Thread: Reality Checks Probably Won't Work

I realize now, that reality checks probably won't work for me. Why? Because RCs involve doing things such as look at clocks, mirrors, or trying to put your finger through your hand. I can usually do none of these in a dream, because my dreams never give me an oppurtunity for me to say "Hey! There's a mirror! I look weird! I must be dreaming!"

My dreams are very different than others. Most other people have dreams about real-world locations with dream characters in it. For example, people find themselves walking through random buildings or houses, and speaking with existent or nonexistent dream characters. My dreams are not like that.

A general dream for me is:
1. I fall into some sort of video game, with varying control. Sometimes I view it from a third-person perspective, sometimes from first-person, and last night, even from a Gameboy-Pokemon style perspective. (Weird).

2. A dream about some show that I have watched, almost always an anime. I've dreamed a scene from Eurkea Seven, and last night something about Naruto. For anyone who knows Naruto I think I saw Kiba and Neji a year after the 2 1/2 year time skip.

3. Any other journey or travel that leads me through a world that you won't find in real life.

Because I go through areas that don't look like daily urban places, my RCs do not correspond with my dreams. I'm trying to find a more "universal" type of RC. Seeing as sometimes I can't see or use my hands, they don't work. I don't ever remember seeing a mirror or clock in any of my dreams, period.

Any Ideas on how I could become lucid?

Even given your dream situations, I think you could still do RC's. If you did them often enough during the day (it sounds like you have an obsession with anime and video games) it would leak into your dreams (the same way that anime and video games do). So if you were doing a RC every 15 minutes all day long let's say while playing a video game, drawing anime, or reading a comic book, you'd still do this in your dream. It would just be incorporated into it.

My point, I guess, is to incorporate RC's into those particular activities that you generally do while you're involved in your gaming/anime stuff on a regular basis and you'll do it in your sleep. If you're playing a video game, look at your hands every ten minutes. (Annoying perhaps, but if you're truly interested in LD's, it'll be worth it.) If you're reading a comic book, stop, close your eyes and look again every few minutes. If you're drawing, stop, look at your hands, and draw some more.

EVEN in the case that your dreams are so different (in *your* opinion) from everyone elses, I'll bet if you do these kinds of RC's enough during the times when you're doing things that involve the kinds of dreams you do have, it will become second nature for you to do it while you're dreaming. You'll be bopping along in some video game and think--oh! Time to do an RC! You'll hit ::pause:: in your dream and look at your hands.

HTH!

Just do reality-checks that can be done without moving at all. I have 3 reality-checks that I can do within 5 seconds, and nobody can see it. I have two ways of blocking the air-ways. I tested this reality-check in a lucid-dream once, and it works. I can clock the air-ways from inside, so I won't need any real physical movement. The other reality-check is to focuse on my nose with both eye opened. I can't see my nose this way in dreams either, so there.

Originally Posted by Arachanox

I realize now, that reality checks probably won't work for me. Why? Because RCs involve doing things such as look at clocks, mirrors, or trying to put your finger through your hand. I can usually do none of these in a dream, because my dreams never give me an oppurtunity for me to say "Hey! There's a mirror! I look weird! I must be dreaming!"

My dreams are very different than others. Most other people have dreams about real-world locations with dream characters in it. For example, people find themselves walking through random buildings or houses, and speaking with existent or nonexistent dream characters. My dreams are not like that.

A general dream for me is:
1. I fall into some sort of video game, with varying control. Sometimes I view it from a third-person perspective, sometimes from first-person, and last night, even from a Gameboy-Pokemon style perspective. (Weird).

2. A dream about some show that I have watched, almost always an anime. I've dreamed a scene from Eurkea Seven, and last night something about Naruto. For anyone who knows Naruto I think I saw Kiba and Neji a year after the 2 1/2 year time skip.

3. Any other journey or travel that leads me through a world that you won't find in real life.

Because I go through areas that don't look like daily urban places, my RCs do not correspond with my dreams. I'm trying to find a more "universal" type of RC. Seeing as sometimes I can't see or use my hands, they don't work. I don't ever remember seeing a mirror or clock in any of my dreams, period.

Any Ideas on how I could become lucid?[/b]

Hi, the 3rd person perspective dreams might be abit difficult to remember to do RCs because the 'I' is not present. Do U wear glasses...the glasses RC could be used. Another way to do them is to do them ONLY when U watch those shows because U would probably view it in the same feeling as in the dream so U would remember to do them. Forget about mirrors, watches and clocks...just focus on parts of U like Ur hand or the nose RC. I think it should work.. Also I think it would help if U were more aware of Urself when U watch those shows...we tend to get 'absorbed' in the show, maybe it might carry into the dream...who knows.

IMJ

I partially have the same problem as you. I've noticed that at least 50% of my dreams don't include me as a character. The entire visual of the dream is a screen, usually of a video game or a forum I go to.
Anyway, those kinds of RCs aren't working for you because your dreams don't give them a chance. All you have to do is get a new RC; one that can be done all the time. A mental RC. It could be anything from a simple "Am I dreaming?" to "Is my body here with my consciousness?"
I have a feeling that kind of check may work for at least one person here (hopefully more) so I'm just saying it...

Thanks for all the responses guys.

Originally Posted by ivey

Even given your dream situations, I think you could still do RC's. If you did them often enough during the day (it sounds like you have an obsession with anime and video games) it would leak into your dreams (the same way that anime and video games do). So if you were doing a RC every 15 minutes all day long let's say while playing a video game, drawing anime, or reading a comic book, you'd still do this in your dream. It would just be incorporated into it.

My point, I guess, is to incorporate RC's into those particular activities that you generally do while you're involved in your gaming/anime stuff on a regular basis and you'll do it in your sleep. If you're playing a video game, look at your hands every ten minutes. (Annoying perhaps, but if you're truly interested in LD's, it'll be worth it.) If you're reading a comic book, stop, close your eyes and look again every few minutes. If you're drawing, stop, look at your hands, and draw some more.

EVEN in the case that your dreams are so different (in *your* opinion) from everyone elses, I'll bet if you do these kinds of RC's enough during the times when you're doing things that involve the kinds of dreams you do have, it will become second nature for you to do it while you're dreaming. You'll be bopping along in some video game and think--oh! Time to do an RC! You'll hit ::pause:: in your dream and look at your hands.

HTH![/b]

I wouldn't call it an obsession, it's just that I don't dream about boring things. Just the more creative and interesting things in my life that I've seen.

But you raise some good points, and I'm thankful for that!

Originally Posted by ivey

Just do reality-checks that can be done without moving at all. I have 3 reality-checks that I can do within 5 seconds, and nobody can see it. I have two ways of blocking the air-ways. I tested this reality-check in a lucid-dream once, and it works. I can clock the air-ways from inside, so I won't need any real physical movement. The other reality-check is to focuse on my nose with both eye opened. I can't see my nose this way in dreams either, so there.[/b]

If you don't mind me asking, how can you close your nose without using your hand or anything?

Originally Posted by ivey

Hi, the 3rd person perspective dreams might be abit difficult to remember to do RCs because the 'I' is not present. Do U wear glasses...the glasses RC could be used. Another way to do them is to do them ONLY when U watch those shows because U would probably view it in the same feeling as in the dream so U would remember to do them. Forget about mirrors, watches and clocks...just focus on parts of U like Ur hand or the nose RC. I think it should work.. Also I think it would help if U were more aware of Urself when U watch those shows...we tend to get 'absorbed' in the show, maybe it might carry into the dream...who knows.

IMJ[/b]

No, I don't wear glasses...and when I saw the view from the show last night, it was just me having a mental subconcious prediction of what they would look like if they were two years older (strange). I almost never have the oppurtunity of seeing my hands...but I'll try. Show absorption sounds over the top, though.

Originally Posted by ivey

I partially have the same problem as you. I've noticed that at least 50% of my dreams don't include me as a character. The entire visual of the dream is a screen, usually of a video game or a forum I go to.
Anyway, those kinds of RCs aren't working for you because your dreams don't give them a chance. All you have to do is get a new RC; one that can be done all the time. A mental RC. It could be anything from a simple "Am I dreaming?" to "Is my body here with my consciousness?"
I have a feeling that kind of check may work for at least one person here (hopefully more) so I'm just saying it...[/b]

Finally! Someone who understands! A lot of my dreams are also just like watching a screen, and I don't have the chance to perform "regular" RCs. I'm working on my own mental RC now too.

Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by Arachanox

If you don't mind me asking, how can you close your nose without using your hand or anything? [/b]

You're not the first one to ask me hehe. Some people can do it, some can't. This is how I do it.

1) I close my throat. It's like if you have your mouth opened when under water. The water flows into your mouth, but it can't go down your throat. It's normally just a reflex, but with a little practice, you can control it. I've always been able to do it on purpose. I also know, that some other people here on DV has that skill/ability.

2) This way is hard to explain, but it should he easier. When you were a kid, you probably used to sound like a pig sometimes, just to make fun of people, or maybe you fake-snored. When you do that, you sorta press your tongue up in the top of your mouth. The backside of your mouth. When you do that, then just apply more preasure, so that it closes off completely, instead of just simply causing snorring/piggy sounds. It sounds insane, but it's quite easy actually.

Number 1 is the best, since if you do 2 too much, your nose tends to get dry, which hurts a bit, if you're having a cold.

Try it out! It's just as good as the nose-plugging reality-check, and the nose-plugging reality-check is probably the best one there is, since it (almost) never fails.

Edit: uh, and it's not about closing your nose. You block your air-ways. Both your mouth and nose are blocked when doing these things.

Jumping in the air and trying to fly, or at least float, seems to be a good RC...

Well, not if it's when you're in 3rd POV. Those dreams are hard to find an RC for, I do know that when I do have 3rd POV dreams [which have become more frequent recently], I naturally become aware that I'm watching people. Instead of becoming lucid though, I tend to somehow become weaved into the story and get 1st POV, so... if somehow you can do that [I have no idea how] then you could try a lot of the other RCs people have suggested.