I think I've realized my problem. (LONG)

I think the key to some techniques is that when you do something like MILD, WILD, and WBTB, you HAVE to wake up FROM a dream.

I don't know if you HAVE to wake up from one...but it seems like it to me...I go to bed at 12:00am and every night I naturally wake up at 4:30am, I used to think that this arousal was my key to trying to lucid dream, but I've realized it's not. When I wake up at 4:30am I don't recall any dream, and I'm not tired, I'm actually wide awake, then I go pee, and return to bed.

So lately I've been trying to figure out a time to wake up from that I'm likey dreaming, but it's not working...:mad:. There was one time when I actually came close to a DEILD, but that was when I didn't know about it...or lucid dreaming..I had woke up from this awesome dream.....I remember not moving and opening my eyes briefly and thinking, "Come on...go back in...go back in.." Then I went back in, not lucid though.

This memory made me realize that I can probably master DEILD...but like I said earlier I haven't been able to wake up directly from a dream...I know when I wake from a dream because I recall completely upon awakening...like in fast forward, and I'm also extremely tired. I've tried setting the clock for 6:30am or 7 but nothing is working...I need help.

Well thanks for taking the time to read this, It's just something I had to get off my chest..:boogie:

Hi, sounds like Ur using dream rentry method where U try to renter the dream hopefully concious. I have tried it before unintentionally and it's easy to renter the dream but difficult to maintain conciousness. From what I know about WBTB, it works on the principle of Ur mind being in a suggestive state so U simply plant the 'key' of lucidity during this time. Usually the more sleep I've been through the more effective.

IMJ

Elucive, I think it's possible to try techniques even without waking up from a dream. If you wake up from a dream you can try DEILD, but for the other methods you don't need to wake from a dream.
In any case, if you want to wake from a dream you can, tell to your self repeatedly before you fall asleep that you will wake up from a dream ( MILD or Auto suggestion ), or you can regulate your sleep schedule ( Go to sleep and wake up at exactly the same time every day ) and then use alarm clock to wake you up, each night on a different time, and see if you have dreamed. This way you can find the times of your REM cycle. The next step is to wake up with an alarm clock every night on the same time, while you are in the middle of an REM cycle. After a few nights, stop using the alarm clock, and most likely you will wake up on this time anyway because you will be used to it. When this happens you can try the DEILD.

By the way your post wasn't very long, and I wouldn't write (LONG) in a post title anyway, because that deters potential responders ;)