Setting Up Control Over Your Lucids.

Ok i would like to talk about something that I've noticed with my lucids. And something that i've noticed with many other peoples lucids.

What I've noticed is that some people have have MAD control when they get lucid, whilst other have little control. This is interesting. The main difference I've noticed between the two (and from my lucids) is this: people That have control have 2 things: when they are lucid they just DO what they want to do, and second: they already have a specific pre-determined goal. Both go hand in hand. Why?

WEll, I've read countless examples from various beginners in the lucid realm that have lucids like: "I'm in this dream so i kept thinking of what i should do next. i thought i wanted to try flying, i floated for a bit but fell back down. i got frustrated so i decided to try something else so i tried that and it seemed to work for a while but then it stopped". Don't get me wrong, i am still somewhat of a beginner but people have pointed out that i don't seem to have this type of problem. The main reason for me is that i notice when i am lucid and have control, i don't have to ask myself what i would like to do because i already have a conceptualised task. AND i never usually have to think about what i'm doing, i just do whatever i want. So, the main thing i'm saying is: the perfect way to have control over your lucids is shutting down the internal diolougue.

Notice how i said i don't have to think about what I'd like to do i just feel the desire and do it.

So now we know that dream control requires 2 things: a goal or purpose to lucid dream, and shutting down the internal diolougue.

Having a goal: To have the dreams you want you must first Conceptualise what type of dreams that you want. so ask yourself: What do i want? this is important. Everything that exists in our society today was first pre-conceptualised.From the cars we drive to the computers we type on didn't come from nowhere - They began in conceptual space. Every one of us has conceptual space, the problem is is that many of us have cluttered up that conceptual space with negative garbage. So conceptualise what kind of dreams and control you want. do you want to have lucid dreams every night? do you want to fly and kill dream characters? Do you want to complete Lucid task of the month? WRITE these goals down if you have to.

Also, If your goal is to be lucid every night, obviously that is an unrealistic goal in the beginning because you're new. Don't expect to. because you will fail yourself and get frustrated. Now you can still reach that goal but you have to start with mini goals. Conceptualise the main goal you want, and then set up mini goals to reach this giant goal and focus MAINLY on those mini goals until you have accomplished them.

for example (from my conceptual space): I want to have amazing lucids, have the ability to change dreams and do all sorts of stuff. So i had to think "how do i reach that ability?" i picked a method. the first step in that method was to find my hands in my dreams. So, every night before bed i would only think and wish to find my hands. i would stare at my hands during the day looking at every detail. Within a month or so of doing this i fell asleep on a train and dreamt immediately that i was staring at my hands. I didn't have to become lucid and think about finding my hands, i just did it without thought and was lucid at that moment.

Next was to hold the image of my hands in my dreams and view other objects without changing. So THAT became my main purpose to lucid dream. in the next few months i had more dreams of my hands and looking at other objects to sustain their view. Then i began accomplishing that. what i began to notice was that the discipline of that would carry on into my other lucids and i would have fun in them!

Once i started accomplishing those tasks, my confidence level went up. This is REAL confidence because i accomplished what i set out to do.

Which brings to mind another important aspect: Outcome dependancy - don't be concerned with the outcome, just focus on the task at hand. The outcome will be dependant apon your abilites, not the other way around.

Part 2 on the Internal diolougue later.

Excellent topic. What good is lucidity if you just stand there going "Duh" when you arrive?

Working on the monthly tasks here has been a useful exercise for me. Part of that, I think, comes from just not being able to wrap my brain around being able to do ANYTHING. This brings to question the level of consciousness during my lucids - how lucid I actually become. Awareness does not mean reasoning ability is there too.

Preparation is clearly key for me. Once in lucids, I have a very easy time meeting predetermined goals. Without goals, I wander aimlessly until losing lucidity.

I look forward to reading Part II. Thank you!

Part 2: Internal diologue.

This is a very hard subject. Simply because when you have no internal diologue you are doing without using your language. It's hard do describe what it feels like when you stop talking to yourself, simply because you CAN'T use words to describe it .When your in a lucid and not Talking to yourself you don't question your abilities at all. you just Get an impulse and just Fly or move around etc. it's a wonderfull sensation!

If your in a LD or meditating and you ask yourself "Is my Internal Diologue shut off?" it ISN'T. lol.

Main thing is: Eliminate as much stress from your life as possible. Internal diologue is kept alive when you've had a bad day, broke up with someone, or something stressfull happened to you like your car got stolen. Even when we don't have stress a lot of us humans tend to talk to ourselves a lot and quite negatively even if we don't realise it. Stalk yourself on this if you feel it may be a problem. Write down or pay close attention to how you feel and think at certain times of the day. you will start to notice patterns.

an example from my patterns: Every time i would do something where i expressed myself in some way i immidiately would think to myself "WHY did you do that, You're an idiot". I DID this a lot. and even though it WASN'T true i still told myself this everyday. The problem with this type of thinking is that it will sabotage your success. REMEMBER That your life and accomplishments begin in Conceptual space. if you have these thoughts and feelings within your conceptual space they will hinder your abilities. Referring back to my example Whenever i expressed my self in some way and thought i was an idiot - if someone came along and said something like: oh that was bad/terrible/ etc. That would CONFIRM that belief in my conceptual space. See what's happening here?

So what does this have to do with Lucid Dreaming? well simply your dreams lucid or not are a reflection of your own subconcious and conceptual space. So if your having a lucid dream and carrying your internal diolougue inside Plus you are getting frustrated and confused about your abilities, isn't it logical to assume that is has something to do within your conceptual space? So, on one hand eliminate that stuff from your life.
Do your dishes, clean your room, If something stressfull happened recently, waste no time in dealing with it.

Techniques for shutting off the internal diolougue. you can do this visually out here or mentally. Audio record these instruction if you have trouble remembering.

Close your eyes, or look straight ahead. and imagine the thing that is keeping you from accomplishing your task. is it the frustration of not being able to have control? or Fear when you are losing control of the dream?
Imagine youself in this particular dream, try to feel and relive the tension, is it a feeling somewhere in your body? maybe the stomach or your chest tightens? once you have the feeling somewhere Imagine or stretch your hands in front of your face, spread them a part until they can only be seen in your periphials. mentally imagine the object or whatever it is infront of you. look at your hands, then look at the object (without moving your eyes but focus them) pick 2 spots behind the object, and focus behind you. That's 5 spots in total. Do it again and then take a DEEP breath. Now, see if you can still notice that tense feeling inside you.
It should be gone. Do this as much as you can throughout the day and a few times at night before bed.

Even if you are able to shut down the internal talk only for a minute or so, it will help you in your dreaming.
There are various and more in depth methods too. get a meditation CD or a shamanic Drumming CD. listen for an hour or so. Any Hypnotic and self help NLP programs can work too. I like Hypnotica's "Sphinx of imagination" for NLP and trance www.hypnotica.org . good for building your conceptual space, not just in dreaming but in your own life as well.

Good luck. I will keep coming back to this thread if anyone has questions.

Edit: here's a free and legal MP3 for trance: http://www.hypnotica.org/Audio/Double_Induction_Hyp.mp3

Interesting.

*Stares at hands*

I'll try that I will.