Thread: JoannaB's workbook

The trouble is that while I am aware that gab is aware, it's the Joanna is aware that I am struggling with. Had trouble falling asleep last night, and this time only recalled some measly fragment about some woman making ill fitting pants for a man. Bleh. Where does my mind come up with some of those dream ideas?

I am excited though about the upcoming competition. Yay!

I meant, that sometimes when WILDing, I use the "I am aware" mantra. Because sometimes when I enter dream, i start losing my awareness pretty quickly and mantra keeps reminding me what to pay attention to.

So I have been having a stressful time at work, and my performance in the competition has been suffering I think as a result - I was hoping to do better. However, up until a moment ago I thought it was much worse than it actually is because I thought the competition ends tomorrow instead of in a week! So there I was wondering why I have half the points I had in the last competition, and thinking that tonight is it. Perhaps I should forget that I just realized that tonight is not it: if I could persuade myself that I must get oodles of points tonight, ...

"Tonight is it. Tonight is the night. I am aware. I am dreaming. I remember my lucid dreams - plural. You hear me, oh mind of mine? Tonight is the night!"

So I suspect I have been too tired, too stressed, and trying too hard to actually have a chance at LD or decent dream recall.

BUT I actually got an email from Stephen LaBerge himself! I contacted the lucidity institute about a question whether there had been any reasearch into x (the actual question was about what if someone has too many lucid dreams and wants to stop but can't because we had gotten someone enquiring about that on DV). As part of the reply someone from the Lucidity Institute quoted "Probably the only people who should not experiment with lucid dreaming are those who are unable to distinguish between waking reality and constructions of their imagination." And she said it was a quote from Dr LaBerge's book "Lucid Dreaming: A Concise Guide to Awakening in Your Dreams and in Your Life". And I thanked her, and said I was aware of that quote, but that I had thought it was from EWOLD. And then LaBerge himself replied that the quote was actully in both his books. I wish I could have thought of something more interesting to reply to him other than thanking him for the clarification. I considered writing that I am a huge fan, and that his book had a huge impact on my life, but then I didn't want to sound like a star struck teenager and I figured he probably heard a lot of that, so I didn't.

Originally Posted by JoannaB

So I suspect I have been too tired, too stressed, and trying too hard to actually have a chance at LD or decent dream recall.

BUT I actually got an email from Stephen LaBerge himself! I contacted the lucidity institute about a question whether there had been any reasearch into x (the actual question was about what if someone has too many lucid dreams and wants to stop but can't because we had gotten someone enquiring about that on DV). As part of the reply someone from the Lucidity Institute quoted "Probably the only people who should not experiment with lucid dreaming are those who are unable to distinguish between waking reality and constructions of their imagination." And she said it was a quote from Dr LaBerge's book "Lucid Dreaming: A Concise Guide to Awakening in Your Dreams and in Your Life". And I thanked her, and said I was aware of that quote, but that I had thought it was from EWOLD. And then LaBerge himself replied that the quote was actully in both his books. I wish I could have thought of something more interesting to reply to him other than thanking him for the clarification. I considered writing that I am a huge fan, and that his book had a huge impact on my life, but then I didn't want to sound like a star struck teenager and I figured he probably heard a lot of that, so I didn't.

Awesome! That is really cool. I don't think he would have very many people say that since LDing is a cult following. I think it would be funny if you acted like a teenager freaking out about talking to a celeb.

Screams, cries, Breaks down on floor like I just saw Michael Jackson in concert. Apparently kids have forgotten the last 2 steps lately and they just scream a lot. :/

Well, the stress is really getting the better of me, and my dream recall has been abysmal as a result. I wish it were not happening during competition but c'est la vie.

I fear I must admit that my 7 year old is both more successful at lucid dreaming at the moment and more committed to it today at least. He was so excited about all his recent LD successes, and he went to bed punctually with the intension of mantraing himself to sleep "lucid dream!"

Okay, that's just adorable!!!

Originally Posted by JoannaB

I fear I must admit that my 7 year old is both more successful at lucid dreaming at the moment and more committed to it today at least. He was so excited about all his recent LD successes, and he went to bed punctually with the intension of mantraing himself to sleep "lucid dream!"

That is so cool! I hope he keeps it up. How I wish I could go back and tell myself to keep up LDing beyond my childhood. I can't remember what age I stopped for sure but it must have been 25-30 years of forgetting about the dreamworld for the most part. It is also nice to have it as something you can share with family. In a recent visit, I was able to thank my father for introducing LDing so many years ago (to me to defeat a nightmare) and he still has some from time to time. My brother also has done quite a bit of AP. Did you introduce it to your son?

Did I introduce it? Well, I told him about the hobby yes, but I did not tell him much about how to have them. Certainly did not tell him how to mantra. But he told me that he just repeats " lucid dream" to himself before falling asleep, and then he has one. I told him the term and what it is. But he on his own started having more advanced control than I have had.

I however am having no success in LD. And a lot of that is stress. I intended to WBTB this morning. Woke up and all that. But when it was time to go back to sleep, I found myself lying awake in bed unable to fall asleep lying awake worrying about something work related that I certainly cannot do anything about over the weekend. Sigh.

I am sorry to hear about all the stress. That definitely makes it an uphill battle. I believe it will come back to you and appreciate your presence here on the forums helping countless newbies and others!

My father's involvement was basically telling me that I can defeat my nightmare by just realizing that it is just a dream, and once I do I can do anything I want and that I can defeat the monster easily. Him planting the thought that it would be easy I think made it easy to defeat the monster.

Nice conversation here, guyz

Fell asleep without changing into pyjamas last night, even kept my belt on, too exhausted.

In the middle of the night I remember waking up, remembering a dream, and then failing to write it down. I think it was one of those self reflective nonlucids about dreaming maybe, but I don't recall for sure.

In the morning I had no recall, but a bit of a headache.

Well, I continue to have tons of stress, and no recall again. But on the bright side, I am handling the stress and so no longer totally overwhelmed by it. Another blessing is dream interpretation of other's dreams: I find it really helps me at times when I have no lucids and not even recall, but I enjoy dream interpretation, and often as I help them overcome issues maybe, I find some of the stuff applying to myself as well, so enjoying dreams virtually through the dreams of others - hey, it's much better than feeling sorry for myself.

My older son had a really cool no lucid dream which involved his cousins as zombies, and his dad at a meeting in a church encouraging everyone to eat Skittles because "Zombies don't like Skittles." The dream also involved Naga the polar bear dog from Avatar, and this bear dog could talk in this dream and could smell the zombies from far away and run fast.

I have decided I would not mind having a dream that involves a talking polar bear dog. now personally, I would prefer to skip the zombies though. but beggars can't be choosers, so at this point, I will be grateful for pretty much any dream recall, no matter what subject matter.

I remembered a dream,yay! Age inappropriate toy birthday gift - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Meanwhile, my 7 year old son reports another lucid dream. He stomped and made the ground freeze, and he confirmed that he can indeed breathe under water. So cool.

Doesn't remembering a dream make you feel like you are progressing? I truly rejoice when I can remember my dreams, I know lucidity is right around the corner. Good for you JoannaB AND good for your son! Indeed COOL!

Oh absolutely, dream recall definitely makes me feel better. I am actually surprised that my dream recall is beginning to rebound even though my stress level continues to be through the roof. I am glad about the dream recall, and hope to remember dreams tonight again.

Originally Posted by JoannaB

I fear I must admit that my 7 year old is both more successful at lucid dreaming at the moment and more committed to it today at least. He was so excited about all his recent LD successes, and he went to bed punctually with the intension of mantraing himself to sleep "lucid dream!"

Before "lucid living" I would get to bed at horrible times -- 3-4am sometimes. Now I'm running around the house at 11pm telling everyone to get to bed and be quiet by 11:30pm

Last night no dreams and not enough sleep because of something at work that I kept thinking about. Tonight better be better!

I had some terrific dream recall last night! I wrote it in 3 entries because I woke up three times to write, but there are a total of 4 dreams +3 fragments.

I wonder why I am doing all that stuff to my poor fish? This is the second night in a row that I mishandled fish. Last night I transported some loosely in my purse. Tonight they were in my kitchen sink and then my bare hands.

Magnetized olives, James Bond, security interviews - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

And

Fish in kitchen sink, caught in bare hands, false friend - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

And

Cut up birth certificate - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

A good recall night is such a joy! Congrats!

Wow, What a night. 3 dreams 3 fragments. One of the dreams included two instances during which I doubted reality, and yet RC failed. And another dream included what I think was a false memory of having had a lucid dream, and the dream was a false awakening dream trying to write down that lucid in a dream journal. I am sooo close.

Work dream with feeling of inadequacy, younger son missing - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Reality Checks Fail at Disturbing Visit, lost and doubting - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

lucid? followed by FA Non Lucid with iPad trouble and polite visitor - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

In hindsight it is a bit disturbing that when faced with the choice that I am either dreaming or going seriously insane, my mind decided to rationalize that I must be going seriously insane.

Congrats on your great recall! Try to think about why you recall and awareness was better last night and repeat the same routine tonight. That's a key to consistent improvement.