proud of after writing it, that you'd actually want to go back and read through. This kind of intimate relationship with your dreams really puts you on a level with them where LDing feels like a natural progression rather than a leap of faith that you're not ready for or don't deserve yet.

Hope that made sense, but that sort of detail is how I recall every scene in my dreams. I guess I don't have prodigous LD results to show for it yet, but I definitely believe it helps me. If nothing else, describing my dreams in luxurious detail is its own reward, at least for me.