Struggling with Changing My Appearacnce

**Aristaeus** · 03-13-2011 05:41 AM

Greetings,

For many weeks now I have been experimenting with various self-conceived methods on changing the way I appear in my (lucid) dreams. However, none of them have yielded satisfactory results--at least not yet.

I do not wish to transform into an animal or any supernatural creature--I merely wish to alter my human appearance, such as clothing, body build, skin pigmentation, hair shape and colour, facial form, vocal pitch, etc.

Recently, transforming my entire human appearance has been easy enough. However, when it comes to taking the human form I want to take, my dream or subconscious or whatever simply does not cooperate; instead of transforming into the particular figure of my choice, I will simply end up with something completely random.

For anyone accomplished at the subject, what advice have you, if any? Is there a particular transforming method that has proven most efficient for you? What kind of difficulties, if any, had you when you first began shape shifting?

Please discuss.

**Raphael** · 03-13-2011 08:58 AM

I've never tried altering my own appearance. However I have been able to take over other people's bodies, which I think would be a lot easier. Just imagine exactly what you want to look like, then summon that person, and you should be able to enter his body by walking into it; like a spirit entering his body. That's what I do anyways

**Amity** · 03-14-2011 10:10 AM

I always have the most luck (changing anything) by closing my eyes and believing it will be different when I open them.
I don't have any solid advice to give you on shapeshifting since it's not something I do very often, but after reading your post yesterday, I experimented a bit with changing my appearance in this lucid dream:

Lucid Shapeshifting + Nightmare About LDs - Dream Journals - Dreamviews Lucid Dreaming Community & Resource

This time I used a mirror, and I think the first couple of changes happened really easily because I was looking at the mirror, rather than my actual body... that was probably easier for my mind to accept.

Good luck! Keep practicing!

**~~DeletePlease~~** · 03-14-2011 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Amity

I always have the most luck (changing anything) by closing my eyes and believing it will be different when I open them.

That causes my lucids to destabilize on occasion; is there any way to prevent that?

@ thread starter: For a change of clothes you can always say something like "I want a green jacket" and a DC will bring you one. That's what works for me at least. Not sure about the rest though, I've never tried to change my appearance. I did manage to change the appearance of a DC with make-up though. Making use of arch-types like that would probably work best.

**Amity** · 03-14-2011 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by GavinGill

That causes my lucids to destabilize on occasion; is there any way to prevent that?

Yes! Keep your eyes moving around / from side to side / whatever, so you don't mess with your REM.
Don't let your eyes stay still for too long.

Otherwise, just cover your eyes with your hands maybe? That works just as well for me.
Everyone is different, though. Let me know how you go!

**juroara** · 03-15-2011 10:13 PM

My friend spent years mastering the art of transforming into other people in dreams. Years! Don't ask me how she did it. All I know is she payed careful attention to every little detail one at a time. Eyes. Nose. Lips. Hair. Height. Weight. Even gender.

For me, I suck at dream transformation. What works best for me is to stop focusing on transforming my dream body, and focus more on my dream persona.

When I transformed into Link, I wasn't trying to change my appearance. I just grabbed a sword and ran around trying to save Zelda. I thought I was Link, so I trusted I looked like him! Doesn't always work though, not with genders at least. Once when I was roleplaying as a male anime character in a dream, a dream character told me I was still female.

**Aristaeus** · 03-16-2011 06:08 AM

Originally Posted by Raphael

I've never tried altering my own appearance. However I have been able to take over other people's bodies, which I think would be a lot easier. Just imagine exactly what you want to look like, then summon that person, and you should be able to enter his body by walking into it; like a spirit entering his body. That's what I do anyways

Hmm, that method certainly sounds interesting. I do not know how well it will work for me, but I will definitely give it a trial in the near future. Experimenting with it might even give me more ideas. Thanks for the input.

Originally Posted by Amity

I always have the most luck (changing anything) by closing my eyes and believing it will be different when I open them.
I don't have any solid advice to give you on shapeshifting since it's not something I do very often, but after reading your post yesterday, I experimented a bit with changing my appearance in this lucid dream:

Lucid Shapeshifting + Nightmare About LDs - Dream Journals - Dreamviews Lucid Dreaming Community & Resource

This time I used a mirror, and I think the first couple of changes happened really easily because I was looking at the mirror, rather than my actual body... that was probably easier for my mind to accept.

Good luck! Keep practicing!

Yes, I have been using very similar methods for the past weeks; in many of my latest experiments I have often thought to myself, "when once again I look into the mirror, I will appear as so-and-so." Though it did absolutely nothing at first, more and more attempts yielded better and better results. I have also occasionally used shadows, as they did help me get a basic outline of my desired transformation without having to focus on every detail at once.

...But, anyhow, thanks for the help. The details in your dream log entry did give me a good idea or two for an experiment.

Originally Posted by GavinGill

@ thread starter: For a change of clothes you can always say something like "I want a green jacket" and a DC will bring you one. That's what works for me at least. Not sure about the rest though, I've never tried to change my appearance. I did manage to change the appearance of a DC with make-up though. Making use of arch-types like that would probably work best.

Hmm, I had not thought of that--it might actually work if I try it out. The only problem, however, is that Dream Characters, human or otherwise, are rather scarce in most of my Lucid Dreams, regardless of the setting. Thanks anyway, though.

Originally Posted by juroara

My friend spent years mastering the art of transforming into other people in dreams. Years! Don't ask me how she did it. All I know is she payed careful attention to every little detail one at a time. Eyes. Nose. Lips. Hair. Height. Weight. Even gender.

For me, I suck at dream transformation. What works best for me is to stop focusing on transforming my dream body, and focus more on my dream persona.

When I transformed into Link, I wasn't trying to change my appearance. I just grabbed a sword and ran around trying to save Zelda. I thought I was Link, so I trusted I looked like him! Doesn't always work though, not with genders at least. Once when I was roleplaying as a male anime character in a dream, a dream character told me I was still female.

Very interesting... I had not thought of that either. Perhaps further embracing my desired transformation's various roles, backgrounds, and characteristics will increase the chances of a successful transformation. Thanks for your input; this, too, has given me plenty of ideas.