Sonomacoma's Guide to Better Reality Checks
I have recently gotten back into lucid dreaming and while completing many RC's throughout the day, I have felt there are a fews ways in which RC's can improve and help us become lucid when asleep. (This is for doing RC's in the waking state which should transfer into the dream state).
While awake and active, the majority of us go through our day without being aware and in the present. We are consumed in our thoughts, emotions, and rarely take the time to be focused on the present. This problem is exponential while we are asleep as our conscious mind is somewhat deactivated when we are not lucid. So what does this have to do with reality checks?
I have noticed through personal experience that many times I really am not that focused while doing a reality check which brings me to my first of my four Reality Check suggestions.
Be completely aware while doing a reality check
When you do a reality check do not just do a simple check without really thinking about what you are doing. Many times I will look at a clock, look away, look back, and then continue on with my day without consciously realizing what I am doing and why I am doing it. Be sure to consciously think about what it is you are doing during an RC! If we are not focused during our waking RC's we may not be focused up during a dream RC which may make us not realize we are actually dreaming. Many things we do throughout our day is automatic and done without focus, we should not make our RC's one of these thoughtless, automatic actions.
Be sure to do an RC after any bizarre event in waking life
Today I was walking to work and I lady walked up to me and told me I have an amazing pineapple hat. I said "am I wearing it now?", and she told me that my pineapple hat was full of juice and bananna's (Must have been trippin hard on some Mushrooms or LSD...lol) This strange occurance made me do a very thorough RC in order to be positive that I wasnt dreaming. If we can form a habit of doing RC's after every atypical event this will become a habit that will transfer into our dream state.
RC oftern in dream sign scenarios
Often times in my dreams I am going someplace, whether it is bicycling to the ocean or driving to some crazy space mall for space coke, I always seem to be going somewhere or on some type of mission. Now that I have recognized one of my dream signs or theme's I make a point to do a lot of RC's whenever I am say driving to the beach or looking for walking to a friends house. Because our dream signs and themes are so prevalent in our dream world if we can make a habit of RCing when in a dream sign scenario we will hopefully become more succesful in RCing while asleep.
Keep a dream journal and look for times in your dream when you could have done an RC
After you wake up from a dream and write in your journal, either take a look at it then or later in the day. If you failed to become lucid or failed to do a RC, think about where in your dream you could of/should done an RC. For example if I notice that I was driving someplace or walking somewhere in my dream, I would note it and think about why I should have done an RC there. If we reexamine our dreams we will become more involved with our dream state and train the subconscious to do RC's in our dreams. After you recognize times in the dream where you should have done an RC, relax, visualize your dream and attempt to reenter the dream as best as you can, and imagine yourself doing an RC and becoming lucid. Possibly throw in a suggestion at the end of the visualization that next time you are dreaming you will do a RC.
I hope this guide was a help to you and I hope you can intregate this model in your waking RC practice. Please let me know if you have any suggestions, questions, or if this guide is working for you.
Now do a focused RC for christ's sake!
-Sonomacoma
