A different look on reality checks.

Hello there everyone !

Umm... where do I begin. Lucid dreaming has been my little hobby for about three years now. I would say I'm pretty good at it, I have DILDS every week. Anyways, I'm here to give you guys some tips and explain to you how I reality check.

Okay, so, most tutorials and books will tell you that you should reality check whenever you see something dreamlike. This has always bugged me out because when the hell do you ever notice dreamlike stuff in waking life? The answer is, not often. BUT, I use this to my advantage. To me, I don't believe in RCing everytime you pass a doorway, or anytime you see a dog. Don't get me wrong though, I'm not saying it isn't effective, I'm just saying that those kind of reality checks take away from the true meaning. Yeh, you perform many of them during the day, but it becomes boring and meaningless after a while.

As I stated earlier, most tutorials will say to RC whenever you notice dreamlike things, so, that's EXACTLY what I do. What this means is that since dreamlike stuff doesn't occur everyday, I don't RC everyday. Most of you are probably thinking, "Then what's the point if it's not gonna become a everyday habit zomgg!11!". Well, to me, quality>quantity.

When you RC the way I do, you might only RC a couple times a week. But that's okay! What's important is making sure you actually catch those dreamlike moments!! ONE good moment that really makes you question reality, thus making you RC, is wayyyy better than fifty repetitive RC's.

You're probably wondering what times I RC. So I'm going to give you a few examples. It really could be anything weird. Last month I was walking to my friends house, and when I got outside I saw this guy eating a white donut. Fine, that's normal, nothing wrong. When I got up the block I noticed another guy eating white donuts. Hmm, that's kinda funny. A couple minutes later, once I got on the train, I saw this woman eating mini-white donuts from a white bag. I was thinking, "Wow, is it donut day or something?". I then pinched my nose to see if I could breathe, but as it turns out I was awake. But you see guys, those are the kind of moments you should be looking for. When you train your mind to actually notice weird things, that same awareness will carry over into your dreams. Think about it guys, I don't RC that much but I lucid dream every week! This method must be working.

Here's more examples of when I RC. The other day while I was in the bathroom shaving, I heard my cell phone ring. By the time I got to the phone, it was still in sleep mode, and there were no missed calls or messages. Hmm, that's weird. Reality check. I was awake. That same day, when I tried to take my dog for a walk, he didn't want to go, which was crazy because at night he leaks the most. I thought that was pretty weird so I had to RC. So you see guys, even though I don't RC fifty times a day, the awareness is still there!! This is key!!

So, in conclusion, what I'm trying to tell you guys is to really look for weird things throughout the day. Wait, I take that back. DON'T look for weird things, but make sure you notice them when they actually DO happen! Here's another thing guys, as great as lucid dreaming is, don't let it consume your life. I say this because when you're trying really hard for one and don't get it, it can be really frustrating and it can make someone quit. So if you don't have one then don't worry so much, there's always tonight.

Oh, one last thing. Whatever method you choose, make sure you STICK to it for a while! Many people try one tech, fail it, then move on to another one the next day. That isn't a good way to practice. Anyways, good luck everybody! Hope I've helped.

Good post, I take this approach as well.

Although, the more aware you become, the more oddities you'll start noticing.

Another thing to add. When a really strange event occurs, REALLY try to put effort into your reality check. In my experience it's really good to try to make yourself believe as if you were actually certain that you're dreaming.

Anyway, good post, I agree.

Thats exactly what i do.

But I never felt that reality checks were helpful.

For me the same, RC's could be helpful, but are not the key for LD-ing.

I noticed I have my ups and downs in LD-ing. I think your approach can keep the motivation up also when you have periods when normal reality checking doesn't work. The frustration you have is not so high in that case.
I certainly keep this approach in mind

Quote:

Originally Posted by White horse

RC's could be helpful, but are not the key for LD-ing.

That's true. But I'm just saying that whatever method people are practicing, Rc's are always good to fall back on. It's not primary, but secondary, you know?

I like your method of RCing! Thanks for the post :)

Thank you =D woo lol

Hey, great post!

I was getting tired of doing RCs whenever my cat sneezed, as if the more I did it, the more likely I'd do it in a dream. But, as you probably thought, it looked like I was randomly doing RCs throughout the day, instead of actually trying to notice dream-like moments!

An other thing I'd like to stress out is the RC based on dream signs, they are also important! I belive this type of RC can and should be done all the time!

And one other thing! Always, as someone said here, try to believe that you CAN be dreaming. Don't go like: " Oh, it's that time again... am I dreaming? Nop? Whatever... " You gotta believe!