Is lack of control a common thinig for newbies?

Hey all :)
I'm really bugged about my total lack of control in my recent lucid dreams.

Is it normal for newbies to have such a lack of dream control? Here's the excerpt from my Dream Journal.

Quote:

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Around 3:30am, I woke up and performed a FILD. Twice I became lucid, the first time a failure as I attempted to go into my dream body too soon. The second time, although successful, was short and nothing special. I was too busy trying to remain calm and stabilize the dream to see or do anything cool. In fact, I was attacked by a pair of hampster like rodents, and all I could do to get them off was to squish them with my foot. I had so little control of the dream that I could not even make their bodies disappear after I had killed them.

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What a retarded ass lucid dream :/

Don't stress it, this is extremely common. 4 Lucids 17 days is very good. Just keep going and you'll get a good one really soon =)

DpsBob, hello! You know, forgetting about dream control alltogether, you should just be impressed that you're so new to lucid dreaming and are able to have them! So congrats on that! I had the opposite problem when I started. I could control dreams easily, but couldn't have LD's almost ever.

The paradoxical part about dream control can be that you need to focus in order to have successful control, but that concentrating on MAKING something happen, will more likely just cause it to not happen. Your logic in the dreamstate, whether conscious or not is highly exaggerative. Thus, if you focus too hard on something that isn't working for you, what you're really telling yourself by concentrating harder is, "I'm concentrating harder because I don't think I can do this, and it's not going to work." Obviously, if your mind thinks in that way, you won't have much success.

Instead, a better approach for you may be to allow yourself to relax and enjoy what comes, while still using various dream control techniques that can be found throughout the forum. Is there something specific you are having problems doing? Flying can be tough for some people, and incredibly easy for others. Same with manifesting things. It may be helpful for you to just let your lucid dream happen, and show your subconscious that you just truly enjoy being there.

Ask your dreamguide. Can't spawn one? no problem! Just in your dream, if you can't create anyone to ask for help, just yell into the vastness, "Someone help me with this!"

I think you'll be surprised what happens!

In the meantime, I'll give you some strange Matrix-esque advice. I think it does apply here to say, it's not so much that you should try to bend the spoon. It will bend itself once you realize the truth- there is no spoon.

It's all in your head, and whether you believe it or not, you are in COMPLETE control of your dream environment. When you're trying to cause someone to appear, instead of trying to force it to happen, simply truly expect that person or thing to be behind you. Walk along side a wall, and expect that when you turn the corner, you will see whatever you were looking for. Or maybe you could visualize a store that contains what you're looking for. There are endless methods for these, but the biggest factor is that you just have to let go and realize that you already HAVE that control NOW.

My first few lucid dreams I couldn't even budge an object with my mind. I think the reason for the lack of control at first is due the lack of knowledge of how dreams work. I think it is very hard to simply look at something and try to visualy change it. instead close your eyes remove the visual dream. if you are trying to fly, focus only on the sensation of flight, if you are trying to lift something with your mind focus only on the sensation of lifting the object.(this technique has been 100% effective for me so far. granted all I have done if fly and use telekenisis)

Some pretty awesome replies, thanks everybody :)

And yes I've had awesome luck with LDing!
For one, I'm a natural at getting into sleep paralysis, I've always woken up into SP at least 2 or 3 times a week my entire life, I always thought something was really wrong with me until I read about it on this site.

The really weird thing is, on my first LD, I had total control. Maybe it was because I was so awestruck by it all that I just couldn't get my mind to think something wouldn't work. I KNEW whatever I wanted to happen WOULD happen, and therefore it did.

Lack of control is common, but some people have good control from the get-go.

My advice would be not to sweat it. Just keep working on it and your control will be good in no time.

At least you managed to get out of the bed lol