Thread: Pickman's DILD course workbook

Yes, getting no sleep certainly isn't fun when you're trying to function at work the day after.

I tried the track again last night, but I think I passed right out. I barely remember any of my dreams, and I certainly wasn't lucid. I think it might work better if I'm awake enough to get through the hypnotic induction, and gradually pass into sleep, instead of crashing out like I did. Better luck tonight.

While I was learning what worked best for me, I often left night practices to the weekends, not risking being tired the next day. It gets much easier (with further practice and experimenting) to get proper sleep and going for LDs, assuming no other factors causing loss of sleep. There's nothing wrong with knocking out as you probably got some needed sleep.

Originally Posted by fogelbise

While I was learning what worked best for me, I often left night practices to the weekends, not risking being tired the next day. It gets much easier (with further practice and experimenting) to get proper sleep and going for LDs, assuming no other factors causing loss of sleep. There's nothing wrong with knocking out as you probably got some needed sleep.

Good idea - might be worth experimenting with supplements or WBTB over the weekend too.

Last night was the same as it has been for the past few nights, although I didn't listen to the lucid dream hypnosis track. I remembered about three fragments, which I wrote about on Sensei's challenge thread. I think I might start trying out WBTB as a way to increase recall at least.

Finally, I had a lucid dream last night. I turned in at my usual time, but I had two WBTB moments, and one of them produced a lucid dream. More details on the dream content here: Bullying the Teacher - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

While the WBTB certainly helped, the other thing that really helped was listening to lucid dreaming podcasts at work. It kept the topic on my mind throughout the evening, and I guess it probably kept the thought to be aware of my dream state on my mind while I was dreaming. There seems to be a lot more lucid dreaming podcasts out on iTunes, so that gives me plenty of material to keep me going through Sensei's current contest.

Congrats on the LD!! I love listening to audio on LDing as well. I think there is supposed to be a new DV podcast soon. I thought I read something about them recording it. Also, I highly recommend to check out Sensei's audio tips he just put up: DreamViews Audio He recorded them while "in the field" at work to make time to share his knowledge with us.

Thanks, I'll check that out.

My recall dropped off over the weekend, from remembering fragments, to nothing at all last night. I think it's because I let go of the discipline I have during the working week in my sleep routine. Hopefully, that will be corrected tonight.

Recall has been fragmented but getting better since the weekend. I'm still listening to those podcasts at work, so I think they are getting through to me.

Last night I had a lucid dream, which was brief, but good enough for now: Spanking the manager - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Hopefully next time I'll remember to stabilize so that I can get more done.

Congrats on the lucid Pickman!! Slap dat as*! Just not when you get back to work!

Podcasts are a great way to keep lucid dreaming on your mind and learn new things. Try to remember that when you hear of anyone's troubles or talk of troubles with x, y or z...that you keep it firmly in your mind that those don't have to be troubles for you. For example: "Once again, when I did "x" the dream fell apart." Same holds true for things you read here in the forums, of course. Incorporate the positive and dismiss the negative!

Yeah, podcasts are great for that - especially when you work a boring desk job in the evenings and can listen to them for an hour or so. Taking part in LD competitions on this forum is another good way to keep your mind on this.

The past weekend was pretty disappointing for dream recall. I seem to let my hair down and not care about my sleep routine during the weekends, but at least I get my discpline back over the week.

I know what you mean. I let my hair down last night knowing the competition was over and let my recall slip away this morning, having released the proper focus on it.

After a few days of fragmented dream recall, I had a good night's sleep last night with better recall. I could remember whole dreams. I woke up at 6:30am, performed a brief WBTB, and went back to sleep for an hour or so.

Without going into too much detail, I had a dream in which I was trying to escape from a building. I reach the basement, it is dark, but there are openings in the ceiling leading outside. I can't get out because there are no ladders or anything.

Then, a shimmering blue apparition of a man in a suit appears before me, and tells me that I should "just go to sleep" and then I'll escape from the building. Looking at this apparition, and I did actually question if I was dreaming, but lapsed back into non-lucidity because I decided that the scene around me - including the apparition - was "too realistic"

I did actually end up leaving the building into the icy, snowy landscape outside, but I was kicking myself on waking for being so stupid. How the hell could I have mistaken this for anything else but a dream? My dream self confuses me sometimes.

Still, at least my recall is on the up. Better luck tonight I suppose.

Congrats on the improved recall! Definitely look at the bright side while striving to catch it next time. If our awareness is not high enough, our dreaming minds can explain away practically anything. Even though I have had quite a few lucid dreams, my awareness is low at certain times, especially in the earlier part of the night or when I have slacked off on my daytime work. I saw the word lucid on my sons report card in a dream fairly recently and all I could think about was whether my wife would see that notation and start getting on to me about focusing so much on dreams! Needless to say, this was one of those moments where I couldn't believe I didn't become lucid.

I also want to reach out and let you know that I would be glad to help you more in depth. You have been consistent with your workbook and very few people are. It can be frustrating to put a lot of effort into helping a newbie who may need more help than someone like you and see them fade away, assumingly losing interest. You may know as much as I do but perhaps there is some way I can help you get to the next level if you want. It is important to not rush the process though and see it as a long term journey that you can sustain, so you may want to just continue on your current path and not try to change too much. Either way I am here for you.

Thanks for the message, sorry I took so long to reply - I've had a lot going on recently, some stress, so my improved recall went downhill over the past couple of days. I still have a good discipline going with my dream journalling and sleep routine, so it should come back once my body has slept off the stress.

I appreciate the offer of help, but I have no idea how you could help me get to the next level besides just doing what you're already doing. Those competitions we've had recently really helped, but I definitely think this is just a long-term journey. Having said that, experimenting with different approaches, and keeping this topic on my mind with the various podcasts I've found on iTunes does seem to make things go a little faster. There's also the tasks of the month to keep an eye on. If you have any suggestions, I'd be interested in hearing them. Otherwise, keep up the good work!

No worries! I was also away from DV for the entire weekend and just saw your note. I am glad to hear that you do see this a long-term journey. I will definitely continue to chime in if I do have any suggestions.

Please do - suggestions are always welcome.

Had another short-lived success last night. I seemed to have upped my LD rate this month, but they are always short ones. I must remember to stabilize.

The dream entry is here: Harassing people in gym - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Last night I went in hardcore with my pre-bedtime routine. I started off with foam-rolling and then some stretching to ease muscle tension. After doing this for a while, I did some chakra-based energy raising exercises (yes, I'm into that stuff) followed by meditation. All this was done in the dark.

I had a really deep sleep with a long dream that I recall a lot of. I wasn't lucid for very long, but I think if I stabilized I might have got a bit further. But still, I think that routine really did work. I'll have to start making a habit of it, I think it improved the quality of my sleep as well as my recall.

Originally Posted by Pickman

Please do - suggestions are always welcome.

Had another short-lived success last night. I seemed to have upped my LD rate this month, but they are always short ones. I must remember to stabilize.

Congrats on the LD and rate increase!!

I am not sure if I mentioned this in your workbook yet, but I recommend to not *worry* about stabilizing but just make your chosen stabilization method as just "something you do" all the time. You can practice during the day with RC's, imagining that you are in an LD right then, doing the routine that happens to stabilize your dream while taking care to not think of "stabilization" or "destabilization" while you are practicing, making it less likely that you worry about it in the dream. You could also just think of it as a boost to your dreams or a boost to vividness, keeping any association with the practice positive and keeping out any negative connections. Let me know if this isn't described well or if you want more details.

It also sounds like you found a good pre-bed routine for you. Nice!

Hi, it looks like I neglected this workbook recently - things have been a bit busy. Having said that, I have kept up with the night-time routine, and it does seem to improve my dream recall.

I haven't had any lucid dreams since the last one, but I am convinced now that dream recall is the key to lucidity after my last lucid dream. It seems like the longer you dream, the more opportunity you have to become lucid. But the one thing that does seem to hamper the quality of my sleep and my recall is looking at a PC monitor screen or TV shortly before turning in. The pre-bedtime routine does seem to counter this, but at the same time it does seem to make lucidity more difficult.

Originally Posted by Pickman

But the one thing that does seem to hamper the quality of my sleep and my recall is looking at a PC monitor screen or TV shortly before turning in.

There are some apps that will change the light from your cell phone (and I'm sure for the PC/monitor as well) that are supposed to be better pre-bed. Not sure what can be done about the TV without reducing TV use in the last hours before bed or overall.

The pre-bedtime routine does seem to counter this, but at the same time it does seem to make lucidity more difficult.

Do you mean the pre-bedtime routine or the PC monitor/TV seems to make lucidity more difficult?

Hi, sorry it took me a while to get back to you. No difference on the lucidity, but recall is still pretty good and I'm keeping up the routine.

Originally Posted by fogelbise

There are some apps that will change the light from your cell phone (and I'm sure for the PC/monitor as well) that are supposed to be better pre-bed. Not sure what can be done about the TV without reducing TV use in the last hours before bed or overall.

Yes, there is a good one for the PC called f.lux that syncs the light from your monitor with the changes to daylight to make it easier on your eyes. But I don't think these apps will make any difference - only cutting out the TV before bed can help.

Do you mean the pre-bedtime routine or the PC monitor/TV seems to make lucidity more difficult?

The monitor/TV use makes lucidity difficult - that's what I think anyway. Something to do with melatonin I guess, I've forgotten the science behind it.

Originally Posted by Pickman

Yes, there is a good one for the PC called f.lux that syncs the light from your monitor with the changes to daylight to make it easier on your eyes. But I don't think these apps will make any difference - only cutting out the TV before bed can help.

The tough decisions...I need to do this too. I also have made correlations (not scientific experiment based) to me eating certain unhealthy foods and having a tougher time getting lucid so I have told myself to assume it as fact so that I am motivated to stay away from those unhealthy foods. There's a potential for a double benefit...but at the very least I will be eating healthier! I do avoid negative correlations between harmless actions and lucidity, such as "If I do (something harmless) it negatively affects me getting lucid."

The monitor/TV use makes lucidity difficult - that's what I think anyway. Something to do with melatonin I guess, I've forgotten the science behind it.

I remember reading the same thing. Something about tv/monitor light interfering with natural production of melatonin which is important for healthy sleep.

Last night I managed to get get a decent night's sleep after two nights of almost no sleep - just an hour or so a night. My recall was okay, but not up to my previous standard.

Originally Posted by fogelbise

The tough decisions...I need to do this too. I also have made correlations (not scientific experiment based) to me eating certain unhealthy foods and having a tougher time getting lucid so I have told myself to assume it as fact so that I am motivated to stay away from those unhealthy foods. There's a potential for a double benefit...but at the very least I will be eating healthier! I do avoid negative correlations between harmless actions and lucidity, such as "If I do (something harmless) it negatively affects me getting lucid."

I made the same correlation about food. I know that excess refined sugar causes me to lose my concentration, which is one bad mental side-effect besides all the physical ones.

It does seem like clean living seems to contribute to lucid dreaming success - no TV/monitor use before bed, healthy food, meditation, etc. I wonder if people who are naturally good at lucid dreaming have these lifestyle factors in place already.

Originally Posted by Pickman

Last night I managed to get get a decent night's sleep after two nights of almost no sleep - just an hour or so a night. My recall was okay, but not up to my previous standard.

I think after 2 nights of 1 hour of sleep, I would struggle to have any recall. Sounds like a good recovery.

I made the same correlation about food. I know that excess refined sugar causes me to lose my concentration, which is one bad mental side-effect besides all the physical ones.

It does seem like clean living seems to contribute to lucid dreaming success - no TV/monitor use before bed, healthy food, meditation, etc. I wonder if people who are naturally good at lucid dreaming have these lifestyle factors in place already.

I have a bit of a sweet tooth and need to incorporate that sugar one into my negative correlations, so thank you for that (already had it for chocolates, true or not - they seem to put me in a deeper sleep with less recall). And I have to agree with you and think that people that already have that clean living life-style must have a better chance at lucidity if all else is equal.

Last night, I had another unexpected but short-lived success with lucid dreaming: Escaping in the night - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Because it was so unexpected, I did not think to stabilize. I turned in that night with the desire to sleep off the stress I was feeling, so lucidity was not my priority at the time. I woke up at 6am, feeling like crap. No more lucidity, although my recall was pretty good.

Originally Posted by Pickman

Last night, I had another unexpected but short-lived success with lucid dreaming: Escaping in the night - Dream Journals - Lucid Dreaming - Dream Views

Because it was so unexpected, I did not think to stabilize. I turned in that night with the desire to sleep off the stress I was feeling, so lucidity was not my priority at the time. I woke up at 6am, feeling like crap. No more lucidity, although my recall was pretty good.

Congratulations Pickman!! It is always impressive when someone gets lucid when they aren't really even trying! I posted a little comment in your DJ as well...interesting!