Prospective Memory and Lucid Dreaming 4

[Nailler]

Previous posts in this series: http://www.dreamviews.com/attaining-...-dreaming.html http://www.dreamviews.com/attaining-...aming-2-a.html http://www.dreamviews.com/attaining-...aming-3-a.html I strongly recommend that you read the first 3 posts in this series before attempting PMILD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PMILD (Beta) "Prospective Memory Induction of Lucid Dreams" or "PMILD", is an update of original MILD. These instructions assume the reader is already familiar with basic lucid dreaming theory and has been keeping a dream journal long enough to have a catalog of at least a dozen frequent dream signs. A factor vital to lucid dreaming success, but often overlooked is the importance of importance. How much importance do you attach to your usual LD attempts? Stephen LaBerge observed this fact in the lab many years ago, and more than a few long-term successful dreamers stress this idea as well. Importance is one of the major factors in lucid dreaming success for the simple reason that it’s a major factor in prospective memory success. If what you wish to remember to remember at some future time is trivial, chances are the mental mechanism of prospective memory won’t come into play at all. At the other extreme, if what you wish to remember to remember is life or death, not only will the PM mechanism come into play, but it will nag you mercilessly. The point is not that you should imagine or pretend your LD activities are important... rather, you should come to realize the potential importance of LDing in your life and treat the subject accordingly. The approach that follows demands more than flopping into bed and thinking the right thoughts. It’s also designed to be fun, but don’t mistake that for frivolity. PMILD Procedure PMILD is broken down into two sections, Part A, to be done before going to bed for the night or during the day, and Part B, which is carried out after a WBTB, or immediately after waking up from an LD or NLD. A Journal is required on some of the Part A steps. PART A – The Flight Plan STEP 1 – The Destination In your journal, write a brief statement of what you hope to accomplish this night. Your goals for the session must go beyond just becoming lucid. (Theory Note: Chances of PM success are increased when the task is other than the last action in a series of actions.) Example: I want to become lucid and then practice flying like Superman. STEP 2 – The Route With reference to your dream journal, make a list of a half-dozen or so frequent dream signs. Spend a few minutes recalling dreams in which each of these signs showed up, without reference to your journal. Upon exercising each individual dream sign, put a check mark after it and write the word, “activated.” (Theory Note: Chances of PM success are improved when the cues for retrieval are well associated with the task.) STEP 3 – File the Flight Plan Below the list of activated dream signs write: “At the appearance of a dream sign I will remember to recognize that I’m dreaming.” (Theory Note: This is the prospective memory encoding step. A dream sign is the cue, and “remember to recognize that I’m dreaming” is the task. Write this out a couple more times to fix it in memory. Put your journal away, and as you go about your daily routine, stop every now and then to anticipate the LDing success to come a bit later. PART B – The Flight STEP 1 – The Pre-Flight Inspection Do whatever you usually do to achieve an appropriate state of mind for lucid dreaming and then briefly study your earlier notes and your activated dream signs. STEP 2 – The Run-Up Assume your usual sleeping position and get comfortable. STEP 3 – Taxi to Runaway Say to yourself… “At the appearance of a dream sign I will remember to recognize that I’m dreaming.” Focus on the words and repeat a couple of times. STEP 4 – Take Off! Visualize yourself in a dream in which one of your activated dream signs appears; see yourself remembering to recognize that you’re dreaming, becoming lucid, and then doing whatever was planned… flying, etc. Include what you normally do to stabilize... reality checks, rubbing hands together, or whatever. Aternate steps 3 and 4. In each repeat of step 4, use a different activated dream sign from your list. Imagine something or someone, a dream character perhaps, nudging you upon the appearance of each dream sign. (Theory Note: There’s a dream sign incubation factor in play here, in that the PM retrieval mechanism will be actively searching for these dream signs, and that should help bring them to life.) Continue alternating steps 3 and 4 until you fall asleep. Wake up in a dream and have fun!