Thread: rubbing hands :yes or no?

Try a different technique. It's quite alright if this particular one doesn't work for you. Try yelling, "Prolong lucidity" or try touching the nearest object(s).

Okay here's the down-low on staying in a dream.

First of all, different people have different types of memory. Some people have good visual memory, some auditory, some tactile, etc. When trying to imagine something, I am best at imagining tactile feelings because I have good tactile memory. Other people are best at imagining visuals or sounds etc.

First, figure out which one of your senses is the strongest in these regards.

Secondly, when you are in a dream your mind is pulling information from itself. In other words, the dreamscape surrounding you is created by your mind, for your mind. This is as opposed to when you are awake and your world is created by your senses, for your mind. If this isn't making sense, here's a metaphor: Your mind is like a tv-set, vcr, and cable box. During the day the tv (your general mind) is receiving things from the cable box (your senses) and storing some of it on the vcr (your memory). When dreaming, the tv (your general mind) is no longer receiving things from the cable box (your senses), but is only running off of the vcr (random memories).

SO! Finally! In order to stay in a dream you want to strengthen the connection between your mind and itself (the tv and the vcr) and you do not want to let your mind revert back to your regular senses (the cable box). For example, when I am dreaming I may be rubbing my hands together, but in reality I am laying still in bed. It is hard for my mind to slip back to the reality of my hands laying still while I can still feel them rubbing together.

Some people are best at feeling balance, that is why spinning works. Some people are best feeling tactile sensations, that is why rubbing your hands together works. Some people are best at seeing visual things, that is why looking intently at an object in the dreamscape works. You can make it work for any sensation you want. Are you an auditory person? If so, make noise in your dream and listen intently.

Figure out which sense is best for you and capitalize on it. Hell, combine multiple senses, I don't care!

Just remember, your worst enemy is excitement. Try to stay calm and just focus on your sensations.

P.S. Practicing during reality actually helps a lot. Try rubbing your hands now and focus intently on the sensations.

Great post StJohnny!

I find that verbal commands work best for me. Increase clarity now, nore clarity now, increase lucidity now, basically whatever i believe is gonna stabilise my lucid dream.

I never rub my hands fr some reason, but the once i did do that it worked pretty well.

The one time I tried rubbing my hands, I realized that I didn't have any hands. I looked down and, upon further inspection, I didn't have a body either.

sometimes rubbing my hands doesn't work for me either. I find just looking at your hands until they look realistic helps.

Just looking at my dream hands does it for me. It's always accompanied by a little "voice in my head" that says "You're dreaming.."

Originally Posted by Anaxamander

The one time I tried rubbing my hands, I realized that I didn't have any hands. I looked down and, upon further inspection, I didn't have a body either.

Haha, I lol'd.

I read that spinning or rubbing your hands will prolong your ld, and i've spun 2x to keep from waking up(worked), never did the hand rub

StJohnny, you are the man.

of all the LDs ive ever had i've never rubbed my hands.



"every thing that has a beginning has an end."

Listen to StJohhny. That guy knows what he's talking about.

Yeah, StJohny made it really clear. Personally I rub my hands, or just look intently at an object. Do whatever works for you.

rubbing hands never seems to work for me.. and spinning just wakes me up.

I stare at my hands as someone else on the forums suggested.. not only does it help stablize/prolong my dreams but it increases vividness.

another thing you could try is feel your environment. For example, if you're on a beach - pick up a handful of sand, if you're on your front lawn, rip out some grass, etc. That also works for me. I hope this helps

I tried this the other night when I finally had a lucid dream. I started to rub my hands, and I felt heat from the friction. It definitely made my dream last longer, because I kept doing this the whole time as I explored my dream.

I guess it depends if it's right for you or not.

I remember one dream I had when right when I became lucid I felt very dizzy and had very very blurry vision. I started rubbing my hands together and it became much much clearer.

Originally Posted by StJohnny

Okay here's the down-low on staying in a dream.

First of all, different people have different types of memory. Some people have good visual memory, some auditory, some tactile, etc. When trying to imagine something, I am best at imagining tactile feelings because I have good tactile memory. Other people are best at imagining visuals or sounds etc.

First, figure out which one of your senses is the strongest in these regards.

Secondly, when you are in a dream your mind is pulling information from itself. In other words, the dreamscape surrounding you is created by your mind, for your mind. This is as opposed to when you are awake and your world is created by your senses, for your mind. If this isn't making sense, here's a metaphor: Your mind is like a tv-set, vcr, and cable box. During the day the tv (your general mind) is receiving things from the cable box (your senses) and storing some of it on the vcr (your memory). When dreaming, the tv (your general mind) is no longer receiving things from the cable box (your senses), but is only running off of the vcr (random memories).

SO! Finally! In order to stay in a dream you want to strengthen the connection between your mind and itself (the tv and the vcr) and you do not want to let your mind revert back to your regular senses (the cable box). For example, when I am dreaming I may be rubbing my hands together, but in reality I am laying still in bed. It is hard for my mind to slip back to the reality of my hands laying still while I can still feel them rubbing together.

Some people are best at feeling balance, that is why spinning works. Some people are best feeling tactile sensations, that is why rubbing your hands together works. Some people are best at seeing visual things, that is why looking intently at an object in the dreamscape works. You can make it work for any sensation you want. Are you an auditory person? If so, make noise in your dream and listen intently.

Figure out which sense is best for you and capitalize on it. Hell, combine multiple senses, I don't care!

Just remember, your worst enemy is excitement. Try to stay calm and just focus on your sensations.

P.S. Practicing during reality actually helps a lot. Try rubbing your hands now and focus intently on the sensations.

STJohnny, That is a great metaphor of cable->VCR->TV. Just makes me wonder what would happen if I called Cox and cancelled my cable. :-)

I've heard good results from the portal technique, though i have not yet done it myself. Simply summon a portal, and say to yourself: Im going to stay in this dream for _______ minutes. Jump through the portal. Like i said, i havent done this so im not sure if it works for everyone but i've heard good results from it. Good luck.

I don't use an stabilization techniques, personally. I think about Billybob's idea that all those techniques are only used because we think we will lose the dream if we don't.

Ok, last night I did the rubbing hands thing and I will show you from my DJ what happened. "Then I don't know how, I knew I was in a dream and then the dream started to fade away and it bacame pretty much black. I rubbed my hands together as fast as I could and I don't know if I was rubbing my hands in RL. Somehow I was rewinding the dream and my body felt like it was having a seizure. I could see the dream lightly and I tried opening my eyes to get back into the dream but I opened my real eyes."

I agree with everything you just said except for this.

Originally Posted by StJohnny

Just remember, your worst enemy is excitement. Try to stay calm and just focus on your sensations.

That is not always true. As long as you believe that you will not wake up from being excited you will not. If you do tell yourself that you will wake up from excitement you will. Believe what you want, but excitement is not always your worst enemy.