Thread: Ask me anything, but not why I haven't.

Hey there,

I won't ask you anything, but if I can offer a small suggestion.

Dreaming is not an exact science. There are no wrong or right answers, because what is true for one person isn't necessarily true for another.

What does that mean? It means that knowledge about dreams and lucid dreaming is all good and well, but what you really want is knowledge about YOUR dreams and YOUR lucid dreaming.

The way I see it the road to lucid dreaming is a very introspective road. It's not about soaking up as much knowledge as you can and then lucid dreams will come. It's about looking inward, figuring out a part of yourself. How do you sleep, when do you sleep, how do you dream, when do you remember dreams. It's a very subjective kind of knowledge that you're after, something that deals with you and you alone.

In my opinion, the essence of lucidity and lucid dreaming is becoming more aware of a side of you that you've never given attention to. And that's something all the knowledge in the world won't give you. All the things we say here on these forums can hopefully help guide you in your exploration a bit, but in the end, it's still you who has to go exploring

I feel as though i'm repeating myself at this point. But to finish up though. Forget about all the things others (the forum, the books, the theories, etc) say for a while, and just spend some time paying attention to your own sleep and your own dreams. Chances are you'll have much swifter succes

(Incidentally, be careful of this trap: it's very easy to get so focused on theorycrafting about dreams, that your focus isn't actually on your dreams anymore. It's an insidious little thing that can creep up on you before you good and well know it

Here's to having wonderful dreams!

-Redrivertears-

Originally Posted by Citizen

And I'm not asking for any one's help or any encouragement because I know exactly why I haven't been able to lucid yet. I can say "why haven't I been lucid" but I can answer that. If someone else was just like me, I'd be able to tell them what to do.

"Persevere. Wait it out. Keep recording in your dream journal and working on your recall. If you can't eventually get into a WILD, chances are you dream recall, dream signs, and reality checks will pay off and you'll find yourself DILDing as much as you want."

So that's what I'm going to do.

Notice the title: Ask me anything, but not why I haven't.

It's not why I can't.

Wow.. what a refreshing attitude!

I wish you lucidity very soon Citizen!

Well, I'm 13 and today in Science we only just got told the tiniest bit about neurological synapses (accelerated science lol) and this phrase stuck out to me so I thought I'd ask:
What chemicals enhance your neurological synapses that could increase your dreaming experience?

Clairity is right. I've never seen someone so wonderfully optimistic, especially who has gone for what they believe is a long time without an LD. If I had a hat, I would certainly tip it to you.

Actually, you remind me very, VERY strongly of me. I haven't had many LDs at all (only about 5ish, and none very long) but I did know virtually everything about LDing long before my first LD.

As a bit of advice, you might want to tone it down, just for a little while. Keep recording your dreams, and don't worry about Lucidity for the time being. Take a vacation for a week or two and relax. Chances are, you're trying too hard, I know I did.

Good luck, my friend. I guarantee you, once you start, you'll be motivated for life. For me it was my second LD, when I finally (and to date, the only time) I flew. That experience is the single biggest motivator in my LDing career.

Keep on truckin'. Have you been trying WBTBs? Just five minutes of lucid focus will help a lot in getting a DILD.

We believe in you, man. The dawn of Citizen's lucidity is nigh!

Originally Posted by Abra

Keep on truckin'. Have you been trying WBTBs? Just five minutes of lucid focus will help a lot in getting a DILD.

We believe in you, man. The dawn of Citizen's lucidity is nigh!

Absolutely true. The majority of my LDs have come from accidental WBTBs where I wake up and go UGHHHH WHY DID I WAKE UP but end up making the best of it and ending up with a DILD.

Well, it took me two years to have my first lucid. I remember telling my brother about lucid dreaming and he had one in 3 nights. I told a good friend of mind about it and he had 4 in a row for the next four nights.

Sorry dude, its our mentality. But I found that after 2 years I just kept doubting myself. Maybe we take "dont get too exciting about it or you wont lucid" and turn it into "dont count on it because you'll be disappointed."

Im starting to realized that its all about motivation. At some point I even thought that LDs werent even real. All the information in the world will not make it happen, its only going to be your perception.

Let me ask this: When you walk around through your day, do you pay attention to your surroundings? I found that I dont. I accept my surroundings too much, I never question it. I read BillyBob's post about Dream Yoga, and through practicing that, found myself observing things around me. And not long after, I had a DILD.

Anyway, persitance is key. Depression will kill any chance for it, just keep a positive attitude that it WILL happen, because it WILL. Thats not me being encouraging, thats fact. Its going to happen, sooner or later, whether your expecting it or not.

I've always wondered why people have such drastic differences in the time it takes to begin LDing. While I can't touch two years, it did take me 3+ months. Like I said, that's not even near 2 years, but some people say "OMG I HAD ONE TEH FIRST NIGHT" and I'm like "...eh." After a while I just learned to accept that it was going to take a while and, similar to WU, I had a period where I saw no results and just went "Ah, screw it. It'll never happen." And then hey, what do you know? Lucidity. Woke up and almost exploded with happiness.

Again, you're probably on the verge of it without realizing. And after the first one, it'll get easier and easier.

A friend of mine a few weeks ago kept bugging me to " Get into Naruto " And I"m like no I only like SF Anime. Well when I saw there was a Hundo Martathon on when I woke up for school I was like What the hell? Couldn't hurt. So I watched it a little bit and was surpirsed, because I liked it. So at school I was constantly thinking about it, came home and watched it some more ( It continued through the whole weekend. ) And I was excited for it because it would continue the next morning. I was constantly thinking about it when I went to bed.
I woke up at 5:00 and what happened was I stayed up for about 10 minutes and decided to try and WILD. Well what happened was I wasn't aware of " Watching " This scene in my mind but I was in 1st person standing next to Naruto and Sasuke. I remember and feeling myself grab Sasuke by the throat and saying " I blame you for this. " I suddenly just realised what it was for a split second and it went away then I fell asleep.
Sometimes it takes, like everyone else says, moitivation! You'll get it eventually.

Thanks for all the feedback fellas and ladies! Now to address the points!

it's very easy to get so focused on theorycrafting about dreams, that your focus isn't actually on your dreams anymore.

I said something about this in one of my other posts about how I believe this is happening to me. Like I said, I know it backwards and forwards and could probably, given time, teach it in another language

Wow.. what a refreshing attitude!

That's good to hear! Especially from you, Clarity. I've spent some time on the board in the past few days and you seem to know your stuff, so thanks

Take a vacation for a week or two and relax. Chances are, you're trying too hard, I know I did.

I remember reading this in another thread and I think it might have even been you that said it, Tank. And I think you are exactly right. Tonight, I'm just gonna go to sleep and wake up in the morning. No ear plugs, no WILD attempts in the middle of the night, no nu'tin! Stress has an effect on the dream world and if I'm steamin', I WON'T BE DREAMIN! lol

I read BillyBob's post about Dream Yoga, and through practicing that, found myself observing things around me.

Duly noted! I like it.

Again, you're probably on the verge of it without realizing.

That'd be awesome

Once again, thanks for all the feedback! I'll keep you posted!

P.S.- Like my new sig? Motivation! lol

Originally Posted by Citizen

That's good to hear! Especially from you, Clarity. I've spent some time on the board in the past few days and you seem to know your stuff, so thanks

You're so very welcome!

Originally Posted by Citizen

P.S.- Like my new sig? Motivation! lol

Love the new sig!

From your sig.. to the "lucid fairy's" ears!

I'm going to die laughing if he has one tonight.

Don't die! We need you!

Originally Posted by WhiteUnit

I'm going to die laughing if he has one tonight.

Hahaha I would have as well! Unfortunately, though, I didn't even recall my dream! I woke up in the middle of the night at about 4:05 and at that time I remember remembering my dream. I was too effing lazy to get out of bed and write it in my dream journal so I tried to close my eyes and commit the whole thing to memory because I thought it was a cool dream and now its all gone! No memory of it whatsoever! lol

I'm still gonna jump out of my bed and start dancing if it happens tonight, though

Originally Posted by Citizen

I was too effing lazy to get out of bed and write it in my dream journal so I tried to close my eyes and commit the whole thing to memory because I thought it was a cool dream and now its all gone! No memory of it whatsoever! lol

I'm still gonna jump out of my bed and start dancing if it happens tonight, though

Citizen, I keep an open small memo pad with a pen clipped to the spiral binding next to my pillow. When I wake up from dream, I don't turn on the lights, nor open my eyes.. I just reach for the pad and start writing.

Also, you don't have to write a "book" about the dreams you had in your journal. For me, if I'm too tired (or lazy), simply writing down the main topic/subject, and a word or two or a feeling is enough for me to recall a dream.

Some people just write snippets of their dreams.. others write paragraphs, some put images, or feelings, others draw pictures.. whatever helps to bring a dream back to you when you read over it the next morning is appropriate.

Hope this helps!

Tell me why I should take what you say to me?

Originally Posted by wet?dreamer

Well, I'm 13 and today in Science we only just got told the tiniest bit about neurological synapses (accelerated science lol)

Are you even old enough to be on the forums? lol I don't want to get wetdreamer in to trouble or anything because I totally advocate him or anyone else being here but... yeah lol...

I wasn't told in the registration to put my age and if I did, I got on fine. I have been told that 12 is the minimum but I'm not sure.

So could anyone answer the question?

Meh it's no big deal don't worry about it... i was just wondering

I haven't succeeded because i haven't wanted to. my mind even knows it can't fool me, so it has to creep me out. i could be lucid AT ALL TIMES, i just have never wanted to really.

Its not a challenge for me, its just whenever i want to do it i will. the only thing that stops me, is that im lazy. there is only one thing to lucid dreaming, we all have it but it can't be taught or learned.

The one thing you need is the right personality. There is nothing else needed plain and simple. i'm going to start tonight myself. i could help others with advice, but they would have to learn themselves.

You are mistaken in just one point. It is learnable!

Actually polmc, he did follow it up with people having to learn it for themselves... lol

Wow, your certainly a breath of fresh air. The way I have LD's is to think of it more as a relaxing hobby then something I actually focus on in a serious manner. Afterall it is dreaming, its supposed to be relaxing and fun!
Best of luck,
~Time

With regard to dream recall, I never write my dreams down until later in the morning. What I do is when I wake up at night or in the morning, I convert the dream in my mind to a short outline with scene titles, and I fix the list of scene titles in my memory. Then I just recall the list of scene titles, and I can pretty much recall everything. Since I sometimes end up with as much as two pages of single spaced type written pages of dream material, this works pretty well for me.

I haven't heard of other people doing it this way, so I don't know how well it would work for anyone else.