Letaali's DILD workbook

[Letaali]

Hello! I want to stay motivated and focused, so I'm starting a workbook. I've never had great success with WILD, so I'm sticking to DILD for now. My daily routine is to: -RC every now and then. -Focus on my (self-)awareness. -Visualizing the next lucid dream and doing my goal. -Believing that I'm a person who lucid dreams often. -Meditating. I practice mindfulness, since controlling my thoughts should help in dreams. -Use mantras while falling asleep, to have my intention fresh on my mind. First thing I'm gonna focus on is getting my WBTBs into a good spot. I feel like they should be a bit longer. I'll try 15 minute WBTB after 6h of sleep tonight. I'll try to post updates daily. Comments are appreciated.

[fogelbise]

-Use mantras while falling asleep, to have my intention fresh on my mind. First thing I'm gonna focus on is getting my WBTBs into a good spot. I feel like they should be a bit longer. I'll try 15 minute WBTB after 6h of sleep tonight. I'll try to post updates daily. Comments are appreciated. Welcome Letaali! You have a good number of LD's under your belt, that's great! Yes, keep experimenting with the amount of time for your WBTB. Myself and some other's I have spoken to need 30 minutes plus, but others are able to do well with shorter ones. Do you use your mantra's and/or visualizations or any techniques after WBTB? Visualizing a recent dream and visualizing becoming lucid in the dream can be powerful, especially after a WBTB. Happy dreams and once again, welcome!

[Letaali]

Welcome Letaali! You have a good number of LD's under your belt, that's great! Yes, keep experimenting with the amount of time for your WBTB. Myself and some other's I have spoken to need 30 minutes plus, but others are able to do well with shorter ones. Do you use your mantra's and/or visualizations or any techniques after WBTB? Visualizing a recent dream and visualizing becoming lucid in the dream can be powerful, especially after a WBTB. Happy dreams and once again, welcome! Thanks fogelbise! 80 LDs in 5 years is not that impressive, I think :p That's why I'm here. Would be awesome to lucid dream more frequently and finally get my personal goal done. I'm trying to reach a frozen, snow covered planet that I saw in a dream long ago. Alright, next time I WBTB, I'll stay up for 30 min. I use my mantra and visualizations when ever I'm falling asleep, so after WBTB as well. I had trouble falling asleep last night. Meditated from 23:30 to 0:00. Tried to fall asleep from 0:00-1:30. Got up and watched some twitch streamers. Back to bed at 4am. Slept until 9:30. No WBTB tonight, barely any dream recall. I have to work on my sleep schedule again. I might buy melatonin to help me fall asleep.

[Saizaphod]

Nice to have you joining the DILD classes Letaali! I'll let the teachers do the teaching, but I'll be here to give my advice, thoughts and encouragement. I had trouble falling asleep last night. Meditated from 23:30 to 0:00. Tried to fall asleep from 0:00-1:30. Got up and watched some twitch streamers. Back to bed at 4am. Slept until 9:30. No WBTB tonight, barely any dream recall. I have to work on my sleep schedule again. Yes, meditation is really effective to get the proper mindset for the night and the lucid dream attempt. You could have watched some (lucid)dream related videos or similar as well to help you keep the mindset on Good luck!

[FryingMan]

Hello Letaali! It looks like you have a good set of routines. I think mindfulness is a great way to practice, so you're good there! I recommend that those who practice mindfulness take a look at the Tibetan dream yoga literature. The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep is a classic, and a new great book I recommend is Andrew Holecek's "Dream Yoga: Illuminating Your Life Through Lucid Dreaming and the Tibetan Yogas of Sleep". Something I like to add to generic mindfulness, for LD practice, is reflection: be fully present in the moment (mindfulness), but also be aware of your state in the moment: are you in the waking state or the dreaming state? This bit of added vigilance that can be helpful in grasping LD opportunities when they arise. How's your recall on an average night? Do you keep a daily dream journal? Reading LD literature is a great way to stay motivated and excited about LDing. Also, participating in the Task of the Month club gives you a fresh set of dream goals that earn you shiny animated wings over your avatar on the site! Having concrete, meaningful dream goals really helps in getting lucid I find -- if you haven't established any, now's a good time! How are your LDs? Are they long enough and stable enough to do a few things you'd like to try? Let us know if you have any questions, and feel free to use your workbook to track you progress!

[Letaali]

Thanks Saizaphod and hi FryingMan! I'll try to answer all your questions. I've looked into Tibetan dream yoga literature and I'll try to see if I can find that book you mentioned. I love that you mention being aware of one's state! That sort of reflection is what's made me lucid in several dreams already. My recall is usually very good. I can recall 2-5 dreams almost every night. Last two nights don't count, I've had trouble sleeping and I'm adjusting my sleep schedule. I started writing dreams in a paper journal on 1.1.2013 and it has been a daily thing. I already commented in the current task of the month. I was "close" to a task. :d I will be checking the tasks and trying to do them in my lucid dreams while aiming to complete my personal goal. My goal is to reach an alien planet that I've named the Frozen Planet, but I'll ask it's real name once I get back there. Unfortunately, my lucid dreams tend to be too short to try new things. That's a problem I would like to work on too. I also think that sometimes it's out of my control, but correct me if I'm wrong. Last night: I took some melatonin and managed to fall asleep at a reasonable time. After 5.5h of sleep, I woke up for WBTB. I meditated on my bed for 20 minutes and went back to sleep. Slept 3 more hours. Just non-lucid dreams. I had headache and some other pains before, during and after sleeping. I'll just mention them, because that affects my ability sleep and focus on incubation etc.

[Saizaphod]

Unfortunately, my lucid dreams tend to be too short to try new things. That's a problem I would like to work on too. I also think that sometimes it's out of my control, but correct me if I'm wrong. I took some melatonin and managed to fall asleep at a reasonable time. After 5.5h of sleep, I woke up for WBTB. I meditated on my bed for 20 minutes and went back to sleep. Slept 3 more hours. Just non-lucid dreams. I had headache and some other pains before, during and after sleeping. I'll just mention them, because that affects my ability sleep and focus on incubation etc. It might be a bit out of your control if you're at the end of your REM-cycle and near to wakefulness/if the dream is just too scary/exhilarating for you to handle(you get shaken to wakefulness)/or if you expect to wake up, for an example. Besides those examples you can learn to stay lucid longer with practice and intention ( stabilization and reminding yourself often that you're in a dream). Of course with practice the shaky experiences won't make you wake up anymore, and if you expect to wake up you will probably just have a false awakening that you can use to regain your lucidity in a new environment. You could also of course try to stay lucid in the emptiness through the deeper sleep stages as well potentially ( ? ). Your headache and pain probably had an impact yeah. Don't put the fault on yourself, it was more or less the fault of the headache etc.

[fogelbise]

Thanks fogelbise! 80 LDs in 5 years is not that impressive, I think :p That's why I'm here. Would be awesome to lucid dream more frequently and finally get my personal goal done. I'm trying to reach a frozen, snow covered planet that I saw in a dream long ago. Alright, next time I WBTB, I'll stay up for 30 min. I use my mantra and visualizations when ever I'm falling asleep, so after WBTB as well. Although I wasn't sure of the time frame of the 80 LD's, that is still a good amount of experience. Either way, I am sure that you can get much out of this workbook, between keeping track of what you are doing and getting tips along the way. The frozen, snow covered planet sounds awesome. I could see you getting back there from the void or any fading visuals by vividly imagining the cold air, the crunch of the snow, blizzard like sounds perhaps, engaging all of the senses until a scene appears…maybe the exact planet you seek. Let me know if you have questions. Unfortunately, my lucid dreams tend to be too short to try new things. That's a problem I would like to work on too. I also think that sometimes it's out of my control, but correct me if I'm wrong. Sometimes it can be the end of REM but sometimes you can squeeze a little more toothpaste out of the tube. I made a post a few days ago on stabilization in another workbook, check it out http://www.dreamviews.com/dild/16164...ml#post2201866

[Letaali]

Although I wasn't sure of the time frame of the 80 LD's, that is still a good amount of experience. Either way, I am sure that you can get much out of this workbook, between keeping track of what you are doing and getting tips along the way. Yeah, getting feedback is great! I appreciate what you and FryingMan are doing. ^-^ The frozen, snow covered planet sounds awesome. I could see you getting back there from the void or any fading visuals by vividly imagining the cold air, the crunch of the snow, blizzard like sounds perhaps, engaging all of the senses until a scene appears…maybe the exact planet you seek. Let me know if you have questions. This is basically what I tried to do in my 80th LD. I combined visualizing and feeling the frozen planet with spinning. Previously, when I wanted to open a door to the frozen planet, focusing on visualizing the destination made me wake up. I assume taking my focus off of the current dream is a bad idea. Once I became lucid near the end of a dream and saw all visuals fade away, like I had dropped into a dark pit. I focused on feeling my feet sinking into lava, to force visuals back and get into a dream, and that worked. Nothing else around me, just lava floating in the middle of nothing. Felt nice and warm having my feet in it. I woke up shortly after anyway. My point is: I've done it and I know I can use feeling something to create visuals. It's the same when people pull something from their pockets or behind them.

[Letaali]

Day 3 Ugh...Wanted to fall asleep at midnight, took melatonin one hour before that, but I just could not fall asleep. Rolled around in my bed until 1:10. I got up and watched some youtube videos. Actually fell asleep at 2:30 and slept 5h. Decided not to WBTB that late. Recalled one non-lucid dream.

[Letaali]

Day 4 Slept from 1:00 to 8:20. Didn't take melatonin. Didn't WBTB. Recalled 3 non-lucid dreams last night. My incubation was to wander in a city, become lucid, find a burning building and an evil wizard and dealing with them using Witch Pistol to get some DHL points. I had two dreams in unfamiliar cities and, since I focused on having a supernatural gun, one of my dreams was clearly inspired by Borderlands and Fallout -games. Been a while since I got to explore a post-apocalyptic world and fly a spaceship. At least my incubation is sort of making it into my dreams. Just need lucidity. Tonight I'll try to fall asleep at midnight. If I can manage that, I'll wbtb after 6h of sleep. I'll become lucid, my skin will feel metallic, I'll have my Witch Pistol and I'll find a burning building with an evil wizard inside. That's my incubation for now.

[fogelbise]

Previously, when I wanted to open a door to the frozen planet, focusing on visualizing the destination made me wake up. I assume taking my focus off of the current dream is a bad idea. You might want to avoid taking your focus off of the current dream until you feel confident that you won't wake up but instead will enter a new scene, the void or an FA, for example. Sensei talks about a closed-eye teleport where you intentionally take focus off of the current dream in order to teleport to a new location. I talk about the shift in thinking helpful to not wake up automatically in these situations in the link to the other workbook above (it is definitely in the link that that link refers to which is also the first link in my signature). Once I became lucid near the end of a dream and saw all visuals fade away, like I had dropped into a dark pit. I focused on feeling my feet sinking into lava, to force visuals back and get into a dream, and that worked. Nothing else around me, just lava floating in the middle of nothing. Felt nice and warm having my feet in it. Excellent, like you said you know can do it when visuals fade but you are still dreaming, so it is now part of your arsenal! Day 4 Tonight I'll try to fall asleep at midnight. If I can manage that, I'll wbtb after 6h of sleep. I'll become lucid, my skin will feel metallic, I'll have my Witch Pistol and I'll find a burning building with an evil wizard inside. That's my incubation for now. Like you eluded to before, I think getting to a good sleep schedule should be a big priority for your LD practice, if possible. Days like Day 3 with only 5 hours of sleep is not helpful for lucid dreaming. Day 4 with almost 7.5 hours of sleep is quite good but not really enough time for a good WBTB, but improving! You might have a couple of lucid moment cues for that incubation. The metallic skins is great and when you see the burning building and later the evil wizard in your visualizations you can also remind yourself that those scenarios mean that you are dreaming…it should help strengthen your lucidity when it happens in your actual LD. You can add any other dream only cues that also remind you that you are dreaming to your visualization. I think this also primes your mind to be looking for opportunities to realize that you are dreaming, even if the overall scenario is a little different. This works really well when laying back down after WBTB.

[Letaali]

Great idea fogelbise! I'll add seeing weird things that trigger lucidity to my visualizations. Day 5 Slept from 1:30 to 7:30. Wasn't...100% when I woke up, not feeling that great. I decided to WBTB anyway. Slept from 8:00 to 9:30. I recalled 5 non-lucid dreams. In 3 of them I was going to bed in different scenarios. My bed was outside the house in one and on the floor in another one. In the third one I didn't know where my bed was and I was planning on sleeping in the corridor of the army barracks I was in. My beds were messy and the one that was outside had bugs on it. Interesting details, in my opinion. In one of the dreams I had a long talk about memory with my dad. Apparently it's in my genes that my memory starts to get worse around the age of 40. I hope that's not true. :S My brother continues to appear in my dreams. Always there to help me, even though I rarely see him in waking life due to distance. If I could learn to RC when I see my brother, I would be lucid every night.

[Saizaphod]

I recalled 5 non-lucid dreams. In one of the dreams I had a long talk about memory with my dad. Apparently it's in my genes that my memory starts to get worse around the age of 40. I hope that's not true. :S My brother continues to appear in my dreams. Always there to help me, even though I rarely see him in waking life due to distance. If I could learn to RC when I see my brother, I would be lucid every night. Nice recall! Unless you have discussed about it in waking life then I doubt that's the case. Just a random dream. I relate to this 100%. My brother is nearly in all of my dreams, but I see him only twice a month in waking life, making it kinda hard to get used to RCing in his presence. But I think with strong enough Prospective Memory Practice it could become easier though. Prospective Memory Practice is that you pick 3-4 elements during the day which to notice ( like " I will reality check whenever I see a cat ). It's great combined with MILD. It boosts the effect of phrases like " I will reality check when seeing my brother" that you repeat to yourself before going to sleep. You could try that out. PMP guide 1 , PMP guide 2

[fogelbise]

Even if it is something you discussed IWL, there are so many different simple activities and foods found to combat memory decline, according to research. Since you dream about your brother so often, you might want to visualize seeing him and then perform an RC. During a WBTB you can visualize a recent dream you had with him that is still fresh and clear in your mind and imagine realizing "wait a minute! my brother is here…could this be a dream?" then visualize doing an RC that shows that you are dreaming and what you will do next, goals etc... You can mix this in during some of your WBTB's. It may be more likely to trigger an LD if you dream about your brother more often than incubating that cool fantasy scenario you mentioned before…but don't give up on fun goals like that either.

[Letaali]

I haven't discussed it IWL, but it's possible that my memory starts getting crappy at some point. It's probably the scariest thing ever, losing your memory. Not really stressing about it yet though. I'll focus on my awareness and noticing if anything weird happens around me. I don't just want to notice my brother being there. A lot weirder stuff happens in my dreams, plenty to RC about. Day 6 Slept from 1:00 to 6:40 and from 7:10 to 9:40. Plenty of recall. 4 non-lucid dreams. I posted the dreams here. There was some level of awareness in the last little bit of dream. I feel like I need to be more awake when falling back to sleep after WBTB. I'll try 40 minutes next time.

[obfusc8]

Day 3Ugh...Wanted to fall asleep at midnight, took melatonin one hour before that, but I just could not fall asleep. Is that a melatonin supplement you're taking? In the past I did some research/experimentation with trying to boost melatonin production naturally through diet changes. - Peanuts, almonds, oats, bananas, pineapple juice (this one's stuck, I normally have pineapple juice with my evening meal every night, and fall asleep much faster now.) Also one of your posts mentioned watching twitch streams during WBTB. If you do use screens, make sure you have something like F.Lux or Twilight for android. This turns the screen a redish colour at night, as blue light reportedly has a big negative effect on melatonin levels. Keep going, keep experimenting! It really is the key - just try different things until you find what works for you.

[Letaali]

Yeah, it's a melatonin supplement. I haven't needed it in the last two nights. I'll try pineapple juice. I know I shouldn't watch a bright computer screen during WBTB. I sort of didn't care at that point, I was frustrated. Keep going, keep experimenting! It really is the key - just try different things until you find what works for you. I will.

[fogelbise]

Plenty of recall. There was some level of awareness in the last little bit of dream. I feel like I need to be more awake when falling back to sleep after WBTB. I'll try 40 minutes next time. Good job with the recall and catching some level of awareness.

[Letaali]

Day 7 Long lucid dream. I just focused on staying lucid. It wasn't very exciting but I'm happy. WBTB after 5.5h of sleep. Up for 40 minutes stretching and focusing on a visualization, where I become lucid in the previous dream. Fell asleep saying the mantra "I'm dreaming", which has worked before. Tonight I'll increase the WBTB length another 5 minutes and otherwise the same deal.

[FryingMan]

Woohoo congrats! I think focusing on extending the length of your LDs is one of the best practices to take, even if not all that exciting. You're training your brain to operate in LD mode, building and strengthening the neural pathways that make it possible. Build a strong foundation that way, and you'll have plenty of opportunities for the excitement once you've learned to balance and maintain lucidity for long periods of time.

[fogelbise]

Awesome awesome! Congratulations on your LD Letaali!! I agree with FM about setting up a good foundation for staying lucid, so great work! That doesn't mean that you can't add in a fun goal for your next one, but it does seem like a good idea to keep the "staying lucid" goal #1 for now and have a fun goal#2 to try out as well in the same LD next time. Let me know if you need tips on quickly recalling goals in your LD's.

[Letaali]

Thanks fogelbise and FryingMan! I haven't had trouble recalling my goals in the last two lucid dreams. But I did try to get my personal goal done...my mind tends to gravitate towards it. Last night I was just following dream characters and asking them to help me with my personal goal, but I don't think I have to be THAT passive. I'll try to do some fun stuff in the next lucid.

[Letaali]

Day 8 Didn't sleep last night due to pain. Probably takes me a couple of days to get back to normal sleep schedule.

[Letaali]

Day 9 Yesterday I took a 4h nap, and then tried to fall asleep at 22:20 to fix my sleep. I managed to sleep from 23:00 to 7:30, which is great. In one of the dreams, I had a phone app that could teleport me to any of my contacts. I tried to teleport to my mom, since I left her in the previous dream and felt bad about it. The app drew the attention of a lot of familiar DC. They gathered around me, waiting to see if I did it. I didn't. I can't help but see a connection between this and my goal. Back to normal routine for tonight.