Thread: My first LD!

I apologize in advance for the length but this is a terribly exciting time for me!

Quick dream history: I just learned about LD's 2 weeks ago and first had to build my dream recall, as I hadn't remembered a dream in at least a year. After cutting down on my smoke intake and keeping a dream journal I've been averaging 3-4 dreams every night, with things such as dream signs becoming present as well as dream scenarios becoming more "reality" oriented with each new dream. I've lately been trying to WILD (rather unsuccessfully) but have found that by using MILD I can gain some level of awareness within my dreams.

The past few nights I've noticed how powerful the MILD technique has been on my subconscious. This afternoon was the greatest realization. After reading about "chain" dreaming earlier this afternoon, I went to nap and repeated to myself to "stay motionless and keep my eyes closed upon waking" (this worked amazingly). After doing the normal MILD exercises ("When I'm dreaming I will realize I'm dreaming") I've become increasingly aware of the fact that I'm dreaming.

My first LD: So I went to nap about an hour ago, doing the MILD exercises as I drifted towards sleep. I quickly found myself alongside a raging river. At this point I wasn't fully aware I was dreaming. I jumped in the river, for reasons unknown, and found myself feeling as though I were about to get sucked down into the rapid and drown...THIS is where I became fully lucid! As the adrenaline rush hit me and I began to panic, I said to myself "I'm dreaming! This is a dream!" I then told myself to float upward and out of the river...my body did as told! The last thing I remember was trying to rub my hands to keep the dream going but, alas, it faded and I awoke (motionless and eyes closed however, as I had suggested to myself before sleeping) which then almost immediately led me into a longer but sadly, less lucid dream.

All in all, my lucidity within the river dream lasted maybe ten seconds at most, but the feeling was truly exhilarating! I now need to try and make the dream itself more vivid, either by spinning or rubbing my hands. I feel as though the clarity of my surroundings could have been better. Is this normal when first trying to LD? Should I expect to have more vivid dreams as I go on with practicing?

As I've said, everything I've done thus far has only progressively improved, so I'm confident I can become lucid again for a longer period of time and hopefully with more vivid details! Any suggestions for gaining more detail and clarity on this part would be much appreciated! Heck, any comments at all would be great!

Finally, THANK YOU to all who have taken the time to make tutorials as well as leave some very insightful responses throughout the many threads on these forums. Without all the insight from others, I don't think this would have happened as quickly as it did.

Congrats to having an LD! May you have many more!

Way to go!! I just had my first LD a few weeks ago so I know exactly how you are feeling! Keep on reading, learning, and practicing (as I am) and I'm sure you (and me, too:p) will have another soon!

Originally Posted by octoberchild

Way to go!! I just had my first LD a few weeks ago so I know exactly how you are feeling! Keep on reading, learning, and practicing (as I am) and I'm sure you (and me, too:p) will have another soon!

Such an exciting time! I've just downloaded the brain bullet and am hoping that will only further my improvement.

My first LD was also not so vivid, nor so long of lucidity. But obviously keep working at it, as you go getting more vivid and longer dreams will become a very easy task.

Originally Posted by bc8109

I apologize in advance for the length but this is a terribly exciting time for me!

Feel free to make even longer posts.

All in all, my lucidity within the river dream lasted maybe ten seconds at most, but the feeling was truly exhilarating!

You know, every time I read a first-time LD story I get all giddy inside because I know exactly just how exhilarating the feeling is. To know that you've finally succeed and that you've proven that being lucid in a dream is actually possible is beyond words. It's such an amazing experience that you want to shout it from the rooftops. So, know that many members are right beside you in sharing your excitement and celebrating your success, myself included.

Yes, you can expect to get much better and more skilled as you practice. There's a reason lucid dreaming is classified as a "skill" rather than merely a "talent". That reason is that you can improve and become more proficient with practice and discipline. Now that you've had a little taste, you'll have even more motivation to continue in the art of LDing.

You're off to a great start. Your dream recall has increased astronomically in only a few short weeks and you've already caught a glimpse of what lies ahead. You are now among the enlightened ones. Congratulations and welcome to DreamViews!

Originally Posted by Oneironaught

Feel free to make even longer posts.


You know, every time I read a first-time LD story I get all giddy inside because I know exactly just how exhilarating the feeling is. To know that you've finally succeed and that you've proven that being lucid in a dream is actually possible is beyond words. It's such an amazing experience that you want to shout it from the rooftops. So, know that many members are right beside you in sharing your excitement and celebrating your success, myself included.

Yes, you can expect to get much better and more skilled as you practice. There's a reason lucid dreaming is classified as a "skill" rather than merely a "talent". That reason is that you can improve and become more proficient with practice and discipline. Now that you've had a little taste, you'll have even more motivation to continue in the art of LDing.

You're off to a great start. Your dream recall has increased astronomically in only a few short weeks and you've already caught a glimpse of what lies ahead. You are now among the enlightened ones. Congratulations and welcome to DreamViews!

it's nice to know others feel the same way! I have the biggest damn grin on my face right now! man, this is like when you pass your first drivers license test or something! thanks for the support, I look forward to sharing future dreams around here! :bravo:

Yay another one who has found out what it's Like. Congratulations.

Congratulations! Your lucid journey has officially begun!!

You'll now find that your "nights" have become your favorite time of "day"!
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Sigh. So it's only been four days (wow really?) since my first LD...but it feels like its been weeks! Lately I've been having my normal 3-4 dreams per night, but it feels as though I'm simply going along with the narrative.

For instance, the other night I had what most people would consider a nightmare. Everything happening in the dream was absolutely terrifying and should've been an immediate cue to me that I was indeed dreaming...yet I just followed it along. I don't even recall being all that scared, though at one point I was crying.

Basically, I need help in moving forward. I thought that after that first LD, more would follow, or I'd at least be more aware of myself within my dreams, but this doesn't seem to be the case yet. Part of me thinks it's due to my recent lack of sleep, so i've simply been sleeping more heavily, but I still have been dreaming.

Any ideas? Suggestions? I've been trying my hardest to do WILD's but I always just drift off to sleep...same problem with WBTB. Basically I need to figure out how to make myself "take control" when I'm in the middle of a dream, since for now at least, things such as WILD aren't working for me.