thebigm's workbook

[thebigm]

Hello, I'm thebigm, 31 and I have been lucid dreaming on and off sporadically for about 6 years, around the same time I started to experience sleep paralysis and the vibrations that accompany them. My first lucid dream happened when I was on the couch asleep and I got up and stood in my living room. I noticed the room was glowing a different colour from normal. I turned round and saw myself asleep on the couch and realised that I was dreaming (further research since then would suggest an OBE or the sorts). The shock drove me to wake up. Throughout that night I kept finding myself standing in my living room realising I was dreaming I tried to will things to happen, but could not. A few days later, my next experience came (and the majority since) during a weekend long lie. I was aboard a space craft on some alien planet and realised I was dreaming and that I could do what I want. The intensity would get so much that I would wake up, although I kept falling asleep and lucid dreaming in the same dreamscape, after exploring and helping save that planet in a few installments I read up on and found out about the topic of lucid dreaming. Since then lucid dreams to me have always been spontaneous DILDs, when something happens, like coughing up a stone in a work team meeting. Realising that I'm not physically in the place I am dreaming off. My reflection in windows and mirrors waving at me. In saying that, for every DILD that has happened for a reason like the previous, the majority of nights I have a lot more obvious signs than this (talking spiders) that don't cause lucidity. A couple of years later the sleep paralysis started to get really intense and the feeling of being pulled from my body accompanied often. Scared I would fight it until I woke up and after getting fed up went online for a medical diagnosis and found a few spiritual websites. I am really interested in Astral Projection and it's possibilities however I am trying to keep a little bit of skepticism until I can actually do it for myself and prove to myself that I feel there is more to it than simply dreaming. I am in a state now where most of the time I can relax and go with the vibrations and have had a few very minor induced OBEs that I have documented in my dream journal as well as talked about in a few threads.

[gab]

I turned round and saw myself asleep on the couch and realised that I was dreaming (further research since then would suggest an OBE or the sorts). The shock drove me to wake up. Throughout that night I kept finding myself standing in my living room realising I was dreaming I tried to will things to happen, but could not. I would also be inclined to say that this was OBE. Next time try to look for a silver cord or look at your hands. If they "melt" away as burning candle would, it could be OBE. You may not have any control while OBE. I was aboard a space craft on some alien planet and realised I was dreaming and that I could do what I want. The intensity would get so much that I would wake up, although I kept falling asleep and lucid dreaming in the same dreamscape... I love space LDs. Had just a few of those, each time woke up because of me crying form such a beauty. BTW, those were DEILDs. Comes pretty handy. Since then lucid dreams to me have always been spontaneous DILDs, when something happens, like coughing up a stone in a work team meeting. Realising that I'm not physically in the place I am dreaming off. My reflection in windows and mirrors waving at me. In saying that, for every DILD that has happened for a reason like the previous, the majority of nights I have a lot more obvious signs than this (talking spiders) that don't cause lucidity. Out of maybe 30 DILDs, only two were a result of me noticing something strange. Rest of the times, it was just me asking "hey, am I dreaming?", or just becoming lucid out of the blue. Doing meaningfull RCs+awareness should help to give you more DILDs. A couple of years later the sleep paralysis started to get really intense and the feeling of being pulled from my body accompanied often. Scared I would fight it until I woke up and after getting fed up went online for a medical diagnosis and found a few spiritual websites. I am really interested in Astral Projection and it's possibilities however I am trying to keep a little bit of skepticism until I can actually do it for myself and prove to myself that I feel there is more to it than simply dreaming. I am in a state now where most of the time I can relax and go with the vibrations and have had a few very minor induced OBEs that I have documented in my dream journal as well as talked about in a few threads. If you get true SP, when you can't move no matter what, than you can use that for OBEs/APs. There is a method you can try, that will help you train to move your astral body, without accidentally moving your sleeping body. I know a few websites, please let me know if I should post them. I'm not sure how much you have read about that (I suspect you are well read). And yes, the sensations. I love them. Pulling and tugging and being twisted into a pretzel, without regard to where your joints are. Falling through mattress for dozens of feet, flying head first at incredible speed through space, being dragged out of body by ankles, rolling, twisting, turning, cartwheeling, ...love them all. Before I started writing a reply, I did a little research about difference between OBE and AP. So far, I like the idea, that OBE is same as AP, only difference is a place you end up. In OBE - we project to the astral plain that's closest to our physical plain. In AP - we project to mid level and rarely higher astral plains. I know a great website for this too, but I have already PMed it to so many, can't recall if you were among them. Ok, so if you interested in getting more DILDs, here is a collection of techniques. As I have come to realize, the most important aspect of lucid dreaming (besides intent) is awareness. It effects clarity and length of LD, how much you are "there" in a lucid, and also if you OBE, where you end up. So I recommend to read WILD class by Sageous. Great info on mantras, awareness, "noise" - vibrations and other sensations and other stuff. So we can continue here about DILDs, APs or anything else, if you feel like it. Happy dreams

[thebigm]

Please forward any web links, I haven't had anything previously (I don't think). Love reading any resources on this stuff!

[thebigm]

Hi Gab, Thanks for your response. To answer your points. Next time I find myself in that state then I will look for the chord, I have read about this. The time this happened there wasn't a conscious separation from body (if there had been I would have freaked out as I had no idea what was going on). DEILD! I just had to look up the difference between a DEILD and a DILD, got it, so because I was exiting the dream and consciously going back there when I went back to sleep it's a Dream Exit Induced. Thanks! Thanks for sharing your space/DILD experiences....I need to get more consistent with the recalls, I was setting an alarm for every hour to do a finger stretch, but it was becoming a bit much. I need to try and figure out how to bring this awareness about in a better way because setting an alarm for set periods became a bit cumbersome and a nuisance, especially at work when I have meetings throughout the day and my alarm would go off. I will read the DILD link you sent. Have you any tips on this? If they are in the DILD link, ignore this. For my Sleep Paralysis, I literally was frozen, but I could focus my mind on it and end it within a few seconds, it ended with me focussing on my breath, taking a deep breath and shaking out of the SP's grip. Like you I am getting more used to it now and so long as I'm in a positive mindset I will try and AP/OBE from it, although I have only been successful a couple of times and even then the experiences were short. I've read about 6 books on the topic, all 3 of Robert Monroe's, 1 William Buhlman (Journeys Beyond The Body) and a couple of others, I can't recall the author name. When the vibrations kick in I've tried a few of the techniques: - The Rope - could get my torse but not my head to detach! - Imagining flying - I left my body, turned 180 degress hovering over the bed but could not control my movement - Roll Out - I landed on the floor, could not see anything, floated in the air then awoke - ASKING FOR HELP! - This was the best one and my only AP/OBE with vision, I asked for a spirit guide or a higher beings help and was literally whisked out of my body and stood upright at the side of the bed, I walked to the living room, which was the same logistically (doors and windows in the same place) but the furniture was all different, the place looked a lot emptier and the front door was a bit different (my door has a window, this one didn't). I walked to the door, pushed my hand through and woke up. All in all probably less than 3 mins of experience, but my most profound to date. On to your last point, awareness. One of the most inhibiting things for me is my negative mind. It's almost tourettes like at times. When I realise I am lucid, quite often a little voice will say, "You are lucid now but this won't last long" and when that happens, I start to lose it. When I say lose it I mean not lose lucidity but wake up completely. The dream scene gradually gets darker and I wake up. Rubbing hands etc....helps a little (well, it worked the one time I remembered to do it) but only bought me a bit more time. I'd like to be able to control that little voice that represents my negativity. Any tips on that? Or is learning and using more techniques to keep the awareness going the only way to do it? Thanks again for your help gab, appreciate the time you take to answer not only mine but loads of other people's queries on this. Found out about this on one of your posts responding to someone else so thought this would be a good place to work at it. Cheers.